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Date of these obituaries: 08-02-02
Paul 'Butch' Hughes, pianist for gospel groups
Paul Thad "Butch" Hughes, 59, of Covington, a 32-year veteran of the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. and a musician who performed with gospel quartets and played the piano, died Wednesday of brain cancer. Mr. Hughes' fight against cancer prompted him to be selected as an Olympic torch bearer in December for the Winter Olympic Games.
"He thought it was the neatest thing, and he was so thankful he was still able to do it, " said Mr. Hughes' wife of 35 years, Linda Hughes.
"He was an inspiration to the community. He was effervescent, fun-loving, always laughing, always happy. He took cancer in stride and still tried to have a good time. He enjoyed life. He loved people."
Mr. Hughes began work at the Coca-Cola Co. as a delivery truck helper and retired last year as a route manager.
He learned to play the piano by ear as a youngster and was composing songs by the age of 10.
"He could play anything, " said Mrs. Hughes. "If he heard it, he could play it. That's how good he was."
As an adult, Mr. Hughes per formed with the Gospel Reporters Quartet and the Crownsmen Gospel Quartet.
He also was the pianist for the Northern Kentucky Baptist Church and played for many weddings. He was 14 years old when he began playing for weddings.
"Music gave him an enormous amount of enjoyment, " said Mrs. Hughes.
Mr. Hughes' hobby was motorcycle riding. He enjoyed long excursions to places like Maine, Florida and Oklahoma.
He was an Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War.
Other survivors include daughters, Tracey Hughes of Lynchburg, Va., and Tina Robinson of Fort Mitchell; his mother, Adele Hughes of Taylor Mill; brothers, Michael Hughes of State, Iowa, Greg Hughes of Newport and John Hughes of Independence; sisters, Adele Larkins of Dayton, Tenn., Becky Brooks of Erlanger and Jannell Croft of Dayton, Ohio; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Allison & Rose Funeral Home in Taylor Mill, and from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Northern Kentucky Baptist Church in Lakeside Park.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the church. Burial will be in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens.
Elnora Armour, 93, of Newport, died Thursday at Baptist Convalescent Center, Newport.
Arrangements are pending at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow.
Edward Scott Barkley, 41, of Cynthiana, died Wednesday at the Grandhaven Nursing Home, Cynthiana. He was a retired employee of E.D. Bullard Co.
Survivors include his son, Ryan Barkley of Cynthiana; father and stepmother, Joe Robert "Bob" Barkely and Velma Barkley of Cynthiana; and a sister, Susan Miller Ross.
Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at the Whaley-McCarty Funeral Home, Cynthiana. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Burial will be in Battle Grove Cemetery, Cynthiana. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 2312 Alexandria Drive, Lexington, Ky. 40504.
Anna Blackburn, 93, of Dry Ridge, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
Arrangements are pending at Eckler-Hudson Funeral Home, Dry Ridge.
Louis Cannon, 89, of Erlanger and formerly of Latonia, died at 10:14 p.m. Thursday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence.
Arrangements are pending at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia.
Margaret Gruber, S.N.D., 86, of Park Hills, died at 2:54 a.m. Thursday at Lourdes Hall, St. Joseph Heights, Park Hills.
Known as Sister Mary Mercia, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Covington in 1933 and made her first vows in 1935. Sister was an elementary teacher and librarian in the dioceses of Covington and Lexington, as well as in the archdioceses of Cincinnati and Mobile, Ala. In her later years, she helped in smaller communities by cooking for the sisters, and most recently, she served as a seamstress for the sisters at St. Joseph Heights.
Survivors include her brother, Louis J. Gruber of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Heights Convent Chapel, Park Hills. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. today at the Provincial House, St. Joseph Heights. The wake service will be held at 6 p.m. today at the Provincial House. Burial will be in St. Joseph Heights Convent Cemetery.
Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling the arrangements.
Edna C. Kleymeyer, 96, died Thursday at St. Charles Care Center, Fort Wright.
Arrangements are pending at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow.
Nelson McHargue, 73, of Independence, died at 2 a.m. today at Northern Kentucky Care and Rehabilitation Center, Alexandria.
Arrangements are pending at Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence.
Jackie Riley, 30, of Newport, formerly of Owsley County, died Monday. He was a self-employed construction worker.
Survivors include a son, Jackie Lee Riley of Newport; father, Jackie Wilder of Booneville; mother, Billie Jean Carmack of Newport; brothers, Dwight Carmack of Lancaster, Bobby Riley of Taylor Mill and Stanley Riley and Richard Riley, both of Newport; and fiancee, Charity Bravard of Newport.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. today at Booneville Funeral Home. Visitation was to be Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Hensley Cemetery, Sextons Creek. Memorials are suggested to Booneville Funeral Home, HC 88 Box 67D, Booneville, Ky. 41314.
Roswitha Gisela Scalco, 50, of Florence, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Victor Scalco; sons, James Sluder and Michael Sluder, both of Independence; a daughter, Geneva Strause of Independence; and six grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the time of services today at the funeral home. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Garry Simpson, 59, of Burlington, died Wednesday at his home. He was a stock clerk with UPS, a minister and member of the House of Deliverance Church, Newport, and a veteran of the Army.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia Simpson; daughters, Lisa Ballard of Burlington, Becky Coulter of Hebron and Sherrie Terrell of Indiantown, Fla.; brothers, Johnny Simpson of Crittenden, Merle Simpson of Osgood, Ind., David Simpson of Norman, Okla., Alan Simpson of Hamilton, Ohio, and Frankie Simpson and Ronnie Simpson, both of Independence; sisters, Marjorie Hall of Union and Letty Loechel and Rosalee Fisk, both of Crittenden; and seven grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Burlington. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until time of the services Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Burlington Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Michael James Sisco, 17, of Worthville, died Thursday at Happy Hollow Camp Ground, Worthville. He was a senior at Carroll County High School.
Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Melinda and Jimmy Jones of Worthville; and a brother, Matthew Sisco at home.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Family Worship Center, Worthville. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at the church. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery, Carrollton.
Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton, is handling the arrangements.
Patti Byrl Steffen, 86, of Fort Thomas, died Monday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was a homemaker, a member of St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring, and a volunteer at Lakeside Health Care Center, Highland Heights. Her husband, Tony Steffen, died in 2000.
Survivors include her daughter, Susan Pearman of Fresno, Calif.; a son, Roger Steffen of Covington; and two grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Church. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services Monday at the church. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph Church, 4011 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, Ky. 41075.
Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling the arrangements.
Harold B. Stewart, 73, of Crittenden, died at 3 p.m. Wednesday at his son's home in Fort Wright. He was a retired property manager for Koetzle Corp., Cincinnati, a farmer, an electrician, a member of Bradford Lodge No. 123 F&AM, Independence, and a Navy veteran of the Korean War. His wife, Lois Kenning Stewart, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his son, Thomas B. Stewart of Fort Wright; a sister, Susan Morehead of Lakeside Park; and three granddaughters.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Crittenden. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Burial will be in Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 6612 Dixie Highway, Suite 2, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Barbara Ann Wiesman, 64, of Newport, died Wednesday at her home. She was a homemaker and member of Lawler-Hanlon VFW Auxiliary. Her husband, William Wiesman, died in 1991.
Survivors include her daughters, Teri Hardebeck of Fort Thomas, Debra Wiesman of Newport and Jennifer Wright of Wilder; and six grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Thomas Church, Fort Thomas. Cremation will be in Fares J. Radel Funeral Home and Crematory, Cincinnati. Memorials are suggested to St. Thomas School, 428 S. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Fares J. Radel Funeral Home, Newport, is handling the arrangements.
