The Woodford Sun

Versailles, Ky.

Recent Obituaries

December 21, 2006

Erisman
Bernice Loser Erisman, 75, of Lawrenceburg, widow of Ronald Hugo Erisman, died Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006, at her residence.
Born Jan. 5, 1931 in Eaton, Ohio, she was the daughter of the late Russell and Winifred Kiracofe Loser. She was a certified nursing assistant and Head Start teacher, former Cub Scout, Girl Scout, and Boy Scout leader and Scoutmaster, a member of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Versailles, a member of the Order of St. Luke in Dayton, Ohio, a member of Daughters of the King, attended Kentucky State University and Carrollton University, and enjoyed the camping, hiking, and gardening.
Survivors include six sons, Michael Erisman, Patrick Erisman, and Gregory Erisman, all of Pulaski County, Steven Erisman, Lawrenceburg, Christopher Erisman, Dayton Ohio, and Kevin Erisman, Beaver Creek, Ohio; three sisters, Lila Mason and Sharel Quellet, both of Eaton, Ohio, and Helen Reeve, Greenwood, S.C.; 23 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren. A brother, Jimmy Loser, and a great-granddaughter, Courtney Mattingly, are deceased.
A memorial service was conducted Wednesday, Dec. 20, at the Versailles United Methodist Church by the Rev. David Brannen. Ritchie & Peach Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass 208 Steele Street, Frankfort, KY 40601.

Gower
Les Gower, of Versailles, husband of Kathy Gower, died Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006.
Born in Alabama, he was the son of the late Vernon and Bess Gower. He was a retired customer engineer with Pitney Bowes.
Survivors include the Newsome family of Versailles.
Blackburn & Ward Funeral Home is in charge of private funeral service.
Memorials are suggested to the American Breast Cancer Society, 1220-B East Joppa Road, Suite 332, Baltimore, MD 21286, the American Diabetes Association Louisville Office, 1941 Bishop Lane, Suite 110, Louisville, KY 40218, or the Woodford Humane Society, P.O. Box 44, Versailles, KY 40383. Guest book at www.Blackburnandward.com.

Hall
Doris Howard Hall, 81, widow of Russell Hall, died Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006, at Baptist Hospital East in Louisville.
Born in Woodford County, she was the daughter of the late James and Dolly Wiley Howard. She was a homemaker for many years.
Survivors include three daughters, Frances McIntyre and Rosalie O’Nan, both of Louisville, and Nancy Aldridge, Frankfort; two sons, John Parker, Versailles, and Frank W. Parker, Nicholasville; a foster daughter, Cassandra Deters, Montana; 15 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.
Services will be conducted at 1 p.m. today, Thursday, Dec. 21, at Blackburn & Ward Funeral Home by the Rev. Randolph Vaught. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Friends may call from 11 a.m. until time of service.
Guest book at www.Blackburnandward.com.

Hawkins
Steve Hawkins, 55, of Old Clifton Road, and widower of Patricia Lunsford Hawkins, died Thursday, Dec 14, 2006.
Born in Woodford County, he was the son of Virginia Wiglesworth of Versailles and the late Frank Hawkins. He was a builder and a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by his companion, Kathy Milburn; two sons, Jon and Ben Hawkins, Versailles; a daughter, Kim Hawkins, Versailles; two grandchildren, Matthew and Lilly Hawkins, Versailles; a brother, Frank Hawkins, Lexington; a step-brother, Jay Wiglesworth; and a step-sister, Judy Phillips.
Services were conducted Monday, Dec. 18, at Blackburn & Ward Funeral Home by Fr. Alan Sutherland. Following cremation, his remains will be entombed at St. John’s columbarium.
Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass.
Guestbook at www.BlackburnandWard.com.

Hoskins
William A. Hoskins, Jr., 77, of Versailles, widower of Joann Marie Hayes Hoskins, died Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006.
Born in Kansas City, Mo., he was the son of the late William Austin Sr. and Helen Fitzpatrick Hoskins. He was a retired partner in Hoskins, Lohner, Sweeney, and Schloss, a manufacturer’s representative firm. A graduate of Rockhurst High School, he also attended Rockhurst College in Kansas City. He was a U. S. Navy veteran, former member of Curé of Ars and the Redemptorist Catholic Parish in Kansas City, and most recently was a member of St. Leo Catholic Church in Versailles.
Survivors include four children, Bill Hoskins, Versailles, Joann Marie Hoskins, Versailles, Kathleen Marie Kattija-Ari, Honolulu, Hawaii, and Carol Marie Battle, Leawood, Kan.; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and his cousins, Susan Marie Hoskins, Kansas City, Mo., Carroll Louise Michaels, Leawood, Kan. Two children, Linda Marie Hoskins and Kevin Charles Hoskins, are deceased.
A funeral Mass was conducted Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Redemptorist Catholic Church in Kansas City, Mo. An additional Mass will be scheduled for early January at St. Leo Catholic Church in Versailles. Memorials are suggested to the St. Leo Catholic Church, Versailles.
Guest book at www.BlackburnandWard.com.

Lathery
Hershel Lathery, 75, of Lexington, died Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006, at the Central Baptist Hospital.
A native of Woodford County, he was the son of the late P.G. Lathery and Ida May Hanks Lathery. He was a retired grounds supervisor for Calumet Farm and a member of Rock LaRoca United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his children, James Hershel Lathery, Pauletta Best, and April Finch; the mother of his children, Juanita Goforth Cook; five grandchildren, Jacob Lathery, Carey Cole, Keyana Best, Jonathan Best, and Zachary Finch; a great-grandchild, Elijan Best; and several cousins, nieces and nephews. Three brothers, Goble Lee Lathery, Marvin Lathery, and Kenneth Ray Lathery, are deceased.
Services were conducted Wednesday, Dec. 20, at Rock LaRoca United Methodist Church. Burial was in Blue Grass Memorial Gardens.

Marshall
Roy Bond Marshall, 73, died Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006, at Cambridge Nursing Home in Lexington.
Born in Woodford County, he was the son of the late Charlie P. and Mary Alice Bowman Marshall. He was a member of St. Paul A.M.E Church in Versailles.
Survivors include his companion, Mary Frances Howard, Versailles; a sister, Ann Hocker, Lexington; and numerous other relatives.
Services were conducted Wednesday, Dec. 20, at Blackburn & Ward Funeral Home by the Rev. Floyd Greene. Interment followed in Steele Cemetery.
Guest book at www.Black-burnandWard.com.

McCann
Maurene “Renie” Rose McCann, 81, of Lexington, widow of William Asher McCann Jr., died Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006, at Homestead Nursing Home after a 30 year illness.
Born in Irvine, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Willie Mae Metcalf Rose. She was a retired teacher with Fugazzi Business College and Fayette County Schools, and was a member of Central Christian Church.
Survivors include three sisters, Betty Burgin, Lexington, Martha Ruffner, Miamisburg, Ohio, and Mary Morgan, Lexington; two brothers, Richard P. Rose, M.D., Lexington, and Steven Rose, Sarasota, Fla.; and three grandchildren, William Baker, Lexington, Ashley Baker, Atlanta, Ga., and Benjamin Baker, Versailles. A daughter, Barrie McCann Baker, is deceased.
Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. today, Thursday, Dec. 21, in the Lexington Cemetery by Dr. Michael Mooty. The W. R. Milward Mortuary, Broadway, is in charge of arrangements.
Contributions may be made to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 2312 Alexandria Drive, Lexington, KY 40504, or to Central Christian Church, 205 Short Street, Lexington, KY 40508.

Sharp
Omar Sharp, 74, of Versailles, husband of Alice Hall Sharp, died Monday, Dec. 18, 2006, at Veterans Hospital in Lexington.
Born in Woodford County, he was the son of the late Ell and Annie Long Sharp. He was a member of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, served in the U.S. Army, and worked for Dixie Cup in Lexington for 27 years.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Teri Bessinger, Georgetown; four sons, Omar Sharp II, Darrin Sharp, and Tony Sharp, all of Versailles, and Bryan Sharp, Lexington; two sisters, Christine Blades, Versailles, and Lilly Price, Lexington; two brothers, Lewis Sharp and Theodore Sharp, both of Versailles; and four grandchildren, Lisa Bessinger Voils, Justin Bessinger, Bryan Sharp, and Brandon Sharp.
Services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, at Blackburn & Ward Funeral Home by the Rev. Bill Marcum. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Casket bearers will be Justin Bessinger, Bryan Sharp, Alex Hall, Donald Hall, Bryan Allen Sharp, and Roger Shellenberger. Friends may call from 11 a.m. Friday until the time of service.
Guest book at www.Blackburnandward.com.
 

Starks

Richard S. Starks, 87, of Midway, widower of Hilda Marshall Starks, died Monday, Dec. 18, 2006.
He was a well known farmer in his native Woodford County. His roots ran deep in Midway; several generations of his family lived there. A relative provided funds for the Starks building on the Midway College campus, and his grandfather invented a remedy sold over the counter as Starks Headache Powder. He attended Midway School and the University of Kentucky before joining the Army Air Corps just prior to the United States’s entry into World War II.
When the U.S. entered the war, Starks joined the Eighth Air Force 97th Bomb Group and went on to fly the B-17, also known as the “Flying Fortress.” In 1942, the group was based in England, where Starks was among the pilots to fly the first American mission to bomb Nazi-occupied Europe. He was seriously wounded on his second bombing mission — against submarine pens in Rotterdam — but he flew the plane back to base despite his injuries. He was hospitalized for a year, and received a Purple Heart and a Distinguished Flying Cross. After his recovery, he trained other pilots in Texas, and was an air inspector in Oklahoma and Iowa. Upon leaving the service, he co-piloted DC-3s for Eastern Airlines for a year before returning to Midway to farm. He was appointed police judge and won a term to that position in his own right. He was Midway’s last police judge to serve before the judicial system was reorganized.
He was a longtime member of the Midway Christian Church.
Survivors include a son, James S. Starks, Midway; a daughter, Susan Street, Louisville; and seven grandchildren, Elizabeth Starks, Richard Starks, William Starks, Martha Lee Walden, Kit Katherine Walden, Sarah Powell Talbott, and Jennie Starks Talbott.
Services were conducted Wednesday, Dec. 20, at Blackburn & Ward Funeral Home in Versailles by the Rev. Heather McColl. Interment will be private in the Midway Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Aviation Museum of Kentucky, PO Box 4118, Lexington, KY 40544.
Guest book at www.Blackburnandward.com.

Stepp
Thomas R. Stepp, 28, of Versailles, husband of Desiree Stepp, died Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006.
He was the son of Flora and Thomas Stepp II.
In addition to his wife and parents, he is survived by two children, Jacob and Alayna; three sisters; four aunts; and an uncle.
Services will be conducted at 1 p.m. today, Thursday, Dec. 21, at the First Baptist Church, Versailles. O.L. Hughes & Sons Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

White
Quintella Elaine White, 54, of Frankfort, died Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006, at the University of Kentucky A.B. Chandler Medical Center, Lexington, following a short illness.
Born March 10, 1952, in Franklin County, she was the daughter of the late June Shelby and Emma Chisley White. She was a quality control analyst for R.J. Industries. She was a member of First Corinthian Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons, James Henderson and Kevin Robinson, both of Frankfort; a daughter, Kanaya Robinson, Frankfort; three brothers, Eugene White, Columbus, Ohio, Larry White, Frankfort, and Jeffery White, Atlanta, Ga.; two sisters, June Cannon, Lithonia, Ga., and Delores Ann Thurman, Frankfort; a granddaughter; and several nieces and nephews. A brother, Ronald White, is deceased.
Services were conducted Saturday, Dec. 16, at First Baptist Church by the Rev. Jahavich Henderson. Honorary bearers were LeAnna Robinson, Pamela Graham, Sharon Bowen, Vickie James, Donna Carter, Sandra Moriarty, Rose Mary Robinson, Gwen Smith, and Margaret Guice. Harrod Brothers Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Wilson
William “Whistle” Wilson, 74, of Midway, husband of Barbara Wilson, died Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006, at his residence.
Born Oct. 23, 1932, in Casey County, he was the son of the late Charles and Rosa Edwards Wilson. He had been a farmer and was a member of the Midway Volunteer Fire Department.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by four daughters, Tina Murphy, Liberty, Toni Jenkins, Frankfort, Traci Wilson, Midway, and Tammy Smith, Lawrenceburg; two sons, Tim Wilson and Terry Wilson, both of Midway; three sisters, Mayme Thompson and Ruby Walker, both of Midway, and Gevania Brown, Versailles; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services were conducted Friday, Dec. 15, 2006, at Clark Funeral Home, Rose Hill, Versailles, by the Rev. Gene Young. Burial was in the Midway Cemetery. Casket bearers were Mike Jenkins, Jason Wilson, Tim Wilson, Shane Murphy, Keith Wells, and Jason Caskey.
Condolences may be made at www.clarkfuneralchapels.com.