November 21, 2002

front page
more news
sports
classifieds
calendar
ad information
directory
contact information
archives

 

OBITUARIES

Ruth Hamilton
Ruth B. Hamilton, a prominent portrait painter known as Ruth Nestor, died peacefully on Saturday, Nov. 9. She was 82 years of age.

She was born on Jan. 29, 1920, in Cincinnati as Ruth Barbara Aukenthaler.

At age 16, she began attending the Cincinnati Art Academy, where she was awarded a scholarship to complete her studies.

During her artistic career she was commissioned to create portraits of many distinguished public figures, including William Howard Taft; Judges Paul C. Weick, Anthony J. Celebrezze, John W. Peck and S. Arthur Spiegel; Stanley Chesley; Ohio Governor Richard Celeste; and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart.

A fellow alumnus of the Cincinnati Art Academy once described her portraits as “having a richness of color, a depth and roundness, reminiscent of the old world masters.”

She was an especially kind and caring woman who helped many of her friends in their time of need. She supported numerous social and environmental causes.

She moved to Xenia with her late husband William “Bill” Hamilton in 1968.

She is survived by her sister, Emma Louise Reeves of Cincinnati; her nieces and nephews, Judy and Wayne Witherby of Cincinnati, Kathryn Reeves of West Lafayette, Ind., and David Reeves of Ludlow, Ky.; friends Debra and Brady Karns of Yellow Springs, Angie and Joe Heiman of Cincinnati, Tom and Dorcas Denger of Xenia and Lisa Millot of Dayton.

Her friends will hold an open remembrance gathering Saturday, Nov. 23, 2–4 p.m., at the home of Debra and Brady Karns, 1425 Meadow Lane in Yellow Springs.

Memorial donations may be made in Ruth’s name to Hospice of Dayton. The family is being served by Littleton & Rue Funeral Home in Springfield.

Gertrude Nickell
Gertrude Rachael (Gillespie) Nickell of Yellow Springs died Tuesday, Nov. 19, in Friends Care Community. She was 97 years of age.

Born in Kentucky on Oct. 11, 1905, she was the daughter of William Henry and Martha Evaline (Tolson) Gillespie.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Benjamin Nickell; her son, Herbert; and her grandson Phillip Breckner.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Helen and John Breckner of Yellow Springs; one sister-in-law, Lillie Gubeno of Lorraine; three grandchildren, David Nickell of Yellow Springs, Linda Nickell-Richmond of New York City and Eric Breckner of Yellow Springs; four great-grandchildren, Nicole Richmond of New York City, Christopher Nickell of Columbus, Michael Jensen of Yellow Springs and Drew Breckner of Yellow Springs; three great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held today, (Thursday), 2 p.m., at Glen Forest Cemetery. Jackson Lytle & Ingling Williams Funeral Home is assisting the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Gertrude’s memory be made to Friends Care Community, 150 East Herman Street, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387.

Robert Morgan

Robert Ralph Morgan of Fairborn died on Monday, Nov. 18, in the U.S. Air Force Medical Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. He was 78 years of age.

Born on May 27, 1924, in Bath Township, he was the son of the late Charles and Florence (Koontz) Morgan.

He was a graduate of Bryan High School class of 1942, a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps and a retired employee of Southwestern Portland Cement Company with 39 years of service. He was a member of the Fairborn St. Luke United Methodist Church, the Greene County Agricultural Society, the Greene County Farm Bureau, Bath Grange and Pomona Grange.

He was a well-known fast-pitch softball player during the 1940s through the 1960s, an avid hunter and fisherman, and he loved farming and raising livestock.

He was preceded in death by two brothers.

He is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Juanita F. (Flatter) Morgan; two sons, Charles D. Morgan and his wife, Brenda, of Lebanon, and R. Brian Morgan of Fairborn; two granddaughters, Brittany and Ashley Morgan; an aunt, Margaret Roleke of Florida; a niece, Tina Merriman of Kansas City; a sister-in-law, Dora Mae Riggle and her husband, Lester L., of Kettering; two brothers-in-law, Harold D. Flatter of Fairborn and Joe W. Flatter Sr. and his wife, Betty, of Fairborn; and numerous other family members and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, Nov. 22, 1 p.m., in the Fairborn St. Luke United Methodist Church, 100 North Broad Street. Burial will follow in the Byron Cemetery.

The family will receive friends today (Thursday), 5–8 p.m., in the Belton Funeral Home in Fairborn.

Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Fairborn St. Luke United Methodist Church Memorial Fund.

Jean Marie Janis

Jean Marie Janis of Yellow Springs died Tuesday, Nov. 12, in Liberty of Xenia. She was 75 years of age.

Born June 23, 1927, in Cleveland, she was the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Hamacek) Janecek.

She received a bachelor’s degree from Radcliff College and a master’s degree in English from Cornell University. She held many positions while she was able to work, including director of housing for Antioch University and president of the Yellow Springs Senior Center.

She was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Yellow Springs.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother.

She is survived by a niece, Joyce Turner and her husband, Richard, of Cincinnati; a nephew, Edward Janis and his wife, Kellye, of Indiana; and great-nephews, Robert Turner and his wife, Meredith, and Jonathan Turner, all of Cincinnati.

Friends visited with the family on Saturday, Nov. 16, in the Jackson Lytle & Ingling Williams Funeral Home in Yellow Springs. A private burial was held in St. Paul’s Cemetery in Yellow Springs.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Yellow Springs Senior Center, 227 Xenia Avenue, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387, or the Humane Society of Greene County, 765 North Detroit Street, Xenia, Ohio 45385.

Bill Baker memorial
A memorial celebrating the life of Bill Baker will be held Saturday, Nov. 30, 11 a.m., at the Glen Helen Building.

Baker died on Oct. 18. His family invites his many friends to come and share their memories, especially amusing ones, and to enjoy a light lunch afterward.