OBITUARIES

James A. McKee
Former Yellow Springs Police Chief James A. McKee died on Saturday, Jan. 18, in his residence. He was 73.
Born March 23, 1929, in London, Ky., he was the son of Russell and Alberta (Nelson) McKee.
The end of his 36-year career in law enforcement was celebrated at a banquet where Mike DeWine, then Ohio’s lieutenant governor, read a proclamation from George Voinovich, then the governor of Ohio. Attendees included representatives from the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, Fraternal Order of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcements and local community leaders.
A plaque commemorating McKee’s leadership and humane philosophies was placed in the lobby of the Bryan Community Center.
Chief McKee’s many accomplishments included: first black chief of police of a majority community in the United States; first black instructor at the Greene County Law Enforcement Academy; ordained deacon of the First Baptist Church of Yellow Springs and former trustee and church clerk; member of First Baptist Church Male Chorus; charter member of the Jaycees of Yellow Springs; trustee of the Yellow Springs Senior Citizens board; member of the Fraternal Order of Police; past president of the Greene County Law Enforcement Association; member of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police; member of International Association of Chiefs of Police; member of National Organization of Black Law Enforcements; district representative of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police to the Ohio Police Officers Training Academy. He was also a member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC), director of the Buckeye Chapter 23 INC of the NAWCC from 1993 to 1995, qualified shoe cobbler, Counselor Explorer Scouts and founder of Yellow Springs Men’s Group.
His hobbies included antique clock and watch collecting, coin collecting, bowling and computers. He was a member of the Yellow Springs Community Foundation, the Village Cable Advisory Panel and the Yellow Springs Investment Club. He was also a board member of the Leadership Institute of Yellow Springs.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather, Tip Mays, and two brothers, Edwin Herman and Allen Hunter Mays.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 55 years, Naomi McKee; four daughters, Bari McKee-Teamor of Cleveland Heights, Karen S. McKee of Alexandria, Va., Jean McKee of Loveland and Sandra McKee-Smith of Yellow Springs; one son, James L. McKee of Xenia; five grandchildren, Victoria Parks Thornton, Toussaint Peter Teamor, Julian Cabral Teamor, Rhyan Ashleigh Smith and Ricardo Benjamin Teamor II; one great-grandson, Triston Toussaint Teamor; four sisters, Janet M. Mays, Shirley Gladney, Beverly Ann Norfleet and her husband, Larry, and Sheila D. Mays, all of Springfield; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Fredrick Leroy and Marcia Mays and Clarence Douglas and Emma Mays, all of Dayton; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, Jan. 22, 4–9 p.m., at the First Baptist Church of Yellow Springs. The family will be present from 7 to 9 p.m.
Visitation will also be held Thursday, Jan. 23, from 9 a.m. until the time of service at 11 a.m., with the Rev. James Nooks officiating.
Donations in Chief McKee’s memory may be made to the James A. McKee Scholarship Fund of the Yellow Springs Men’s Group, P.O. Box 263, Yellow Springs, Ohio, 45387-0263.
The final tribute is a service of the Porter-Qualls Funeral Home. om 9 a.m.

Arlene Mae Ran
Arlene Mae Ran of Yellow Springs died Thursday, Jan. 9, at Greene Memorial Hospital. She was 82.
Born Jan. 17, 1920, in Perth Amboy, N.J., she was the daughter of John and Minnie (Oxenford) Schultz. She had five sisters and one brother.
She studied dance at an early age and tap-danced at many performances, including the 1939 New York World’s Fair. She was also crowned Miss Thousand Islands in the late 1930's. She carried her dancing skills with her in later life and taught exercise to seniors and elderly people who were disabled.
Ran also worked part-time at the Yellow Springs News for a number of years.
A longtime volunteer at Friends Care Community and the Yellow Springs Senior Center, she will be sadly missed by her family and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Hyman H. Ran, in 1977.
Ran is survived by her daughter, Melodee (Ran) Tomsu of Titusville, Fla.; and her son, Larry Ran of Florida; her sister, Louise Stumpf of Metuchen, N.J.; four grandchildren, Steffanie Dolch, Marty Ran, Shannon Roesgen and Hillary Ran, all of Cincinnati; five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Sunday, Jan. 12, at Riverview Cemetery in Dayton.
A memorial “party” will be held Saturday, Jan. 18, 1:30–4 p.m., at Friends Care Community. In lieu of flowers, donations to Friends Care and the Yellow Springs Senior Center would be appreciated.

Charles Ramsey
Charles Clinton “Chuck” Ramsey of Springfield died Monday morning, Dec. 30, in Eaglewood Care Center following six weeks of failing health. He was 65.
Born on Oct. 7, 1937, in Springfield, he was the son of Clinton E. and Louise (Jacobs) Ramsey.
Charles was employed for 15 years by Mosie’s Auto Center as a mechanic and tow truck driver. He also worked for A & J Towing of Tipp City and retired from his own towing business, Supreme Towing, on Oct. 7, 2001.
He was an amateur boxer in his youth and also competed in billiard tournaments.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Donna.
He is survived by his children, Charles, Michael, Richard, Steven, Margaret, Douglas and Anthony; his sisters, Cynthia R. Fike of Florida, Rebecca Ramsey Fenton of Yellow Springs, Mary Beth Cook and Tina Minniear; an uncle, Paul Ramsey; aunts, Pauline R. Savage and Helen Ramsey, all of Springfield; several nieces, nephews, cousins; and special friend E.J. Carpenter.
A memorial service to celebrate his life was held on Saturday, Jan. 11, in Berea Bible Church in Springfield.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in his name to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2634 Lexington Avenue, Springfield, OH 45505 or a charity of one’s choice. The family was served by the Littleton & Rue Funeral Home.

Odessa Bowen
Odessa May Bowen of New Carlisle died Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the Ohio Masonic Home of Springfield. She was 84.
Born July 23, 1918, she was the daughter of the late Lacy L. and Louvinia L. (Woods) McKinney.
She was retired from Frigidaire of Dayton after more than 30 years of service.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband of more than 50 years, Charles Edward Bowen, who died on Nov. 17, 2001; and two brothers, Lacy Lee McKinney Jr. and Durward McKinney.
She is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Paul L. and Shirley Creaig of Yellow Springs; two grandchildren, Betty J. Heitman and Paul L. Creaig Jr. and his wife, Cynthia; four great-grandchildren, Jaymes Heitman, Scot Creaig, Shayne Creaig and Shawn Creaig; and an aunt, Elsie Dillon of Springfield.
Funeral services were held on Monday, Jan. 13, at the Richard, Raff & Dunbar Memorial Home of Springfield. Entombment followed at Rose Hill Burial Park Mausoleum.

Helen L. Banzhof
Helen L. Banzhof of Yellow Springs died Monday morning, Jan. 13, in Friends Care Community. She was 89.
Born Sept. 26, 1913, in Springfield, she was the daughter of Frank E. and Mabel (Burnes) Martin.
She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church and had worked in the title division of the Clark County Clerk of Courts office.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Banzhof; her son Jeff Banzhof; sister Frances Mattimore; and brother, Leonard Martin.
She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Mark and Rita Banzhof of Seattle, and Bruce and Linda Banzhof of Xenia; sister Ruth Vidick of Springfield; four grandchildren, Becky and Angela Banzhof of Seattle, and Nathaniel and Jeremy Banzhof of Springfield; two step-grandchildren, Maria and Shannon; and several nieces and nephews.
A gathering of family and friends was held on Wednesday, Jan. 15, in the Littleton & Rue Funeral Home in Springfield. Funeral services will be held today (Thursday), 10 a.m., in the funeral home. Burial will be in Ferncliff Cemetery.