Kenneth Stamper

ANDOVER, Minn. — Kenneth Alton Stamper, 69, of Duluth, died Sept. 9, 2011, at St. Joseph Hospital.

He was born Aug. 3, 1942, in Pedro, Ohio, a son of the late John Sr., and Margaret Heading Stamper.

He was a 1960 graduate of Decatur-Washington School.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Ison E., Charles E., Homer E., and John Jr.; his sisters, Mandy E. Jenkins, and Doris L. Stamper.

He is survived by a son, Rick Stamper Rosar of Andover, Minn.; a daughter, Lisa Stamper Rosar Cormassi of San Francisco, Calif.; four grandsons; his brothers, Carroll E. and James A., both of Pedro and Richard E. of Ironton, Ohio; his sisters, Virginia “Jen” Kerns of Pedro, Mary C. Pugh of Hanging Rock, Ohio, Joanne Richardson of Defiance, Ohio and Florence Bruce of Oak Hill, Ohio.

A memorial service was Oct. 8 at Country Inn and Suites in Forest Lake.

Betty Stapleton

KITTS HILL — Betty Ray Stapleton, 76, of Kitts Hill, died Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011, at her daughter’s residence.

The Lawrence County native was born Jan. 29, 1935, the daughter of the late Henry Brown and Mabel McKee.

She attended Coal Grove schools and was a homemaker. She was a member of Sharon Baptist Church and lived all her life in this area.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sons, Phillip Ray Schwab and Mark Anthony Schwab and a granddaughter, Tonya Adkins.

She is survived by four daughters, Brenda and Ray Venatter of Deering, Debra Miller and Sheila of Washington Court House, Bonita and Robert Rhodes of Ashland, Ky., and Rhonda Adkins of Ironton; 10 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren.

Private funeral services will be at Phillips Funeral Home with the Rev. Glen Jenkins officiating. Burial will follow in Haverhill Cemetery. To offer condolences to the family, please visit www.phillipsfuneralhome.net.

Linda Ash

PROCTORVILLE — Linda Lou Boster Ash, 71, of Proctorville, died Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011, at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va. She was the wife of Lloyd R. Ash, who survives. Funeral will be 1 p.m. Monday at Hall Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Rome Cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Imo Jean Dillon

PROCTORVILLE — Imo Jean Dillon, 83, of Proctorville, died Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011 at Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House in Huntington, W.Va. Arrangements are pending at Hall Funeral Home.

William Kitts

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. — William D. Kitts, of Jonesborough, formerly of South Point, Ohio, died Wednesday, Oct.19, 2011, in Pekin Hospital in Pekin, IL. Schneider-Griffin Funeral Home, Chesapeake is in charge of arrangements, which are incomplete.

Billy Glen Salyers

ASHLAND, Ky. — Billy Glen Salyers, 62 of Ashland, husband of Deanna Robinette Salyers, died Thursday morning at his residence following an extended illness. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Preston Family Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Pennsylvania Furnace Cemetery on Culp Creek in Greenup County. Visitation will be from noon until service time. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.prestonfamilyfuneralhome.com

John Sherman

WHEELERSBURG — John E. Sherman, 83, of Wheelersburg, died Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011, at his residence.

He was born Jan. 30, 1928, son of the late John Valentine and Nora Louise Frische Sherman. He was a graduate of Wheelersburg High School, Class of 1946; he attended Ohio University from 1946 to 1948. John was a self-employed dairy farmer, he was a bookkeeper for Wheelersburg Oil & Tire Company, and he had worked in the industrial engineering deptments for the following companies: U.S. Playing Card Co., Inc. in Cincinnati, Henrite Products Corp. in Ironton, Empire Detroit Steel in New Boston, and Goodyear Atomic Corp. in Piketon. He started his employment at Detroit Steel as a time study engineer; he also held the position of industrial engineer project supervisor of standards, and was manager of industrial engineering. He was a member of Industrial Engineering Counsel made up of management of 15 major steel producers from U.S., Canada, and Mexico. After the closure of Steel Mill, he held positions of industrial engineer staff and of industrial relations-senior at Goodyear Atomic Corporation. He retired Aug. 1, 1986.

He was involved in the following community activities: lifetime member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, active in various parish activities including fundraising, lector and Eucharistic minister. He served on various religious and social committees, religious education teacher, member of parish council, co-captain meals on wheels team in Wheelersburg, choir member, served as secretary and as president of Catholic Social Service, President of Wheelersburg PTA, secretary then president of Wheelersburg Little League, member of Founding Board of Scioto Water, Inc., first served as secretary then as president during construction and startup of operations, former member of Knights of Columbus where he held office of secretary and treasurer, member of Polio Survivors Support Group for several years and served as secretary and as president, and was a member of Ohio State Grange for 50 plus years.

John loved the Wheelersburg area. He dearly loved the people of the area and cherished the friendship of his many relatives and friends. He loved working on church and community projects and activities. He had a life-long love of working with wood and enjoyed the woodworking hobby that he pursued from high school freshman to the rest of his life, which can be seen in the homes of all his dear children. He regarded difficulties as being a challenge to be coped with and not to be accepted as a deterrent to performing meaningful acts.

He is survived by his children, Stephen Anthony Sherman, Francis Edward (Sharon) Sherman, John Joseph Sherman, Theresa (Dave) Bauer, Mary (Mark) Gardner, Patricia “Patty” (Mark) Delabar; his grandchildren, Stephanie Bauer, Johnathan Sherman, Marianne (Steve) Large, Rod Sherman, Jennifer Sherman, Nicholas Gardner, Katie Gardner, Rob Delabar, Caitie Delabar and Brian Delabar, and his sister, Gertrude Leona Sherman.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Margaret Hacker Sherman on April 4, 2007; one brother, George Harold Sherman and one sister, Martha Ruth Moning.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, at St. Peter In Chains Catholic Church in Wheelersburg with Father Joe Yokum officiating. Burial will be in St. Peters Cemetery. Friends may call 5-9 p.m. Sunday at Harrison-Pyles Funeral Home. A wake and scriptural rosary will be conducted at 8:30 p.m. Sunday.