The summer months have been marked with some tough losses for NKY
As we generally have been wrapped in a smog and assaulted by record temperatures punctuated by unpredictable raindrops, it is not the best of summers for NKY. There’s still time.
Adding to the general malaise were the deaths of two of NKY’s “greatest generation” leaders who were part of an incredible era of regional growth and who each brought light to a different piece of that amazing history.
Sue Butler, rightly one of the First Ladies of NKY, was 78. She succumbed to a long illness and her life was celebrated in appropriate style by her husband, Corporex President Bill Butler, their two children, and friends and family. She was the quiet one with the velvet hammer who immersed herself in the community and set about moving the needle on community engagement. She was engaged in too many organizations to name but she was also the impetus for the founding of the Butler Foundation, which will continue to support community good for many generations to come.
Don Conrad was 94 and died after a long illness in Naples, Florida, where he had relocated from his expansive farm in Union. His surviving daughters, Keri and Kim, held a touching military-style memorial for him at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Ft. Mitchell. Don grew up in Covington, joined the Navy, married his life partner Donna, and set about to make a life and support his family. He worked hard in menial jobs and ultimately bought a gas station in Covington—the beginning of WACO Oil, which became the single-largest distributor for Shell Oil Company in the United States. From an office on Garrard Street, he seized the opportunity to purchase the struggling Covington Trust Bank. By the time it was sold to Huntington Bank, it was far and away the largest of the community banks in Covington.
Tragic Losses Rock the Community
Two sad losses rocked our community to its core because they are simply out of sync with the way things are supposed to be: the deaths of Colin, 18, and Cole, 14, Fischer in a tragic accident at Lake Cumberland. The teenagers were riding a jet ski when they were struck by an oncoming boat and were pronounced dead by the time they were brought to shore. No mischief involved, said the coroner, but devastation all around. Greg Fischer is chairman of Fischer Homes, one of the largest homebuilders in the country. He and his wife, Amy, and daughter, Isabella, are joined in mourning by a grieving community that has no words to express their compassion and sorrow.
Short takes:
Devou Park Overlook is going to get a transformational makeover, thanks to the Drees Company. The overlook offers a breathtaking panoramic view of both shores of the river. The improvements will include a space for now-scattered picnic tables, a sitting wall, accessibility, landscaping and more.
Southbank Partners has announced the rebranding of its signature project, Riverfront Commons, the bold greenway path that now links the river cities and bluegrass of NKY. The new design plan will be applied to the 20-mile multi-use path connecting Ludlow to Melbourne. The completion of the project was funded by a $3.7 million federal RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Ms. Wilma celebrated 50 years of dedicated table service at Covington’s Skyline Chili, and she got a proclamation for “Ms. Wilma Day” in Covington from Mayor Joe Meyer. It was a surprise gathering at the corner of Third and Philadelphia that honored the popular Wilma Mounce-Popp. She started working there in 1973, supporting her family and endearing herself to customers along the long way.
Judy Clabes is former editor of The Kentucky Post and now editor/publisher of the NKyTribune.com. She is a member of the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame and of the University of Kentucky Hall of Distinguished Alumni. She and her late husband, Gene, are the parents of two sons and grandparents of five.
