Joan Edge, left, talks with her sister-in-law Mary Smith, in front of Jack Edge Grocery Store on Monday. After 55 years in business in Fordsville, the store has closed down.
Fordsville grocery store closes after 55 years: Jack Edge turned feed mill into family
business
Young Jack Edge didn’t know anything about running a feed mill and told his daddy as much.
But that didn’t matter to Ernest “Skinny” Edge. A young boy just out of high school needed something to do and operating a feed mill, he thought, would be just fine.
So, that’s the way it was in 1954. An abandoned feed mill in Fordsville would be back in business and Jack Edge, a businessman at the tender age of 18, would be the owner.
What he didn’t know served as an appropriate springboard. That feed mill, including a small space in the back in which to live and a few groceries up front to sell, turned into one of the most popular and busiest general stores that folks in the Fordsville area had ever known.
It wasn’t a business, his wife Joan would later recall, it was a way of life.
“You can’t open the doors at 6 in the morning and not close them until after 8 p.m. six days out of the week for 50 years and not be dedicated,” Joan said.
Edge died five years ago following a battle with pancreatic cancer and Joan, who he married in 1978, tried, with the help of a son, to keep the business going. But, Joan lost her help and decided about a month ago to lock the doors.
Sparks in the Park celebrating nation’s 233rd birthday: OC Park hosting 5th annual event
Ohio County Park will be hosting a birthday party on Saturday night — July 4.
Along with the rest of the nation, it will be celebrating America’s 233rd birthday with the fifth annual Sparks in the Park.
The luminous display of fireworks is a free event organized by the Ohio County Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber President Debbie Boehmann said Sparks in the Park is her group’s biggest community project of the year.
“We want everything free to everyone and no pressure on anyone,” Boehmann said.
The Chamber recruits sponsors to help with paying for the fireworks display that runs $4,000 for a 40-minute show.
Tanner Management, Perdue and New Wave Communication were this year’s three main contributors.
In 2005 — the inaugural event —an estimated 4,000 people came out to view the fireworks.
Charlie Shields, Ohio County EMA director, said 8,000 people filled the park last year, making it the largest crowd to date.
“There were four to five to a car,” Shields said. “That’s what we saw going into the park and that doesn’t count the ones parked along the side of the road.”
Shields and 12 members of the Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT), are responsible for the parking.
“We winged it last year and everything went pretty well,” Shields said. “I don’t think anyone waited longer than 15 minutes getting in or going out of the park.”
County sees demand for barn quilts: Trail established to view barn quilts
With fans blowing a slight breeze in the background and stacks of paint colors to choose from, Judy Burns and Linda House have created a make-shift art studio in the old Save-A-Lot building in Beaver Dam.
Working one to two days a week, they are trying to keep up with the demand of barn quilts that have been requested from the public.
Burns keeps the names — about 34 of them — in a notebook, crossing them off under a first-come, first-serve policy.
“We keep the process fair,” Burns said. “We don’t move anyone up.”
They have plenty of room to spread out to design the barn quilts that are filling the countryside of Ohio County.
The first barn quilt was placed on one of the buildings at Ohio County Park last summer and since then the requests have been pouring in.
“We’re not hunting people right now because we’ve already promised so many,” Burns said.
Fiscal Court passes budget, denies
funding increase to county clerk
The Ohio County Fiscal Court went another round with Ohio County Clerk Bess Ralph before passing the 2009-2010 budget in its second reading Tuesday afternoon.
In the special called meeting, Ralph requested an amendment to her budget that would’ve increased it $33,484 for the upcoming year, allowing for raises for the county clerk’s deputies.
Magistrate Dean Minton made a motion to accept the budget amendment but it did not receive a second for a vote to take place.
At issue between Ralph and the Fiscal Court are the excess fees the clerk’s office brings in per month then put into the county budget as part of the fee pooling system.
Ralph claims she has first right to those excess fees for running her office. On the other side, the Fiscal Court argues it has the authority to set the county clerk’s budget and determine what the reasonable expenses are for the clerk’s office. Both are using state statutes to make their case.
However, Circuit Judge Ronnie Dortch ruled in Ralph’s favor, which the Kentucky Association of Counties has appealed on behalf the Fiscal Court.
07-01-09
Barbara H. Ferry
Barbara H. "Bobbie" Ferry, 76, of Owensboro, died Saturday, June 27, 2009, at her home.
She was born in Ohio County and was retired from G.E. She was a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Pattiville and the Order of the Eastern Star.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Doyle Ferry.
Survivors include three sons, Roger Ferry and wife Juanita of Reynolds Station, Marcus Ferry and wife Bernita of Lewisport and Ricky Ferry and wife Cherie of Georgetown; two brothers, Denton Hedden of Ballwin, Mo., and Ullyess "Pete" Hedden of Fordsville; one sister, Marion Young of Fordsville; fifteen grandchildren; and twenty-four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 30, at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church with burial in Pleasant Grove Cemetery.
Wendell N. Harper
Wendell N. Harper, 93, of St. Helens, Ky., formerly of Ohio County, died Saturday, June 27, 2009, at his residence.
He was born Oct. 2, 1915, in Morgan County to the late McGarvey Harper and Queen Nickel Harper. He was retired from Harper Diesel and was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Beattyville, Ky., and Masonic Lodge #675 in Hartford. He was an avid gardener.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Louise Westerfield Harper, in December 1999.
He is survived by three sons, Joseph M. Harper and his wife Bonnie of Kent, Ohio, Wendell Nickell Harper Jr. and his wife Mary of Houston, Texas, and William R. "Bill" Harper and his wife Crystal of Beattyville, Ky.; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a brother, Willard Harper of West Liberty, Ky.; and a sister-in-law, Margaret Westerfield of Hartford.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 30, at Miller-Schapmire Funeral Home in Hartford with Rev. David Westerfield officiating.
The family requests expressions of sympathy take the form of donations to Hospice Care Plus Inc., 208 Kidd Dr., Berea, KY 40403.
Ronald Gail Harrison
Ronald Gail Harrison, 72, of Dundee, died Thursday, June 25, 2009, at Ohio County Hospital.
He was born in Dundee to the late Edward Harrison and Ruth Lockhart and was a retired coal miner.
He was preceded in death by two granddaughters, Holly Harrison and Ashley Gilmore; a brother, Glendon Harrison; and a sister, Regina Smith.
Survivors include his wife, Monnie Roach Harrison; two sons, Terry Harrison of Magan and Rodger Harrison of Dundee; two daughters, Brenda (Paul) Schroader of Dundee and Joyce (Roger) Cardwell of Cromwell; a sister, Marcia (Bill) Basham of Lincoln City, Ind.; seven grandchildren, Mandy Schroader, Brandon Schroader, Dylan Schroader, Heather Cardwell, Trey Cardwell, Matt Allen and Josh Crowe; great-grandchildren, Tyler Whitehead, Stevie Gilmore and Austin Gilmore.
Services were held Saturday, June 27, at Duke-Bevil Bros. Funeral Home in Hartford. Burial was in Midkiff Cemetery near Dundee.
Online condolences may be sent to bevilbrosfuneralhomes.com.
Ed Whitehead
Ed Whitehead, formerly of Centertown, passed away at home under the loving care of his family and Hospice. He was born July 31, 1928, the son of the late Jasper and Nola (Snodgrass) Whitehead. Ed lived in Centertown for 80 years, where he married and raised his family until moving to Beaver Dam in 2008. He was a member of McHenry Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, Ray and Roy Whitehead; and sisters, Lois Hoskins, Lucille Bennett, Geneva Scott and Daphene Flener.
His survivors are J.R. Whitehead of Greenville, Tony Whitehead of Flora, Ill., Margery Ford of Bowling Green, Mae Kucinski of Central City; his loving wife of 59 years, Greta Render Whitehead; two sons, Ron Whitehead of Louisville and Brad (Barbara) Whitehead of Owensboro; four daughters, Paddy Whitehead Daugherty of Campbellsville, Edie (Joe) Coleman of Centertown, Robin (Bernie) Tichenor of Miami, Fla., and Velvet (Leon) Woosley of Hartford; 18 grandchildren, (Ron) Nathanial, Rani Bri, Dylan, (Brad) Josh and his wife Jamie, Whitney and her husband Justin Keown, Zach, Mason, Morgan, (Paddy) Caleb, Hannah, Sarah and her husband Andrew Ward, (Edie) Atticus and Ivy, (Robin) Bowin and his wife Lindsey, Heidi and her husband Daniel Freeman, Isaiah, (Velvet) Noel and her husband Andrew Kilby and Haley; 11 great-grandchildren, Rozlyn and Max Newman, Connor Whitehead, Macie Keown, Ezekiel Daugherty, Beau and Maryn Ward, Ellie Plunkett, Jasper, Greta and Auguste Tichenor.
He was a proud charter member of United Mine Workers of America Local Union 8941, which formed in 1946. He worked at Ken Surface Mine for Peabody Coal Company for 44 years without being laid off and without a lost time accident. He served as deputy sheriff under Lawerence Westerfield and Dale Bartlett. He raised Hereford cattle and prize winning tobacco for many years on his farm. He was extremely proud to be a Kentuckian, to be from Ohio County and Centertown. He played and coached baseball for many years. He loved the Kentucky Wildcats, the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees. He loved good conversation with all his many friends and had an opinion on all subjects. He always had a good sense of humor. He loved to hear all his children and grandchildren sing. One of his greatest joys was seeing his grandchildren serve on the mission field to tell others about Christ.
Ed loved fishing with his children and grandchildren. He also loved going with his wife every morning to the Wagon Wheel in Beaver Dam and discussing the daily news with everyone there. Ed will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Funeral services were held Monday, June 29, at McHenry Baptist Church. Burial was private. Bevil Bros. Funeral Home in Beaver Dam was in charge of arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to the McHenry Baptist Church Building Fund or Hospice of Ohio County.
Katherine Ashby Drake
Katherine Ashby Drake, 82, of Georgetown, Ky., wife of Dr. Albert E. Drake, died Wednesday, June 24, 2009, at Central Baptist Hospital.
She was born June 13, 1927, in Centertown and was the daughter of the late Isaac Sanford and Agnes Duncan Ashby. She was a member of the First Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Katherine Drake was happy, humorous, generous, gracious and loving with a strong sense of purpose and dignity. Her life was filled with unfailing service to others and her faith. She was a devoted wife who was happily married for more than 57 years; a caring mother who had the treasured ability to make each child believe they were her favorite; a loyal sister who shared every important event of her sibling’s lives; a true friend who always had time to stop and listen; and, throughout all, a committed servant of God who kept her heart tender to His word.
Everyone who knew Katherine Drake loved her. She understood that each person was special, important and deserving of her attention. She gave of herself to everyone she met, yet even more so for her family. Even in her later years, long after her body limited her mobility; she continued to reach out to others. Her compassion and empathy were boundless.
She is missed, but will never be forgotten. She now lives in us through her teachings and memories.
Other survivors include her four children, Alan S. Drake, Paul S. Drake, Jane Drake Hale and Dr. Philip D. Drake; two sisters, Jean Chavis and Nancy Adkins; six grandchildren, Amanda Drake, Daniel Drake, Sarah Drake, Alex Drake, Mitchell Drake and Elaine Drake; a brother-in-law, Dr. William D. Adkins, II; a sister-in-law, Kathryn DiTardi; a friend and caregiver, Kathy Blanton; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Saturday, June 27, at Johnson’s Funeral Home in Georgetown by Pastor Charles L. Wogmon and Mrs. Temple Triplett Lauer. Burial was in the Georgetown Cemetery.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
Michael Lucian Tichenor
Michael Lucian Tichenor, 56, passed away Wednesday, June 24, 2009, at the Ohio County Hospital. He was born in Owensboro on Dec. 19, 1952, the son of the late Lucian and Kathryn Hoover Tichenor.
He was a member of Centertown United Methodist Church, was a owner/operator for TMC Flatbed Fleet Company, was a truck driver at the preparation plant for Armstrong Coal Company and was a member of the Centertown Masonic Lodge #714. He enjoyed fishing, late model dirt track racing, Tony Stewart NASCAR racing and restoring old vehicles.
He is survived by his wife, Judith Imlay Tichenor of Centertown; children, Shelbye (Jeremy) Black, Cezanne (Will) Constable and Alissa Nealy, all of Bowling Green, Dealynn Day of Colorado Springs, Co., Michael Day of Adel, Iowa, and Adam Day of Beaver Dam; eight grandchildren; and one brother, Myron Tichenor of Centertown.
Funeral services were held Saturday, June 27, at Bevil Bros. Funeral Home in Beaver Dam. Burial was in Centertown Cemetery.
Online condolences may be sent to bevilbrosfuneralhomes.com.
Nelly Abbott
Nelly Abbott, 82, of Park Hills, died Wednesday, June 17, at her home. She was born Feb. 10, 1927, in Fordsville. She worked at Covington Chili for 38 years and was also a Home Health Aide.
Survivors include son, Marvin Callahan of Independence, Ky.; daughters, Patricia Wilder of Covington, Ky., Dianna Fugate of Florence, Ky., Charlene Wallace of Covington, Ky., and Clyda Kissinger of Independence, Ky.; brothers, Earl Payton of Hatfield, Ind., and Norman Payton of McHenry; sisters, Willie Maud Cook of Evansville, Ind., Betty Howard of Hatfield, Ind., and Laurie Smith of Mt. Vernon, Ky.; 14 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde Abbott; son, William Dale Callahan; brothers, Stanley Payton, Charles Payton, Parvin Payton, and Marvin Payton; sister, Daisy Newton; and parents, Bee and Lela Wilson Payton.
Ray Pierce
Ray Pierce, 98, of Comfort, Texas, died April 15, 2009. He was born May 15, 1910, to the late John Wesley and Sarah Thomas Pierce in Horse Branch.
He was retired after 42 years as superintendent of Cities Service Oil Refinery, East Chicago, and a member of First Baptist Church in Hammond, Ind.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Frances Black Pierce; and a sister, Freeda Pierce Wilson.
Survivors include two daughters, Sharon McLaughlin of Comfort, Texas, and Karen Gehling of Indianapolis, Ind.; and a brother, Martin Pierce of Elizabeth, Ky.
Graveside services and burial were in Comfort Cemetery.
07-01-09
OC Rookie team goes undefeated
The Ohio County Rookie Travel Team went undefeated in a Butler County tournament last weekend. The team defeated Auburn twice and defeated the Ohio County Rookie All-Stars as well. OC Rookie team players pictured front row L-to-R: Jordan Tolle, Trey Lewis, Carter Bunch and Wade Everly. Back row: Kaleb Gregory, Justin Iler, Heath Simmons, Austin Minton, Jeremy Watts, Austin Durbin, Ethan Daviss, Timmy Jones. Coaches: Billy Towe and Ben Everly.
County runners compete in O’boro 10-Miler road race
Three runners from Ohio County were in a field of over 120 runners competing in the annual Owensboro 10-Miler road race. Ben Martin led the local contingent with his 26th-place finish, covering the distance in one hour, 10 minutes and 32 seconds. Ben’s father Doug finished in 70th place with a time of 1:30:01 while Richard Bennett placed 114th in 1:52:08.
Owensboro’s Joey Polio claimed first in the race with a time of 56 minutes, 15 seconds while Katelyn Jones topped all female runners in 1:14:00.
Local golfers winners in Greater Owensboro Series
Three Ohio County golfers picked up wins last week in the Greater Owensboro Junior Golf Series. Maecy Brown took the 8-and-under girls’ division in last Monday’s event at the Madisonville Golf and Country Club. Tyler Risinger won the 13-15 boys’ division in Friday’s event at Hawesville’s Windward Heights Country Club while Isaac Brown captured Friday’s 11-12 division. Results from a scheduled GO event Wednesday at Madisonville’s Lakeshore Country Club were unavailable this week at presstime.
KHSAA ‘dead period’ in effect through July 9
As reported last week, high school athletes throughout Kentucky started observing a two-week “dead period” last Thursday, June 25, which extends through Thursday, July 9.
The period – mandated by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association – is designed to give the athletes a break from practices and training so they might go on vacations or just relax from summer conditioning programs or the start-up of “fall sports.” Activities covered by KHSAA Bylaw 26, Section 2 include baseball, softball, tennis, track and field, cross country, football, golf, soccer, volleyball, and cheerleading.
The bylaw states, in part: “Students may not receive coaching or training from school personnel and school facilities, uniforms, nicknames, transportation or equipment may not be used...”
County Little League teams in district tournament
The Ohio County Little League’s 9-10 and 11-12 All-Star teams started play last weekend in the Area Little League Tournament at Beechmont. The 9-10 All-Stars picked up a win last Friday night, pounding Central City 14-0 while host Beechmont beat Greenville 16-6.
The 11-12 All-Stars edged Central City 5-4 Friday night, then came back Saturday to blast Central City 11-1.
Action in the double-elimination tournament continued Sunday. Look for more details on the tournament in next week’s Times-News sports.
07-01-09
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