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Lavatus Powell, retired P&G exec
Lavatus Powell Jr., a former vice president at Procter & Gamble and community leader, died Wednesday of complications from a stroke suffered last week aboard a flight to California.
He was 64.
Mr. Powell won friends at P&G, in the community and at the state level, where he was in charge of Ohio governmental relations for P&G, with a soft-
spoken persuasiveness, colleagues said.
He embodied both seriousness and joviality, say friends - equally comfortable around the poker table, in a legislator's office or at the head of a community volunteer program.
'He's the kind of guy who would sit around at poker telling jokes and having a good time and who at the same time would serve his church and community in a way you wouldn't believe,' said Ed Rigaud, president and CEO of the National Underground Freedom Center and a former P&G executive.
P&G Chairman John Pepper said Mr. Powell was 'remarkably effective.'
He earned respect, said Pepper, 'not only because of his sheer professional capability, but equally because of his character. Vate embodied the qualities of integrity, of straight-forwardness, of enormous energy and of a positive, yet realistic, outlook.'
Mr. Powell received numerous awards for his service, and state legislators honored him with a black-tie party on his retirement. But those who worked with him remember him for a more personal commitment.
'He took me and others like me under his wing and mentored us for almost 30 years,' said Lynwood Battle Jr., Cincinnati school board president and a former P&G vice president. 'He was always there for me and a lot of people in the company.'
Mr. Powell took an avid interest in community service.
He received the 1996 State Development Director's Award for his efforts to promote economic development and investment in Greater Cincinnati. With his wife, Dr. Myrtis W. Powell, a vice president at Miami University, he received recognition from the National Conference for Community and Justice for public service.
He spearheaded an effort in 1998 to create a summer math camp at Miami University for 24 Taft High School students who needed extra preparation.
'He was the source of inspiration and wisdom to all of us,' said John Bryant, executive director of the Cincinnati Youth Collaboration. 'He was a tremendously community-minded and community-spirited individual.'
As a member of Carmel Presbyterian Church in Avondale, Mr. Powell served as an elder, trustee and chair of the restoration fund. He was known by the congregation as someone who often guided younger members to become more involved in their service.
'He was not the kind of person who looked for a lot of pats on the back, but when he saw the need arising and if he felt he could offer something positive, he would step forward without any fanfare,' said the Rev. Clarence Wallace.
Born in Columbia, Miss., Mr. Powell came to Cincinnati in 1959 and taught in the Cincinnati Public Schools. He joined P&G in 1965.
To Lavatus V. Powell III, his father was an inspiration. 'We will remember him most for instilling in us, as well as others, a commitment to achieve at the highest levels and to pursue our goals without regard to external limitations, as he did in his own life.'
Survivors include his wife and daughters, Robine Powell Mandjes and Judith L. Powell; a son Lavatus V. Powell III; a stepdaughter, Kimberly Holmes; a sister, Rose Powell Kearney; nephew Eric H. Kearney; niece, Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, and several grandchildren.
Visitation will be Sunday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Carmel Presbyterian Church, 3549 Reading Road. Funeral service will follow at 7 p.m. at the church. Contributions may be made to Lavatus V. Powell Jr. Family Trust, in care of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, 300 W. Fourth St., Suite 200, Cincinnati, 45273.
Renfro Funeral Home Service is in charge of arrangements.
Date of announcement: 02-19-1999
MARY BETTY MORTON, 77, of Madisonville, died Tuesday. Services: 10 a.m. Monday at Thompson, Hall and Jordan Funeral Home, 11400 Winton Road, Forest Park. Visitation: 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home and 8 a.m. Monday until time of service at the funeral home.
Date of announcement: 02-19-1999
CATHERINE MAE PHILLIPS, newborn daughter of Minister Christopher and Michelle Phillips, died Monday. Graveside services: 10 a.m. Saturday at Vine Street Hill Cemetery, 3701 Vine St., Clifton. Thompson, Hall and Jordan Funeral are in charge of the arrangements.
Date of announcement: 02-19-1999
CHRISTINE A. (THIEMAN) SHUTER, 79, of Aurora, Ind., died Wednesday. She was a homemaker. Services: 2 p.m. Saturday at St. John Lutheran Church, Aurora. Visitation: 3 to 8 p.m. today at Rullman Funeral Home, Aurora. Memorials: St. John Lutheran Church, St. John Scholarship Fund, or Hospice of Southeast Indiana.
Date of announcement: 02-19-1999
EDNA L. SIMONSON, 74, of Brookville, Ind., died Tuesday. Ms. Simonson was a homemaker. Services: 2 p.m. Sunday at Cook Funeral Home, Brookville. Visitation: Noon Sunday at the funeral home.
Date of announcement: 02-19-1999
Elwin "Smitty' Smith, loved fire service
Elwin 'Smitty' Smith of Mount Airy loved to tell stories about his many years as a Cincinnati firefighter.
He was proud of his 30-year career with the fire department and fellow firefighters. He remembered a time when he responded to foul weather blazes before fire trucks even had windshields installed.
Mr. Smith, 86, died Wednesday.
He joined the fire department in 1936 and retired as a lieutenant in 1966. Mr. Smith met his wife-to-be, Catherine Lackman, while he was assigned to the firehouse on Spring Grove Avenue in Camp Washington . His future bride worked at the nearby Andrew Jergens Co.
Mr. Smith also leaves daughters, Catherine M. Smith-Yang of Fresno, California, and Barbara J. Orbegozo of Cincinnati; a granddaughter, Kristina Orbegozo and a sister, Ivy Gleisinger; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services are 10 a.m. today at the Charles A. Miller Sons Funeral Home, Hamilton Avenue at Knowlton Street, Northside. Memorials: the Salvation Army.
Date of announcement: 02-20-1999
CLAUDIA A. BROUGHTON, 46, of Cincinnati, died Wednesday. Ms. Broughton was a supervisor for Tender Mercies, Inc. Services: 11 a.m. today at Second Corinthian Baptist Church. Visitation: 10 a.m. until time of services at the church. Renfro Funeral Service, Inc., Cincinnati, is handling arrangements.
Date of announcement: 02-20-1999
ADOLPH H. DENNLER JR., 75, of Lawrenceburg, Ind., died Friday. He was an electrician for IBEW Local 212, Cincinnati, and a World War II Army veteran. Services: 10 a.m. Monday, Fitch-Denney Funeral Home, Lawrenceburg. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials: Lawrenceburg Fire Department Co. 1 or Lawrenceburg Rescue Unit.
Date of announcement: 02-20-1999
GEORGE RICHARD FLAUGHER, 74, of Aberdeen, Ohio, died Friday. Mass: 11 a.m. Monday at St. Michael's Catholic Church, Ripley. Visitation: 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Cahall Funeral Home, Ripley.
Date of announcement: 02-20-1999
ROY SYLVESTER HARRIS, 69, of Cincinnati, died Feb. 15. Services: noon Monday at St. Luke Baptist Church, 503 Clark St., Queensgate. Visitation: 11 a.m. Monday until service at the funeral home. Jamison & Jamison Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Date of announcement: 02-20-1999
MAXIAN ARTHUR MARTIN, 81, of Cincinnati, died Thursday. Mr. Maxian owned and operated Art's Pool Room on Hughes Street in Over-the-Rhine. Services: 6 p.m. Sunday at Neidhard-Minges Funeral Home, 3155 Harrison Ave. Visitation: 2 p.m. until time of services Sunday at the funeral home.
Date of announcement: 02-20-1999
ROSA A. MATTHEWS, 61, of Cincinnati, died Wednesday. Services: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Church of Christ of Kennedy Heights, 5930 Red Bank Road, Kennedy Heights. Visitation: 6 p.m. Tuesday until service at the funeral home. Jamison & Jamison Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Date of announcement: 02-20-1999
FLETCHER LEE NIXON, 93, of Westwood, died Tuesday. He was a crane operator for Cincinnati Milacron. Memorial service: 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Metropolitan C.M.E. Church, 2815 Melrose Ave., Walnut Hills. Renfro Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements and cremation.
Date of announcement: 02-20-1999
MAXINE TEVIS OGILVIE, 67, of Madison, Ind., died Thursday. Mrs. Ogilvie was a retired bottler for Joseph E. Seagram and Sons Distillers, Lawrenceburg. Services: 11 a.m. Monday at Morgan-Webster-Nay Funeral Home, Madison. Visitation: 10 a.m. until services Monday at the funeral home. Memorials: Hanover United Methodist Church.
Date of announcement: 02-20-1999
MARY HELEN WALDON, 82, of Moores Hill, Ind., died Thursday. Services: 1 p.m. Monday at Dillsboro United Methodist Church, Dillsboro, Ind. Visitation: 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Ulrich- Filter Funeral Home, Dillsboro. Memorials: Dillsboro Emergency Unit or Dillsboro United Methodist Church.
Date of announcement: 02-20-1999
Rev. Alfred Paolucci, missionary
The Rev. Alfred Paolucci, who championed civil rights as a Comboni Missionary at three Catholic churches in Cincinnati, died Feb. 6 in Esmeraldas, Ecuador. He was 83.
One of 4,000 priests and nuns of the Comboni order, Father Paolucci served as minister at St. Henry Church in 1947-53, at St. Anthony Church in 1961-62 and then at St. Michael Church in Lower Price Hill in 1963-70.
Ministering to a predominantly black congregation at St. Henry Church, Father Paolucci took up the cause of finding recreation space for black children who were often shunned at white parks and pools. He created programs for the children of his parish to travel to rural areas north of the city and in Northern Kentucky.
'What he was primarily trying to do was the best for his families and the children who were there,' said Dr. Patricia Durchholz, author of a historical book on the Comboni Ministries. 'The fact that the children were in this very constricted ghetto with no parks and trees was distressing to him. He wanted them to have a better life.'
After missions in California and Illinois during the 1970s, Father Paolucci left for a new assignment in Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Although he traveled to North America and Italy for a period of 11 years starting in 1986, he returned to Ecuador last year.
'I think what was very important for him was going to an underdeveloped country,' said Rev. Paul Donohue, spokesman for the Comboni Missionaries. 'He was very happy to work here and certainly did a lot of work here, but he always had a vision of going to a developing country.'
A native of Urbania, Italy, Father Paolucci came to the United States in 1946 aboard the S.S. Vulcania and became a citizen in 1952.
He compiled a three-volume set of obituaries of all the Comboni Missionaries from 1929 to 1988. His diary, 'My Star,' served as the basis for Ms. Durchholz' history of the order.
A memorial mass in his honor will be celebrated March 6 at 3:30 p.m. in the chapel of the Comboni Missionaries headquarters in Anderson Township.
Date of announcement: 02-22-1999
