Mary Clay Hatton

Mary devoted many years to the work of restoring the names and stories of the people who lived and died at Eastern State Hospital. She believed deeply that no one should be forgotten, and her compassion shaped the entire project.

Beginning in December 2006, Mary served as the project lead for the Eastern State Hospital Identification Project. She assembled records from many sources and guided the effort to identify patients who died before 1956. Because statewide death registration did not begin until 1911, early documentation is often scarce, and Mary’s careful research brought names back into view that might otherwise have been lost.

Her dedication, persistence, and kindness continue to guide the project today. The work she began remains active, and you can learn more about it at the Naming the Forgotten: Eastern State Hospital Project.

Obituary

In Memory of Mary Clay Hatton
March 14, 1948 - May 19, 2014

Visitation: Thursday, May 22 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Hinton-Turner Funeral Home Service: Friday, May 23, 2014 1:00 PM Paris Cemetery Chapel Interment: Paris Cemetery Mary Clay Benton Hatton, 66, a retired registered nurse, wife of Frank Hatton, died Monday, May 19, 2014 at Select Specialty Hospital.

She was born March 14, 1948 in Paris, daughter of the late Samuel Clay and Mayme Taylor Benton. Mary was a 1966 graduate of Paris High School and the Eastern Kentucky University Nursing Program. She had worked at Eastern State Hospital, retired from the Commonwealth of Kentucky as a nursing home inspector, a member of Daughters of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy, and First Presbyterian Church.

In addition to her husband, Mary is survived by two sons, Phillip David (Melinda) Wayman, Lexington, Paul Clay (Christy) Wayman, Frenchburg; six step children, Patty Jane Donaldson, Billy Frank Hatton, Phillip Hatton, Teresa Burden, Matthew Hatton, Roxie Hatton; two granddaughters, Kaitlin Wayman, Taylor Wayman; a sister, Sallie Jo (John D.) Hinkle, Paris; niece, Kelly Jo (Craig) Crawley, Louisville; special brother-in-law, Michael Wayman; and a special niece, Judy Roe.

She was preceded in death by a step daughter, Betty Patton. Graveside funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 23, at the Paris Cemetery Chapel by Rev. Chuck Perry. Casket bearers will be Tony Asbury, Tony Little, Donald Hollar, Brandon Hollar, Paul Wayman, and David Wayman. Honorary bearers will be Chris Robinson, Danny Roe, John Hinkle, Craig Crawley, and Brent Patton. Visitation will be 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday at Hinton-Turner Funeral Home.

William Anderson LaBach

Funeral Time: Tuesday, November 5th at 12:00 PM. William Anderson LaBach, 74, attorney at law, died of cancer on October 28 in Georgetown, Kentucky. The son of Mary (Anderson) and James Parker LaBach, he was born December 29, 1938 in Lexington, Kentucky. A graduate of Henry Clay High School and Transylvania University, he received M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

He completed a fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, and then held faculty positions in mathematics at Northwestern and Florida State Universities. Having decided to make a career change, Mr. LaBach earned a J.D. degree and an M.A. in history from the University of Kentucky. He practiced law, specializing in civil and criminal litigation, in Fayette and Scott Counties from 1975 until his death.

He was the author of two books on law and the Supreme Court, “The Supreme Court Fails Its First Test: Chisholm v. Georgia” and “America Wrestles with Race and Civil Rights: Dred Scott, Brown and Boumediene.” Bill descended from many well-known Kentuckians, including Statesman Henry Clay, Railroad Entrepreneur C.D. Chenault, Senator James Brown, and Judge Watts Parker. This heritage contributed to his lifelong interest in history and genealogy.

Mr. LaBach’s many interests included gardening and genealogy. He served as president of the Lexington Rose Society, the Kentucky Genealogical Society, and as a national officer of the Society of Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge. He was a life member of the Society of the Cincinnati, Sons of the American Revolution, and the Jamestowne Society. In his later years, he became a popular substitute teacher in the Fayette and Scott County schools.

Mr. LaBach is survived by his wife, Karen Mitchell LaBach; a brother, James Parker LaBach Jr. of Overland Park, Kansas; a sister, Mary Ellyn LaBach Hutton of Cincinnati, Ohio; a half-brother, Frederick Avery LaBach of Raleigh, North Carolina; a nephew, John Stafford Hutton of Cincinnati; four nieces, Rebecca Hutton Fink of Tipp City, Ohio, Elizabeth LaBach Hutton of Cincinnati, and Kathryn LaBach Taliaferro and Elaine LaBach Hamm of Overland Park, Kansas; one grand-nephew and nine grand-nieces.

Visitation was held November 4 at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home in Lexington. Services were conducted November 5 at Kerr Brothers. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Lexington History Museum.

Elva Morgan

Elva (Nolan) Morgan passed away on 28 May 2010 at Palmetto Baptist Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina. Her daughter Dawn and sister Elizabeth were by her side during her brief battle with cancer. Many people knew Elva through her regular online posts about Harlan County, and she will be missed by all who followed her work.

Elva was born in October 1941 in Brookside, Kentucky, the daughter of Adrian and Ruby Nolan. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband John (Jack), her son Mark, and three brothers: Archie, Jackie, and Wilburn Wayne.

She is survived by her son Byran of Nevada; daughters Christine of Illinois, Cynthia of Nevada, Teresa of Nevada, and Dawn Keefe (Chris) of Blythewood, South Carolina; her sister Elizabeth Ligocki (Harv) of Nevada; and brothers Bob (Jean) of Totz, Kentucky, Adrian Jr. of Nevada, and Bill Nolan (Cele) of Illinois. She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren, including two who were especially close to her, Ricky and Cody.

No services were planned. Elva’s ashes will be placed with her late husband at the VA Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada. Cremation was handled by Kornegay and Moseley Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Columbia, South Carolina.

Harlan Daily Enterprise, 4 September 2010.

Willis Patrick “Pat” Oliver

Willis Patrick “Pat” Oliver was one of the original founders of the Kentucky Comprehensive Genealogical Project in 1996, the effort that became the KYGenWeb Project. He created the county websites for Caldwell, Crittenden, Lyon, Livingston, Marshall, and Trigg Counties, and his work provided a foundation for many researchers beginning their Kentucky family history.

Pat also contributed extensively to family history books covering Caldwell, Trigg, and Lyon Counties. His deep knowledge of the families in this region, and his willingness to share that knowledge, will be greatly missed by those who knew and worked with him.

Obituary

Willis Patrick “Pat” Oliver, 66, of Madison, Alabama, formerly of Lyon County, died on 15 Aug 2009 at Huntsville Hospital in Alabama. Born 4 Feb 1943, he was the son of Trela May McCracken Oliver of Lyon County and the late Ura Boyd Oliver.

He was a 1961 graduate of Lyon County High School and a graduate of Murray State University and the University of Kentucky, earning degrees in physics and mathematics. He also received a degree in administrative science from the University of Alabama at Huntsville. Pat joined the U.S. Army Missile Intelligence Agency as a physicist in 1972 and later retired from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency’s Missile and Space Intelligence Center in 2003, where he served as Senior Intelligence Officer and Physicist.

Survivors, in addition to his mother, include his wife Trevah Ann Butler Oliver; a son, Nathan Patrick Oliver of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; a stepson, Graham Matthew Burchfield of Portland, Oregon; two sisters, Phyllis Lynn Nicholson of Nashville, Tennessee, and Janice Elaine Thompson of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and a brother, Herschel Boyd Oliver of Natchitoches, Louisiana.

Funeral services were held on 18 Aug 2009 at Berryhill Funeral Home Chapel in Huntsville, Alabama. Expressions of sympathy may be made to Kosair Children’s Hospital of Louisville, Kentucky, or to the Huntsville Botanical Garden.

Times Leader, Princeton, Kentucky, 22 Aug 2009.

Betty Sellers was a remarkable woman and a wonderful friend to many. Her accomplishments reached far beyond anything that could be listed in an obituary. Many in the genealogy community first met Betty in the late 1990s when she became involved in online genealogy. She was among the earliest participants in the GenWeb movement and played a central role in shaping its early years.

Betty started the Indiana GenWeb Project and served as its first State Coordinator, later returning for another term. She coordinated multiple Indiana counties as well as counties near her Kentucky home, including Trigg County and Christian County. She wrote several genealogy books, maintained extensive personal research files, and freely shared her knowledge with others.

Along with friends in the genealogy community, Betty helped teach workshops on how to conduct genealogy research online. Her talents extended well beyond genealogy. She enjoyed painting, quilting, crochet, knitting, and other crafts, and she loved her family and her many friends, near and far. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Obituary

Betty Jane Freeman Sellers, 77, passed away December 20, 2014 at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville. She was born March 25, 1937 in Cadiz, Kentucky, the daughter of Thomas and Hazel (Faughn) Freeman.

Betty was a member of the Mt. Vernon General Baptist Church and JOY Class. She worked in the church ministries as choir member, Sunday School teacher, Guild Girls mission group leader, VBS, Children’s Choir, and Children’s Church. She was a Kentucky Colonel and a past Girl Scout leader. Betty worked in the family propane gas business and other area offices. She was a hobby genealogist and wrote family genealogy books, built genealogy websites, and contributed to the GenWeb project. She taught Tole Painting classes at the L&S Craft Shop in Mt. Vernon and shared her love of embroidery, quilting, crochet, and knitting with others.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, William H. “Bill” Sellers, in 2004.

She is survived by her daughters, Margie (David) Waible of Poseyville, Indiana, and Dianna Sellers of Summerville, South Carolina; sons, Tom Sellers of Mt. Vernon, Indiana, and Jon (Melissa) Sellers of Evansville, Indiana; grandchildren Brady and Jesse Waible, Jim, Brandon and Tyler Sellers, Stephanie, Jon Michael, Samantha and Paul Sellers; and six great-grandchildren.

Services were held at 10:00 am Tuesday, December 23, 2014 at Schneider Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, with burial following in Oak Hill Cemetery. Visitation took place December 22 at the funeral home.

The family extends special thanks to Dr. Rice, Dr. Sutton, Mt. Vernon Nursing & Rehab, and the home healthcare nurses and therapists for their support and care.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Kentucky Historical Society or to the Mt. Vernon General Baptist Church.

Jo Caula Gregg Thiessen

Jo Thiessen joined the KYGenWeb Project in April 1996 when the project was just being formed. She first served as coordinator for the Scott and Woodford County sites. Later she also took on Harrison County, and she was deeply involved with all things historical in Scott County, Kentucky.

Jo loved nature almost as much as she loved history. She often talked about watching deer from the deck of her home in Georgetown. She was among the first of us to learn to use a digital camera. She was usually working on a new project, yet always had time to help others when they needed her.

We all loved and respected Jo, and she is greatly missed.

Obituary

Published in the Lexington Herald-Leader on 20 Jul 2004.

Jo Caula Gregg Thiessen, born 19 Jan 1931 in Covington, daughter of Joseph and Mildred Payne Gregg, passed away Sun, 18 Jul 2004 at the Hospice Care Center in Lexington.

She is survived by her husband of fifty years, Jacob I. Thiessen of Georgetown, a daughter, Heather Thiessen of Corydon, Indiana, and a son, Jacob Gregg (Andrea) Thiessen of Washington, D.C. Other survivors include an uncle, Thomas M. Payne of Opelousas, Louisiana, and cousins Zola Jean Collins of Corinth and Mary L. Ravenscroft of Kansas City, Missouri. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Boyce Gregg and Burns M. Gregg.

Jo graduated from North Little Rock High School, Wheaton College, and LA County/USC School of Medical Technology, and later earned an MBA from the University of Southern California. She was a retired medical technologist, director of laboratories, and laboratory and systems consultant.

After retiring to Georgetown in 1994, she was active in numerous community organizations. She participated in the American Association of University Women, served as member and two-term president of the Georgetown/Scott County Museum board, president and secretary of the Scott County Genealogical Society, and board member of the Scott County Arts Consortium.

She was a charter member of the KYGenWeb group and built the original Scott County site in April 1996. She was active in the Kentucky State DAR Society and Georgetown's Big Spring Chapter, where she was a past regent.

After cremation, Jo was buried at Raven Creek Cemetery, Harrison County.

Carlis B. Wilson

Carlis Wilson joined the KYGenWeb Project in January 2004 as coordinator for the Metcalfe County site and added Casey County in May of 2004. In addition, he also maintained the Metcalfe and Russell County USGenWeb Archives from January 2004 to February 2005.

Many, many Kentucky researchers loved and respected Carlis; he is greatly missed.

Carlis' Obituary:

Carlis B. Wilson, age 70, passed away Monday May 16, 2005 at his residence following a brief illness. He was born June 22, 1934 in Columbia, KY to the late Leslie and Blanche (Wheeler) Wilson.

He was a retired minister of Church of God and pastured churches in Indianapolis, Noblesville, Veedersburg, South Bend, Shelbyville, Anderson, Kokomo, Seymore, and Muncie. He was a retired auto technician, Genealogist web master, and Authored several books He was a member of the Church of God (Cleveland Assembly), Kentucky Colonel, Received his degree as Doctor of Divinity and Ordained bishop of Church of God. He was also ASE certified Technician, and Member of the Adair County, KY Genealogical Society.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years: Lola (Kiser) Wilson of Muncie. 3 Daughters: Judy (husb Robert) Gault of Cleveland, TN, Debbie (husb Randy) Bertram of Yorktown, and Marcia (husb Kevin) Baker of Fishers. 2 Sisters: Marcine(husb John) Hamilton of Indianapolis, Ethel (husb David) Eck of Plainfield. Brother: David (wife Yolanda) Roe of Bedford. Grandchildren: Jeremy and Jonathan Gault, Christopher and Amanda Bertram, and Cassie and Collin Kelly. Also surviving are several Nieces, Nephews, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.

He is preceded in death by his Parents, and Brother: Leslie Wilson Jr.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00am Thursday May 19, 2005 at Elm Ridge Funeral Home with Revs. Jerry Ballard, Danny Tompkins, and Gary McManus officiating. Burial will follow at Elm Ridge Memorial Park.

Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00pm on Wednesday May 18, 2005 at Elm Ridge Funeral Home.

Published in the Muncie Star press on 5/18/2005.