Sergeant Kenneth R. Booker
Sergeant Kenneth Raymond “KR” Booker, 25, of 309 Smith Ridge Road, Vevay, was killed in action at 8:28 p.m. Wednesday, November 14th, in Mukhisa, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He died of injuries he sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
He is survived by his father and stepmother, SSG Charles Raymond and Brenda “Shorty” Booker of Vevay; his mother and stepfather, Becky and Robert Graham of Milton, Kentucky; his brother, Kaleb Daniel Booker of Madison; his wife, Betzaida Booker of Fayetteville, North Carolina; his paternal grandmother, Inez Booker of Moorefield; his paternal grandfather, SFC Raymond H. Booker (Retired) of Burkesville, Kentucky; his paternal great-grandmother, Dorothy McMackin of Moorefield; his stepbrothers, Keith Briner and wife Angie of Indianapolis and Robert Graham, Jr., of Houghton, Louisiana; his stepsister, Katrina Soles of Houghton, Louisiana; his aunts, Alice Powell and husband Darrell of Madison and Eula Butler and husband Shan of Vevay; his great-great-aunt, Ruby McMackin of Bennington; his niece, Hailey; his nephew, Blayden; and his cousins, Jason Rook, Jeremy Stevens, Jarrid Stevens, Andrew Peelman and Angela Powell.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, James and Cathy (Temple) Daughrity; and his great-grandfather, Charles L. McMackin.
Sergeant Booker entered this life on February 5th, 1982 in Madison, the son of SSG Charles Raymond Booker and Becky (Daughrity) Booker Graham. “KR” was raised in Switzerland County, and was a graduate of Switzerland County High School, Class of 2000. He attended Mount Sterling Baptist Church near Vevay, Indiana, and was a member of the Switzerland County FFA. Shortly after graduation, he joined the Army, happy at the prospect of serving his country. As a member of the 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Kenneth served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. His exemplary service earned him an assignment in military intelligence at Fort Lewis, Washington. Kenneth, however, preferred working in the field to an office, and requested to transfer back to infantry. Joining a Stryker Brigade Combat Unit at Fort Lewis, Kenneth returned to Iraq for his third deployment.
Kenneth received the following awards for his service to his country; the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, two Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, two Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commission Officer Development Program, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Parachute Badge, Expert Rifle Weapon. Kenneth was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. He will be remembered by his friends and family for his clever sense of humor, his love of hunting and target shooting, his outgoing nature, and above all, his outstanding dedication to his country.
Today, we join Kenneth’s family and friends in mourning his death. While we struggle to bear our sorrow over this loss, we can also take pride in the example he set, bravely fighting to make the world a safer place. It is his courage and strength of character that people will remember when they think of Kenneth. Today and always, Kenneth will be remembered by family members, friends and fellow Hoosiers as a true American hero, and we honor the sacrifice he made while dutifully serving his country. With an optimistic future before him, Kenneth risked everything to fight for the values Americans hold close to our hearts, in a land halfway around the world.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Sunday, December 9th, at Switzerland County High School gymnasium, 1020 West Main Street, Vevay. Burial will be in Slawson Cemetery in Bennington with military rites conducted at the graveside by the honor guard of the Fort Knox Ceremonial Unit. The family requests memorials to the Sergeant Kenneth Raymond Booker Memorial Fund, c/o Community Foundation of Switzerland County, P.O. Box 46, Vevay, IN or the Slawson Cemetery. Contribution cards are available at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to the family via the funeral home’s website at www.haskellandmorrison.com.
Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Saturday, December 8th, at the SCHS gymnasium. Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home in Vevay is in charge of arrangements.
Domnic Wilhoite
Domnic William Ray Wilhoite, stillborn infant son of William Ray “Rusty” Simpkins and Brigitte Marie O’Daniel of Vevay, passed away Monday, December 3rd, at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison.
Survivors, besides his parents, include his brother, Cody Wayne Allen O’Daniel of Vevay; his grandparents, Barbara and Billy Wilhoite of Vevay, Richard O’Daniel of Seattle, Washington, and Laura Stump of Taylorsville, Kentucky; his great-grandparents, Donald Tucker of Vevay and Judy and Paul Mahuron of Taylorsville, Kentucky; and several uncles and aunts.
He was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Dorothy Mae Wilhoite and Marian and William Thomas.
Graveside services will be conducted Wednesday, December 12th, at 11 a.m. by Reverend Ronald Sandidge with burial in Vevay Cemetery. Friends may call at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home from 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, December 12th. Memorial contributions may be made to the family. Online condolences may be sent to the family via the funeral home’s website at www.haskellandmorrison.com.
Wilma Sharp
Wilma Alice Sharp, 87, of Rising Sun, passed away Tuesday, December 4th, at Ross Manor Nursing Home in Dillsboro.
She was born October 4th, 1920, in Ohio County, the daughter of William and Fannie (Detmer) Buddenburg. She was a graduate of Rising Sun High School, Class of 1938. She was a homemaker and also worked for Area 12 as a bookkeeper. She loved to play cards. She was a member of the Rising Sun First United Church of Christ.
On April 121th, 1941, she married James M. Sharp, who died April 17th, 1984.
Survivors include her son, James Kenneth Sharp and wife Brenda of Milan; her daughter, Barbara Scranton and husband David of Rising Sun; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
She was also preceded in death by her parents; and her sister, Lena Buddenburg.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, December 7th, by Pastor John Heckman at Markland Funeral Home in Rising Sun. Burial will be in Rising Sun New Cemetery. Friends may call from 5-8 p.m. today (Thursday). Memorial contributions may be made to First United Church of Christ, Ohio County Rescue or the Rising Sun Fire Department.
Dianna Risk
Dianna Kay Scott Risk, 60, of Madison, died Thursday, November 29th, at her home.
She was born December 5th, 1946, in Madison, the daughter of James M. and Gladys Ruth Luckett Scott. She was a 1965 graduate of Madison Consolidated High School. In 1965 she became a secretary with Pearl Packing Company in Madison until 1967. In the spring of 1966 she attended Indiana University Extension classes in Jeffersonville. In the summer of 1969 she worked as the motel manager at the Englewood Motel. She was a 1971 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. She received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education and special education. While living in Richmond, Kentucky, she worked as a cashier at Begley’s Drugs. In 1975 she received her master’s degree from Indiana University Southeast in elementary education. In 1977 she received a reading endorsement from Indiana University Southeast. In 1993 she received a master’s degree in counseling from Indiana University Southeast.
She enjoyed being an adviser to the Hanover College chapter of the Chi Omega Sorority. She began her career as a special-education teacher at Madison Junior High School from 1971-1976. During this time she organized, planned, and presented the concept of mainstreaming special-education students. She then taught Chapter One reading from 1978-1981 at Dupont, Rykers’ Ridge and E.O. Muncie elementary schools, as well as the Chapter One reading parent program. In 1981 she was selected by then-Superintendent Robert Boyd to teach in the gifted-and-talented (ELOP) program at Eggleston Elementary. In 1985 she developed the July Jubilee, a cultural and enrichment summer school program that continued through 1990. In 1984 she began teaching at Lydia Middleton Elementary School, where she taught third and sixth grades until 1993.
In 1993 she became the junior high guidance counselor, and touched many students until her death. She had served as adjunct professor at Indiana University Southeast for several years.
She held membership in the Chi Omega Sorority, National Rush Team, Tri-Kappa Sorority, Bethany Circle of King’s Daughters’, Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, America Counseling Association, the Indiana State Teachers Association, the Indiana University Alumni Association, Hanover College Alumni, and Trinity United Methodist Church.
In 1971 she was honored with the Friendship Cup Award at Eastern Kentucky University. In 1976 she was elected state secretary for the Young Republicans. In 1977 she was awarded the Outstanding Indiana Young Republican Award. In 1978 she received the Teenage Republican Leader Award. In 1986 she received the Madison Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award. In 1984 she coordinated Madison’s 175th celebration. In 1986 she initiated the Statue of Liberty Project for the community and eighth-grade students, raising $12,000 for the Statue of Liberty. She served as treasurer for Tri-Kappa Sorority from 1987-1988. In 1988 she organized a State Prime Time Fair in Madison, where she presented programs at the State Prime Time Fair and the E.O. Muncie parent fair. She served as co-camp director for King’s Daughters’ from 1989-1993. She enjoyed conducting student-teacher seminars for Dr. Claudia Crump at Indiana University Southeast and for Dr. Cynthia Brabson at Hanover College.
She established Camp Win-Win, a summer camp to train 40 eighth-grade students in leadership, peer counseling, the Bully Buster Program, and drug and alcohol education. In 2006-2007 she was recognized by the American School Counselor Association as its Model Program Recipient. She was awarded the 2006 Speaking of Women’s Health Honoree Award. In 2007 she received the Tom Sexton Award from the Kiwanis Club of Madison. She was also recognized as the Counselor of the Year from the State of Indiana.
Other programs she started were the Middleton Monster Mashers, a problem-solving/conflict resolution program for third-graders, and a parent breakfast program for teaching communication skills and building rapport. Marvelous Me Camp, was implemented to help build self-esteem and camaraderie among students, parents and teachers.
She is survived by her husband, Carl William Risk, whom she married June 10th, 1973; her sons, Carl W. Risk II of Madison and Joseph Michl Risk of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; her daughter, Jennifer Kay Risk of Indianapolis; her sisters, Debbie Spry and Kathy Griffin, both of Madison, and Dee Ellis of Milton, Kentucky; one uncle; one grandson; and several nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and other relatives.
She was preceded in death by her mother, who died in 1953; her father, who died in October, 1991; her stepmother, Mary Meek Scott; one great-nephew; and her grandparents.
The funeral was Monday, December 3rd, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Madison. Burial was private in the Canaan Cemetery. Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre of Madison was in charge of arrangements.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to sustain Camp Win-Win and the Bully Buster program, and for drug and alcohol education, through the Dianna K. Risk Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County, P.O. Box 306, Madison, IN 47250.