Stoess Funeral Home

The following are excerpts of oral histories taken at the Oldham County History Center from people who remembered how the 1937 flood affected their lives. Leta Thompson Barrow, born 1920: Leta and her family lived in Jeffersonville when the 1937 flood hit their home I was born Nov. 15, 1920 in Jeffersonville and my parents were Albert and May Thompson. [I] lived there all my life until I met my husband. My father was a butcher and my mother stayed home with her children – they (women) did in those days. I had five brothers and I was the only girl – they always said I was spoiled, but I wasn’t (laughs). I only have one brother left – he lives in Florida. We lived about six or eight blocks from the river – of course, when the flood came – we lost everything. My father owned Thompson Meat Market. We lived on Pearl Street by Coots Funeral Home and daddy’s store was on Court Street about three blocks away. Our house was a two-story frame house on the corner. The 1937 flood came when I was 17. We were all worried – if you went upstairs you could see the river rising. When the river came the only thing you could see of our house was the chimney. They just came in and told us we needed to get out. They sent us up to Indianapolis. Mother didn’t wear her diamond ring when she was working around the house – she left it in the toolbox on the sewing machine. When she left, she forgot to get the ring. My daddy and uncle Homer were merchant police and keep people out of the houses (from theft). So they went to the house to get the ring and when he got it out of the box, he dropped it in the water, but he found it because he said that little diamond was just sparkling in the mud. When we got to Indianapolis, I got sick...

She was born in College Hill, KY, a daughter of the late Sudie Lee and William Franklin Skinner. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Thomas Billings, brothers Butler, Alby, Ernest, William, Jesse, Elmer, Charles, Russell and sisters Ruby, Velma and Blanche and a great grandson, J.C. Billings.She was a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and received her Master’s Degree and Rank I from Morehead State University. Upon graduation from E.K.U., she made her home in Ashland for 62 years. After 33 years of service in the Ashland Public School System she retired in 1988. BB continued to serve on numerous committees and organizations not just in Ashland but throughout the state. She was a faithful servant at First United Methodist Church. She loved to be around people and enjoyed the time she spent as a tour guide traveling around the U.S. In 2006 she moved back to Richmond and then the Terrace in Berea. You were always greeted with a hug and smile from BB.Surviving are 2 sons, John Franklin (Kim) Billings, David Skinner (Andy) Billings; 8 grandchildren Nathan (Sally) Billings, Abigail Billings, Joshua (Karen) Billings, Kristin (Mike) Blankenship, Keagan Billings, Hannah (Mitchell) King, Sarah (Chris) Hogg, Brent Billings; 8 great grandchildren Max and Ellie Billings, Jackson and Kendell Billings, Hayden, Carter and Kate Blankenship, Savannah King; 2 sisters Virginia Turner, Leta Rice; 1 sister in law Jean Skinner and many nieces and nephews.A Memorial Service will be conducted at Lakes Funeral Home, 203 N. Dogwood Dr., Berea, KY April 16 at 7:00 p.m. by Rev. Charles Bertrand. Friends may call beginning at 5:00 p.m. until the service begins. A second visitation will take place in Ashland at Steen’s Funeral Home, 1501 Central Ave., Ashland, KY on April 17, 2015 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. with burial to follow in the Ashland Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Nathan Billings, Josh Billings, Mike Blankenship, Brent Billings, Mitchell King and Chris Hogg. In lieu of flowers, contri...