Verl Stamper, age 87, of Carlisle, Ohio, where he had lived for 48 years, passed away on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015. Born September 17, 1927, in Wolfe County, Kentucky, Verl was the oldest of the thirteen children of Grace (nee Day) and Lloyd Stamper. Verl was a man of many passions. He loved to garden and had a true talent for it. He grew the most delicious tomatoes and prettiest roses anyone has ever seen. An avid fisherman, there is neither a stream nor lake for several states that he hasn't fished. He loved his work as a carpenter, and had he not been forced to retire from McGraw after an on-the-job accident in 1984, he would certainly still have been working until the last. He has always been a proud Democrat, making it a point of pride to never miss an election for any reason. He loved his country so much that he lied about his age so he could enlist in World War II at just seventeen, and then reenlisted for the Korean Conflict. His favorite pastimes were watching the University of Kentucky Wildcats play basketball and football, and reading was a close second. He had been a Wildcats fan since his time in the Army, and he learned to love books as a child when they were his sole escape from the troubles of farm life. He was a member of the Victory in God Church in Carlisle, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his wife of just under sixty years, Lucy Fultz Stamper, with whom he is now rejoined in Heaven. His Heavenly welcoming party also includes his daughter, Brenda; his parents, Grace and Lloyd; brothers, Maxwell, Michael and Jimmy; many of his beloved friends and coworkers; various members of the churches he has attended; and Tip, the German Shepherd he raised as a boy and who was his constant companion. Those of us left to cherish his memory include his daughter, Lisa Stamper-Martin and her husband, Ron Martin of Carlisle, Ohio; Grandson, Nathan Martin of Carlisle, Ohio; his friends and extended family at Victory in God Church in Carlisle, Ohio; long-time 'Partner in Crime,' Jerry Hudson of Carlisle, Ohio; the various nurses of Fidelity Home Healthcare, particularly Jatina, who has taken care of him for close to a decade; family friend, Randy Oneal and his dog, Miken, whom Verl loved as his own dog; 'great-grandkitten,' Shadow; the waitresses of his favorite restaurants, Bob Evans (Springboro) and Mom's; the tellers at Chase Bank in Springboro; his friend and caretaker for the last few months, Karen Siler of Middletown, Ohio; his sisters, Audrey, Imogene, Sandra, Marjoline, Frankie, Joyce, Joan, Nella, and Diane; and his innumerable nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Friday, April 10, 2015, at Northcutt & Son Home for Funerals Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Mike Pennington officiating. Verl will be laid to rest in the Fultz Family Cemetery in Carter County, Kentucky, alongside his wife. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday, April 10, 2015, at Northcutt and Son Home for Funerals, 400 Fraley Dr., Morehead, KY, 40351. Flowers are welcome or, if you wish, you may make a contribution to Verl's favorite charitable organization, The Salvation Army, which he always made a point of thanking for their help to American servicemen. Visitation: Friday, April 10, 2015, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Funeral: Friday, April 10, 2015, at 2 p.m. Interment: Fultz Family Cemetery, Carter County