9TH GENERATION ANNA BELLE RANSDELL AND WILLIAM STEWART BUSH

9^th Generation: Children of Gilbert Sterling Ransdell

Anna Belle Ransdell

(1910-2004)

William Stewart Bush

(1911-1976)

My Personal Memories of Anna Belle Ransdell (1910- 2004)

My aunt Anna Belle’s husband Stewart built her a house before they were married in 1940, and she lived there until the day she died in 2004. Imagine, not having moved once in 64 years! Sometimes, that seems quite heavenly to me. All those years living on Locust Street in Erlanger, just a few blocks from a bus stop and right down the street from her grocery store, Anna Belle never really needed to drive a car and didn’t learn to drive. Then, after Stewart’s death, when she was about 65 years old, she took driving lessons and got her driver’s license.

Another talented seamstress, she sewed nearly all the clothes she and her daughter wore, and she continued sewing for her grandchildren, including bridesmaids' dresses for her granddaughter’s wedding.

She was still going strong at 90, mentally sharp as a tack, physically well except for some problems with her knees, but she didn’t let it slow her down. She went to every senior citizens activity and outing the Erlanger Methodist Church had. Everyone in the family should pray they have some of Anna Belle’s genes!

In January 1998 Anna Belle was recognized by the City of Erlanger for her 75 years of continuous residence. The Erlanger Recorder published a photo of her in 1915 as well as a current photo, along with this story:

Though Anna Belle Bush admits that a lot has changed in Erlanger since her arrival 75 years ago, she has no plans to leave. For her 75 years of continuous residence, she will be recognized by the city at the Ecumenical Service January 24 at 11 a.m. at the Erlanger Baptist Church.

Coming to Erlanger as a child, Bush has only vague memories of what the city was like. But she does remember her home on May Street, where her parents and all seven children lived in a four-room house.

"My daddy worked on the railroad. He ran from Ludlow to Danville," she said as to why her family left Somerset, Ky., and moved to Erlanger. "We could have lived in Ludlow, but I guess that they [her parents] liked Erlanger better." She lived in that house until she married in 1940, but even then Erlanger remained her home.

"When I came, I stayed," she said with a smile. "I don't have any reason to leave. I don't want to leave."

While she endured the death of her husband Stewart in 1976 and her two children moved away, Bush is happy to still call Erlanger her home. It helps that her children and their families, including several grandchildren, have remained close enough to stay in close contact.

She also cites her affiliation with the Erlanger Methodist Church and her friends among her reasons to stay. "I've been there since I was a kid," she says of the church.

And although her relations with Erlanger and Erlanger Methodist have remained constant over the years, she admits that everything else has seemed to change. "Everything and everybody has changed over the years," she said. "It's a different world we're living in today."

Despite the changes, Bush plans to continue calling the Friendship City her home. "The growth doesn't bother me. It's convenient, not too far from the store or the post office," Bush said. "I think the Friendship City is a good name for Erlanger."

In May 2000 her daughter and son hosted a 90^th birthday celebration for Anna Belle at the Erlanger Methodist Church, which was attended by numerous friends and relatives.

Anna Belle died in her home just after midnight on Wednesday, June 2, 2004. The Kentucky Post published the following obituary:

The Kentucky Post

Thursday, June 3, 2004

Anna Belle Ransdell Bush, 94, of Erlanger, died Wednesday at her home. She was a homemaker and a former cafeteria worker with Erlanger-Elsmere Schools. She was a member of Erlanger United Methodist Church, and was active in the church choir and 50 Plus group. Her husband, Stewart Bush, died in 1976.

Survivors include a son, of Hebron; a daughter, of Burlington; a brother, of Villa Hills; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Erlanger United Methodist Church. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to Erlanger United Methodist Church, 31 Commonwealth Ave., Erlanger, Ky. 41018; or Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.

Photos—thanks to D. Cheatham!

Anna Belle and Beulah 1942

Anna Belle's 90th birthday, May 2000