Alvin M. Gardner (1908-1984) was born on July 5, 1908 in Hodgenville, KY to William and Emily (Ward) Gardner. He was one of four siblings. William Gardner was a farmer in Hodgenville. Not many records could be found on Alvin’s life after the 1940s when he married Catherine Elizabeth Schiehl (1921-1991). Catherine was born on May 22, 1921 in Cincinnati, OH to Frank and Anna (Schaffer) Schiehl. Together, Alvin and Catherine had two sons: William and James. According to their grandson, Tim Gardner, from 1959-1973, Alvin and Catherine owned and operated the Baxter Shoe Repair and Dry Goods Store. From 1973-1989, the store became the Baxter Avenue Grocery. The store was located at 616 Baxter Avenue, which is now one of the Spinelli’s Pizza buildings. A 1978 “Courier-Journal” article reviewing the changes to the Phoenix Hill neighborhood discussed the store and the Gardners: “One thing that hasn’t closed is the Baxter Avenue grocery. Catherine and Alvin Gardner have been operating their small business for five years. Before that, Mrs. Gardner worked as a shoemaker in the same store. No matter what they’ve sold in their narrow storefront, the elderly pair has lived behind it for the last 25 years. ‘This neighborhood’s been good to us. We raised two boys here. They growed up right here on the hill,’ Mrs. Gardner said. As for changes, she said, ‘Well, in a way it’s changed and in a way it hasn’t. The people are all that change—they’ve grown older. Younger and new ones come in.’” On April 20, 1984, Alvin died at the age of 75. Seven years later, Catherine died at the age of 69 on February 12, 1991. They are buried together in Row 1 of Dogwood Circle in Eastern Cemetery. Their grandson Tim previously sent us this photograph of his grandparents and their business card.

James C. Snow was born in Minter, Alabama in 1915. He was the only child of James F. and Ethel Snow. He enlisted in the Army in Jan. 1943 at 27 years of age. While in the Army he served in 3 wars WWII, the Korean, and Vietnam wars. He met and married is wife Bessie in 1948 and together they had 5 children. He was stationed in Germany, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. The family later joined him while stationed in Washington, DC and Okinawa, Japan. He retired from the Army in Nov. 1964, and he and the family returned to Louisville in 1965. James enjoyed his civilian life with his family before he became ill in 1972. He passed away in 1975 at 59 years of age. His memory will continue to live on in the hearts of his family. Thank you for serving your country for 21 years. This biography was written by his son James M. Snow and his granddaughter Michelle Snow. Thank you for your contribution!

We are honoring SFC Clifford G. Montgomery (1933-1969) who was born on December 8, 1933 in Louisville, KY to Effie Green. She was the daughter of John and Kattie (Harris) Green, descendants of Eliza Tevis who is a founder of an early African American community known as Petersburg. His mother Effie married George R. Lyons and together they had seven children. Montgomery married Eva Delores Walters and they had five children: Barbara, Kenneth, Darrell, Warren, and Pratt. Very little information could be found on Montgomery’s life. On December 23, 1969, he died in Phuoc Long, Vietnam after the Army base where he was located was attacked. Montgomery was 36 years old. According to his headstone, SFC Montgomery was a Sergeant First Class of the Headquarters Battery, 77th Artillery, 1st Calvary Division where he worked as a cook. His headstone also says he had been awarded the Bronze Star Medal with the Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Purple Heart. His obituary was published in the “Courier-Journal” on January 2, 1970. It stated that Montgomery had been in the Army for 20 years and was due to retire April 1970. He is buried in Section 16, Row 14, Grave 17 in Eastern Cemetery. Thank you, SFC Montgomery for your sacrifice. You will not be forgotten. Photos are from Find A Grave user Tom Reece.

James Edward “Eddie” Lindsey born in 1936 in Morgantown, Kentucky. The son of Hillary and Alta Lindsey. Mr. Eddie Lindsey is the oldest sibling; Earl, Gerald Wayne, William Henry, Fred, Pat Lindsey Geary Johnny Ray, and Aubrey Dean (also buried at Eastern). He is the father of 4 girls. He was a musician at night and truck driver during the day. He played with Elvis and was invited to the Grand Ole Opry but never made it before his death. Mr. Eddie Lindsey played at night at the Dew Drop Inn in Louisville to provide for his family. A great man, brother, father, son and grandfather. Truly will be forever missed and loved.

Written by Debbie Lindsey Davidson

James W. Wells was born on March 17, 1920 in Laurel County, Kentucky to William and Martha Wells. William worked as a coal mine in Harlan County, Kentucky throughout most of his life and had five children. By 1940, James was married to Beatrice Woolum and worked as a coal miner in Harlan County. Their son James Forester was born in 1942. James enlisted in the Army on April 11, 1944 in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. He was sent to the Muskogee Army Airfield in Oklahoma and assigned to the 349th Army Air Forces Base Unit. James’s brother Robert also enlisted in the Army for World War II. James W. Wells lived in Louisville after the war and died on January 1, 1971 at the age of 50.

Titus Brooks was born July 17, 1896 in Weakly County, Tennessee to John and Julia Brooks. John worked as a day laborer throughout his whole life. By the time Titus was 14 years old he was working as a dropper in the tobacco field in which he dropped the tobacco plants in the rows for the planters. Everyone in the Brooks household held jobs as cooks, laborers, carpenters, and doing washing at home as was common for rural, lower class families. On September 27, 1918, Titus enlisted in the Army for World War I. He was sent to Camp Sherman in Ohio and assigned to the 40th Company, 10th Training Battalion, 158th Depot Brigade. Titus’s unit was comprised of African American soldiers who received and organized recruits; provided them with uniforms, equipment and initial military training; and then send them to France. The Depot Brigades also received soldiers returning home at the end of the war and completed their out processing and discharges. Brooks was honorable discharged on January 20, 1919 and returned home to his wife Maude and their son Timothy. The family soon moved to Louisville, Kentucky and lived in a rented house on E. Lee Street. Since Titus only had a second grade education, he worked more physical jobs such as plastering and gardening. He and Maude had a total of 10 kids. Titus Brooks died March 21, 1963 at the age of 66. He and Maude were buried at Eastern Cemetery.

Rudell Stitch (1933-1960) was a welterweight boxer from Louisville who received two Carnegie Hero Fund Medals. One in 1958 for saving Joseph Schifcar in the Ohio River, and one in 1960 for attempting to save boxer Charles Oliver in the Ohio River. They both drowned June 5, 1960. Stitch was one of the top welterweight boxers in the world when he died at the age of 27. His widow, Rosa Mae Stitch, was shot and killed in January 1964 in her Prospect home four years later at the age of 31. Their six children (Rudell III, Donald, Rodney, Perry, Darryl Lamarr and Janet Lynn) survived their parents.Stitch was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in June 2014, a year after being honored with a Kentucky Pride Foundation “hometown heroes” mural on the 4th Street Live parking garage, next to the Cathedral of the Assumption on Fifth Street.