Obituary of Rosella Porterfield

Rosella French Porterfield, 85, of Walton, died at 3:08 a.m. Saturday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. She was a retired librarian with Erlanger-Elsmere Independence Schools, and a member of Zion Baptist Missionary Church, Walton. She was a former Sunday school teacher and superintendent with the church, and was the church choir director, organist and pianist. She was a member of Homemakers Association, Retired Teachers Association and Walton Senior Citizens. Both an Elsmere park and the library at Dorothy Howell Middle School are named for her. Her husband, Vernon Porterfield, died in 2001. Survivors include a son, David French of Walton; brothers, John Maurice French of Maysville and Roscoe Moorman French of Owensboro; and a sister, Mary Jo Whitfield of Homewood, Ill. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church, Elsmere. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in Richwood Cemetery, Walton. Memorials are suggested to Rosella Porterfield Park, in care of the city of Elsmere, 318 Garvey Ave., Elsmere, Ky. 41018. Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Walton, is handling arrangements. ************************** Remembering Rosella Elsmere residents want her park to be preserved -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Stephenie Steitzer Post staff reporter Incited by rumors that a beloved community park might be turned into a parking lot, about 50 Elsmere residents packed a city hall meeting room Tuesday night to beg City Council not to sell the property. Discussion of the park was on council's agenda just four days after its namesake, civil rights activist Rosella Porterfield, died. City residents heard rumors the council was going to vote Tuesday to sell the property to the Erlanger-Elsmere Independent School District, but Elsmere Mayor Billy Bradford said that wasn't true. "I'm not wanting to pass anything this evening," Bradford said after the council moved the meeting from the packed council chambers to the more spacious firehouse next door. But to reassure residents after they continued to express their concerns, council did pass a resolution to do everything possible to retain ownership of the park property. The city has been discussing selling the small park to the school board for $1, then leasing it back from the district and continuing to maintain it. Erlanger-Elsmere School Superintendent Michael Sander said the plan is part of a long-term deal the city and school district have had regarding the park. Sander said the Wilkins family originally gave the park to the school district for $1. But over the years, when the district had to borrow money to make repairs and additions to the schools, it had to turn the deed of the park over to the city to hold as collateral. Now that the district has paid off that debt, it wants the park back. Sander attempted to reassure residents that the district has no plan to redevelop the park. "The school system very much hates the loss of (Mrs. Porterfield) from this community," he said. "Trust me, we're not trying in any way, shape or form to take away from her legacy." Residents, however, are not convinced that the school board won't redevelop the property in the future. "That park means so much to my kids," said resident Patricia Badewa, 42. "Please do not take the park. This is for the community, black, white, Hispanic, everybody." Elsmere resident Stacey Carter, 37, and several others who are mourning the loss of Mrs. Porterfield reminded council of her legacy. "We certainly want to honor Rosella and all that she means to us," Carter said. Mrs. Porterfield's son, David Sleet French, a niece and at least one former student were at the meeting to beg council to preserve the park. The park is adjacent to what once was the Wilkins Heights school, which before integration was an all black school where Rosella Porterfield taught. A Head Start program now occupies the building. The park has a playground and newly surfaced basketball court. A park board representative said the board recently spent about $40,000 to improve the park because it is the most-used in the city. Resident Marty Jones, 42, said he grew up in the neighborhood around the park and still lives there. Now, his nieces and nephews use the park. He said it is a place where the community gathers, church groups gather and kids play. It isn't vandalized because it's so treasured. "It's just been the root of the community," he said. The Erlanger-Elsmere school board is scheduled to discuss the park at its meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday.