For more than 40 years, Jerome F. "Jerry" Futscher was a door-to-door milkman in Northern Kentucky. To him, the job was about more than just delivering milk. He checked on his customers to make sure they were in good health. During the holidays, he used his truck to deliver used clothes and household items to needy residents. And during the 1964 flood, when Silver Grove was under water, he loaded a boat with milk bottles and delivered them. "People wouldn't leave their homes they weathered the flood in their homes with their children," said a daughter, Sue Bradley of Alexandria. "He got a boat-scared to death of water and loaded it up with milk bottles. He took two days and went into Silver Grove and delivered milk, house to house. It wasn't because it was his job. It was because they were his friends, and he cared about them."

Mr. Futscher, a lifelong resident of Camp Springs, died at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday at his home. He was 70. The son of a Camp Springs blacksmith, Mr. Futscher lived his entire adult life two houses from where he was born and reared. He began delivering milk for Trauth Dairy in 1948 and had a route through Camp Springs, Silver Grove, Melbourne, Alexandria and Fort Thomas. His work day started at 4:30 a.m. and often didn't end until 6 p.m. He knew the name of every customer, and when Trauth delivered ice cream, he often gave it away to children. Mr. Futscher's customers knew him well and trusted him. Many gave him keys to their homes so that he could fill up their refrigerators when they weren't home. When Trauth discontinued its residential delivery routes, Mr. Futscher delivered milk to schools and businesses. He retired in 1991.

During the 1960s, Mr. Futscher was the Fifth District magistrate in Campbell County. As magistrate, he could authorize marriages and sign search warrants for police. Mr. Futscher also was a member of the Simon-Gosney American Legion Post No. 219 in Camp Springs, Campbell County VFW Post No 3205 in Alexandria and Knights of Columbus Father DeJaco Council No. 5220 in Alexandria. He also enjoyed raising beans, corn and tomatoes. Other survivors include his wife, Irma; sons, Dan Futscher and Doug Futscher, both of Camp Springs; daughters, Sharon Ramler of Camp Springs and Janet Steller of Elizabethtown; brothers, Alex Futscher of Alexandria and Maynard B. Futscher of Cold Spring; sisters, Edna Heiert of Camp Springs and Stella Franzen of Alexandria; and nine grandchildren.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph Church, Camp Springs. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Camp Springs. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075; or St. Joseph Church, 225 Four Mile Road, Camp Springs, Ky. 41059.

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