By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Ms. Wolpers

PARK HILLS, Ky. - Public relations specialist Mary Lynn Wolpers' creativity matched her writing capabilities.

Writing came naturally and journalism was in her blood. For 75 years her family published the Daily American Republic, a newspaper they founded in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Ms. Wolpers died Saturday at her Park Hills residence after a nine-month battle with cancer. She was 56.

"She truly had a high degree of creativity and a unique perspective that enabled our organization to do a better job of communicating," said John S. Prout, president and chief executive officer of TriHealth - the company for which Ms. Wolpers worked for 16 years.

Raised in Poplar Bluff, Ms. Wolpers earned an associate's degree from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., and a bachelor's degree from the Missouri School of Journalism at Columbia.

Ms. Wolpers then joined her sister, Emily, in Los Angeles, where she worked as a teacher before becoming corporate communications manager for Santa Monica Hospital.

In 1986, Ms. Wolpers moved to Park Hills and began working for Bethesda Hospital, which later became TriHealth.

Survivors include a sister, Emily Kinder Wolpers of Park Hills; a brother, John H. Wolpers of Poplar Bluff; her mother, Blanche Wolpers of Poplar Bluff; a niece and a nephew.

Services have been held in Poplar Bluff. There will be a memorial service in Northern Kentucky at a later date.

Memorials: Poplar Bluff R-I School Foundation, 1110 N. Westwood Blvd., Poplar Bluff, MO, 63901.

E-mail nhamilton@enquirer.com