Vivian K. Tarter

LIBERTY - Vivian K. Tarter, matriarch of the Tarter Gate family, died on Feb 18, 2011 at Ephraim McDowell Hospital in Danville where she had been a patient since Feb 12. She was born on Feb 3, 1926 in Elmwood Place, OH to Flora Jet and Stella Norman Keith who were both originally from Casey County. The family moved back to Casey County when Vivian was very young and she and her sister, Beulah, grew up on the family farm on Riffe Creek in Casey County. Vivian graduated from Liberty High School in Casey County on May 7, 1942. On Dec 21, 1945 she married Roger Tarter after his three-year stint in the Air Force and they moved to Dunnville. To this union two sons, Donald and David Tarter, were born. Vivian entered into the family farm gate business started by Roger's father, C.V. Tarter, in 1940 in Dunnville, KY. They made wooden farm gates by hand and sold them throughout the local and surrounding areas. Roger and Vivian bought the business in 1948and they, along with their sons, expanded the business (now called Tarter Farm and Ranch) over the years. When she started working at Tarter Gate in 1945, Vivian did not realize that she would be working there for 66 years. She was an active and full-time member of the staff until Feb 11, 2011. She always arrived at the main office at 6:30am and left at 4:30pm five days a week. Her desk in the front office allowed her to keep an eye on the comings and goings of the business. A 10-hour per day work schedule would have tired most people half her age, but she thrived on hard work and she was dedicated to the business and her family. She was a tough-minded businesswoman who dealt with Japanese steel businessmen back in the early 1970s, something unheard of in those days. Over the years she dealt with salesmen, gate haulers, and politicians with equal aplomb. In addition to being the consummate businesswoman, she was the heart and soul of the company. She was known to be gracious, fair-minded, compassionate, and generous to a fault. Vivian was a pillar of her community, Casey County, and Dunnville Christian Church where she had been a member most of her life. She is survived by sons Donald (and Joy) Tarter and David Tarter; grandchildren Keith (and Jenny) Tarter, Nell (and Charles) Duggins, Joshua (and Jennifer) Tarter, Douglas (and J.J.) Tarter, Luann (and Jason) Leveridge; former daughter-in-law Anna Lou Smith; eight great-grandchildren four step-great-grand-children, and a great-niece. She was preceded in death by her sister, Beulah Keith Pierce; a nephew, William Pierce; and her former husband, Roger Tarter. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Dunnville Christian Church. Services 11am Mon at Dunnville Christian Church by Rev. Paul Viers. Burial in Salem Cemetery. Visit 6-9pm Sun at Dunnville Christian Church.