Josephine Helen Ches

Nicholasville, KY Josephine Helen Ches, 90, of Nicholasville and Hutchinson Island, FL., died January 24, under hospice care at Central Baptist. She was born to Joseph Tosh and Julia Lewinski Tosh on November 13, 1926, in Hamtramck, MI. In 1946, she married the late Erwin C. Ches. Together they moved to Lexington in 1959, when Erwin was promoted to manager of Square D. Josephine, an expert seamstress who learned to sew by helping her mother make wedding dresses, began crafting custom draperies out of the familys garage for local interior decorators. In 1968, she and Erwin incorporated the family business, Creative Draperies, Inc. Through Josephines tenacity and hard work, the Ches family grew the business from a storefront on New Circle Road into a commercial manufacturer of medical cubicle curtains, hospitality drapes and bedding, employing up to 65 people in a 30,000 sq. ft. plant in Nicholasville. 49 years later, the business continues to be operated by Josephines son, Joseph Frank, also of Nicholasville. Daughter, Renee, Lexington, followed her mothers original business plan making residential drapery. In addition to her business, Josephine volunteered organizing charitable events for the Lexington Philharmonic and for many events at Sayre School where Joseph attended. In addition to her husband of 65 years, Josephine was predeceased by their eldest son, Erwin, Jr., and survived by her children, Joseph and Renee, and her grandchildren, Joseph Benton, Avery, and Conner, as well as, long-time employee and family friend, Cheryl Long. Funeral Information Funeral services will be held, January 27 at noon at St. Luke Catholic Church, 304 S. Main St., Nicholasville, followed by a graveside service at Camp Nelson National Cemetery, 6980 Danville Rd., Nicholasville.