Madison County, Alabama Obituary Collection 1998-1999 (From Various Funeral Homes)
Covering the towns of Big Cove, Brownsboro, Gurley, Hampton Cove, Harvest, Hazel Green,
Huntsville, Madison, Meridianville, New Hope, New Market, Normal, Owens Cross Roads,
Ryland, Toney, and Triana. Also many obits from nearby Athens (Limestone County).
Some of the funeral homes represented: Royal Funeral Home, Spry Funeral Home,
Valhalla Funeral Home, Laughlin Service Funeral Home, and Twickenham Funeral Home.
Note: These obituaries are NOT primary source. They are intended only to provide clues in
researching your family tree. Use the date at the top of each group of obituaries to determine
the date of death since this collection does not include specific dates, only the day of the week
that the death occurred. Use the handy 1998 or 1999 calendars to determine dates.
James C. Anderson
GUNTERSVILLE - James Clyde Anderson, 82, of 22444 U.S. 431 died Friday at an area nursing home. The funeral was Sunday at Grant Memorial Chapel with Bro. Joe Teal officiating.
Burial was in New Prospect Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Audrey L. Anderson of Guntersville; two sons, James Anderson of Talladega and Joseph Anderson of Freeport, Fla.; three daughters, Elizabeth Jeffiers of Taylorsville, Ky., and Josephine McCamish and Irma Moore, both of Brentwood, Tenn.; one brother, Fred Anderson of Scottsboro; and 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Nancy Archer
ALBERTVILLE - Nancy Archer, 88, of 816 Christopher Circle died Sunday at a Gadsden hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the First Church of the Nazarene in Albertville.
Burial will be in Memory Hill Cemetery with Adams Funeral Home of Albertville in charge.
Survivors include her husband, Chester Archer; three sons, Verlin Archer of Albertville, Jack Archer of Ohio and Bob Archer of North Carolina; and seven grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Frances Ashby
PETERSBURG, Tenn. - Frances Elizabeth Powell Ashby, 84, died Saturday at a Fayetteville, Tenn., nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at McCauley Funeral Home in Petersburg with the Rev. Aubrey Knois and Harold Whitt officiating.
Burial was to be in Old Orchard Cemetery in Petersburg.
Mrs. Ashby was a native of Moore County and was a member of Petersburg Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include three sons, R.C. Powell Jr. of Fayetteville, Joe Powell of Las Vegas and Lewis Powell of Murfreesboro; one sister, Laura Raby of Fayetteville; and three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Donna M. Campbell
Donna Mae Campbell, 65, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Ronald Lowery officiating.
Burial was to be in Charity Cemetery.
Mrs. Campbell was a native of Marion County, Ill. She had lived in Huntsville since 1974. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Campbell.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Rebecca Phillips of Indiana and Donna Jean Campbell of Florida; five sons, Dennis Wayne Wimberly of Toney, Randy Allen Wimberly of Florida, Michael Eugene Wimberly of Indiana, Danny Ray Campbell of California and Frankie Monroe Campbell of Hazel Green ; one brother, Bob Thompson of Missouri; and 26 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Daniel W. Euting
MADISON - Daniel Wesley Euting, 20, died Saturday at his home. A memorial service will be today at 6 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Apostle Flint officiating.
Mr. Euting was a native of Athens, but spent most his life in Madison. He graduated from Bob Jones High School in 1996, received the national Presidential Award and attended the University of Alabama. He was attending Virginia College.
Survivors include his mother, Cindy Euting of Madison; his father, Dan Euting of Harvest; one sister, Leanne Euting of Huntsville; two brothers, Galen Euting of Campbellsville, Ky., and Dennis Euting of Madison; his grandparents, Mabel Davis of Athens and Robert and Shiley Euting of Franklin, N.C.; and a special friend, Yvonne Griggs of Huntsville.
Penny S. Hancock
ARDMORE, Ala. - Penny Sue Hancock, 36, of Cedar Hill Road died Saturday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Taylor-Ardmore Funeral Home with Bros. Ray Stonecypher and Lynn Marshall officiating.
Burial will be in Gatlin Cemetery.
She was preceded in death by one son, Christopher Blake Hancock.
Survivors include her mother, Barbara Anne Hancock; three brothers, Jerry Lee Hancock of Apache Junction, Ariz., and Tommy Hancock and J.J. Hancock, both of Ardmore, Ala.; and several nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Ollie F. Helton
RAINSVILLE - Ollie Floyd Helton, 72, died Sunday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home chapel with the Revs. Jim Griffin and Kevin McCreless officiating.
Burial will be in Broadway Cemetery.
Mr. Helton was a member of Broadway Baptist Church and a World War II veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Cunningham Helton of Rainsville; one daughter, Linda Tanner of Rainsville; one son, Gregory Helton of Rainsville; two sisters, Ethel Cunningham of Grant and Jane Harper of West Point, Calif.; and one granddaughter.
Visitation will be today at 5 p.m. at the funeral home.
Marjorie Hetherington
Marjorie L. Hetherington, 54, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Nelms Memorial Funeral Home with Pastor O. Wendell Davis officiating.
Burial was to be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Survivors include one daughter, Melissa Hetherington of Huntsville; her mother, Helen O. Sledge of Huntsville; one sister, Virginia Rice of Huntsville; and two brothers, Jack Sledge and James Sledge, both of Huntsville.
Brenda G. Holder
DECATUR - Brenda Gale Holder, 54, died Saturday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Peck Funeral Home chapel with the Revs. Harold Atchley and Tony Annerton officiating.
Burial will be in Burningtree Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Holder was a native of Morgan County, worked at Delphi Steering Gear in Athens and was a Womens Committee member of UAW Local No. 2195.
Survivors include her husband, Charles R. Holder of Decatur; one son, Tony Garrett of Huntsville; one daughter, Gina Emerson of Decatur; one stepson, Kenneth Holder of Falkville; one stepdaughter, Paige Holder Boyd of Danville; three brothers, Jimmy Barber and Joe Barber, both of Decatur, and Wayne Barber of Athens; two sisters, Jane Atchley and Sandra Garner, both of Decatur; and four grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Phillip A. Holt
COLUMBUS, Miss. - Phillip A. Holt, 19, died Friday at his home. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at St. Johns Catholic Church with the Rev. Sexton officiating.
Burial was in Huntsville Memory Gardens with Madison Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Holt was an honor student at East Mississippi Community College and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Survivors include his mother, Patricia Veazey of Columbus; his father, Arthur Holt of Madison, Ala.; his stepfather, Dough Veazey of Columbus; his stepmother, Conchetta Holt of Madison; one brother, Patrick Holt of Columbus; one sister, Madison Holt of Madison; his grandparents, Marie and Winston Hollingsworth of Huntsville, Ala., Morgan and Vera Holt of Madison and Jack D. Proffitt of Columbus; one stepbrother, Scott Castle of Huntsville; and several aunts and uncles.
John W. Johnston
ATHENS - John William "Bill" Johnston, 94, of 410 West Bryan St. died Saturday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with Don Osborne officiating.
Burial will be in Athens City Cemetery.
Mr. Johnston was a member of Market Street Church of Christ and Woodmen of the World and was in the real estate business in Athens for 50 years. He was preceded in death by his wife, Hazel Johnston.
Survivors include one sister, Oleta George of Pulaski, Tenn.; and four nephews and two nieces.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.
Eula K. Keeton
GRANT - Eula Katherine Keeton, 94, of 32200 U.S. 431 died Sunday at a Huntsville hospital. A graveside service will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Walker Cemetery with Carr Funeral Home of Guntersville in charge.
Survivors include two sons, Don C. Keeton of Oklahoma and Barnard Keeton of Huntsville; one sister, Sunell Bush of Guntersville; one brother, Walton Walker of Florida; and three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Roy F. Matthews
LORETTO, Tenn. - Roy Francis Matthews, 93, died Sunday at a Lawrenceburg, Tenn., hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Loretto Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Loretto with Loretto Memorial Chapel in charge.
Mr. Matthews had been a member of Loretto Sacred Heart Catholic Church since 1924. He was chief of the original Loretto Volunteer Fire Department and was elected mayor of Loretto twice.
Survivors include one son, Eugene F. Matthews of Huntsville, Ala.; four daughters, Dorothy M. Wesson of Oxford, Ohio, Grace M. Reeves of Nashville, Edith R. Neese of Loretto and Margaret Peggy Quartarone of Swampscott, Miss.; one brother, Floyd H. Matthews of Pensacola, Fla.; and 15 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Frances B. McClure
Frances Brown "Frankie" McClure, 87, of Huntsville died Sunday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church with the Rev. Kee Sloan officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of burial arrangements.
Mrs. McClure was raised in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and was a graduate of the University of Tennessee. She taught special education in Birmingham for many years and was a member of St. Marys Episcopal Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Howard McClure Sr.
Survivors include two daughters, Sally Upchurch of Huntsville and Fran McClure of Morristown, N.J.; one son, Bill McClure of Huntsville; and five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Saint Thomas Episcopal Church or to the Huntsville Hospital Foundation.
Joy Parr
DURANT, Okla. - Joy Parr, 62, died Friday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Dalton Funeral Home in Durant.
Mrs. Parr lived in Huntsville several years, working at the city schools, Thiokol Corp., Wyle Labs and John Gann and Co., before moving back to her hometown.
Survivors include one son, Rusty Parr of Durant; and one brother and one grandchild.
Lena M. Patterson
HAZEL GREEN - Lena Maye Patterson, 92, of Elkwood Section Road died Saturday at a Fayetteville, Tenn., hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Gallant Funeral Home chapel in Hazel Green with Dr. Joel Carwile and the Rev. Wheeler Kidd officiating.
Burial will be in Charity Cemetery.
Mrs. Patterson was a housewife and a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Clyde B. Patterson of Hazel Green ; four sons, J.C. Patterson, Lowell Patterson, Orris Patterson and Dickey Patterson, all of Hazel Green ; three daughters, Earleen Stewart of Huntsville, Nadine Mullins of Meridianville and Ozella Kendrick of Hazel Green ; one brother, Reuben Hethcoat of Fayetteville, N.C.; and 21 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Charlie Posey
ATHENS - Charlie Posey, 74, of 15962 ONeal Road died Saturday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with the Revs. Marty O. Wynn and Ray Pettus officiating.
Burial was to be in Roselawn Cemetery with full military honors.
Mr. Posey was a member of Madison Street Baptist Church. He retired from the Army after 16 years and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans. He received the Purple Heart for being wounded in combat.
Survivors include his wife, Stella Posey of Athens; two sons, Shelly Posey and Jeff Posey, both of Athens; one daughter, Rose Mary Bowen of Leesburg; four sisters, Lula Burgess, Oralee Penley, Bitha Rochelle and Lela Boyd, all of Athens; and three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Sara G. Ruff
Sarah G. Ruff, 84, of Huntsville died Saturday at her home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Mount Olive Cemetery in Morgan City with the Rev. Robert Ehr officiating.
Spry Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Mrs. Ruff was a native of Marshall County but had lived several years in Madison County.
Survivors include one sister, Marguerite Campbell of Huntsville, and several nieces and nephews.
Edward Shepherd
HENAGAR - Edward Shepherd, 79, died Saturday. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Rainsville Funeral Home with the Revs. Joe Owens, Ottis Manning and Junior Hinkles officiating.
Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery in Rainsville.
Survivors include his wife, Faye Shepherd; three daughters, Vivian Reel and Rebecca Butler, both of Fyffe, and Margaret Manning of the High Point community; five sons, Freeman Shepherd and John Shepherd, both of the High Point community, Clifford Shepherd of Elbert County, Ga., and Mark Shepherd and Stephen Shepherd, both of Henagar; two sisters, Ethel Shepherd of Upper Marlboro, Md., and Pearl King of Houston, Texas; one brother, Robert Shepherd of Monterey Park, Calif.; and 22 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Beulah Spears
Beulah Blankenship Basham Spears, 79, of Huntsville died Sunday at a local hospital. The memorial service will be Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Faith Presbyterian Church with Dr. Henry Pope officiating.
Mrs. Spears graduated from Concord College in Athens, W.V., and taught at schools in West Virginia until 1952. She then became a child welfare worker for the states Department of Public Assistance. She received a masters of social work from Florida State in 1964 and later worked for the navy in Jacksonville and the Army in Germany. She moved to Huntsville in 1980 after she retired. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Sheila Lou Basham.
Survivors include her husband, Delbert Spears of Huntsville; one daughter, Linda Drake of Huntsville; one son, S. Michael Basham of Las Vegas; one brother, Charles Blankenship of Moneta, Va.; one sister, Grace Fender of Pineville, W.V.; and two grandsons, one great-granddaughter and two great-grandsons.
Memorial donations may be made to Faith Presbyterian Church.
Walter P. Stone
Walter P. Stone, 80, of Huntsville died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with Dr. William Bostick officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Stone was a World War II veteran who received the Purple Heart. He was a retired NASA aerospace engineer, a former Lions Club member and a University of Alabama graduate.
Survivors include his wife, Edna Coyle Stone of Huntsville; two sons, Walter Stone and Ralph P. Stone, both of Huntsville; one daughter, Maye Kathryn "Sissy" Stevinson of Atlanta; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Steve M. Swinford
SECTION - Steve Michael Swinford, 49, died Saturday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Section Funeral Home with the Rev. Morris Johnson officiating.
Burial will be in Macedonia Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Dawn Lisek Swinford; one daughter, Brooke Swinford of Section; one son, John Swinford of Section; one sister, Donna Ball of Section; and two brothers, Elvie Swinford of Section and Sammy Swinford of Rainsville.
Karen Tipton
DECATUR - Karen Kimberly Croft Tipton, 39, died Friday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Shelton Funeral Home with James Lindsey and Judge David Bibb officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Tipton was a native of Brewton and did volunteer work for the Friends of Regional Hospital.
Survivors include her husband, Dr. David Tipton of Decatur; two daughters, Caroline Tipton and Catherine Tipton, both of Decatur; her mother, Ann Bowers Croft of Brewton; one brother, Lance Croft of Orlando, Fla.; and one sister, Laurie Martin of Little Rock, Ark.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Friends of Regional Hospital or to Operation Santa Claus.
Jimmie R. Turner
Jimmie Ruth Turner, 86, of Huntsville died today at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Earl Sutton officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Turner was a native of Marshall County, but spent most her life in Madison County. She was a member of Madison Cross Roads Methodist Church.
Survivors include two sisters, Bessie V. Taylor and Ethel Mae Pulliam, both of Huntsville, and three special friends.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Christine D. West
SOMERVILLE - Christine Dudley West, 62, died Saturday at her home. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home in Hartselle with the Rev. Dennis Jordan officiating.
Burial was to be in Valhermoso Springs Cemetery.
Mrs. West was a homemaker and was preceded in death by her husband, William Cecil ''Dick West, and by one son, Randall Cecil West.
Survivors include two sisters, Edith Dudley of Huntsville and Aliene Dudley of Valhermoso Springs; and five brothers, W.T. Dudley of Somerville, Harlon Dudley of Laceys Spring, George Dudley of Huntsville, and Robert Dudley and Justin Dudley, both of Valhermoso Springs.
Emmons Yarbrough
PULASKI, Tenn. - Emmons Yarbrough, 88, of Fire Tower Road died Saturday at an Ardmore, Tenn., nursing home. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Carr and Erwin Chapel in Pulaski.
Burial was in Giles Memory Garden.
Survivors include his wife, Lillie Belle Yarbrough of Pulaski; two daughters, Joyce McMillen of Pulaski and Dorris Todd of Madison; and two grandchildren and one great-grandson.
