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.
Darrell Levi Allen
PAINTER - Darrell Levi Allen, age 1, of 694 County Road 9 in the Painter community of DeKalb County died Friday at his home. The funeral will be today at 3 p.m. at Liberty Baptist Church.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with Adams Funeral Home of Albertville directing.
Survivors include his parents, Vincent and Pamela Allen; his grandparents, Gerald and Jo Gregg of Boaz; and his great-grandparents, Alpha Henry of Rodentown, Darrell and Lynn Allen of Indiana and Marion and Dot Lindsey of Guntersville.
The body will be at the church 90 minutes before the funeral.
Josephine Boxx
DECATUR - Josephine Boxx, 53, died Friday at her home. The funeral will be Wednesday at All Saints Cathedral in Park Ridge, Ill., with Nelson Funeral Home of Park Ridge directing.
Mrs. Boxx was secretary-treasurer of Boxx Gear Manufacturing.
Survivors include her husband, Dan Boxx; two daughters, Sharleen Morgan of Sharon, Tenn., and Marlene Briles of Wheaton, Ill.; one son, Dan William Boxx II of Huntsville; her mother, Gertrude Lynn of Norridge, Ill.; two sisters, Joanne David of Wood Dale, Ill., and Nanette Lovell of Lockport, Ill.; one brother, Joseph Sora Jr. of Norridge, Ill.; and one grandson.
Visitation will be today from 6 until 8 p.m. at Shelton Funeral Home in Decatur.
Ann DuBose Brown
ATHENS - Ann DuBose Brown, 66, of 1314 Woodside Drive died Saturday at her home. The funeral will be Monday at 7 p.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home.
A graveside service will be Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Midway Cemetery in Union Springs.
Survivors include two daughters, Linda Lloyd and Elaine Brown, both of Athens.
Visitation will be Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home and on Tuesday from 1 to 2 p.m. at Gray Funeral Home in Union Springs.
Lois Cook Bunting
Lois Cook Bunting, 74, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Bunting had lived in Huntsville since 1973, was a member of First Baptist Church, the Friends of the Library and the Huntsville Womans Club. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Bunting.
Survivors include one daughter, Susan May Warner of Huntingtown, Md.; two sons, John Stewart Bunting of Arvada, Colo., and Robert Louis Bunting of McComb, Miss.; one sister, Doris Bagley of Florida; and eight grandchildren.
Visitation will be Monday from 5 to 9 p.m. at Spry.
Patricia Gail Colley
DECATUR - Patricia Gail Colley, 61, died Saturday at her home. A graveside service will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery in Jasper, with the Rev. Bruce Lancaster officiating and Roselawn Funeral Home directing.
Mrs. Colley was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and was employed by Intergraph.
Survivors include her husband, Carl E. Colley; two sons, Chris Colley of Decatur and Clay Colley of Huntsville; her mother, Auda Barclay of Decatur; and four grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Valley or the American Cancer Society.
Martha O. Dupree
Martha Ophelia Dupree, 68, of Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Revs. Ed Edger and Howard Lefevor officiating.
Burial will be in Fowlkes Cemetery.
Mrs. Dupree was a member of the Gurley Church of God.
Survivors include four daughters, Connie Hodges and Barbara Hodges, both of New Market, Lisa Cantrell of Huntsville and Phyllis Bartolo of Detroit; four sons, Ricky Dupree, Billy Dupree, Danny Dupree and Robert Dupree, all of Huntsville; one sister, Omie Glover of Huntsville; two brothers, Shelby Lanford of Huntsville and Claude Lanford of Florida; 36 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today and Monday from 4 to 9 p.m. each day.
Ray T. Epperson
Ray Talmadge Epperson, 71, of Huntsville died Aug. 29 at his home. A memorial service will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Bicentennial Chapel on Redstone Arsenal.
Mr. Epperson was a retired Army sergeant major, a native of Leeds and had lived in Huntsville since 1975.
Survivors include his wife, Hermine E. Epperson; and one daughter, Kristina E. Epperson, both of Vienna, Austria.
Russell Eschenberg
Russell Eschenberg, 76, of Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with the Revs. Gary Ward and Grad Tanner officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Eschenberg was born in Dayton, Ohio, but had lived in Huntsville 23 years. He was a U.S. Marine veteran of World War II who worked for General Electric on the space program and the Trident Missile program.
Survivors include his wife, Eve Eschenberg; two sons, Gary Eschenberg of Colorado Springs and Kent Eschenberg of Vicksburg, Miss.; and two grandchildren, Jenny Eschenberg and Scott Eschenberg, both of Colorado Springs.
Visitation will be Tuesday beginning an hour before the service.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.
Johnny Ewing Jr.
Johnny Ewing Jr., 79, of 806 Orchard St. died Wednesday at his home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at St. Bartley P.B. Church. with the Rev. A.D. Hammonds officiating.
Burial will be in Northside Cemetery with Royal Funeral Home directing.
Mr. Ewing was a member of the American Legion for more than 50 years.
Survivors include four daughters, Bobbie Lard of Cleveland, Ohio, Patricia Haley of Atlanta, and Johnnie Mae Charles and Gloria Conley, both of Huntsville; five sons, Alex Ewing of Chicago, Michael Kennemore of Long Beach, Calif., and Eddie L. Ewing, Steve Ewing and Emory Nance, all of Huntsville; 20 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Linda Kay Fanning
Linda Kay Fanning, 50, of Huntsville died Friday at her home. The funeral will be today at 3 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with the Rev. Charles Sparks officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Fanning was an Illinois native, had lived in Huntsville since 1972 and worked for Cooks Pest Control.
Survivors include one son, Donald S. Fanning; one brother, Ronald D. Johnson of Danville; one stepsister, Connie Harmon of Somerville; one stepbrother, Ronnie Moody of Huntsville; her mother, Elna J. Moody, and her her stepfather, J.D. Moody, both of Huntsville; and one step-grandmother, Hazel Hanson of Hollywood, Fla.
Lizzie Mae Fletcher
Lizzie Mae Fletcher, 63, of 2250 Norwood Drive died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 2:30 p.m. at Moses Chapel P.B. Church with the Rev. Leroy Laughinghouse officiating.
Burial will be in Royal Cemetery in Madison with Royal Funeral Home directing.
Mrs. Fletcher was a member of Moses Chapel P.B. Church for more than 40 years.
Survivors include two daughters, Shirley Keith and the Rev. Carolyn Lucas, both of Huntsville; two sons, Melvin Betts Jr. of Meridianville and Clarence Fletcher of Nashville; three brothers, Felix Fletcher Jr. of Huntsville and Jessie Lee Fletcher and George Fletcher, both of Nashville; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Bernice Smith Harris
Bernice Smith Harris, 87, of 500 St. Clair Ave. died Friday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at noon at Big Shiloh P.B. Church with the Rev. Woodrow Kirby officiating.
Burial will be in Royal Cemetery in Madison with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include three sons, David Jones Jr., Rossevelt Rice and John R. Harris, all of Madison; one sister, Josie Moore of Huntsville; and 15 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
The body will be at the church one hour before the service.
Addie Lucy Hoyle
BELLE MINA - Addie Lucy Robinson Hoyle, 92, died Tuesday at a Decatur hospital. The funeral will be today at 1:30 p.m. at Morning Star United Methodist Church with the Rev. Fred Jefferson officiating.
Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery with Sharpley Funeral Home directing.
Mrs. Hoyle was a Sunday school teacher and a mother of the church at Morning Star. She was a member of the Eastern Star chapter 320.
Survivors include five nieces, Pearl Taylor of Decatur, Estell Jordan of Huntsville, Vivian Taylor of Dayton, Ohio, Savoy Johnson of Sherwood, Ill., and Mahile Jones of Texas.
The body will be at the church one hour before the service.
Elaine Gloria Larson
DECATUR - Elaine Gloria Larson, 71, died Thursday at a Decatur hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anns Catholic Church with the Rev. Joe Culotta officiating.
Burial will be in Burningtree Cemetery with Roselawn Funeral Home directing.
Mrs. Larson was a member and Eucharistic minister at St. Anns Catholic Church.
Survivors include her husband, James H. Larson; three daughters, Claudia Jean Winkleman of Frederick, Md., Nancy Jo Littlefield of Federal Way, Wash., and Kimberly Joy Gildea of Poulsbo, Wash.; two sisters, Darlene Manwill of Oregon and Marlys Sullivan of California; three brothers, Norman George of Seattle, Wash., Clayton George and Gary George, both of Billingham, Wash.; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. at the funeral home, with a rosary to be said.
Memorials may be made to St. Anns Education Foundation.
Lee H. Marks
Lee H. Marks, 65, of Huntsville died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 11:15 a.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church with the Revs. Larry Dill and Elise Moss officiating.
Burial will be in Elkton Cemetery in Elkton, Tenn.
Mrs. Marks was treasurer for CASA and worked with Habitat for Humanity. She had taught at Whitesburg Middle School and Grissom High School. She made two church missions to Bolivia.
Survivors include her husband, Lloyd B. Marks; one daughter, Julie Mosby Zimmerman of Grafton, Ill.; three sons, John Richard Mosby of Grafton, Ill., Jeffrey R. Mosby of Pineville, La., and Phillip T. Mosby of Las Vegas; two stepdaughters, Sandra Lance of Atlanta and Connie Schmitzer of Huntsville; one sister, Julie Gondry of Stockton, Calif.; and six grandchildren; three step-grandchildren and two great-grandsons.
Visitation is today from 5 to 8 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to CASA, the Trinity Methodist church mission program or Habitat for Humanity.
Debra Lynne Medlen
MADISON - Debra Lynne Medlen, 40, of 119 Victoria Drive died Saturday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 2 p.m. at Calvary Bible Church with the Revs. Kevin Ravenscraft and Howard Park officiating.
Burial will be in Faith Memorial Park with Madison Chapel Funeral Home directing.
Survivors include her husband, Joey Medlen; four daughters, Lindsay Medlen, Whitney Medlen, Jaimie Medlen and Haley Medlen, all of Madison; her father, William Hicks; and three sisters, Becky Coleman, Lisa Matthews and Cindy Garner, all of Birmingham.
The body will be at the church one hour before the service.
Harold Edward Orton
LONDON, England - Harold Edward James Orton, 85, died Friday in Huntsville. A private service for the family is planned.
Mr. Orton worked in the film industry in England as a director for the Rank Organization and a founder of Eyeline Films. He specialized in childrens films and won three awards for his work.
Survivors include two sons, Raymond Edward Orton of England and Anthony Louis Francis Orton of Huntsville; one daughter, Marilyn Louise Jean Orton of Huntsville; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Family Care of Huntsville.
Nathan F. Porter
Nathan Frederick Porter, 86, of Huntsville died Thursday at a Salt Lake City hospital.
The graveside service will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with Dr. Roderic Murray III officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with Laughlin Service Funeral Home directing.
Mr. Porter was executive director of the Huntsville Housing Authority before he retired in 1986. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War and retired as a commander.
Survivors include his wife, Jane Dooly Porter; two sons, Walter Young Porter of Bradenton, Fla., and Nathan F.S. Porter Jr. of Huntsville; three daughters, Sherwood Porter Dinger of Delta Junction, Alaska, Lois Ann Porter of Los Angeles and Bonnie Phillips of Salt Lake City; two sisters, Frances Moulton of Spokane, Wash., and Maybelle Gutteridge of Surrey, England; and six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Monday at the Church of the Nativity from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.
Mattie M. Reed
RAINSVILLE - Mattie Manning Reed, 89, died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 4 p.m. at Rainsville Funeral Home with the Revs. Travis Carr and Bobby Pendergrass officiating.
Burial will be in Mountain View Memory Gardens.
Survivors include her husband, Ambers B. Reed; five daughters, Mattie Lou Harvey of Dawson, Mary Jane Durham of Henagar, Evalean Cook of Fyffe and Annie Ruth Yancey and Shirley Ann Helton, both of Rainsville; four sons, Noah B. Reed, the Rev. G. W. Reed and Winston Reed, all of Rainsville, and Clarence Reed of Macedonia; 34 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Cecil H. Robinson
Cecil H. Robinson, 74, of Huntsville died Saturday at his home. The funeral will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Fairfax, Va., Memorial Park.
Mr. Robinson was a World War II veteran and was awarded three Bronze Stars. He worked at Safeguard and retired in 1978.
Survivors include his wife, Lena Robinson; two sons, Richard D. Robinson of Sharpsburg, Md., and Phillip W. Robinson of Arlington, Va.; one daughter, Joan R. Fiander of Annandale, Va.; one sister, Berniece Pugh of Mobile; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be Monday beginning an hour before the service.
Leonard L. Rousseau
Leonard Levon Rousseau, 74, of Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with Byrom Laird and the Rev. Dwight Everett officiating.
Burial will be in Stateline Cemetery.
Mr. Rousseau was retired from Machine Craft and was a World War II veteran. He was born in Jackson County.
Survivors include his wife, Georgia Mae Rousseau; one sister, Avon Everett of Ryland; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Sally C. Thorpe
FRANKEWING, Tenn. - Sally Ed Cunningham Thorpe, 95, of Beech Hill Road died Friday at a Lincoln County hospital. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with George Ferguson, Jeremy Harwell and Doug SMith officiating.
Burial will be in Hereford Cemetery.
Survivors include four daughters, Ann Ables of Fayetteville, Faye Harwell of Frankewing, Martha Thorpe of Dellrose and Jean Wright of Gallatin, Tenn.; two sons, Doug Thorpe of Fayetteville and Kenneth Wayne Thorpe of Frankewing; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
