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.
Cinda C. Banister
ARAB - Cinda Carol Banister, 29, of 542 County Road 1830 died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Union Grove Holiness Church.
Burial will be in Gilliam Springs Cemetery with Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include her husband, Patrick Banister; parents, Wayne and Susan Beal of Union Grove; one sister, Terri Spann of Arab; and grandparents, Marvin and Ruby Beal of Arab and James and Daphne Mahathey of Union Grove.
Lidie B. Barr
Lidie Bolin Barr, 78, of Huntsville died Sunday at her home. The funeral was to be today at 2:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with Paul Weaver officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Barr was a native of Limestone County but spent most her life in Madison County.
Survivors include two sons, Jerry Wayne Barr of Green sboro, N.C., and Clifford Edward Barr of Huntsville; four daughters, Mary Lou Maxwell and Julie Sumner, both of Green sboro, N.C., Michelle Ricketts of Huntsville and Linda Driscoll of Madison; three brothers, Hayden Bolden, Van Bolin and James Ross Bolin, all of Green sboro, N.C.; two sisters, Lila Stephens of Green sboro, N.C., and Rose Tarpley of Calumet City, Ill.; and 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.
Donald W. Bates
GUNTERSVILLE - Donald Wood Bates, 67, of 570 Mount Carmel Drive died Sunday at a local hospital. A graveside service was today at 9 a.m. at Mount Carmel Cemetery with Carr Funeral Home of Guntersville in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Mary N. Bates; one daughter, Betty Bates of Scottsboro; three sisters, Lena Hunkapillar and Alzie Brown, both of Guntersville, and Mattie L. Scott of Glencoe; and one brother, Johnny Bates of Gadsden.
Frank O. Beasley
Frank O. Beasley, 76, of Huntsville died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Milton Martin officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Beasley was a World War II Army veteran. He spent 30 years with the U.S. government as a firefighter and was a member of Jackson Way Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Carrie M. Beasley of Huntsville; two sons, Robert W. Beasley of Fayetteville, Tenn., and Ron Beasley of Huntsville; one brother, Fred Beasley of Dothan; and three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Prentiss C. Beatty Jr.
MADISON - Prentiss C. Beatty Jr. of Madison died Saturday at a local hospital. The memorial service will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at St. Matthews Episcopal Church in Madison with the Rev. Paul Bailey officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home will be in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Beatty owned and operated a weekly newspaper in Tennessee and worked for The Lexington Herald-Leader in Lexington, Ky. He moved to Huntsville in 1963 to work for Brown Engineering as a technical editor and for General Electric as a technical writer. He retired in 1986 and was first president of the G.E. pensioners club.
Survivors include his wife, Bettie Sexton Beatty of Madison; two sons, Prentiss C. Beatty III of Madison and Robert M. Beatty of Rhode Island; one stepdaughter, Norma Burch; and four grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.
Bessie Blasingim
ATHENS - Bessie Mae Boyd Blasingim, 81, of Athens Convalescent Center died Saturday. A graveside service was today at 11 a.m. at Athens City Cemetery with Dr. Walter Nunn officiating.
McConnell Funeral Home was in charge of burial.
Mrs. Blasingim was a native of Limestone County and was a member of First Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary L. Newman of Athens; two sisters, Evalene Holder of Orlando and Betty Roberts of Athens; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimers Association North Alabama Chapter, Century Office Center, 3322 South Parkway Suite 16, Huntsville, AL 35801.
Joseph R. Brewer
HUNTLAND, Tenn. - Joseph R. Brewer, 68, died Sunday at a Tennessee hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Moore-Cortner Funeral Home Chapel.
Burial will be in Owens Chapel Funeral Home.
Mr. Brewer was a welder for Inland Steel. He was preceded in death by one son, Richard L. Brewer.
Survivors include one daughter, Kathy Sepiol of Morgantown, Ind.; one son, Jeffrey Brewer of Seattle, Wash.; three brothers, Thomas Brewer and Willis Brewer, both of Huntsville, and Billy Brewer of Flintstone, Ga.; two sisters, Frances Woodard of Laceys Spring and Marie Rich of Fayetteville; and several nieces and nephews.
Paul O. Byrom
TRINITY - Paul Oletha Byrom, 60, of 293 County Road 591 died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Mountain View Baptist Church with Billy Burge officiating.
Burial will be in East Lawrence Memorial Gardens with Parkway Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Byrom was retired from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He was also the chaplain of the Natchez Trace Wilderness Preserve campground for eight years.
Survivors include his wife, Evelyn N. Byrom of Trinity; two sons, Paul Brian Byrom and Brett Jackson Byrom, both of Huntsville; five brothers, Melvin "Bill" Byrom of Fayetteville, Tenn., Bobby Byrom of Arab, Sidney Byrom of Gurley and Willard Byrom and Richard Byrom, both of Albertville; and four grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Vernon L. Cruse
ALBERTVILLE - Vernon Lee Cruse, 44, of 346 Todd Circle died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville.
Burial will be in Marshall Memorial Garden.
Survivors include his mother, Jeanette Reeves of Albertville; two sisters, Angela Cruse of Albertville and Ann Hunter of Florida; and one brother, Gary Cruse of Boaz.
Billy G. Dunn
UNION GROVE - Billy Gene Dunn, 66, of 317 Dunn Road died Sunday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Gober Funeral Home in Arab.
Burial was to be in Rescue Cemetery.
Survivors include two sons, Kendall Davis and Billy G. Dunn Jr., both of Arab; one sister, Colene Compton of Union Hill; two brothers, David J. Dunn of Ryan and Bobby W. Dunn of Union Hill; stepmother, Marjorie Dunn; two stepsisters, Jo Ann McDonald of Union Grove and Sandra K. Morris of Brownsboro; and three grandchildren.
Ernest W. Gee
Ernest Wayne Gee, 48, of Huntsville died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Lamb Funeral Home in Hopkinsville, Ky., with the Rev. J.D. Graddey officiating.
Burial will be in Lindquist Memorial Park in Layton, Utah, with Spry Funeral Home of Huntsville in charge of local arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Karen Gee of Huntsville; three sons, Steven Wayne Gee of Central City, Ky., and Mark Andrew Gee and Matthew Ernest Gee, both of Huntsville; one daughter, Susan Carol Bandy of Central City; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Gee of Hopkinsville; one brother, Glenn D. Gee of Hopkinsville; one sister, Diane Hale of Hopkinsville; and one grandson.
Visitation will be today from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home.
Memorial donations may be made to Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, or to a favorite charity.
Edwin P. Jacobs
ARAB - Edwin Paul Jacobs, 63, died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home with Deacon Leroy Hoekenschneider officiating.
Burial will be in Cullman Public Cemetery.
Mr. Jacobs was a member of St. Alyosious Catholic Church and was retired from NASA after 36 years there. He was a graduate of Xavier University in Ohio.
Survivors include his wife, Melba Jacobs of Arab; one daughter, Susan Allison of New Market; four sons, Steve Jacobs of El Dorado, Ark., Mike Jacobs of Wareham, Mass., Tim Jacobs of Tarrant and Chris Jacobs of Northport; three sisters, Lois Broerman of Cincinnati, Ohio, Mary Lou Schmidgall of New Richmond, Ohio, and Carol Harman of Beaver Creek, Ohio; and nine grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alabama chapter of Leukemia Society of America, 1608 13th Ave. South, Birmingham, 35205.
Johnny C. Justice
ALBERTVILLE - Johnny Claude Justice, 42, of 415 Glover St. died Saturday at a Chattanooga hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at White Oak Baptist Church.
Burial was in Marshall Memorial Garden with Adams Funeral Home of Albertville in charge.
Survivors include one daughter, Holly Justice of Albertville; parents, Claude and Deber J. Justice of Albertville; two sisters, Judy Springer of Huntsville and Carolyn Nelms of Gadsden; one brother, Jim Justice of Atlanta; and a special friend, Linda Langlinais of Albertville.
Lorine W. Lane
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Lorine Wynn Lane, 35, 216 No. 19C Westover Drive died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Oakwood College Seventh-day Adventist Church with Elder T. Marshall Kelly officiating.
Burial will be in Royal Cemetery in Madison with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include her husband, Derek Lee Lane of Hattiesburg; one son, Derek Maurice of Hattiesburg; her mother, Virnia Mae Wynn of Athens; her father, Fred Wynn Sr. of Athens; five sisters, Alice Peoples of Huntsville, Thelma Carthen and Norma Grizzard, both of Tanner, and Marie Nelson and Brenda Wynn, both of Athens; and four brothers, Milton Wynn and Lamar Wynn, both of Huntsville, Fred Wynn Jr. of Decatur and Ray Wynn of Madison.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Johnny F. Matthews
STEVENSON - Johnny F. Matthews, 56, died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson with the Rev. Mark Brown and the Rev. Donald Jacobs officiating.
Burial will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery in Bridgeport.
Mr. Matthews was an employee of U.S. Stove in Bridgeport.
Survivors include his wife, Bertha Bishop Matthews; one stepdaughter, Laura Jones of Stevenson; one brother, Roy Matthews of Stevenson; and one niece, Stacy Crabtree of Stevenson.
Rudolph F. Minning
SEQUIM, Wash. - Rudolph F. "Rudi" Minning, 84, died Friday in Sequim. A memorial service will be held later.
Drennan and Ford Funeral Home of Port Angeles, Wash., will be in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Minning was an original member of Werner von Brauns team of engineers who developed the V-1 and V-2 rockets during World War II. He retired to Sequim in 1978, during which time he enjoyed woodworking and building metal sailboat sculptures.
Survivors include his wife, Senta Minning of Sequim; one son, Fred Minning of Walnut Creek, Calif.; one daughter, Helga McGhee of Sequim; and two grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren and 11 stegreat-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Clallam County, P.O. Box 2014, Port Angeles, Wash., 98362.
Marvin T. Morring
Marvin T. Morring, 77, of Huntsville died Tuesday at his home. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Eliza Balch Morring of Huntsville, and two sisters, Willowee McCain and Geneva Bentley, both of Huntsville.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Margaret A. Noblitt
Margaret Ann Noblitt, 55, of Huntsville died Sunday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with Lonnie Jones officiating.
Burial will be in Rosebank Cemetery in Flat Creek, Tenn.
Mrs. Noblitt was a native of Illinois and had lived in Franklin County, Tenn., before moving to Huntsville.
Survivors include her husband, Ray Noblitt of Huntsville; two sons, Bruce Noblitt and Brian Noblitt, both of Huntsville; her parents, Isaac and Peggy Collins of Winchester Springs, Tenn.; five sisters, Shirley Elliot of Decherd, Tenn., Ruth Carter of Tullahoma, Tenn., Rebecca Newton of Waverly, Tenn., Karen Rutherford of Greenville, Tenn., and Debbie Brandon of Estill Springs, Tenn.; and three brothers, Paul Collins, Kenneth Collins and Darrel Collins, all of Wichester Springs.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Charles E. Norwood
ATHENS - Charles Edward Norwood, 71, of Sunset Drive died Sunday at his home. The funeral will be today at 3 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with Wayne Forsythe and Bill Boruff officiating.
Burial will be in Limestone Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Norwood was a native of Limestone County, was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, a Navy veteran of World War II and was retired from Redstone Arsenal.
Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Norwood; three daughters, Iris Johnson, Phyllis Morris and Sylvania Jean Grubbs, all of Athens; two sons, Milton E. Norwood and Melvin R. Norwood, both of Athens; four sisters, Lois Cowley of Owens Cross Roads, Gladys Stinnet of Capshaw, Jewell Privett and Glenda Swanner, both of Athens; 10 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Limestone County.
Debbie B. Roberson
HOLLYWOOD - Debbie Brazelton Roberson, 43, died Sunday. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Roger Hobbs officiating.
Burial will be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood.
Survivors include her mother, Geraldine Brazelton of Bridgeport; three uncles and eight cousins.
Visitation was to be today from 6 until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Louis A. Roberson
HOLLYWOOD - Louis Addis Roberson, 57, of Hollywood, died Sunday. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson with the Rev. Roger Hobbs officiating.
Burial will be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood.
Mr. Roberson was an insurance agent for Liberty National Insurance Company and a member of the Center Point Baptist Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Elizabeth Caroline McGee of Scottsboro and Rebecca Bess Roberson of Section; three sons, Stephen Burgess Roberson of Scottsboro, Andrew Michael Roberson of Centre and Nathan Louis Roberson of Section; his mother, Mae Roberson of Columbus, Miss.; one sister, Patricia Dianne Cooper of Columbus; one brother, Joe Ray Roberson of Columbus; and one grandson.
Alberta H. Smith
MADISON - Alberta Harris Smith, 89, of 121 Fearn Drive died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at noon at New Hope C.P. Church with the Rev. Terry Ragland officiating.
Burial will be in New Hope Cemetery with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one son, Roosevelt Smith of Atlanta; one sister, Irene Minor of Madison; and 14 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
