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.
John M. Adams
ATHENS - John Melvin Adams, 63, of Scottland Drive died Monday at an Athens hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with Tim Anderson and Ollie Adams officiating.
Burial will be in Bottom Cemetery.
Mr. Adams was a native of Limestone County, was retired from Pizza Inn, was a member of the Baptist faith, was an evangelist and was preceded in death by a son, John Melvin Adams Jr.
Survivors include his wife, Edith Adams; one son, Ronnie Adams of Athens; four sisters, Judy Harrell of Lakeland, Fla., Dorothy Goode, Pauline Evans and Louise Smith, all of Athens; four brothers, James Adams of Lakeland, Freeman Adams of Trinity, Maxie Adams and Walter Adams, both of Athens; and two grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Milton B. Aldridge
SECTION - Milton Buford Aldridge, 59, of Section, died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Section Funeral Home with the Rev. Nolan Ford officiating.
Burial will be in Old Baptist Cemetery in Hollywood.
Survivors include his wife, Mozell Aldridge; three daughters, Eva McCoy of Falkville and Cricket Millican and Sheila Aldridge, both of Memphis, Miss.; one son, Dewayne Aldridge of Laceys Spring, Ala.; his mother, Delia Aldridge of Mississippi; five sisters, Ora Mae Barryan, Maxine Prater, Mildred Coxy Marie Oats and Shirley Fay Aldridge, all of Mississippi; two brothers, Danny Aldridge and Wayne Aldridge, both of Mississippi; and 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation was to be today until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Jannie T. Anderson
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Jannie Taylor Anderson, 51, of Old Huntsville Highway died Tuesday at a Lincoln County hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with Bro. Wayne Scott officiating.
Burial will be in Stewarts Cemetery with Higgins Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Anderson was a native of Lincoln County.
Survivors include her husband, James Anderson of Fayetteville; her mother, Bonnie Elaine Hobbs Posey of Fayetteville; one daughter, Theresa Nichole Anderson of Fayetteville; five brothers, John Posey, Joe Posey, Frankie Posey and Robert Posey, all of Fayetteville, and David Posey of LaFoilette, Tenn.
Visitation will be today at 5 p.m. at the funeral home.
Ethel R. Benton
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - Ethel Russell Benton, 86, died Monday in Florida. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mrs. Benton was retired from NASA where she was a financial manager for Wernher von Braun. She was an organist and had played in churches since she was 8 years old. She was also organist at Valhermoso First Christian Church. She was preceded in death by two husbands, Tom Russell and William Benton.
Survivors include one daughter, Mary Foster of Ormond Beach; two sons, Thomas J. Russell of Huntsville and William H. Russell of Laceys Spring; one brother, Edgar Gamble of Huntsville; and seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Robert J. Bills
Robert J. Bills, 71, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at noon at Phillips CME Church with the Rev. Willie N. Owens officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Nelms Memorial Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include three sisters, Ernestine B. Smith of Stanford, Conn., and Erma B. Conley and Martha J. Walker, both of Huntsville.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Donald E. Cooper Sr.
Donald E. Cooper Sr., 75, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church with the Rev. Roman Mueller officiating.
Burial will be in Faith Memorial Park with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Cooper was a native of Indianapolis and had lived in Huntsville since 1961. He was an engineer retired from U.S. Army Missile Command. He also served on the board of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and was a World War II veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Phyllis A. Cooper of Huntsville; two sons, Donald E. Cooper Jr. of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Michael D. Cooper of Nashua, N.H.; one daughter, Theresa "Terri" M. Cooper of Marietta, Ga.; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the St. Joseph Catholic Church building fund or to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Henry E. Dupree
WOODLAND, Calif. - Henry Earl "Buck" Dupree, 64, died Friday at a local hospital. The memorial service was Tuesday at Temple BNai Sholom.
Spry Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mr. Dupree was a native of Shorter. He was former owner of Sterling Cadillac in Huntsville.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara L. Dupree of Woodland; four daughters, Donna Sylvia Casallas of Woodland, Amanda Leigh Wallace of New Hope, Deborah Lynn Chaney of Gurley and May Kay Cooper of Franklin; one son, James Dupree of Houston; one sister, Mary Raley of Montgomery; and 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial donations may be made to American Heart Association, National Kidney Foundation, Hospice Family Care or to a favorite charity.
Eddie M. Edwards
Eddie Mack Edwards, 99, of 4708 Sparkman Drive died Friday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Thursday at noon at Union Chapel M.B. Church with the Rev. O. Wendell Davis officiating.
Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include five daughters, Dorothy Jones, Pearlie Moore and Rose Petty, all of Huntsville, Bettye Jones of Atlanta and Mozelle Peagler of Greenville; four sons, Doye Edwards of Harvest, Oliver Edwards and Jimmy Edwards, both of Huntsville, and David Jones of Chicago; two sisters, Ola B. Evans and Annie Lou Johnson, both of Harvest; and 25 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great-grandchildren.
Robert E. Floyd
ALBERTVILLE - Robert Edward ''Tiny Floyd, 65, of 507 Rose Road died Monday at a Gadsden hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3:30 p.m. at Adams Funeral Home in Albertville.
Burial was to be in Marshall Memorial Garden.
Survivors include his wife, Louise Floyd; one daughter, Carla Osborn of Birmingham; one son, John D. Floyd of Albertville; three sisters, Thelma Drake of California and Mildred Rhoden and Iva Lee Simpson, both of Albertville; and two grandchildren.
Opal Grubbs
ATHENS - Ms. Opal Grubbs, 83, of 1431 South Hine St. died Tuesday at an Athens hospital. Funeral arrangements will be announced by McConnell Funeral Home.
Albert Hall
WOODVILLE - Albert Hall, 85, died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. William Ikard officiating.
Burial will be in Shelton Cemetery in the Letcher community near Skyline.
Survivors include his wife, Grace Shelton Hall; one daughter, Sue Wilkins of Skyline; two sons, Everett Hall of Woodville and Chuck Hall of Dyer, Ind.; and five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Roland Hereford
Roland Hereford, 82, of 968 Blake Bottom Road in Huntsville died Sunday at an Ardmore, Ala., hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at Phillips Tabernacle P.B. Church with the Rev. Charlie Humphrey III officiating.
Burial will be in Royal Cemetery in Madison with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one daughter, Jewelene Crutcher of Athens; one daughter-in-law, Laura Hereford of Madison; and 13 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Marvin T. Morring
Marvin T. Morring, 77, of Huntsville died Tuesday at his home. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with Dr. Dennis Wiles officiating.
Burial will be in Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mr. Morring was an accountant for 34 years. He was also a member of First Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Eliza Lou Balch Morring of Huntsville, two sisters, Willowee McCain and Geneva Bentley, both of Huntsville; and four nephews and seven nieces.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Fred J. Parham
HARRISON, Tenn. - Fred J. Parham, 59, died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home with the Rev. E. Darryl Ross officiating.
Burial will be in U.S. National Cemetery.
Mr. Parham was a native of Decatur. He was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy Ruth Parham.
Survivors include one daughter, Sharon Denise Beale of Sale Creek, Tenn.; two sons, Richard Lee Parham and Barry Keith Parham, both of Atlanta; two sisters, Joyce Ayers of Huntsville and Mildred Poulson of Palm Springs, Calif.; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Louis A. Roberson
HOLLYWOOD - Louis Addis Roberson, 57, of Hollywood, died Sunday. The funeral was to be today 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 Co. 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.
Betty F. Shaw
ATHENS - Betty Frank Shaw, 64, of 18114 Astor Lane died Tuesday at her home. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at McConnell Funeral Home with John Norman officiating.
Burial will be in Lebanon Cemetery.
Mrs. Shaw was a native of Limestone County, a member of Lebanon Community Church and was retired from Athens Lingerie.
Survivors include two sons, Joel Douglas Crabtree and Bobby Dale Crabtree, both of Athens; one sister, Peggy Marie Salters of Pulaski, Tenn.; one brother, Charles Felix McBay of Athens; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
George R. Simmons
ALBERTVILLE - George Robert Simmons, 72, died Monday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 3:30 at W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel with Bro. Junior Reed officiating.
Burial will be in Asbury Cemetery.
He was preceded in death by one son, Steve A. Simmons.
Survivors include his wife, Doris Simmons of Albertville; four daughters, Tammie George, Sue Moses, Charlene Snider and Melissa Simmons, all of Albertville; one son, Robert Simmons of Albertville; one brother, John R. Simmons of Mississippi; and 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Roberta L. Simonson
Roberta Louise Simonson, 71, of Huntsville died Sunday in Atlanta. The funeral will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at Latham United Methodist Church with the Rev. Gary Ward officiating.
Burial will be Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Fort McClellan Post Cemetery in Anniston with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Simonson was a native of Council Grove, Kan. She graduated from Henderson State Teachers College in Arkadelphia, Ark., in 1949, and taught math and science in Pine Bluff, Ark. She then worked as an Army physical therapist in Texas. While living with her husband at various military bases, she was a teacher at schools in Germany, Okinawa, Virginia and Fort Leavenworth, Kan. She was later a math teacher in Huntsville at Johnson High School, Randolph School and Grissom High School. She retired in 1988, but remained active as a volunteer in math education. She was also a member of Latham United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband, retired Army Col. Eugene M. Simonson of Huntsville; one daughter, Sandra L. Heath of Satellite Beach, Fla.; one son, Michael W. Simonson of Atlanta and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society.
Marie M. Solomon
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Marie Moyers Solomon, 72, of 3 South Johnson Lane died Tuesday at a Lincoln County hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Ron Yarbrough and Dr. Calvin Todd officiating.
Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include one sister, Hughlena Moyers of Fayetteville.
James B. Stephens
Dr. James Briscoe Stephens, 62, of Huntsville died Monday at his home. A memorial service will be Thursday at 4 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel.
Dr. Stephens was a native of San Francisco and had worked at NASA as a nuclear physicist since 1967. He was a graduate of Penn State and the University of Oklahoma.
Survivors include two sons, James Briscoe Stephens Jr. of Memphis and Russell B. "Rusty" Stephens of Huntsville.
Ishmael B. Taylor
Ishmael Blain Taylor, 70, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Revs. Jim Richards and Bruce Walker officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Taylor was a lifelong resident of Madison County.
Survivors include his wife, Louise C. Taylor of Huntsville; one daughter, Donna Downing of Huntsville; one sister, Maudine Styles of Williamsburg, Va.; one brother, Malcom Taylor of Ryland; and two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alabama chapter of the Leukemia Society of America.
