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.
Anna Black
TONEY - Anna Frances Gordon Black, 69, of 223 Williams Road died Monday at her home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with Randy Pyle and Tom Brandon officiating.
Burial will be in Athens City Cemetery.
Mrs. Black was a member of Meridianville Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Dale Black.
Survivors include one son, Randell Lee Black Sr. of Toney; one daughter, DeMeria Kaye Bodily of Memphis, Tenn.,; three sisters, Ophelia Hamilton of Dallas, Texas, Elizabeth Meadows of Athens and LaWanda Guthrie of Elkmont; one brother, Van Gordon of Athens; and six grandchildren, one great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Kathleen Bryant
MERIDIANVILLE - Kathleen Bryant, 73, died Monday in Fayetteville, Tenn. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with Dr. Albert Long officiating.
Spry Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mrs. Bryant was a native of DeKalb County and had lived in Madison County since 1950. She was a member of Murphy Hill Baptist Church.
Survivors include one son, Allan Bryant of Meridianville; one sister, Frances Nell Burns of Sylvania; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Tressie P. Champion
BOAZ - Tressie P. Champion, 87, died Sunday in an Attalla nursing home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Myrtletree Cemetery.
Survivors include four daughters, Alma Jewell and Pinky Cole, both of Missouri, Betty Feldman of Anniston and Virginia Barfield of Gadsden; one son, Donald R. Fortenberry of Rainbow City; four sisters, Claudie Brown of Rainbow City, Lydia Sheehan of Massachusetts, Mary Colfield of Steele and Edith Bratcher of Florida; three brothers, Jerry Gladden of Steele, Troy Gladden of Springvalley and Roy Gladden of Tennessee; and six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Billy Childers
Billy Childers of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Cobb Childers of Huntsville; four sons, Billy R. Childers and Steve M. Beshears, both of Huntsville, and Ricky D. Beshears and Gary W. Beshears, both of Hazel Green ; and seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be in Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Billy R. Davis
ATHENS - Billy R. Davis, 56, of U.S. 72 died Friday at an Athens hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at McConnell Funeral Home with Brother Grady Reyer officiating.
Burial was in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mr. Davis was a native of Limestone County, a former employee of Stewart & Ledlow Inc. construction company in Huntsville and was preceded in death by one sister, Myra Flannagan, and one brother, Paul Davis.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Davis; two daughters, Michelle Davis of Hampton, Va., and Lisa Davis of Athens; three sons, Brian Davis of Athens, Michael Davis and Greg Davis, both of Poquson, Va.; his parents, Wesley and Mary Lou Davis of Athens; four sisters, Betty Hochstetler, Mary Lee Davis, Shirley Schrimsher and Delight Rogers, all of Athens; two brothers, James Davis of Elkhart, Ind. and John Wesley Davis of Inverness, Fla.; and one grandson.
Victor D. Garver
Sgt. 1st Class Victor Douglas Garver, 50, of Huntsville died Sunday at his home. A private funeral will be held.
Mr. Garver was a native of Pennsylvania and had lived in Huntsville seven years. He was retired from the military.
Survivors include his wife, Kathy Garver of Huntsville; his mother, Virginia Garver of Florida; and one brother, Glenn Garver of Michigan.
Bonnie Henshaw
SKYLINE - Bonnie Henshaw, 42, died Sunday. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Jonathan Campbell officiating.
Burial was to be in Henshaw Cemetery.
Survivors include her parents, Lois and Gloria Henshaw of Skyline; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Heather N. Lands
Heather Nicole Lands, 5, of Huntsville died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. James Harrell and the Rev. Kee Sloan officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Miss Lands was a native of Huntsville.
Survivors include her parents, Martha Appleton Lands and Paul "Tony" Lands of Huntsville; one brother, Patrick Lands of Huntsville; her grandparents, Jimmie and Linda Lands, both of Hazel Green, and Rhonda Appleton of Union Grove; and her great-grandfather, William P. King of Guntersville.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Judy B. McKee
Judy Baugher McKee, 55, of Huntsville died Sunday at a Memphis hospital. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mrs. McKee was a member of Southside Baptist Church for 28 years.
Survivors include her husband, Van Doug McKee of Huntsville; two sons, Kevin McKee of Laceys Spring and Crandall McKee of Huntsville; two sisters, Eula Stacy of Huntsville and Sarah McCrary of Decatur; one brother, Bobby Baugher of Toney; and three grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Wanda S. McKee
DECATUR - Mrs. Wanda Cloe Self McKee, 75, died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Shelton Funeral Home with the Rev. Brooks Barkley officiating.
Burial was in Rock Creek Cemetery.
Mrs. McKee was a member of Rock Creek Baptist Church and a clerk for the Morgan County Probate Court for 48 years. She retired as chief clerk. She was a 1942 graduate of Eva High School and was preceded in death by one sister, Frann Cerrell; one brother, Decatur Police Chief Pack Self; and her father, Ottis James Self.
Survivors include her husband, Theo James McKee; one son, Steve James McKee of Hartselle; her mother, Vista Vann Self of Eva; three sisters, Sue McKelvy of Decatur, Janet Woodall of Eva and Andrea Wright of Hartselle; and two grandchildren.
Inez Parks
SCOTTSBORO - Inez Parks, 76, of 6422 Scottsboro Highway died Monday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Grant Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Old Union Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Magnus G. Parks of Scottsboro; one son, Jimmy Clyde Parks of Scottsboro; two sisters, Olene Ledbetter and Lucille Parks, both of Grant; two brothers, Rex Ledbetter of Grant and Tommy Ledbetter of Claysville; one grandchild and one great-grandchild.
Sondra K. Reott
SCOTTSBORO - Sondra Kay Reott, 28, died Sunday. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Bill Pace officiating.
A funeral service will also be held Friday at 2 p.m. at the Fair Funeral Home in Eden, N.C.
Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Eden, N.C.
Survivors include her mother, Jessie McCollum of Boones Mill, Va.; one stepsister, Belinda Stratton of Wisconsin; three stepbrothers, Michael McCollum of Orlando, Fla., and Scott McCollum and Alvis McCollum Jr., both of Bristol, Tenn.; and three aunts and one uncle.
Visitation will be Thursday from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Fair Funeral Home.
Memorial donations may be made to American Diabetes Association.
Fannie S. Roberts
SHERWOOD, Ark. - Fannie Smith Roberts, 79, died Saturday. The funeral was Monday at Roller-Owens Funeral Home chapel in North Little Rock, Ark., with the Rev. Dennis Pigman officiating.
Burial will be in Shady Grove Cemetery in Bald Knob, Ark.
Survivors include two daughters, Betty Roetzel of North Little Rock and Mildred Roberts of Huntsville; one sister, Elsie Hassen of Jacksonville, Ark.; and four grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
William A. Smith
ALBERTVILLE - William Anthony ''Tony Smith, 37, of 600 Marshall Street died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Asbury Methodist Church Cemetery.
Survivors include his parents, Norene Ward of Albertville and William E. Smith of Georgia; two sisters, Kimberly Grose and Susan Yates, both of Georgia; his grandmother, Willie L. Smith of Albertville; and a special friend, Barbara Slaten.
Desma R. Stanford
ATHENS - Desma Reed Stanford, 69, of Cherry Grove Road died Sunday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral was Monday at Cherry Grove Missionary Baptist Church with Jesse Littrell officiating.
Burial was in Mitchell Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home of Athens in charge.
Mr. Stanford was a member of Cherry Grove Missionary Baptist Church, a retired carpenter, an Army and Navy veteran. He was preceded in death by his wife, Charlene Williams Stanford, and one son, Tommy Lee Stanford.
Survivors include two daughters, Debbie Stafford of Pulaski, Tenn. and Christy Sanders of Athens; one son, Bobby Reed Stanford of Athens; two sisters, Willa Mae Brundage of Athens and Margie Boyette of Mississippi; four brothers, Doyle Stanford of Texas, Bradies Stanford of Fort Myers, Fla., Kenneth Stanford and Carl Stanford, both of Athens; and seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Malcolm Stephenson
Malcolm "Mac" Stephenson, 75, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at University Baptist Church with Dr. Dan Summerlin officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Stephenson was a native of Lawrence County and had lived in Huntsville since 1958. He was an assistant principal at Huntsville High School and principal at Davis Hill Elementary School. He was also a World War II veteran, a charter member of University Baptist Church and was the owner and operator of Betty Mac Flowers and Gifts.
Survivors include his wife, Betty F. Stephenson of Huntsville.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
His body will be at the church 30 minutes before the funeral.
Myrtis M. Waller
Myrtis M. Waller, 77, of Huntsville died Sunday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church with Dr. Mel Strain and Dr. Robert Dobbins officiating.
Entombment will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Valhalla Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Waller was former grand matron of the Order of the Eastern Star in Alabama and a former Eastern Star general grand chapter committee member. She was the former president of the local Salvation Army Auxiliary and the recipient of its volunteer of the year award. She was active in First Presbyterian Church, Daughters of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy and Whitesburg and McThornmor Acres Garden Clubs. She had chaired the steering committee of the Lady Ambassador Unit of Cahaba Shrine.
Survivors include her husband, Stites Waller of Huntsville; two daughters, Ann Strickland of Opelika and Elaine Hamner of Huntsville; four sisters, Judy Coftin, Louise Blankeney, Cleo Garner and Voncile Grant, all of Mississippi; one brother, Bobby Maddox of Mississippi; and three grandchildren, seven nieces and five nephews.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. An Order of the Eastern Star service will begin at 8 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the Marie B. Wise Sunday school class at First Presbyterian Church, the ESTARL fund at Order of the Eastern Star or to Salvation Army.
Irene B. Wilbourn
GURLEY - Irene Byram Wilbourn, 86, of 508 Old Gurley Pike died Monday at her home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Gurley Holiness Church with the Rev. Erskine Williams and the Rev. Shirley Byram officiating.
Burial will be in Byrd Cemetery with New Hope Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include her husband, George Wilbourn of Gurley; five daughters, Ruby Byram and Vera Dudley, both of Owens Cross Roads, Rose Johnson and Cathlene Woods, both of Paint Rock, and Eara Rodgers of Gurley; two sons, Luther Byram and Shurman Byram, both of Owens Cross Roads; one stepdaughter, Evelyn Davidson of Paris, Ark.; one stepson, W.E. Wilbourn of Paris, Ark.; six sisters, Mildred DeArmond of Grant, Bernie Dwart of New Hope, Laura Kimbrough and Ruth Lane, both of Huntsville, Gene Moon of Owens Cross Roads and Gertrude Welker of Brownsboro; five brothers, Ted Dudley of Big Cove, Bud "Paul" Maples and Charles Maples, both of Huntsville, David Maples of Brownsboro and Junior Maples of Gurley; and 33 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Her body was to be at the church one hour before the funeral.
