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.
Thomas C. Andrews
UNION GROVE - Thomas Charley Andrews, 65, of 5578 Friendship Road died Thursday at his home. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Union Grove First Baptist Church.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce Andrews; four daughters, Sheila Stewart and Kay Black, both of Union Grove, Fay Velez of Huntsville and Janet Abercrombie of Arab; his mother, Lizzie Andrews of Union Grove; five sisters, Najean Mergaugey and Earline Alldredge, both of Union Grove, Erma Davis of Florida, Catherine Andrews of Scottsboro and Rebecca Poe of Tennessee; three brothers, Bobby Andrews of Huntsville and James Andrews and Richard Andrews, both of Union Grove; and 14 grandchildren.
Floyd W. Bivens
ATHENS - Floyd Wallace Bivens, 48, died Wednesday at his residence. The funeral was Friday at Spry Funeral Home with Lemmuel Green officiating.
Burial was in Nebo Cemetery.
Mr. Bivens was a native of Morgan County, a commercial fisherman and a member of the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church.
Survivors include his wife, Kathy Bivens; his parents, Herman and Addie Bivens of Cherokee; three sons, Kevin Bivens, Wade Bivens and Roy Bivens, all of Athens; one sister, Dorothy Adams of Athens; two brothers, Leon Bivens and Homer Bivens, both of Athens; two grandsons and nieces and nephews.
Dora L. Beddingfield
BROWNSBORO - Dora Louise Beddingfield, 86, of 611 Dug Hill Road died Friday at a local hospital. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Valhalla Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Beddingfield was a member of the First Church of God on Whitesburg Drive.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil Beddingfield.
Survivors include two daughters, Joan Hughes of Winchester, Tenn. and Loretta Ferrell of Huntsville; three sons, Larry Beddingfield, Tim Beddingfield and Dan Beddingfield, all of Huntsville; and 17 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Bobby L. Bryson Jr.
Bobby Lewis Bryson Jr., 31, of 3716 Williamsburg Drive died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 1 p.m. at Madison Church of Christ.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Cynthia Bryson; four sons, Adam Allen, John Burroughs and Jeff Burroughs, all of Huntsville, and Erik Allen of Norman, Okla.; his mother, Mrs. Bertha Bryson of Huntsville; his grandmother, Mrs. Hettie Sue Bryson of Fayetteville, Tenn.; three sisters, Jacqueline Bryson, Debora Bryson and Bonita Bryson, all of Huntsville; and one grandchild.
The body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Memorial donations may be made to Madison Church of Christ Youth Group, Hughes Road, Madison, AL.
Alice E. Captain
Mrs. Alice E. Captain, 93, died Thursday at her residence. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Laughlin Service Funeral Home.
Mrs. Captain attended business school and was a bookkeeper for Peoples Trust Co., in Hackensack, N.J. She was a former parishioner and active member of St. Josephs Catholic Church in Bogota, N.J.
Survivors include one son, Robert V. Captain of Huntsville; one daughter, Veronica P. Captain of Huntsville; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be Sunday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. with a prayer service at 5:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Santford R. Fanning
ELORA, Tenn. - Santford Richardson Fanning, 100, of Limestone Lane died Friday at his home. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Gallant Funeral Home in Fayetteville with Elder Harless Hale officiating.
Burial will be in Miller Cemetery.
Mr. Fanning was a native of Jackson County, a member of Mountain Fork Primitive Baptist Church and a retired farmer.
Survivors include two sons, John Earl Fanning and Dwight Fanning, both of Elora; two daughters, Ruth Hale of Huntsville and Florence Head of Fayetteville; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from noon to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Jess G. Ferguson
VALLEY HEAD - Jess G. Ferguson, 92, died Thursday in Birmingham. A graveside service will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Pisgah Cemetery with Rev. Leonard Ferguson officiating and Kerby Funeral Home in Henegar in charge.
Mr. Ferguson was preceded by his wife, Alma Williams Ferguson.
Survivors include three sons, Lonnie Ferguson of Henegar, the Rev. Leonard Ferguson of Castlewood, Va. and Larry Ferguson of Wildwood, Ga.; two daughters, Jean Sexton of Valley Head and Clara Jordan of Birmingham; one brother, Riley Ferguson of Pisgah; two sisters, Hazel Bradford of South Pittsburg, Tenn., and Grace Smith of Pisgah; and nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 3 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Lester M. Holmes
ATHENS - Lester Martin Holmes, 75, of Longview St., died Wednesday at his residence. The funeral was Friday at Spry Funeral Home with James Bridges and Roger Jackson officiating.
Burial was in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mr. Holmes was a native of Limestone County and was retired from Fruehauf Co.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia Holmes; one daughter, Julia Beasley of Athens; one son, Larry Holmes of Athens; one sister, Hazel Marks of Athens; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Pauline V. Johnson
Mrs. Pauline Vaughn Johnson, 73, of 6110 Roosevelt Circle died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Blackburn Chapel C.P. Church with Rev. McKinley Jones officiating.
Burial will be in Royal Cemetery with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one daughter, Clarese Vaughn of Huntsville; three sons, Willie V. Johnson of San Jose, Calif., and Joe Bobby Vaughn and Gregory L. Vaughn, both of Huntsville; one sister, Frances Campbell of Huntsville; one brother, George E. Vaughn of Prattville; and eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 10 p.m. at the funeral home.
Clarence M. Lewter
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Clarence Marvin Lewter, 92, of 128 Morton Drive died Thursday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with Rev. Edward Lee officiating.
Burial will be in Lebanon Cemetery with Higgins Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Lewter was a native of Lincoln County and a retired farmer in the Molino community. He was a member of the First Baptist Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Geraldine Jennings of Fayetteville and Joyce Hunter of Huntsville; two sons, Don Lewter and Marvin Lewter, both of Fayetteville; one brother, Floyd Lewter of Madison; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Nils Nelson
Retired Lt. Col. Nils Nelson, 78, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. The memorial service was held Friday at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with Dr. Ralph Langley officiating.
Mr. Nelson was a native of Norway and was retired after 27 years in the Air Force. He served in the Hawaiian Territorial Guard, the 447th Bombardment Group in England, the 54th Troop Carrier in Alaska, the 509th Bomb Wing, the 556th Strategic Missile Squadron and the 1002nd Inspector General Group. After he retired, he worked 10 years for the Huntsville Housing Authority. He was also an active member of the Retired Officers Association and the Republican Mens Club.
Survivors include his wife, Miriam Nelson of Huntsville; three daughters, Debbie Nelson Gutierrez of Huntsville, Karen Nelson Dice of Tuscaloosa and Dianne Nelson Zirato of Arizona; one sister, Ruth Nelson Turner of Seattle; and nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.
F.D. Romine
ATHENS - F.D. ''Doug Romine, 84, of Evans Road died Wednesday at his residence. The funeral will be today at 10 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home with Warren Glass and Dewey Craft officiating.
Burial will be in Valley View Cemetery.
Mr. Romine was a native of Limestone County, a member of Valley View Church of Christ, a retired contractor and former president of Limestone County Quail Hunters Association.
Survivors include his wife, Annie Romine; one daughter, Shelia McGuire of Athens; two sons, Floyd Romine of Madison and Gary Romine of Athens; two sisters, Ruby Cobb of Clarksville, Tenn. and Marie Smith of Ocean Springs, Miss.; one brother, Ted Romine of Garden City, Ga.; six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Limestone County.
Thomas E. Smith
OWENS CROSS ROADS - Thomas Edward ''Ed Smith died Friday at a Huntsville hospital. Funeral arrangements will be announced by New Hope Funeral Home.
Sherwood Weichner
ARAB - Sherwood Weichner, 86, of 310 Frontier Road, died Thursday in a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 10 a.m. at Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Owasso, Mich.
Survivors include one daughter, Marcia Green wood of Arab; and 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Rev. R.B. Young
The Rev. R.B. Young, 74, of 3513 Spann St. died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at St. Bartley P.B. Church with Rev. Eugene Lewis officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Pearline Young; one daughter, Yvonne Crutcher of Huntsville; two sons, Gregory Young and Reginald Young, both of Huntsville; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 7 to 8 p.m. at Royal Funeral Home Chapel.
Betty Lou Gerson
LOS ANGELES - Radio and television actress Betty Lou Gerson, who gave a voice to fur-loving villainess Cruella De Vil in Disneys animated 1961 feature "101 Dalmatians," died Tuesday after suffering a stroke last week. She was 84.
Disney animator Marc Davis, who designed and drew Cruella De Vil in the classic movie, said Ms. Gerson helped define the character.
Ms. Gerson began her radio career in 1935. She had dramatic roles on programs like "First Nighter," "Grand Hotel" and "The Lux Radio Theater."
She was in "The Twilight Zone," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "Perry Mason" and "The Untouchables" on television and appeared in films such as "Undercover Girl" and "The Fly."
Her distinctive voice earned her the role of narrator in Disneys 1950 animated feature "Cinderella" and an on-screen cameo appearance in "Mary Poppins."
Ms. Gerson gave up acting until she did voice-over work in recent years. She gave voice to a fish diva named Francis in the 1997 animated feature, "Cats Dont Dance."
