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.
Billy B. Allison
SCOTTSBORO - Billy B. Allison, 69, died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Juanda Hethcoat Allison of Scottsboro; three sons, Billy Mark Allison of Scottsboro, Christopher Russell Allison and William Charles Allison of Cullman; one brother, D. Wayne Allison of Grant; one sister, Ruth Anderson of Grant; his mother, Edna Frances Blanchett of Grant; and 11 grandchildren, five great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation is today from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Zilphfer Bennett
FALKVILLE - Zilphfer "Z.W." Bennett, 75, of Mt. Zion Road died Sunday at a Hartselle hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Patillo Street Church of God in Hartselle with the Rev. John Elliott and the Rev. Jerry Irwin officiating.
Burial will be in Mt. Zion Cemetery with Peck Funeral Home of Hartselle in charge.
Mr. Bennett was a native of Morgan County, a self-employed brick mason and a member of Patillo Street Church of God where he was superintendent for 16 years.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Bennett of Falkville; three sons, Joel Bennett and Steve Bennett, both of Falkville, and Garry Bennett of Hartselle; two daughters, Joan Robinson of Hartselle and Reba Burch of Athens; five brothers, Sylvester Bennett of Hernderson, Ky., Luther Bennett of Sorenta, Fla., Freeman Bennett of Baileytown, Buel Bennett of Brewton and Willard Bennett of Hawkinsville, Ga.; six sisters, Elsie Hill of Falkville, Ola Parks of Florida, Alma Elrod of Tampa, Fla., Betty Bennett of Texas, Joyce Watson of Miami and Lora Hewitt of Key West, Fla., ; and 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Visitation is today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Gladys T. Bethune
RAINSVILLE - Gladys T. Bethune, 86, died Saturday at a Marshall County hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Craig White and the Rev. Delmar Bethune officiating.
Entombment will be in Mountain View Memory Gardens Masoleum.
Mrs. Bethune was a native of DeKalb County and a member of Tenbroeck Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard Bethune.
Survivors include two sons, Jimmy Dale Bethune of Shiloh and Julian Ray Bethune of Cleveland, Tenn.; and five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
William B. Butler
NEW HOPE - William Buford Butler, 80, of 148 Walnut St. died Sunday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Hayden Cemetery with Bro. Smith Ledbetter officiating.
New Hope Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Mr. Butler was a Mason and was retired from TVA.
Survivors include his wife, Lenora Butler of New Hope; one son, Bobby Butler of New Hope; one daughter, Patsy Maples of Owens Cross Roads; one sister, Sarah Butler of Athens; and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation is today from 3 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mary J. deKorsakoff
STUART, Fla. - Mary Jordan deKorsakoff, 90, died Saturday. A private funeral will be held at the family cemetery in Ryland.
Young and Prill Funeral Home in Stuart is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. deKorsakoff was a native of Huntsville. She was a teacher and was owner and operator of Bells Flowers in West Palm Beach.
Survivors include two daughters, Marilyn Nino and Jane Peloubet, both of Stuart; one sister, Ella Frances Bell of Naples, Fla.; and five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Giles Edmondson
Giles "Slim" Edmondson, 62, of Huntsville died Sunday at his home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Edmondson was a native of DeKalb County and had lived in Huntsville 25 years. He was retired from the military and was a member of VFW Post No. 2702, where he was junior vice commander, and American Legion Post No. 237, Fraternal Order of the Eagles and Moose Lodge.
Survivors include his wife, Theodora Edmondson of Huntsville; one daughter, Denise Brown of Huntsville; one son, Tim Edmondson of Huntsville; four sisters, Bonnie Lee Holcomb of Ider, Artherine Payne and Arnett Payne, both of Chickamauga, Ga., and Charlene Smithengall of Denver, Colo.; one brother, Van Edmondson of Livingston, Ala.; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Ruby E. Gable
FYFFE - Ruby Ellen Gable, 79, died Saturday at a DeKalb County hospital. The funeral was Sunday at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. G.W. Reed and the Rev. Jim Griffin officiating.
Burial was in Mt. Moriah Cemetery.
Mrs. Gable was preceded in death by her husband, Harvey Gable.
Survivors include three daughters, Racheal Maness and Wanda Whiteside, both of Fyffe, and Linda Rains of Russellville; two sons, LeRoy Gable of Fort Payne and Lawrence Gable of Fyffe; and 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Lee Gray
RAINSVILLE - Lee Gray, 71, died Sunday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 3 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Steve McFall officiating.
Burial will be in Kirk Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Gray was preceded in death by one daughter, Peggy Gray.
Survivors include his wife, Hazel Dean Gray of Rainsville; one son, Bob Gray of Rainsville; two sisters, Kay Hall of Crossville and Jean Davis of Bryant; one brother, Carl Gray of Bryant; and five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Patricia Y. Griffin
HAZEL GREEN - Patricia Young Griffin, 50, of 101 Sweetwater Drive died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Bennett-May Funeral Home with Bro. Aubrey Johnson officiating.
Burial will be in Giles Memory Garden in Giles County, Tenn.
Mrs. Griffin was a native of Giles County and a member of Memorial Parkway Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Jennifer L. Griffin.
Survivors include her husband, Dwayne Griffin of Hazel Green ; her mother, Joanne Young of Pulaski, Tenn.; her father, Dumont Young of Pulaski; two daughters, Leah Cooper of New Market and Carra Griffin of New Market; and three grandchildren.
Woodie Hensley
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Woodie Hensley, 84, of 405 Swanson Road died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with Bro. Joe Tomlinson officiating.
Burial will be in Shiloh Cemetery.
Mrs. Hensley was a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., a 45-year member of Washington Street Church of Christ and retired from Blue Ridge Shirt Manufacturing Co.
Survivors include one sister, Pattie Smith of Delrose, Tenn.; and one brother, Leon Curtis of San Francisco.
Hugh L. Hovis
MADISON - Hugh Lloyd Hovis, 77, died Saturday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at Huntsville Memory Gardens with the Rev. Jerry Hovis officiating.
Madison Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Mr. Hovis was a combat veteran of World War II with the U.S. Army. He served with the U.S. Navy in the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife, Ailene Atchley Hovis; one brother, William C. Hovis of Huntsville; five sisters, Louise Bridges, Helen Brantley and Ann Benjamin, all of Huntsville, Edith Raby of Harvest and Doris Sledge of Decatur; two sons, Jimmy Lloyd Hovis of Mulberry, Tenn., and Buford Allen Hovis of Madison; one daughter, Mary Jane Stinnett of Capshaw; and 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
W.H. Jennings
EVA - W.H. Jennings, 68, of Lawrence Cove Road died Saturday at a Hartselle hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Rock Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Chuck Hanvey officiating.
Burial will be in Lawrence Cove Cemetery with Peck Funeral Home of Hartselle in charge.
Mr. Jennings was a native of Morgan County and a former maintenance worker at GTE. He was preceded in death by one stepson, LaDois Smith.
Survivors include his wife, Doris Jennings of Eva; two stepsons, WyVaughn Smith and Darvin Smith, both of Eva; one daughter, Lori Chaffin of Cullman; one stepdaughter, Wendy Shaddix of Eva; two brothers, Charles Jennings and Cois Jennings, both of Eva; two sisters, Either Mae Kinney and Mary Alice Lindsey, both of Eva; and eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
York Lackey
KELSO, Tenn. - York Lackey, 78, of Massey Hollow Road died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Gallant Funeral Home in Fayetteville with the Rev. James Campbell officiating.
Burial will be in Kelso Cemetery.
Mr. Lackey was a native of Lincoln County and a retired press operator for Amana Corp. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ophelia Jane Simmons Lackey.
Survivors include two sons, Temple Lackey of Kelso and Jerry Lackey of Flintville, Tenn.; two daughters, Gayle Sullenger of Elora, Tenn., and Shirley Mann of Flintville; one sister, Kate Bradford of Arab; one half sister, Sue Hunter of Arab; and six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Clarence D. Little
CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. - Clarence David Little, 69, died Saturday. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson.
Burial will be in Inglis Cemetery.
Survivors include two sons, Billy Joe Little of Chickamauga and David Little of Kingston, Okla.; three sisters, Lula Mae Neal and Helen McBee, both of Florida, and Syble Hedden of Cleveland, Tenn.; three brothers, Oscar Little of Fackler, Leon Elliot of Skyline and Jesse Elliot of Winchester, Tenn.; and five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Ellen McCubbins
ATHENS - Ellen McCubbins, 64, of 1511 West Pine St. died Saturday at her home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church in Athens with the Rev. Joseph Allen officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery with Limestone Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. McCubbins was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church and was preceded in death by her husband, Virge McCubbins.
Survivors include three sons, Charles McCubbins of Huntsville, and Michael McCubbins and Gene McCubbins, both of Athens; one sister, Girtha Curry of Harlan, Ky.; two brothers, Billy Miracle of Harlan, Ky., and Cleston Miracle of Georgia; and five grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Paul Catholic Church Building Fund.
Ralph L. McHenry
BOAZ - Ralph Lee McHenry, 68, of 511 North Main St. died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Boaz.
Burial will be in Sardis Cemetery.
Survivors include one sister, Ruth McHenry of Boaz; and one brother, Cecil McHenry of Boaz.
Memorial donations may be made to American Heart Association, Arthritis Foundation or a favorite charity.
Martha Moore
GUNTERSVILLE - Martha Lou Vada Moore, 88, of 51 White Drive died Saturday at a Crossville nursing home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Rehobeth Cemetery in Guntersville.
Survivors include one daughter, Dorsie Snyder of Huntsville; one son, Johnny Moore of Guntersville; five sisters, Lora Gilliland of Gadsden, Beatrice Davidson of Union Grove, Gladys Owens of Allgood, Irene Martin of Oneonta and Althera Walker of Birmingham; one brother, Travis Daily of Oneonta; and five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Augustine B. Murphy
LAKE WORTH, Fla. - Augustine Bennett Murphy, 76, died Friday in Lake Worth. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home in Fayetteville, Tenn., with the Rev. Richard Hughes officiating.
Burial will be in Gum Springs Cemetery.
Mrs. Worth was a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., and a Baptist.
Survivors include three daughters, Cindy Murphy of Lake Worth, Lindi Wadlington of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Delores OShields of Green Valley, Ariz.; one sister, Virginia DeMore of Fayettevile and Verna May Campbell of Elora, Tenn.; and one grandson.
John H. Ott
HARTSELLE - John Hollis Ott, 59, died Saturday at a Decatur hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Pleasant View Cemetery.
Mr. Ott was formerly of the Rainsville area.
Survivors include his wife, Rose K. Ott of Hartselle; two daughters, Rita Lynn Ott of Gary, Ind.; and Tammy Sue Ott of Hartselle; two sons, Billy Ray Ott and Dewayne Elton Ott, both of Dogtown; his mother, Opal Tipton of Decherd, Tenn.; three sisters, Patricia Uchman of Lowell, Ind., Rita Wilbanks of Powell and Carrolyn Fergerson of Decherd; and eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Loyd Quillin
UNION GROVE - Loyd Quillin, 82, of 1361 Quarry Road died Saturday at a Gadsden hospital. A graveside service was to be today at 2:30 p.m. at Brocks Chapel Cemetery.
Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Survivors include several nieces and nephews.
Douglas K. Shelton
Douglas Kinzie Shelton, 60, of Huntsville died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Jimmy Williamson, the Rev. Shelby Gurley and the Rev. Billy Loveday officiating.
Burial will be in Shelton Cemetery in Scottsboro.
Mr. Shelton was a lifelong resident of Huntsville, an Army veteran and an Alabama Truck Lines employee. He attended Grace Bible Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Kippy Ann Dixon of Iowa; one sister, Bobbie Jean Shelton of Huntsville; one nephew, Scott Reeves of Huntsville; and two grandchildren.
Visitation is today from 3:30 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Justin D. Watkins
WESTMORELAND, Tenn. - Justin Dean Watkins, 17, died Saturday at his grandmothers home in Westmoreland. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Westmoreland Church of Christ with Bros. Randy Wells, Joe Taylor and Doyle Farris officiating.
Burial will be in Pike Cemetery with Anderson and Woodard Funeral Home in Westmoreland in charge.
Survivors include his father, Gene Watkins of Lebanon, Tenn.; his mother, Evonna Wix of Huntsville; stepbrother, Travis Little of Hartselle; maternal grandmother, Emma Dean Wix of Westmoreland; and paternal grandparents, Roland and Martha Louise Passon of New Hope.
Jerry B. Womack
SCOTTSBORO - Jerry B. Womack, 54, died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include two sons, Rodney Womack and David Womack, both of Scottsboro; his mother, Opal Womack of Scottsboro; three sisters, Bobbie Keller of Hollywood and "Snooki" Bradford and "Beaver" Sullivan, both of Scottsboro; and one granddaughter.
Sarah Healy Fenton
Sarah Healy Fenton, a former University of Alabama dean who helped protect a black student from rioting mobs in 1956, died at her home in Mexico. She was 90.
Mrs. Fentons death Sunday was attributed to natural causes, university spokesman Keith Ayers said. She lived with her husband Ed in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.
Mrs. Fenton, then known as Sarah Healy, was dean of women at the university throughout desegregation. She used her personal car to rescue student Autherine Lucy from mobs during the initial attempt to integrate Alabama in 1956, and also helped safeguard students during Gov. George C. Wallaces stand in the schoolhouse door in 1963, according to a university news release.
Mrs. Fenton retired in 1971 after more than 17 years.
"Sarah Healy helped all students to understand the moral and legal obligations of leadership," said John Blackburn, longtime dean of men at the university.
