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.
Lida Atchley
BOAZ - Lida Atchley, 87, of Boaz died Sunday in a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville.
Burial was to be in Diamond Cemetery.
Survivors include one daughter, Louise Smith of Boaz; two sons, Billy Atchley of Arab and Jack Atchley of Indiana; four brothers, Tiny Mitchell, Clyde Mitchell, Jesse Mitchell and Dewey Mitchell, all of Gadsden; and 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Zilphfer Bennett
FALKVILLE - Zilphfer ''Z.W. Bennett, 75, of 891 Mount Zion Road died Sunday at a Hartselle hospital. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Pattillo Street Church of God in Hartselle with the Rev. John Elliott and the Rev. Jerry Irwin officiating.
Burial was to be in Mount Zion Cemetery.
Mr. Bennett was a member of Pattillo Street Church of God and was superintendent there for 16 years; was an Army veteran of World War II, and owned and operated the Shell Service Station at intersection of U.S. 31 and Alabama 1984 from 1982 to 1984.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Bennett; two daughters, Joan Robinson of Hartselle and Reba Burch of Athens; three sons, Garry Bennett of Hartselle, Joel Bennett and Steve Bennett, both of Falkville; six sisters, Elsie Hill of Falkville, Ola Parks of Florida, Alma Elrod of Tampa, Betty Bennett of Texas, Joyce Watson of Miami and Lora Hewitt of Key West; five brothers, Sylvester Bennett of Henderson, Ky., Luther Bennett of Sorenta, Fla., Freeman Bennett of Baileyton, Buel Bennett of Brewton and Willard Bennett of Hawkinsville, Ga.; and 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Mary I. Brown
ATHENS - Mary Irene Brown, 76, of 700 West Pryor St. died Monday at an Athens hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with Dr. Steven A. Screws officiating.
Burial will be in Gatlin Cemetery.
Mrs. Brown was a member of First United Methodist Church in Athens. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herman Brown; and one son, Jerry L. Brown.
Survivors include one daughter, Judy Brown of Athens; one sister, Eunice Clutts of Athens; and one grandson and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation is today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Anibel R. Cooper
TAFT, Tenn. - Anibel Rogers Cooper, 88, died Monday at a Fayetteville, Tenn., hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Taylor-Ardmore Funeral Home chapel with Raymond Ferrell and Mike Davis officiating.
Survivors include two sons, Jim Wilson Cooper and John Michael Cooper, both of Taft; and two granddaughters and one great-granddaughter.
Visitation is today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Jewel Downs
BOAZ - Jewel O. Burroughs Downs, 85, of 763 Medical Center Parkway died Sunday at her home. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was in Memory Hill Cemetery in Albertville.
Survivors include one daughter, Marie McCollum of Albertville; one son, Fred H. Downs of Montgomery; and five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Earney N. Drake Sr.
Earney Neal Drake Sr., 48, of Huntsville died Monday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Whitesburg Baptist Church with the Rev. Darrell Cheek and Mike Carpenter officiating.
Burial will be in Center Point Baptist Church Cemetery in Cullman with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Drake was principal at Owens Cross Roads School and was a coach, teacher and principal for 26 years in the Madison County School System. He was a graduate of Calhoun Community College and St. Bernard College.
Survivors include one son, Earney Neal Drake Jr. of Hazel Green ; one daughter, Deborah Lynn Drake of Hazel Green ; his mother, Winell Drake of Cullman; one brother, Billy Ray Drake of Hartselle; and six sisters, Betty West and Kim Shelton, both of Cullman, Ivan Nell McMurrain and Fay Johnson, both of Decatur, Hazel Jones of Gold Ridge and Michelle Radcliff of Hartselle.
Visitation is today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Leukemia Society.
Claude Evett
SCOTTSBORO - Claude Evett, 77, died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Johnny Thomas officiating.
Burial was in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood.
Mr. Evett was a retired master sergeant in the Army and retired from the Alabama National Guard. He was a member of Scottsboro Masonic Lodge No. 359 and New Home Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Daisy Hasting Evett; and two sons, Claude Evett Jr. and Jerry E. Evett.
Survivors include his wife, Martha Sue Pace Evett; four daughters, Brenda Keeton and Jackie Stewart, both of Scottsboro, Carolyn McAllister of Stevenson and Linda Kay Lord of Chatham, Mass.; one son, Tommy W. Evett of Scottsboro; two stepdaughters, Michelle Smith of Scottsboro and Ann Stewart of Pisgah; three sisters, Rachel Shrader of Scottsboro, Grace Murphy of Decatur and Ida Adams of Tulsa, Okla.; four brothers, Grady Evett of Scottsboro, Franklin Evett of Decatur, William Evett of Dothan and Levi Evett of Columbia, S.C.; and 14 grandchildren, four step-grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Edith D. Heatherly
ATHENS - Edith D. Heatherly, 62, of East Limestone Road died Monday at her home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Danny McMullins officiating.
Burial will be in Legg Cemetery.
Mrs. Heatherly was a native of Limestone County and was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Billy Heatherly; one daughter, Edie L. Hodges of Huntsville; two sons, Billy W. Heatherly of Athens and Michael G. Heatherly of Huntsville; two sisters, Dezzie Flanagan of Athens and Etoyle Payton of Nashville; three brothers, Cecil Reece of Athens, Marvin Reece of Montgomery and Thomas Reece of Sparta, Tenn.; and seven grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Vernie Hicks
STEVENSON - Vernie Hicks, 87, died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson with the Rev. James Helton, the Rev. Don Jacobs and the Rev. John Gamble officiating.
Burial will be in Stevenson City Cemetery.
Mrs. Hicks was preceded in death by her husband, Rubin Hicks; and two sons, David Hicks and Noah Hicks.
Survivors include one son, R.D. Hicks of Stevenson; two sisters, Edna Stevens and Deola Hall, both of Winchester, Tenn.; one brother, Warnie Stills of Decherd, Tenn.; 10 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; and a special friend, Janice Sanders.
Visitation is today from 3 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Ollie J. Mayes
MADISON - Ollie Jane Mayes, 70, died Tuesday at a local hospital. Madison Chapel Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mae N. McKenzie
DUTTON - Mae Neeley McKenzie, 79, died Monday at her home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Chaney Chapel in Section with the Rev. Dale Haynes officiating.
Burial was to be in the adjoining cemetery with Section Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one daughter, Lillie Stewart of Dutton; two sons, James Edward McKenzie of Dutton and Elton McKenzie of Scottsboro; and five grandchildren and two step grandchildren.
Kathy A. Montgomery
TANNER - Kathy Ann Montgomery, 32, died Sunday at an Athens hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Larry Dyar and Tim Anderson officiating.
Burial was to be in Bottom Cemetery.
Mrs. Montgomery was a native of Limestone County and a member of Community Baptist Church in Harvest.
Survivors include her parents, Edward L. and Lorene Montgomery of Tanner; one sister, Cindy L. Livingston of Price ville; one brother, John Derwin Montgomery of Athens; one grandfather, Robert L. Montgomery of Tanner; and one niece and one nephew.
Mamie Montgomery
TONEY - Mamie Ruth Montgomery, 85, of 22040 Bridges Road died Monday at an Ardmore, Tenn., nursing home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Taylor-Ardmore Funeral Home chapel with Bro. O.D. Morrow officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery in Athens.
She was preceded in death by one son, Aaron Montogomery.
Survivors include one sister, Ellie Hicklen of Athens; three grandchildren, Sheryle Ann Whitt of Athens, Michael Aaron Montgomery of Toney and Stephan Montogmery of Laceys Spring; and five great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation is today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Eli G. Osburn Jr.
ARAB - Eli George Osburn Jr., 65, of 1075 Hillcrest Road N.W. died Monday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Entombment will be at Brookwood Mausoleum.
Survivors include his wife, Lanita Osburn; one daughter, Teresa Osburn of Arab; one son, William G. Osburn of Madison; mother, Pauline Osburn of Selma; four sisters, Ann Berning of Arkansas, Norma Mahan and Debra Ruff, both of Birmingham, and Donna Mason of Florida; and two brothers, Johnny Osburn of Selma and Robert Osburn of Mobile.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society.
Marion S. Parker
Marion Sarah Parker, 87, of Huntsville died Monday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Twickenham Funeral Home South with the Rev. Jimmy Jackson officiating.
Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery in Proctorsville, Vt.
Mrs. Parker was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and in Vermont a member of Rebekkah. She and her husband recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
Survivors include her husband, Lowell Parker of Huntsville; two sons, Howard A. Parker of Lexington, Va., and Stephen L. Parker of Huntsville; three grandchildren, James H. Parker of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Scott K. Parker of Montpelier Station, Va., and Rodney S. Parker of Anniston; and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation is today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Louis R. Whitfield
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Louis Ray Whitfield, 91, died Monday. The graveside service was to be today at 3 p.m. at Stewarts Cemetery with the Rev. Sonny Moore officiating.
Higgins Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Mr. Whitfield was a retired auto mechanic and a member of the Church of God.
Survivors include two sons, Chester Whitfield and Lewis Whitfield, both of Fayetteville; one sister, Magalene Waldrop of Winchester, Tenn.; and six grandchidlren and 11 great-grandchildren.
James Whittle
MADISON - James "Jimmy" Whittle, 71, died Saturday at his home. The memorial service will be Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Richard Anderson officiating.
Mr. Whittle was a native of Georgia and had lived in Madison County most his life. He had worked in the Huntsville Police and Madison County Sheriffs departments. He was retired from Intergraph and Winn Dixie. He was also a member of New Salem Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Brenda Whittle of Toney; three sisters, Mickey Taylor, Judy Loner and Lucille Whittle, all of Atlanta; two brothers, Walter Clint Whittle of Akin, S.C., and Tommy Whittle of Georgia; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
