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.
Tom Bozeman
Tom Bozeman, 73, of Huntsville died Friday at a local nursing home. The funeral was Monday at Vahalla Funeral Home with the Rev. Glenn Courtney officiating.
Entombment was in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Bozeman was a retired partner of Allied Supply, former Whitesburg Yacht Club commodore and a member of Cahaba Temple and Scottish Rite. He was also a World War II Navy veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Carolyn McWhorter Bozeman of Huntsville; one daughter, Lynn Bozeman VanPelt of Huntsville; one son, Tom Bozeman Jr. of Arlington, Texas; and three grandchildren, one great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to Trinity Alzheimers Day Care, 607 Airport Road, Huntsville, 35802.
Willis Bryant
Willis Bryant, 90, of Green St. in Huntsville died Tuesday at a local nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Ed Edger officiating.
Gallant Funeral Home of Hazel Green is in charge of burial.
Mr. Bryant was a native of Madison County, a retired bookkeeper and was a member of the National Guard and West Huntsville Church of Christ.
Survivors include one sister, Margaret "Maggie" Smith of Chesapeake, Va.
Harvey J. Byrd
HARVEST - Harvey James Byrd, 80, died Tuesday at his home. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Cave Springs Holiness Church with the Rev. Paul Stone officiating.
Burial will be in Green Valley Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Byrd was a native of Madison County, a retired Madison County Schools bus driver and a member of Cave Springs Holiness Church.
Survivors include his wife, Fannie Lee Byrd of Harvest; one daughter, Shirley Kerr of Rossville, Ga.; five sons, James Byrd of Soddy Daisy, Tenn., Willard Byrd and Larry Byrd, both of Harvest, Bobby Byrd of Owens Cross Roads and Roger Byrd of Rainsville; two brothers, Earl Byrd and Charlie Byrd, both of Owens Cross Roads; one sister, Gracie Gentles of Huntsville; two half-brothers, Artist Byrd of Huntsville and Buford Ray Byrd of Gurley; one half-sister, Emma Snead of Owens Cross Roads; and 20 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 3:30 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
His body will be at the church four hours before the funeral.
Ida L. Carter
TONEY - Ida Lee Carter, 88, of Opp Reynolds Road died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was Monday at Gallant Funeral Home chapel in Hazel Green with Frank Cantrell officiating.
Burial will be in Madison Cross Roads Cemetery.
Mrs. Carter was a native of Tishomingo, Okla., a housewife and a member of the Church of Christ.
Survivors include one daughter, Arlene Carter Sharpe of Toney; her stepmother, Verna Mae Holt of Toney; one sister, Mabel Byrd of Toney; one stepsister, Virginia Forsyth of Seattle, Wash.; one brother, J.W. Tucker of Hazel Green ; one stepbrother, Wildon Neeley of Hazel Green ; and two grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Billie M. Crow
Billie Mandeville Crow, 84, of Huntsville died Monday at her home. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. James Kidd officiating.
Burial will be in White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy, Mich.
Survivors include one daughter, Linda K. Kidd of Huntsville; one brother, Lurty M. Reid of Honduras; two grandsons, David A. Kidd of Huntsville and Kevin W. Madeville of Texas; one granddaughter, Deborah L. Drake of Hazel Green ; and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mary E. Curtis
Mary E. Curtis, 76, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. John Thweatt officiating. A graveside service will be Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at White Hall Cemetery in Fort Payne.
Mrs. Curtis was a native of Alabama and had lived in Madison County nine years. She was a member of Highland Baptist Church and was preceded in death by her husband, Claude Martin Curtis.
Survivors include one daughter, Charlotte Curtis Grider of Chattanooga, Tenn.; one son, Claude M. Curtis II of Huntsville; and four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Milford H. Eason
CROSSVILLE - Milford Howard Eason of Crossville died Monday. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery with the Rev. Billy Tidwell and the Rev. James Perigo officiating.
Survivors include one daughter, Judy Richey of Grove Oak; three sons, Frankie Eason, Larry Eason and Tim Eason, all of Crossville; one sister, Bonnie Hilley Ashley of Grove Oak; and seven grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Aline Ford
Aline "Big-gal" Ford, 72, of 430 South Plymouth Road died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Union Hill Primitive Baptist Church with the Rev. John Baker officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Ford was cook at Alabama A&M Universitys Child Development Center 26 years.
Survivors include four daughters, Willie Mae Parks, Mildred Lucille Scruggs, Darlene W. Wade and Brenda Johnson Donald, all of Huntsville; one sister, Calene Graham of Nashville; five brothers, Otha L. Ford and Cletus Ford, both of Huntsville, John-Walter Ford and Anderson Ford, both of Louisville, Ky., and Robert Ford of Saginaw, Mich.; and 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Sarah F. Garrett
ARAB - Sarah Frances Garrett, 52, of 414 2nd Ave. Southwest died Monday in a Huntsville hospital. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Mt. View Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Stanley Garrett; two sons, George A. Cale of Albertville and Charles Cale of Arab; mother, Cassie King of Arab; one sister, Earline Henson of Grant; and one grandchild.
Abraham Grays Sr.
MADISON - Abraham Grays Sr., 63, of 156 Zierdt Road died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at St. Paul United Methodist Church with the Rev. George Franklin Sr. officiating.
Burial will be Triana Cemetery with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include seven daughters, Sarah G. Ervin, Deloise A. Grays and Cortina Parker, all of Huntsville, Alberta G. Johnson of Kileen Texas, Idella Pollard and Latonya D. Grays, both of Cleveland, Ohio, and Romelia A. Grays of Madison; four sons, Abraham Grays Jr. of Madison, Stanley M. Grays, Myron L. Grays and Bryan L. Grays, all of Cleveland; two sisters, Hattie Foreman and Katie Hereford, both of Huntsville; one brother, Beechel Grays of Madison; and 25 grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Wayne B. Hicklen Sr.
ARDMORE, Ala. - Wayne B. "Daddy Rabbit" Hicklen Sr. 64, of 28601 Bethel Road died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with Tim Rice, Byron Laird and Michael Clark officiating.
Burial will be in Gatlin Cemetery.
Mr. Hicklen was a member of West Huntsville Church of Christ and had attended several law enforcement schools. He was a certified K-9 trainer and a member of Ardmore Lions Club, International Police Chiefs Association, Alabama Association of Police Chiefs, Fraternal Order of Police, Woodmen of the World and Alabama Peace Officers Association. He was an honorary member of Alabama Boys and Girls Ranches and was appointed an honorary Lieutenant Colonel Aide-De-Camp in the Alabama State Militia by Gov. George Wallace. He was a Huntsville police officer, Chief Deputy of the Lincoln County, Tenn., and Madison County sheriffs departments and the Ardmore, Ala., police chief. He also pioneered the Huntsville Police K-9 division. He was preceded in death by one son, Wayne "Bernie" Hicklen Jr.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth L. Hicklen of Ardmore, Ala.; four sisters, Marie Troup of Huntsville, Lois DeKich of Ringgold, Ga., Glinda Martin of Hartselle and Irma Rippy of Columbia; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Victor V. Hite
Victor Varley Hite, 95, of Huntsville died Monday at a local nursing home. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mr. Vite was formerly of Wichita Falls, Texas, and a native of Macomb, Texas, but he was raised in Wellington, Texas. He worked at C.D. Shamburger Lumber Co. in Witchita Falls from 1934 to retirement in 1983. He moved to Huntsville in 1993 and was a member of Willowbrook Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Bertha F. Hite of Huntsville; one daughter, Lometa Stagg of Huntsville; one son, Dr. J. Lee Hite of Shreveport, La.; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Willowbrook Baptist Church building fund.
Ethel B. Kilgore
GADSDEN - Ethel Burk Kilgore, 86, of 114 Oakleigh Drive died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Crestwood Mausoleum in Gadsden.
Survivors include three daughters, Linda Lipscomb of Wellington, Glenda Richardson of Gadsden and Elizabeth Self of Hokes Bluff; two sons, Wesley Kilgore of Attalla and Kenneth Kilgore of Boaz; and 11 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Andrew Motes
DECATUR - Andrew ''A.D. Motes, 59, of 408 10th Ave. S.W. died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home in Hartselle with the Rev. Rayburn Terry and the Rev. Bob Williams officiating.
Survivors include three daughters, Sharon Denise Godwin of Dallas, Texas, Shelia Ann Caruso of Decatur and Beverly Dianne Fuller of Tennessee; one son, Coy J. Motes of Hazel Green ; four sisters, Faye Johnson of Somerville, Lois Hill of Huntsville, Betty Little of Pinellas Park, Fla., and Linda Stewart of Chicago; and two brothers, Fred W. Motes Sr. of Hartselle and John W. Motes of Elkmont.
Michael D. Penn
FALKVILLE - Michael Dale Penn, 37, of 440 Summerford-Orr Road died Monday in Falkville. The funeral will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at Parkview Baptist Church in Decatur with the Rev. Phil Waldrep, the Rev. Jesse Higginbotham and the Rev. Robert Slack officiating.
Burial will be in Hartselle City Cemetery with Peck Funeral Home of Hartselle in charge.
Mr. Penn was a graduate of Austin High School in Decatur and of Calhoun Community College, where he received a registered nurses degree.
Survivors include his parents, Pastor J. Wayne and Gloria A. Penn of Hartselle; two sisters, Floresa Beseth of Kansas City, Mo., and Joy Hand of Hartselle; one brother, Phillip Penn of Hartselle; and a grandmother, Ora Johnson of Hartselle.
Memorials may be made to Schizophrenic Research or Gideon International.
Willodene Roberts
Willodene Roberts, 73, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Westlawn Baptist Church with the Rev. Wallace Green officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Mrs. Roberts was a member of Westlawn Baptist Church where she was organist several years.
Survivors include one daughter, Joyce R. Blue of New Hampshire; and two grandchildren, Ian Blue of Colorado and Jania Blue of New Hampshire.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Nolan R. Shirley
FORT PAYNE - Nolan Ray "Nut" Shirley, 69, died Monday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Burt Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Jim Griffin officiating.
Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery.
Mr. Shirley was a lifelong resident of DeKalb County, a Methodist and a retired barber.
Survivors include his wife, Julia Mae Shirley of Fort Payne; two sons, Nolan Grant Shirley of Fyffe and Roger Allan Shirley of Nashville; one stepson, Theron Heaton; two brothers, Virdell Shirley and Gene Shirley, both of Collbran; four sisters, Audrey Cromer of Centre, Bell Nelson of Dayton, Ohio, Mae Bradley of Boaz and Ruth LaVine of Huntsville; and three grandchildren, one great-grandchild and one great-great-grandchild.
Joseph V. Smith
ALBERTVILLE - Joseph Vergil Smith, 80, of 895 Lowery Road died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was in Marshall Memorial Garden.
Survivors include his wife, Lorene Smith; two daughters, Linda Townson of Woodville and Katrina Powell of Tennessee; one son, Ronald Smith of Dora; stepmother, Jewett Smith of Nixon Chapel; three sisters, Myrtle Gray of Albertville, Beverly Burgess of Locust Fork and Martha Yeager of Birmingham; three brothers, James Smith of Florida, Wade Smith of California and Travis Smith of Birmingham; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
George W. Travis
BROWNSBORO - George W. Travis, 93, died Monday at Big Springs Specialty Care in Huntsville. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Bill Venable officiating.
Burial will be in Travis Cemetery.
Mr. Travis was retired from Linde Air Products in East Chicago, Ind.
Survivors include six daughters, Glenda Soloman of Brownsboro, Joyce Merlo of Tacoma, Wash., Daris Pleasant of Dyer, Ind., Carol Tabor of Gurley, Ala., and Dorothy Knight and Berthel McGaha, both of Scottsboro; five sons, Robert E. Travis of Hytop, Alvin Travis of Merrillville, Ind., and Bill Travis, Cleve Travis and George Alton Travis, all of Scottsboro; and 54 grandchildren, 110 great-grandchildren and 32 great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 3 until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
lta P. Wade
AZEL GREEN - Alta Pitcock Wade, 86, died Monday at her home. The funeral will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at Eastland Funeral Home in Nashville with the Rev. Tom Wallace officiating.
Burial will be in Spring Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include three sisters, Etta Smith, Mary Edde and Martha Ann Burgett, all of Nashville; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Jeff D. Wallace
SMYRNA, Tenn. - Jeff David Wallace, 84, died Tuesday. The funeral was to be today at 7 p.m. at Woodfin Memorial Chapel in Smyrna with Dr. Kenneth Hubbard officiating and Thursday at 2 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Scottsboro.
Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Scottsboro.
Mr. Wallace was a member of the First Baptist Church of Smyrna and was a retired employee of Wynn and Graff Supply Co.
Survivors include his wife, Eunice Wynn Wallace; five daughters, Margaret Keys of Kingsport, Tenn., Jean Strey of Fort Myers, Fla., Elaine Jolly of Mount Juliet, Tenn., and Mary Stone and Patty Pope, both of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; one son, Mark Wallace of Smyrna; three sisters, Berith Keith of Larkinsville, and Annie Maude Breland and Fannie Kate Breland, both of Langston; four brothers, Samuel Wayne Wallace of Hendersonville, Tenn., and John Will Wallace Jr., James Bob Wallace and David Brooks Wallace, all of Birmingham, Ala.; 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation was to be today at Rudder Funeral Home.
James H. Waller Sr.
GRANT - James Harold Waller Sr., 52, of 7718 Simpson Point Road died Tuesday at a Guntersville hospital. The funeral was today at noon at New Hope Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Gary Paseur officiating.
Burial will be in Walker Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Brenda W. Waller of Grant; his mother, Gladys Waller of Guntersville; four daughters, Tammy Brunet, Vicky Dunn and Dixie Waller, all of Grant, and Jamie Starnes of Huntsville; three sons, James Harold Waller Jr. of Grant, Michael Waller of Huntsville and Danny Beshears of Scottsboro; one sister, Mary Keel of Guntersville; one brother, Gerald Dean Waller of Grant; and five grandchildren.
Robert P. Zitsch Jr.
Robert Paul Zitsch Jr., 71, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The memorial service will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. Marks Lutheran Church.
Burial will be in Twickenham Memory Gardens with Twickenham Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Zitsch was a World War II veteran, a member of IBM Quarter Century Club and worked at IBM 28 years.
Survivors include his wife, Doris Smith Zitsch of Huntsville; three sons, Dr. Robert P. Zitsch III of Columbia, Mo., Jeffrey G. Zitsch of Phoenix and Ronald G. Zitsch of Copperas Cove, Texas; and six grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Huntsville Hospital Foundation, CCI or St. Marks Lutheran Church, 200 Longwood Drive, Huntsville, 35801.
