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.
William G. Adams
ARDMORE, Tenn. - William Grady Adams, Jr., 57, of 26910 Elk St., died Thursday at a Nashville hospital. The funeral will be today at 11 a.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with Brother Buddy Payne and the Rev. Earl M. Redden officiating.
Burial will be in Dement Cemetery.
Mr. Adams was a member of the Lewisburg Tennessee Church of Jesus Christ. He was retired from TVA.
Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Ann Adams; three sons, Tracy Adams of Rogersville, Scottie Adams of Athens and Bradley Adams of Ardmore, Tenn.; four daughters, Teresa Norton, Angie McKnight and Stephanie Adams, all of Athens, and Daphne Adams of Decatur; four brothers, Jerry Adams, Alvin Adams and Buddy Adams, all of Athens, and Morris Adams of Elkmont.; five sisters, Cora Pugh, Dorothy Vinson and Ester Barnett, all of Athens, Ruby Haggermaker of Elkmont and Evelyn Gatlin of Belle Mina; 10 grandchildren.
Douglas B. Baggett
DECATUR - Douglas B. Baggett, 71, of Decatur died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 4 p.m. in Roselawn Funeral Home with the Rev. Ray Shubert officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Mausoleum.
Mr. Baggett manufactured steel guitars and owned and operated Baggett Music Center and The Barbecue. He also was a Navy veteran of World War II and retired from civil service.
Survivors include his wife, June Baggett; one daughter, Linda Baggett Cooke of Decatur; one grandson and one great-grandson.
Ralph O. Cabaniss
LAKE WORTH, Fla. - Ralph O. Cabaniss, 77, died Monday at West Palm Beach. Funeral arrangements will be announced.
Mr. Cabaniss was a native of Gurley and a resident of Huntsville before moving to the Palm Beach area in 1959. He was an engineer with Pratt and Whitney for 27 years prior to his retirement in 1987, veteran of the Navy in World War II and Korean War, member of the Scottish Rites Bodies, Shrine Order of the Eastern Star, Knight Mason of America and Philalathes Society and 33rd Degree Sovereign Inspector General Honorary.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce Irene Cabaniss; one daughter, Jean Cabaniss Kunx of Irvine, Calif.; three stepsons, Calvin N. Morrow and James C. Morrow, both of Delton, Mich., and Timothy Lee Morrow of Tarzana, Calif.; one stepdaughter, Janis Marie Morrow of Delton; one sister, Neida Lamb of Huntsville; and one granddaughter, 11 step-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Kyle Davis
GERALDINE - Kyle Davis, 78, died Thursday at an area hospital. A graveside service will be today at 3 p.m. at New Canaan Cemetery in Whitten with W.T. Wilson Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Illa Jay Critcher Davis; two daughters, Dawn Kay Davis of Geraldine and Stella Elizabeth Sanchez; two sons, Jeffery Kyle Davis and Dustin Ray Davis, both of Geraldine; one sister, Flora Mae Jenkins of Albertville; and one brother, Louie Davis of Smyrna, Ga.
Edna H. Drake
MERIDIANVILLE - Edna Harwell Drake, 82, died Friday at her home. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home with the Revs. David Hammond and Jason Strong officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Drake attended North Hills Presbyterian Church and was a lifelong resident of Madison County. She was preceded in death by her husband, Luther Drake.
Survivors include one daughter, Carolyn Drake Thomas of Meridianville; one sister, Frances H. Reynolds of Huntsville; one granddaughter; and two great-granddaughters.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the North Hills Presbyterian Church building fund.
Roy S. Godfrey
Roy Steven Godfrey, 46, of Huntsville died Thursday at his residence. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce arrangements.
Mr. Godfrey was employed by TVA.
Survivors include his parents, Roy and Barbara Godfrey of Huntsville; two sisters, Pam Lloyd and Jan Lee, both of Huntsville; two brothers, Rick Godfrey and David Godfrey, both of Huntsville; and several nieces and nephews.
Betty Goodson
LACEYS SPRING - Betty Jeanette Goodson, 69, of Laceys Spring, died Friday at a Hartselle hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Roselawn Funeral Home in Decatur with the Rev. Eldridge Crisco officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Goodson was a native of Limestone County.
Survivors include her husband, Felton Goodson; two sons, Ralph Goodson of Laceys Spring and Mike Goodson of Morgan City; three sisters, Ann Nugent of Geraldine, Wanda Hanson of Van Nuys, Calif. and Carolyn Zahan of California; three brothers, Charles Berryman of Morton, Ill., Douglas Berryman of Peoria, Ill. and Henry Berryman of Oklahoma; one grandchild.
Samuel Kilpatrick
HAZEL GREEN - Samuel Kilpatrick, 86, died Friday in Toney. The funeral will be Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Plainview Church of Christ with Tommy Rosenblum, Wayne Kilpatrick, Rex Kilpatrick and Larry Kilpatrick officiating.
Burial will be in Plainview Cemetery with Gallant Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Kilpatrick was a native of Madison County. He was a retired carpenter and a member of the Plainview Church of Christ.
Survivors include his wife, Velma Powell Kilpatrick; one daughter, Nelta Jo Hicks of Toney; five sons, Roy Kilpatrick of Fayetteville, Wayne Kilpatrick of Birmingham, Rex Kilpatrick of Macon, Miss., Larry Kilpatrick of Tuscumbia and Dale Kilpatrick of Lawrenceville, Ga.; one sister, Iva Derrick of Scottsboro; four brothers, Laymon Kilpatrick, Fred Kilpatrick, Lewis Kilpatrick and Leon Kilpatrick, all of Huntsville; 17 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation with the family will be today from 8 to 9 p.m. at the church. The body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Larry A. King
Larry A. King, 57, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Kerby Funeral Home in Henagar with the Revs. Rodney Hammonds and Ronald Roberts officiating.
Burial will be in New Home Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Linda King; two daughters, Kristi Ivey and Jennifer Headrick, both of Pisgah; one son, Jamie King of Pisgah; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 2 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Connie Leak
Connie Leak, 84, of Huntsville died Thursday at her home. The funeral will be today at 11 a.m. at Gober Funeral Home in Arab.
Burial will be in New Canaan Cemetery.
Survivors include one daughter, Bobbie Gore of Huntsville; three sisters, Vesper Heard and Mossie Bartlett, both of Boaz, and Katherine Levy of Georgia; one brother, Claudis Vaughn of Gadsden; and two grandchildren.
Arbia McLin
ATHENS - Arbia Lee Thompson McLin, 70, died Thursday at an Athens hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 1 p.m. at Soloman Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Tanner.
Burial will be in ThompsonCemetery in Tanner with Mason Funeral Home in Athens in charge.
Survivors include three sons, Milton McLin, Larry McLin and Donnell McLin, all of Athens; four daughters, Dorothy Hobbs, Barbara McLin, Lillie McLin and Joycelyn McLin, all of Athens; and her mother, Mazzie Thompson of Tanner.
The body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Lee W. Reavis
Lee Wilson Reavis, 82, of Huntsville died Friday at home. Spry Funeral Home will announce arrangements.
Mr. Reavis was a lifelong resident of Madison County. He was retired from civil service, World War II veteran and a member of the West Huntsville Church of Christ.
Survivors include his wife, Ellen M. Reavis; one son, Nelson Reavis of Fayetteville; one sister, Evalena Spurlock of Fayetteville; and one granddaughter.
Ben W. Sanford
SCOTTSBORO - Ben Willis Sanford, 88, of Scottsboro died Thursday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 2 p.m. at the Broad Street Church of Christ with Harold Wells officiating.
Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemtery in Scottsboro with Rudder Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Sanford was the first black man to serve on the Scottsboro City Council. During his four years on the council, Mr. Sanford served as chaplain.
He also worked to establish the Ben Sanford Community Center for children and elderly citizens in the North Scottsboro community.
Mr. Sanford was a retired finisher and an Army veteran.
Survivors include two sisters, Mary Abernathy of Scottsboro and Susie Davis of Birmingham; two brothers, John Sanford of Washington, D.C., and Samuel Sanford of Detroit; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Sunday from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Broad Street Church of Christ.
Mildred B. Shrader
VALLEY HEAD - Mildred Beatrice Shrader, 75, died Thursday at an area hospital. The funeral will be today at 11 a.m. at High Point Church of God with Rev. Larry Haynes officiating.
Burial will be in New Home Cemetery with W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel in charge.
Survivors include four daughters, Freda Hester, Maxine Hicks and Kathy Gass, all of Valley Head, and Barbara Ellis of Florida; two sons, Charles W. Shrader and Alvin Richard Shrader, both of Valley Head; 17 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Rayford H. Wright
SCOTTSBORO - Rayford H. Wright, 73, of Scottsboro died Thursday at his home. The funeral will be today at 1 p.m. at the Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Revs. Emily Penfield and J.A. Linville officiating.
Burial will be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood.
Mr. Wright was a member of the Langston United Methodist Church and a World War II veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Maxine Jarnagin Wright; one son, William Ray ''Bill Wright of Scottsboro; one sister, Christine Thompson of Langston; and one grandson.
