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.
John Edward Birdwell
ROGERSVILLE - John Edward Birdwell, 84, of Rogersville, died Sunday at a Florence hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral home in Athens.
Burial will be in Romine Cemetery.
Mr. Birdwell was a member of Confluence Church of Christ and a retired farmer and service station operator.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Birdwell; one daughter, Joyce Butler of Rogersville; two sons, Edward Oneal Birdwell and Robert Earl Birdwell, both of Rogersville; three brothers, Phares Birdwell of Muscle Shoals, O.C. Birdwell and Lester Birdwell, both of Rogersville; eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Dowdey C. Collins
LANGSTON - Dowdey Condon Collins, 70, of 240 Onandada Circle died Friday at his home. The funeral was today at 9:30 a.m. at St. Williams Catholic Church in Guntersville.
Burial was in Langston Cemetery with Carr Funeral Home of Guntersville directing.
Survivors include his wife, Stephanie Collins; one daughter, Deborah Kobezak of Virginia; four sisters, Kate Moore of Nevada, Evaline Alred and Nellie Thomas, both of Georgia, and Vassie Little of Gadsden; four brothers, Paul Rhodes of South Carolina, Frank Collins of Gadsden, Edwin Collins of Texas and Billy Hardin of Georgia; and three grandchildren.
Larry Scott Dunn
HARTSELLE - Larry Scott Dunn, 30, of Hartselle died Friday at a Hartselle hospital. The funeral will be today at 3 p.m. at Mill Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Johnny Reed and the Rev. Jamie McMinn officiating.
Burial will be in Falkville City Cemetery with Peck Funeral Home directing.
Survivors include his wife, Teresa Dunn of Eva; one daughter, Jessica Vandiver of Addison; his biological father, Thurman McAbee of Madison; his mother and stepfather, Edna and Aubrey Turner of Falkville; his father by adoption, Ottis Dunn of Falkville; two sisters, Margie Bullard of Falkville and Shari Hayden of Huntsville; two brothers, Harold ''Buddy McAbee of Ardmore, Tenn., and Randy McAbee of Madison.
Ozella Fields
Ozella Fields, 76, of Huntsville died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Scott Gossett officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include three sons, Danny Fields of Huntsville, Steve Fields of Huntsville and Doyle Fields of Huntsville; three daughters, Debbie Irons of Huntsville, Carolyn Bruder of Huntsville and Barbara Schaltz of Colorado; one brother, Lawrence Creque of Michigan; three sisters, Margie Mathis of Toney, Odell Baldwin of Huntsville and Louise Paine of Huntsville; and six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation is today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Susie M. Gaston
LESTER - Susie Marie Gaston, 87, died Sunday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Mark Johnson and the Rev. Joe Quillen officiating.
Burial will be in New Salem Cemetery.
Mrs. Gaston was a member of Church of Christ.
She was preceded in death by her husband, T.C. Gaston and a daughter, Rachel G. Patterson.
Survivors include one son, David T. Gaston of Athens; one daughter, Mildred G. Thompson of Lester; two sisters, Eleanor Coggin of Lester and Lucille Tucker of Goodsprings, Tenn.; six grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Limestone County.
Mae Hill
RAINSVILLE - Mrs. Mae Hill, 91, of Rainsville died Friday at a Fort Payne hospital. The funeral was Sunday at the Liberty Congregational Methodist Church with the Revs. Buddy Jarmon, Charles Dixon and Wayne Killian officiating.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery.
Survivors include three daughters, Yvonne Bethune of Mayo, Fla., Ila Faye Hill of Poinsina, Fla., and Paulette Farmer of Fort Payne; six sons, Virgil Hill of Boaz, Willie Hill and Rev. Ertis Ray Hill, both of Dawson, K.V. Hill of Birmingham, Floyd Hill of Geraldine and J.N. Hill of Winterhaven, Fla.; one sister, Villa Jones of Fort Payne; 34 grandchildren, 62 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
Maurice Knighton Sr.
ARAB - Maurice Hugh Knighton Sr., 68, of 620 Knighton Road died Saturday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Gilliam Springs Baptist Church.
Burial was to be in the adjoining cemetery with Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing.
Survivors include his wife, Bernice Knighton; one daughter, Angela Cook of Arab; one son, Maurice H. Knighton Jr. of Arab; two sisters, Helen Boozer of Jacksonville and Jeweldan Weimer of Huntsville; and four grandchildren.
Mary Lou Kyle
ATHENS - Mary Lou Kyle, 73, of Athens died Saturday at her residence. The funeral will be today at 3 p.m. at ONeal Church of Christ with Randall Hammock officiating.
Burial will be in Limestone Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Kyle was a native of Limestone County, a member of ONeal Church of Christ and a homemaker.
Survivors include three daughters, Barbara Kyle, Linda Hobson and Brenda Kyle, all of Athens; two sisters, Doris Moore and Rebecca Emerson, both of Athens; seven brothers, Grady Barnett of Lester, Roy Barnett Jr. of Nashville, Bobby Barnett of Anderson, Allen Barnett, Horace Barnett, Mickey Barnett and Richard Barnett, all of Athens; four grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Mildred P.M. Reavis
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Mildred Pack Mills Reavis, 89, died Sunday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with Bro. Byron Laird and Bro. Bert Watkins officiating.
Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery with Higgins Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Reavis was a former employee of Elk Cotton Mills and member of Northside Church of Christ.
Survivors include one son, Wayne L. Mills of Fairfax, Va.; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mary P. Rice
CAMDEN, Ariz. - Mary Priscilla Rice, 74, died Friday at her home. The funeral was Sunday at Proctor Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Garland Skidmore officiating.
Burial was in Old Green wood Cemetery.
Survivors include her son, Jay Carlton John of Laceys Spring, Ala.; one brother, J.T. Burgett of Longview, Texas; her mother, Nell St. Vgine of Camden; one sister, Eloise Record of Hot Springs Village, Ariz.; and three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Virgil W. Roberson
BOAZ - Virgil W. Roberson, 76, of 40 South Main St. died Saturday in a Gadsden hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Boaz.
Burial was to be in Hillcrest Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Bobbie Roberson; one daughter, Dottie White of Boaz; three sisters, Della Thrasher of Boaz, Lillian Grant of California and Evelyn Brown of Cullman; one brother, Malcolm Roberson of Attalla; and one grandchild.
Ivan K. Roeske
Ivan Kenneth Roeske, 63, of Huntsville died Saturday. A memorial service is tonight at 8 p.m. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
Spry Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mr. Roeske was a native of Michigan.
Survivors include his wife, Nellie Roeske of Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.; two sons, Robert L. Roeske of Huntsville and Thomas Kenneth Roeske of Madison; one daughter, Judy Ann Bullock of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; three brothers, Al Roeske, Clyde Roeske and Earnie Roeske, all of Rogers City, Mich.; and eight grandchildren.
Eugene Russell
POWELL - Eugene Russell, 79, of Powell died Tuesday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at the Sand Mountain Funeral Home in Rainsville with the Revs. Gary Haymon and Melvin Dawson officiating.
Burial was to be in Robertson Chapel Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, LaRue Russell; cousin, Freddie Ray Jones of Fyffe; and special friends, Kelly and Nell Hicks of Rainsville and Max and Shelby Crawford of Fyffe.
Robert Sammons Sr.
Dr. Robert Ardell Sammons Sr., 77, of Huntsville died Saturday at his home. The funeral was today at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with Dr. William Bostick Jr. officiating.
Burial was in Maple Hill Cemetery with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Dr. Sammons was a graduate of the University of Tennessee Medical School. He was the first physician inducted into the Madison County Sports Hall of Fame. He did undergraduate work at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Sammons was a general practioner and surgeon from 1951 to 1991, and team physician for Butler High School from 1952 to 1967 and Huntsville High School 1967-1995. He was a physician preceptor for the University of Alabama in Huntsville School of Primary Medical Care. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, and past member of the Kiwanis Club. He was recently honored by Mayor Loretta Spencer on Dec. 10, 1998, with Robert A. Sammons Day.
Survivors include his wife, Jane Scobey Sammons of Huntsville; two daughters, Susan Sammons Sullins and Eula Sammons Battle, both of Huntsville; three sons, Robert A. Sammons Jr. of Grand Junction, Colo., and F. Calame Sammons and William W. Sammons, both of Huntsville, and nine grandchildren.
Visitation was Sunday evening.
Memorials may be made to the Robert A. Sammons Scholarship, c/o Steve Wilson, attorney, or Hospice Family Care.
Clarence J. Shelton
Clarence James Shelton, 80, of Huntsville died Saturday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Shelton was a native of Florence and a resident of Madison County for the past 68 years. He was also a U.S. Army veteran who served in World War II.
Survivors include two daughters, Cornelia Bearden of Huntsville and Nancy Vance of Decatur; two sons, Ken Shelton of Huntsville and Steve Shelton of Huntsville; one brother, Lewis Shelton of Huntsville; and four grandchildren.
Visitation is today from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Alma R. Stovall
ATHENS - Alma Rose Stovall, 78, died Sunday at her home. Limestone Chapel Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Milford Vernon
WOODVILLE - Milford Vernon, 71, of Woodville died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at the Scottsboro Funeral Home with Elder Darrell Chambers officiating.
Burial was to be in Union Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Marie Patterson Vernon; two sons, Marty Vernon and Mark Vernon, both of Woodville; and four granddaughters.
Roy T. Williams
BOAZ - Roy T. Williams, 79, of 7370 Leeth Gap Road died Saturday in a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Mount Zion Baptist Church.
Burial was to be in the adjoining cemetery with Carr Funeral Home of Boaz directing.
Survivors include his wife, Irene Williams; two sisters, Thelma Walker of Boaz and Idell Chambers of Albertville; and three brothers, Alvin Williams and Eljo Williams, both of Boaz, and Martin L. Williams Jr. of Indiana.
