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.
Charles E. Claxton
NEW HOPE - Charles E. Claxton, 64, of 102 Mungenast Lane died Thursday at his home. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Nave Funeral Home chapel in Erin, Tenn.
Burial will be in Scotts Chapel Cemetery in Cumberland City, Tenn.
Survivors include his wife, Sarah Claxton of New Hope; two daughters, Jeanette Bates of Huntsville and Cathy Guerin of New Hope; three sons, Donald Claxton of Missouri, Jeffery Claxton of Washington and Ronald Claxton of Texas; two sisters, Earline Proctor of Tennessee and Rose Pulley of Kentucky; two brothers, James Claxton and Orman Claxton, both of Washington; and 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Bill Coburn
GRANT - Bill Coburn, 93, died Wednesday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Oak Grove Holiness Church with the Rev. Charles Willmon and the Rev. Alton Willmon officiating.
Burial was to be in Gunters Mountain Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include five daughters, Imogene Holcomb, Mary Pearl Headrick, Devon Cameron, Doris Coburn and Helen Weaver, all of Grant; one son, James Coburn of Grant; 15 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Doris Cole
Doris Cole, 44, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Lon Ostrzycki officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Miss Cole worked for the RDTE at Redstone Arsenal 18 years and had worked seven years at the Madison County Courthouse data processing center.
Survivors include her parents, Billy and Terry Cole of Huntsville; and her fiance, Jimmy Brewer of Albertville.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Elmo Daniel
SCOTTSBORO - Elmo Daniel, 85, died Thursday. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Don Page, the Rev. Jerry Gentle and the Rev. Dwight Everett officiating.
Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Scottsboro.
Mrs. Daniel was preceded in death by her husband, John Daniel; and one daughter, Billie Staton Rousseau.
Survivors include three daughters, Evelyn Borst of Chattanooga, Faye Taylor of Huntsville and Frances Page of Woodville; one sister, Audrey Baugh of Albertville; and eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Bessie M. Davis
Bessie Mae Davis, 86, of Huntsville died Monday at an Ardmore, Tenn., nursing home. The funeral was Thursday at 2 p.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with Donald Ramey and Ron Williams officiating.
Spry Funeral Home was in charge of burial.
Mrs. Davis was a native of McMinnville, Tenn., and had lived in Huntsville most her life. She was a retired Huntsville Hospital licensed practical nurse and a member of Lincoln Church of Christ.
Survivors include two nieces, Betty Sue Bynum Simeon of Mechanicsburg, Pa., and Juanita Troupe Coleson of North Carolina; and one nephew, Owen Walker of Guntersville.
Lillian F. Fairbanks
SCOTTSBORO - Lillian Forestine Roberts Fairbanks, 69, died Wednesday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Kerby Funeral Home in Henagar.
Burial will be in Friendship Cemetery in Pisgah.
Survivors include three sons, Roland Fairbanks of Grant, Doyle Fairbanks of Pisgah and Dwight Fairbanks of Henagar; her mother, Ida Woods Roberts of Pisgah; three sisters, Nina Fowler of Bryant, Molene Craze of Stevenson and Kelsey Wilbanks of Chattanooga; and four grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Verlon E. Fowler
ARDMORE, Tenn. - Verlon Eugene Fowler, 68, of Ardmore Highway died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Taylor-Ardmore Funeral Home chapel with Bro. Marty Bearden officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens.
Mr. Fowler was a member of the American Legion, retired from the Navy and was a native of Crossville.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby M. Fowler of Ardmore, Tenn.; three sons, Harold Fowler of Harvest, Russell T. Fowler of Ardmore, Tenn., and Michael Fowler of Hazel Green ; one daughter, Janet Dempsey of Gurley; one brother, Harvie L. Fowler of Decatur; and seven grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Daniel R. Graham
Daniel R. Graham, 22, of Huntsville died Sunday. A private memorial service will be held Saturday at his home.
Mr. Graham was a native of Huntsville. He was a student, writer and artist.
Survivors include his parents, Jean and George Graham of Huntsville; one brother, Jason Graham of New Orleans; three grandparents, Virginia Reese of Fayetteville, Tenn., and Jaunita and George Daniel Graham of Hooks, Texas
Mary W. Hall
SCOTTSBORO - Mary Wooden Hall, 94, died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Scottsboro Church of God with the Rev. J.D. Golden officiating.
Burial will be in Goosepond Cemetery with Scottsboro Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Hall was preceded in death by her husband, Sol Hall; two daughters, Gracie Selby and Vivian Bohannon; two sons, Robert Wooden and Grady Wooden.
Survivors include two sons, Charlie Wooden of Scottsboro and Sam Wooden of Arab; four stepdaughters, Opal Crews of Madison, Wilma Putt of Cleveland, Tenn., and Aleene Hall and Elizabeth McAllister, both of Huntsville; three stepsons, Hershell Hall of Steger, Ill., Harmon Hall of La Porte, Texas, and Ray Hall of Madison; and 13 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren; and several step-grandchildren and step great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Roy J. Hicks
BOAZ - Roy Junior Hicks, 67, of 501 Henderson Road died Wednesday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in New Home Cemetery in Henagar.
Survivors include three sisters, Inez Loyd and Eva Beck, both of Collinsville, and Stella Allen of Leesburg; and three brothers, Cecil Hicks of Kilpatrick and Paul Hicks and Grady Hicks, both of Collinsville.
Mary D. Jackson
LACEYS SPRING - Mary D. Jackson, 87, died Wednesday at a Decatur hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was in Highland Baptist Church Cemetery.
Survivors include one daughter, Joyce Pence of Decatur; one son, Donald Jackson of Laceys Spring; two half-sisters, Doris Steadham and Johnnie M. Dean, both of Laceys Spring; two half-brothers, L.D. Free and D.L. Free, both of Huntsville; and three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Toni R. Knight
Toni Renee Knight, 31, of Huntsville died Feb. 21 at a local hospital. The memorial service will be Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. at the UAB School of Medicine Huntsville Campus in the Clinical Science Center Student Lecture Hall.
Dr. Knight was a native of Tarboro, N.C., and received a medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was a family practice resident at the UAB School of Medicine in Huntsville.
Survivors include her mother, Peggy Knight of Tarboro; her father, Willard Leroy Knight of Washington D.C.; one brother, Andre Knight of Tarboro; one grandmother, Georgeianna Knight of Tarboro; several nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.
Donations may be made to Sickle Cell Foundation.
Gonzalo Martinez
Gonzalo "Marty" Martinez, 58, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at noon at Valhalla Funeral Home with Chaplain Lt. Col. Michael Travaglione officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Martinez retired from the Army and had served in the Vietnam War. He worked at Redstone Arsenal, was former president of the Community Watch Association and attended Bicentennial Chapel at Redstone Arsenal.
Survivors include his wife, Jutta Martinez of Huntsville; his mother, Maria Inez Martinez of Los Angeles; four daughters, Angelique Mohandes-Tarighi of Metuchen, N.J., Silke Maria Martinez of Huntsville and Rosa Martinez and Doris Martinez, both of El Paso, Texas; two sons, Joshua Martinez of Huntsville and Gonzalo Martinez Jr. of Austin, Texas; one sister, Lucy Martinez of Los Angeles; two brothers, Aberlado Martinez and Ruben Martinez, both of Los Angeles; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Willie Ratliff
ATHENS - Willie Ratliff, 65, of 104 McCline St. died Wednesday. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church in Green brier with the Rev. Joe Cato officiating.
Burial will be in Ragland Cemetery with Mason Funeral Home in Athens in charge.
Survivors include three sons, Ronnie Ratliff, Larry Ratliff and Trancine Ratliff, all of Athens; four daughters, Willia Mae Ratliff of Huntsville, Cathy Caldwell of Athens, Ida Marie Randolph of Augusta, Ga., and Emma Handcock of Athens; one brother, Bennie Lee Ratliff of Athens; three sisters, Annie Pearl Rice of Athens and Dorothea Ratliff and Bertha Ratliff, both of Huntsville; and six grandchildren.
Judy C. Sanders
BOAZ - Judy Carol Sanders, 27, of 1595 Sligo Road died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today 3 p.m. at Union FCM Church.
Burial was to be in the adjoining cemetery with Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one son, Colin Standfield of Albertville; parents, George and Patsy Sanders of Boaz; one sister, Michelle Berry of Boaz; one brother, Steven Sanders of Boaz; grandparents, Ed and Doris Copeland and Ruth Sanders, all of Boaz; and great-grandmother, Shirley Thomas of Boaz.
Kenneth Selvage
NEW HOPE - Kenneth Selvage, 68, of 858 Albert Mann Road died Friday, Feb. 26, at his home. New Hope Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Oscar O. Smith Sr.
Oscar ONeal Smith Sr., 79, of 3410-A Venona Ave. in Huntsville died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Owens Chapel Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Lawrence Sandifer officiating.
Burial will be in Meadowlawn Garden of Peace with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Bettie Smith of Huntsville; eight daughters, Betty Cooper, Jean Howard, Mary Smith, Linda Smith, Annie Smith, Wanda Carter and Cora Moore, all of Huntsville, and Elizabeth King of Chattanooga; five sons, Howard Smith, William Smith, James Smith and Walter Smith, all of Huntsville, and Oscar ONeal Smith Jr. of Chattanooga, Tenn.; one sister, Valma Crutcher of Huntsville; three brothers, James Smith, Earl Smith and Walter Smith, all of Huntsville; and 24 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Mary Swearengin
WOODVILLE - Mary Swearengin, 79, died Wednesday at her home. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Rudder Funeral Home with the Rev. Aubrey Pockrus officiating. Burial was to be in Mapelwood Cemetery in Durham, N.C.
Mrs. Swearengin was a member of Angier Avenue Baptist Church in Durham, N.C., and was a retired clerk at Hammers Store.
Survivors include one daughter, Marie Cross of Durham; two sons, Don Swearengin of Kernersville, N.C., and Fred Swearengin of Woodville; one sister, Elsie Price of Durham; one brother, John Lewis Marcom of Durham; and three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice.
Pearlie M. Tatum
DETROIT - Pearlie Mae Tatum, 70, died Feb. 26 in Detroit. The funeral will be Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Royal Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Silas Walter Sr. officiating.
Burial will be in Northside Cemetery.
Survivors include one daughter, Wanda Whitaker of Detroit; one son, Dannie Washington of Detroit; two sisters, Mildred Walters of Huntsville and Margaret Johnson of Detroit; one brother, Fred Tatum of Huntsville; and seven grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
