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.
Willie Bolling
GADSDEN - Mrs. Willie Bolling, 87, died Monday. The funeral will be Thursday at 3 p.m. at Crestwood Chapel with Bros. Ray Harris and Junior Madrie and Irene Lindsey officiating.
Burial will be in Rainbow Memorial Cemetery with Crestwood Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Bolling was a member of the Baptist faith.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Phillip Bolling.
Surviors include one sister, Lee Nelson of Chula Vista, Calif.; one brother, Billy Gibson of Huntsville; and several nieces and nephews.
Pat Carroll
SCOTTSBORO - Pat Carroll, 67, died Monday at his home. A private memorial service will be held soon in Wilmington, N.C.
Survivors include two daughters, Terry Gross of Scottsboro and Mary Wood of Lynchburg, Va.; one sister, Jessie Klutz of Rocky Mount, N.C.; and three grandchildren.
Ovalee L. Cox
PISGAH - Ovalee L. Chadwick Cox, 74, died Monday at a Fort Payne hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Kerby Funeral Home in Henagar with the Revs. Rodney Hammonds and Phillip Webb officiating.
Burial was to be in Fuller Cemetery in Ider.
Mrs. Cox was preceded in death by her husband, Ira Lee Cox.
Survivors include two daughters, Barbara Lawson of Flat Rock and Sheila Bounds of Pisgah; one sister, Dinzie Meeks of Pisgah; one brother, Garland Chadwick of Pisgah; and one grandchild, one great-grandchild and several step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.
Anna J. Floyd
BOAZ - Anna Jean Floyd, 69, of 24 Miller Lane, died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Forrest Home Methodist Church.
Burial was to be in the adjoining cemetery with Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
She was preceded in death by one son, Allan Floyd.
Survivors include her husband, W.C. Floyd; one sister, Gail Carnes of Albertville; and five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Jessie P. Fondren
HAZEL GREEN - Jessie P. Fondren, 83, died Tuesday at a local hospital. Gallant Funeral Home in Hazel Green will announce funeral arrangements.
James Walter Goosby
MAYSVILLE - James Walter Goosby, 78, died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be announced; Spry Funeral Home is in charge.
Mr. Goosby was a lifelong resident of Madison County. A veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict, he retired as a senior master sergeant from the U.S. Air Force with 25 years of service.
Survivors include his wife, Annie Ruth Goosby of Maysville; one daughter, June Bailey of Valencia, Calif.; three sisters, Margie Grant and Sharon Gangloff both of Bay Shore, N.Y., and Betty Radley of Newark, Ohio; two grandchildren, Teri Skier and Martin Bailey both of Valencia, Calif.; and two great-grandchildren.
Christine Griffin
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Christine Ann Marie Griffin, 21, died Monday at her home. The funeral was today at 10 a.m. at Prattville Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Glen Brock officiating.
Ms. Griffin was formerly of Huntsville and was studying botany at the University of Georgia.
Survivors include her mother, Patricia Brown Griffin of Huntsville; her father, Thomas Griffin of Fort Worth, Texas; her grandmother, Fran Brown of Prattville; and several other relatives.
Parthina Hayes
UNION GROVE - Parthina Hayes, 78, of 10581 Union Grove Road died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Mount Olive Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Joseph Hayes; three sons, Olen Hayes of South Carolina, Leon Hayes of Huntsville and L.C. Hayes of Union Grove; one sister, Eula Kyle of Union Grove; two brothers, Billy W. Wray of Union Grove and Lewis Gullion of Arab; and four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 3:30 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Claude T. Hight
ATHENS - Claude T. Hight, 70, of Choctaw Lane died Tuesday at his home. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Spry Funeral Home of Athens.
John P. Hodges Jr.
HARTSELLE - John Pruitt Hodges Jr., 86, of 805 High St. died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home with the Revs. Don Rice and Jimmy Legg officiating.
Burial was to be in Hartselle Memory Gardens.
Mr. Hodges was a deacon and trustee of First Christian Church, worked for the NC&S&L Railroad in Nashville, a construction company in Venezuela, owned Service Cleaners here and was the son of the late John Pruitt Hodges Sr., who served two terms as mayor of Hartselle, and the late Nannie Hodges.
Survivors include his wife, Juanita Hatcher Hodges; one daughter, June Hodges Woods of New Market; one son, John Gary Hodges of Hueytown; one sister, Ruby Owen of Concord, N.H.; and two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Lennie Smith Holmes
Mrs. Lennie Smith Holmes, 95, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a Pell City nursing facility. The funeral will be announced; Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge.
Mrs. Holmes was a resident of Huntsville for 71 years. She was a charter member of Hillsboro Heights Baptist Church and Sunday School teacher there for many years.
Survivors include her husband, Clarence H. Holmes Sr.; two daughters, Doris H. Brown of Huntsville and Janice H. Boyd of Fayetteville, Ga.; one son, Clarence H. Holmes Jr. of Talladega; two brothers, Elbert Smith of Chickasaw and Harvey L. Smith of Tunnel Hill, Ga.; nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Walter Keimer
GUNTERSVILLE - Walter Keimer, 66, of 4121 Morrow St. died Saturday at his home. A memorial service will be Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville.
Survivors include one daughter, Heidi Katherman of China; one son, Stanley Keimer of Connecticut; two brothers, Willie Keimer and Werner Keimer, both of Switzerland; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be Thursday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.
Grady L. Keith
FORT PAYNE - Grady Lee Keith, 72, died Monday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Rainsville Funeral Home with the Revs. Martin Sharp and Paul Watkins officiating.
Burial was to be in Adamsburg Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret Ann Walker Keith; two daughters, Annie Varner and Revonda Dukes, both of Fort Payne; two sisters, Grace Keith of Fort Payne and Faye Smith of Hartselle; and five grandchildren.
Lemmie T. Marion
ARAB - Lemmie Talmadge Marion, 86, of 1101 Mobbs School House Road died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at New Friendship Baptist Church.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with Gober Funeral Home of Arab in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Vollie Marion; two daughters, Mary R. Hyatt of Arab and Nelda Reed of Union Grove; three sons, Donnie L. Marion, Michael Marion and J.T. Marion, all of Arab; three stepdaughters, Dot Singleton, Edna Stafford and Cathie Wright, all of Arab; one brother, Gene Marion of Arab; one half-sister, Ioma Bright of Arab; two half-brothers, Thomas Marion and Pete Marion, both of Arab; two stepbrothers, S.C. Thompson of Texas and Collie Thompson of California; and 20 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
James H. Mullins
CROSSVILLE - James Herbert ''Hub Mullins, 71, of 248 County Road 1920 died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church.
Burial was to be in the adjoining cemetery with Carr Funeral Home of Boaz in charge.
Survivors include four sisters, Eloise Mullins and Betty Mullins, both of Crossville, Louise Morton of Glencoe and Sue Smith of Woodville.
Frank Osborne
Frank Osborne, 50, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. A memorial service was to be today at 2 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Glenn Courtney officiating.
Burial was to be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Osborne retired from Redstone Arsenal after 18 years and was a UAH engineering graduate.
Survivors include one daughter, Mandy Osborne of Auburn; two sons, Kevin Osborne of Metarie, La., and B.J. Osborne of Tuscaloosa; and his parents, Calvin and Enge Osborne of Lakeland, Fla.
Memorial donations may be made to the Frank Osborne Memorial Fund, 1125 Hobbs Place, Huntsville, 35802.
Elzie L. Robinson Jr.
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Elzie Leonard Robinson Jr., 74, of 315 Old Huntsville Road died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Bobby Bates officiating.
Burial will be in Prospect Cemetery.
Mr. Robinson was a native of Kentucky, a U.S. Army veteran and a retired employee of the City of Detroit.
Survivors include his wife, Julia Robinson of Fayetteville; three sons, Charles Robinson and James Robinson, both of Michigan, and Jerry Robinson of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; one brother, Elmer Robinson of New York; one sister, Ida Mae Hopkins of Kentucky; and seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today at 4 p.m. at the funeral home.
Clara T. Rucks
ROSSVILLE, Ga. - Clara Tedder Rucks, 95, died Tuesday in Chattanooga. The funeral will be Thursday at 3 p.m. at Mountain View Memorial Gardens with the Revs. Tim Ashley and Jim Griffin officiating.
W.T. Wilson Funeral Home in Rainsville is in charge of burial.
Mrs. Rucks was formerly of the Rainsville area.
Survivors include two daughters, Sarah White of Rossville and Gay Elrod of Wilcox, Ariz.; and four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Warren Scarbrough Sr.
WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Warren Wiber Scarbrough Sr., 75, died Tuesday at Potomac Hospital. The funeral will be announced; Spry Funeral Home is in charge.
Mr. Scarbrough was a native of Clanton, Ala., who had formerly lived in Huntsville. He retired from the Redstone Arsenal Fire Department with 30 years of service. He was a U.S. Army veteranof World War II.
Survivors include one daughter, Kathy Scarbrough, and one son, Warren W. Scarbrough Jr. both of Woodbridge; one sister, Betty Jo Stephens of Huntsville; and three grandchildren.
Joyce Schrimsher
GRANT - Mrs. Joyce Watts Schrimsher, 64, of 30381 U.S. Highway 431 died Tuesday at her home. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Guntersville Memorial Chapel with Bro. Barry Hallman officiating.
Burial will be in Walker Cemetery with Guntersville Memorial Chapel in charge of services.
Survivors include one daughter, Melissa Kay Preston, one son-in-law, Thurman Preston Jr., and one son, David Scott Schrimsher all of Grant; one sister, Dorothy Plesco of West Virginia; and one grandchild, Brandy Michelle Schrimsher.
Visitation will be today at 7 p.m.
Roy A. Talley
NEW MARKET - Roy A. Talley, 84, of Greenville Pike died Tuesday at his home. Gallant Funeral Home in Hazel Green will announce funeral arrangements.
David G. Whitten
TUSCUMBIA - David Glenn Whitten, 38, died Saturday. The fuenral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Colbert Memorial Chapel with L.D. Willis officiating.
Burial will be in Colbert Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Whitten worked at Chrsyler Corp. in Huntsville 16 years.
Survivors include his parents, David and Emogene Whitten of Tuscumbia; and several uncles, aunts and cousins.
Red Norvo
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Red Norvo, who performed with such greats as Charles Mingus and Frank Sinatra and is credited with introducing the xylophone to jazz, has died. He was 91.
Norvo died Tuesday at the Fireside Convalescent Home, grandson Aaron Corlin said.
"He was a fabulous man," Corlin said. "He was always thinking about music, it was his life. ... His position in jazz history says a lot for itself."
Born Kenneth Norville in Beardstown, Ill., he taught himself how to play piano and xylophone. By age 17, he was touring with a vaudeville show and later joined the Paul Ash Orchestra.
His last name changed to Norvo after Ash mispronounced it to a reporter and Norvos manager decided the shorter name was more fitting.
During Norvos tenure with Paul Whitemans Orchestra, which he joined in 1932, he met singer Mildred Bailey, whom he later married. By 1935, he formed his own sextet that played in clubs on New York Citys 52nd Street.
In subsequent years, Norvo and his wife, who were known as "Mr. and Mrs. Swing," formed several groups in New York and Chicago. Among their hits in the 1930s were "Rockin Chair," "Please Be Kind," "Says My Heart" and "Have You Forgotten So Soon?"
In 1943, he switched from xylophone to vibraphone, which he played almost exclusively for the rest of his career.
In 1945, Norvo joined the Benny Goodman orchestra, and a year later played with Woody Hermans orchestra.
He returned to leading his own small groups, forming a trio in 1950 that included Tal Farlow on guitar and Mingus on bass. He also toured and appeared on television with Sinatra. Norvo continued to perform through the early 1990s.
