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.
Mary G. Battles
BOAZ - Mary G. Battles, 89, of 718 Stephens St. died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral was today at 10 a.m. at Christ Episcopal Church in Albertville.
Burial was in Marshall Memorial Garden with Carr Funeral Home of Boaz in charge.
Survivors include two sons, Thomas Battles of Guntersville and Craig Battles of Birmingham; one brother, Graydon Maple of California; and one grandchild.
Nova Bearden
GERALDINE - Nova Bearden, 88, died Wednesday. The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Poplar Springs Baptist Church with the Revs. Bobby Darnell, Gene Lambert and LeWayne Levans officiating.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with Rainsville Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Bearden was a member of Poplar Springs Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Bearden; one daughter, Grace Bearden; and one son, Jimmy Bearden.
Survivors include one daughter, Thelma Westray of Geraldine; two sisters, Sybil Bearden and Ruth Fowler, both of Geraldine; and seven grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today at 4:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Bettie Sexton Beatty
Mrs. Bettie Sexton Beatty, 80, of Madison died Monday at her home. The Memorial Service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Matthews Episcopal Church with Father Paul Bailey officiating with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Beatty was a native of Lexington, Ky., and lived in the Huntsville/Madison area for 23 years. She was a registered nurse and graduated from the University of Kentucky. She was active in local garden clubs and has been a member of both Church of the Nativity and St. Matthews Episcopal Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Prestiss Beatty Jr.
Survivors include one daughter, Norma Potts Burch of Fort Myers, Fla.; two sons, Prestiss C. Beatty III of Madison and Robert Michael Beatty of North Kingstown, R.I.; four grandsons, Robert Michael Beatty, Richard "Scott" Beatty, Mathew James Beatty and Michael Burch; and two granddaughters, Sarah Katherine Beatty and Patricia Burch.
Ada C. Bellomy
SCOTTSBORO - Ada C. Bellomy, 78, died Friday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. J.D. Golden officiating.
Burial will be in Liberty Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Claude Bellomy; three daughters, Doris Bellomy and Mildred Nordman, both of Huntsville, and Carolyn Wigington of Cary, N.C.; two sisters, Daisy McCrary of Scottsboro and Elizabeth Fuller of Kennesaw, Ga.; one brother, Dewey Cornelison of Scottsboro; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Thomas G. Bradford
SCOTTSBORO - Thomas Gurlen ''Shorty Bradford, 72, died Wednesday at a Scottsboro hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Price Cemetery.
Mr. Bradford, a native of Jackson County, was a member of Hollywood Masonic Lodge No. 882 and Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter No. 6073. He was a Baptist.
Survivors include his wife, Edith Shrader Bradford; one son, Thomas ''Thom Bradford of Scottsboro; two sisters, Chlo Shrader of Wannville and Clara Coppage of Birmingham; one brother, Ray Bradford of Wannville; and four grandchildren.
Annie H. Brooks
ALBERTVILLE - Annie Hall Brooks, 84, died Tuesday at a Marshall County hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Albertville with the Revs. Wayne Graham, Henry J. Golson and Eric Martin officiating.
Burial will be in Marshall Memory Gardens with Albertville Funeral Home in charge.
She was a member of First Methodist Church of Albertville 58 years and was preceded in death by her husband, Jim Brooks.
Survivors include three daughters, Gail Pruitt of Huntsville, Rebekah Guice of Stockbridge, Ga., and Hope Martin of Memphis, Tenn.; and six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Catherine G. Byars
Catherine Gerry Byars, 49, of Huntsville died Saturday at a local hospital. There will be a private funeral, with Spry Funeral Home is in charge of burial arrangements.
Mrs. Byars was a native of Illinois and had lived in Huntsville most of her life.
Survivors include her husband, Thomas R. Byars of Huntsville; one son, Charlie Byars of Huntsville; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Alexander of Redman, Wash.; three brothers, Bob Alexander, Frank Alexander and Hugh Alexander, all of Washington; and one grandchild.
Polly Cook
ALBERTVILLE - Polly Cook, 86, of 134 First St. died Tuesday at her home. The funeral will be Friday at 10:30 a.m. at Antioch Baptist Church.
Burial will be in New Prospect Cemetery in Rockmart, Ga., with Adams Funeral Home of Albertville in charge.
Survivors include her husband, Rev. Raymond Cook; two sons, Raymond Cook Jr. and Bobby Cook, both of Georgia; and five grandchildren.
Jessie P. Fondren
HAZEL GREEN - Jessie Palmer Fondren, 83, died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 4 p.m. at New Sharon Church of God with the Rev. Ron Johnson officiating.
Burial will be in New Sharon Cemetery with Gallant Funeral Home in Hazel Green in charge.
Mrs. Fondren was a native of Hale County and was a lunch room cook for Morgan County schools.
Survivors include five daughters, Iris June Moss of Selma, Linda Jean Holland of Toney, Ressie Tidmore of Trafford, Sherrie Bagsby of Hazel Green and Melba Hurst of Huntsville; three sons, William Fondren of Green sboro, John Fondren of Trafford and Randall Fondren of Hazel Green ; and 33 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Her body will be at the church three hours before the funeral.
Bernice S. Forbes
ARDMORE, Tenn. - Bernice Storey Forbes, 84, of Austin Street died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Taylor-Ardmore Funeral Home with the Revs. Stanley Hartman and Bruce Walters officiating.
Burial will be in Blanche Cemetery in Blanche, Tenn.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cowan Forbes.
Survivors include one daughter, Nancy Mitchell of Ardmore, Tenn.; and two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Ardmore First United Methodist Church.
James W. Goosby
MAYSVILLE - James Walter Goosby, 78, died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Tim Orbison officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens.
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.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Claude Hight
ATHENS - Claude ''Mickey Hight, 70, of Choctaw Lane died Tuesday at his home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Carl Witty and Patrick Lawrence officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mr. Hight was a veteran of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force and the owner of Hights Mini Mart for 30 years.
Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth ''Pollie Hughes Hight; two daughters, Shelia Cornett and Regina Rager, both of Athens; two sisters, Velma Allen of California and Dena Eaton of Cleveland; two brothers, Ewin Hight of Cleveland and Gene Hight of Wisconsin; and one grandson and several nieces and nephews.
Lennie S. Holmes
Lennie Smith Holmes, 95, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a Pell City nursing home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Chapel with the Rev. Harold Ritchey and the Rev. Ronald W. Boulware officiating.
Burial will be Huntsville Memory Gardens with Laughlin Service Funeral Home 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.; and nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home.
Clara Lanza
FORT OGLETHORPE, Ga. - Clara Mae Lacy Lanza, 85, died Wednesday at a Georgia nursing home. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Huntsville Memory Gardens.
W.L. Wilson Funeral Home in Fort Oglethorpe is in charge of burial.
She was a native of Huntsville and was preceded in death by her husand, Jasper Caruso Lanza Sr.
Survivors include three sons, J.C. Lanza Jr. of Atlanta, Robert M. Lanza of Chattanooga and Donald L. Lanza of Knoxville; and nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.
Lucy B. Lehman
PAINT ROCK - Lucy Branum Lehman, 91, died Wednesday at a Huntsville hosiptal. A graveside service will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Paint Rock Cemetery with Scottsboro Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include a niece, Lucy Odell Kelly of West Monroe, La.; two nephews, Joe J. Branum and Tom Branum, both of Huntsville; and two cousins, Lucille Page and Odell Kennamer, both of Paint Rock.
Eria McAnally
Eria McAnally, 78, of Madison died Wednesday at her home. The funeral will be announced later by Spry Funeral Home.
Mrs. McAnally was a member of the Holiness Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dewey Austin McAnally.
Clara F. Miller
CULLMAN - Clara Faye Miller, 72, of 403 Cobb Ave. died Wednesday at an area hospital. The funeral wil be Friday at 2 p.m. at Williams-McCracken Funeral Home in Cullman.
Burial will be in Good Hope Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, James M. Miller of Cullman; two sons, Larry Miller of Huntsville and Phillip Miller of Cullman; one daughter, Sandra Leonard of Cullman; one brother, Alvin Burrow of Shelby County; two sisters, Montez Gathright of Jacksonville, Fla., and Katherine Houston of Birmingham; and 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mattie L. Parker
Mattie Lee Parker, 66, of Huntsville died Sunday at her home. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Triana Seventh-day Adventist Church with Pastor James Melancon officiating.
Burial will be in Royal Cemetery with Nelms Memorial Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include six daughters, Mary Ann Parker, Minnie Warren and Cotina Parker, all of Huntsville, Linda Parker and Earnestine Parker, both of Triana, and Annette Parker of Madison; four sons, James Parker of Huntsville, and Willie Parker, George Parker and Stanley Parker, all of Triana; two sisters, Tometta Rice and Earline Davis, both of Huntsville; one brother, Harvey Gideon of Little Rock, Ill.; and 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Lida E. Porter
Lida Elliott Porter of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at The Church of The Nativity with Dr. Roderic L. Murray and the Rev. Kerry Holder officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include two sons, James Herrin Porter III of Montgomery and William Drake Porter of Birmingham; her mother, Mrs. Lester Sparks of Huntsville; one sister, Mrs. J. Donald Lewter of Huntsville; one brother, Alton D. Elliott Jr. of Guntersville; and one granddaughter.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 1516 Toney Drive in Huntsville.
Memorials may be made to Reach to Recovery in care of The American Cancer Society 3000 Bob Wallace Ave. SW Huntsville, Ala. 35805.
Warren Scarbrough Sr.
WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Warren Wiber Scarbrough Sr., 75, died Tuesday at Potomac Hospital. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
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 veteran of 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.
Ruby T. Spiceland
TAFT, Tenn. - Ruby Thompson Spiceland, 77, of 291 Henry Thompson Road died Wednesday at a Lincoln County nursing home. The graveside service was to be today at 4 p.m. at Blanche Cemetery with the Rev. Claud Hunsucker Jr. officiating.
Higgins Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Mrs. Spiceland was a native of Lincoln County and had worked for Allied Bearings in Nashville. She was also a Methodist.
Survivors include one niece, Kay Derkson of Taft; and two nephews, Mervyn Thompson of Hendersonville and Fred Thompson of Fayetteville.
Roy A. Talley
NEW MARKET - Roy A. Talley, 84, of Greenville Pike died Tuesday at his home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Gallant Funeral Home chapel in Hazel Green with the Revs. Odie Hunter and Harold Tipton officiating.
Burial will be in Plainview Cemetery.
Mr. Talley was a native of Van Buren County, Tenn., a U.S. Army veteran and a retired carpenter for Wallace Bros. Construction Co.
Survivors include his wife, Mildred Irene Talley of New Market; four daughters, Faye Rigsby of Wartrace, Tenn., Hilda Moody of Huntsville, Patricia Davidson of Trinity and Sherry Cox of Toney; one son, Ronald Talley of Meridianville; and 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Robert Varner
FORT PAYNE - Robert ''Bob Varner, 63, died Tuesday at his home. A graveside service will be Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Mountain View Memory Gardens in Rainsville with Rainsville Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Pamela Dempsey; three daughters, Debbie Batemon of Las Vegas, Donna Halfhill of Clarksville, Tenn., and Diana Savill of San Diego, Calif.; two sons, Duane Varner of San Diego and Jared Winkles of Fort Payne; two sisters, Marguerite Riley of Oregon and Dorothy Varner of California; one brother, Ralph Varner of Vacaville, Calif.; and seven grandchildren.
Minnie S. White
ABERDEEN, Miss. - Minnie Shivers White died Wednesday in Huntsville. Westbrook Funeral Home in Aberdeen will announce funeral arrangements.
Survivors include two daughters, Lady Shivers Tucker of Huntsville and Melba Shivers Johnson of Detroit; and seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Lawrence J. Wilson
Lawrence James Wilson, 63, of Huntsville died Thursday at a South Pittsburg, Tenn., nursing home. The funeral will be Thursday at noon at Douglas Tabernacle Primitive Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert Rogers officiating.
Burial will be in St. James Cemetery with Nelmes Memorial Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his mother, Rebecca Wilson of Huntsville; two sisters, Mary Bell Wilson of Huntsville and Henrietta Scott of Boston, Mass.; one brother, Isaac James Wilson of Huntsville; two daughters, Gwendolyn Bailey of Atlanta and Marilyn Curry of Huntsville; and three grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
