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.
Verdie Bedingfield
ATHENS - Verdie Bedingfield, 87, of 1405 Coffman Drive died Monday at an Athens nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with Dr. Tim Driggers and Bro. Steve Atwood officiating.
Burial was to be in Mount Pisgah Cemetery.
Survivors include three sons, Douglas Bedingfield of Chattanooga, Billie Bedingfield of Jonesboro, Ark., and Ronald Bedingfield of Trinity; two daughters, Sherry Pirtle and Phyllis Bedingfield, both of Athens; and 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.
James L. Brown
SCOTTSBORO - James Luther Brown, 51, died Tuesday at a Scottsboro hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Pleasant View Cemetery.
Mr. Brown was a retired truck driver for Story Trucking.
Survivors include one son, Edward Brown of Pisgah; three brothers, Billy Brown of Chickamauga, Buck Brown of Pisgah and Paul Brown of Springville; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation was to be today from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
John L. Bryant
TAFT, Tenn. - John L. Bryant, 73, of Jones Road died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Taylor-Ardmore Funeral Home chapel with Bros. Al Rudolph and Dalton Warren officiating.
Burial was to be in Gatlin Cemetery.
Mr. Bryant was a member of Macedonia Baptist Church for more than 40 years, and was a deacon there for 17 years.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Bryant of Taft; one daughter, Elwanda McLemore of Taft; two sisters, Virginia Campbell of Ardmore, Tenn., and Robbie Hicks of Hazel Green ; and two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Bonnie J. Campbell
DECATUR - Bonnie Jack Campbell, 64, of 2308 Rosemont St. died Monday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be today at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home in Hartselle.
Burial will be in Somerville Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Ann Campbell; one daughter, Cindy Smith of Decatur; two sons, Larry Campbell and Sean Russell, both of Decatur; one brother, Robin Campbell of Decatur; and six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Watt Carter
HARTSELLE - Watt Carter, 57, died Tuesday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Ron Wilson officiating.
Burial will be in Hartselle City Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Peggy Carter of Hartselle; one son, Chuck Carter of Danville; one daughter, Audrea Carter of Decatur; one brother, Glen Carter of San Antonio, Texas; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Jessie L. Collins
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Jessie L. Collins, 66, of 20 West Prospect Road died Tuesday at his home. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Wayne Kimbrough and the Rev. Jeff Bennett officiating.
Burial will be in Malone Cemetery.
Mr. Collins was a native of Lincoln County, Tenn.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret Self Collins of Fayetteville; three daughters, Barbara Stephens and Sherry Moyers, both of Fayetteville, and Teresa Cothren of Ardmore, Tenn.; one sister, Arnel Mitchell of Cornersville; and six grandchildren.
Curtis Daniels
Curtis "Jake" Daniels, 69, of 2214 Beasley Ave. died Sunday at a Lawrenceburg, Tenn., hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at noon at Phillips CME Church with Dr. Willie N. Owens officiating.
Burial will be in Northside Cemetery with Nelms Memorial Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Daniels attended Alabama A&M High School and Councill Training School before serving in the U.S. Army during the 1950s.
Survivors include one daughter, Euthia Jean Watkins of Huntsville; four sisters, Cereather Hanks of Los Angeles and Carrie Langford, Mattie Thomas and Mary Samuels, all of Huntsville; one brother, R.D. Daniels of Chicago; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 7 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Grady P. Dawson
ELKMONT - Grady Paul Dawson, 73, died Tuesday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Pettusville Church of Christ with Bobby Ogles officiating.
Burial will be in Hodges Cemetery with McConnell Funeral Home of Athens in charge.
Survivors include one son, Jamie Dawson of Athens; and one stepson, Jordan McAnally of Athens.
Lillie B. Deerman
DUTTON - Lillie Beatrice Deerman, 91, died Monday at a Jackson County hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Nolan Ford officiating.
Burial was to be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery with Section Funeral Home in charge.
She was a member of the Dutton Quilting Club, the Order of the Eastern Star and Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Daniel W. Deerman, and one son, Daniel W. Deerman Jr.
Survivors include two sons, Kenneth Deerman of Huntsville and Woodson Deerman of Scottsboro; two daughters, Iva Lee Carpenter of Clifton, Tenn., and Reva Sue Reed of Louisville, Ky.; one sister, Bonnie Mountain; and eight grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
John M. Gardner
OXFORD, Ala. - John Mark Gardner, 38, of 3401 U.S. 78 West died Monday in Anniston. A memorial service was to be today at 1 p.m. at his home with the Rev. Karnig Kazanjian officiating.
Mr. Gardner was a native of Decatur.
Survivors include his mother, Nellie R. Gardner of Moulton; two sisters, Kathy Beard of Decatur and Theresa Gilbert of Moulton; two brothers, Herbert F. Gardner Jr. and Michael D. Gardner, both of Decatur; and his care-giver, Richard Adams of Oxford.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.
Martha Haggermaker
ATHENS - Martha Hazel Haggermaker, 75, died Sunday at a Tuscaloosa nursing home. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at McConnell Funeral Home with the Rev. Luther Dugger officiating.
Burial will be in Bottoms Cemetery.
Survivors include two brothers, Bennie Haggermaker of Harvest and Jimmy Haggermaker of Somerville; and several nieces and nephews.
Annie R. Hall
PISGAH - Annie Ruth Hall, 92, died Tuesday in Chattanooga, Tenn. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Kerby Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Rodney Hammonds officiating.
Burial will be in New Home Cemetery in Rosalie.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Hugh M. Hall, and one son, Ralph William Hall.
Survivors include four sons, Hugh Leland Hall of Chattanooga, James Aubert Hall of Huntsville, Max Loyd Hall of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Julian Hall of Flat Rock; five daughters, Virginia B. Scott of Hixson, Tenn., Elvie Gant of Pisgah, Shirley Ellis of Bryant, Maxine Upton of Huntsville and Mary Hewitt of Lafayette, Ga.; two brothers, Gordon Gentry of Pascagoula, Miss., and Anthony Gentry of Huntsville; one sister, Louise Brown of Huntsville; and 21 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 1 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Thomas L. Harber
ARDMORE, Ala. - Thomas Lafayette Harber, 84, of 27601 Sterling Road died Monday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Taylor-Ardmore Funeral Home chapel with Chaplain Bill Reynolds officiating.
Burial was to be in Gatlin Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Annie Lee Harber of Ardmore; one daughter, Edna Crook of Harvest; one brother, James Harber of Memphis; and two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Joseph F. Hill
GURLEY - Joseph Floyd Hill, 77, died Sunday in Gurley. The funeral was Tuesday at Twickenham Funeral Home South with Bro. Jerry Stapler officiating.
Burial was in Whitaker Cemetery.
Mr. Hill was preceded in death by his wives, Opal Pauline Stapler and Opal Loretta Pannell.
Survivors include two sons, Larry Wayne Hill and Joseph Franklin Hill, both of Gurley; three daughters, Retha Ann Dudley of Gurley, Bonnie Sue Peck of Somerville and Joan Carolyn Rogers of New Hope; four brothers, William Hill, Wilbourn Hill, Sammy Hill and Dock Hill; seven sisters, Martha Key, Flossie Graves, Myrtle Martin, Novella Clark, Louise Warren, Ethel Cloud and Lilly Lucas; and 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Jordan M. Jeans
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Jordan McKade Jeans, infant daughter of Michael and Sonya Mann Jeans of 91 West Point Drive, died April 7 at a Nashville hospital. The funeral was Saturday at Higgins Funeral Home with Bro. Dennis Kimery officiating.
Burial was in Shady Grove Cemetery.
Other survivors include one brother, Landon Kale Jeans of Fayetteville; her grandparents, Jerry and Shirley Mann of Flintville and Raymond Wayne and Shirley Jeans of Fayetteville; and her great-grandparents, Robert and Essie Mann of Flintville and Thomas and Eleanor Smith of Fayetteville.
Olive W. Knight
Olive Wheeler Knight, 45, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The graveside service will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Ms. Knight was a graduate of the Randolph School and Columbia College in Columbia, S.C. She was a native of Huntsville and a member of the Church of the Nativity.
Survivors include one brother, Charles W. "Chip" Knight Jr. of Huntsville; one sister, Jane Knight Lanyon of Birmingham; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Christine Lamb
Christine Lamb, 59, of 3213 Berkeley St. died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Huntsville Memory Gardens.
Madison Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Survivors include one son, Robert Lamb of Nashville; one daughter, Sandy Lamb of San Diego, Calif.; four brothers, Edward Solway of New Market, Wayne Solway of Hueytown and Kerry Solway and Danny Solway, both of Huntsville; five sisters, Sandra Martinez, Janice Sanders, Sheila Claunch and Shirley Smith, all of Huntsville and Patsy Grear of Andalusia; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Richard P. Lauderdale
TANNER - Richard Paisley Lauderdale of 10951 Stewart Road died today at an Athens hospital. Limestone Chapel Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Madeline V. Lockhart
Madeline Vanover Lockhart, 81, of Huntsville died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral was Tuesday at Valhalla Funeral Home with the Rev. Paul ONeal officiating.
Burial was in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mrs. Lockhart was a native of West Virginia, where she lived until 1972. She was the oldest member of the Chase Church of God.
Survivors include three daughters, Helen Rowe of Gurley and Shirley Faul and Mary Sue Steele, both of Huntsville; and 16 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Inis Moore
SECTION - Inis Moore, 76, died Monday at a DeKalb County hospital. The funeral was to be today at 4 p.m. at Section Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Melvin Hilley officiating.
Burial was to be in Section Methodist Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Jack Moore of Section; two sons, David Moore and Jerry Moore, both of Section; one daughter; Theda Griffith of Birmingham; two brothers, Joe Robinson of Taylorville, Ill., and Melvin Robinson of Shelbyville, Tenn.; one sister, Iris Pierce of Shelbyville; and nine grandchildren.
Leon Painter
FLINTVILLE, Tenn. - Leon Painter, 70, of 3 Old Gin Road died Tuesday at a Murfreesboro veterans hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Revs. Raleigh East and Mike Ross officaiting.
Burial will be in Flintville Cemetery.
Mr. Painter was a native of Madison County, had worked for Ford Motor Co. and was a U.S. Air Force veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Jewell Wilson Painter of Flintville; two daughters, Anis Davis of Flintville and Lisa Corder of Mulberry; one son, Curtis Painter of Fayetteville; one brother, William Painter of Fayetteville; one sister, Lula Mae Hillis of Flintville; and seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation wil be today at 5 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home.
W.J. Pickett
RUSK, Texas - W.J. "Jay" Pickett, 66, died Tuesday at an Alexandria, La., hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Wallace-Thompson Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Grover Talbert and Pastor Randall C. Stewart officiating.
Burial with full military honors will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Pickett was formerly of Huntsville.
Survivors include his wife, Tommye Sartain Pickett of Rusk; one son, Terry Pickett of Huntsville, Texas; one daughter, Cheri Reeves of Rusk; two sisters, Sarah Garoppo of Huntsville, Ala., and Novella McLain of Scottsboro; and three grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Erna M. Rabenort
Erna M. Rabenort, 86, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be held later in Nashville, Ill.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.
Survivors include one daughter, Dr. Doris J. Heaman of Huntsville; and three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Magaline Smith
ELKMONT - Magaline Smith, 64, of Ragsdale Creek Road died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Taylor-Ardmore Funeral Home chapel with the Revs. James Turner and Brent Hawkins officiating.
Burial will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
Survivors include three sons, Steve Smith of Anderson and Stanley Smith and Anthony Smith, both of Elkmont; four daughters, Gayle Watson of Ardmore, Ala., Patsy Thomspon of Minor Hill, Tenn., and Starlene Pepper and Amy Posey, both of Elkmont; four brothers, Billy Wales, Alton Wales and James Wales, all of Elkmont, and Rayborn Wales of Prospect, Tenn.; two sisters, Rebecca Brewer of Veto and Betty Faye McCurry of Lester; and 12 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
John F. Tabor Sr.
OWENS CROSS ROADS - John Ferrell Tabor Sr., 83, died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at New Hope Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Chesnut Grove Cemetery.
Mr. Tabor taught and coached 37 years at Owens Cross Roads, New Hope and Bob Jones high schools and at Farley Elementary School. He was a member of Oak Bowery Methodist Church in Owens Cross Roads.
Survivors include his wife, Opal Tabor of Owens Cross Roads; two sons, John F. Tabor Jr. of Owens Cross Roads and Byran T. Tabor of Winston-Salem, N.C.; his stepmother, Minnie Tabor of Owens Cross Roads; and four grandsons, Byron Tabor and Aaron Tabor, both of Winston-Salem, Nathan Tabor of Richmond, Va., and Collyn Tabor of Owens Cross Roads.
Visitation was to be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Annie H. Thornberry
Annie Hall Thornberry, 94, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local nursing home. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Thornberry was a native of Mississippi, but spent most of her life in Huntsville. She was a member of Lincoln Church of Christ.
Survivors include one stepdaughter, Lois Kilgore of Harvest; and one granddaughter, two great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
William Trigg
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - William "Bill" Trigg, 78, of 1801 Hillwood Drive died Sunday at his home. Higgins Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mr. Trigg was a former U.S. Air Force pilot who served during World War II. He retired as a colonel after serving 26 years. He was a Methodist.
Survivors include his wife, Ellyn Edwards Trigg of Fayetteville; one daughter, Patty Trigg of Lynchburg; one son, Garry Trigg of Antelope, Calif.; one sister, Patricia Render of Lexington, Ky.; and nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
J.W. Whisenant
J.W. Whisenant, 85, of Huntsville died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with Bill Cantrell officiating. The graveside service will be Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at Hebron Cemetery in Hulaco.
Mr. Whisenant was a native of Madison County and had lived in Huntsville since 1962. He retired from Teledyne-Brown Engineering Co. and was a member of East Huntsville Church of Christ.
Survivors include three sons, Charles N. Whisenant of Eugene, Ore., Kendall Whisenant of Arab and Ronald L. Whisenant of Huntsville; one daughter, Karen R. Stough of Huntsville; two brothers, Manuel Whisenant of Cullman and Leon Whisenant of Hulaco; one sister, Christine Hosh of Duncan, Okla.; and 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
His body will be at Hebron Church of Christ Thursday from 1 to 1:30 p.m.
Allan S. Woodle III
Allan Sheldon Woodle III, 86, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mr. Woodle was a native of Ridley Park, Pa., and had lived in Madison County 10 years. He was a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who served during World War II. He was also an author and a poet.
Survivors include one son, Allan Sheldon Woodle IV of Bellview, Wash.; two daughters, Katherine Woodle of Syracuse, N.Y., and Susan W. Kuchlthau of Huntsville; one sister, Abby Jane Mandel of Pleasant Hill, Tenn.; and three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.
Jean Vander Pyl
DANA POINT, Calif. - Jean Vander Pyl, the voice of Wilma in "The Flintstones" and the last surviving original cast member of the animated series, died Saturday of lung cancer. She was 79.
"The Flintstones," a Hanna-Barbera cartoon that humorously chronicled family life in the Stone Age, ran from 1960 to 1966.
Ms. Vander Pyl also voiced Rosie the Robot and Mrs. Spacely on "The Jetsons" until she became too ill about six months ago. She also appeared in Steven Spielbergs 1994 live-action movie based on "The Flintstones."
