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.
Sherry Alward
Sherry Alward, 45, of Huntsville died today at a local nursing home. Valhalla funeral home will announce funeral arrangements.
Oscar O. Barker
ATHENS - Oscar O. Barker, 64, of 602 Wilburn St. died Wednesday at his home. Limestone Chapel Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Barnie L. Daniel
Barnie L. Daniel Jr., 74, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at Laughlin Service Chapel with the Rev. Coy Hallmark officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Daniel, a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant, was a decorated World War II veteran. He was retired from the U.S. Postal Service and was a 1946 Huntsville High School graduate.
Survivors include two sons, Gordon L. Daniel of Foster City, Calif., and Alan G. Daniel of Oakland, Calif.; two brothers, Albert C. Daniel of Pittston, Pa., and Mason B. Daniel of Columbus, Miss.; a sister, Peggy Mueller ofCheektowaga, N.Y.; his mother, Isabelle Daniel of Huntsville; and two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to American Legion Post No. 176, 2610 Triana Blvd., Huntsville 35805.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Ella Mae Dukeminier
MOUNT HOPE - Ella Mae Dukeminier, 95, died Sunday at a Huntsville rehabilitation center. The funeral was Tuesday at Mount Hope Methodist Church.
Burial was in Mount Hope Methodist Cemetery with Elliott Funeral Home of Moulton in charge.
She was preceded in death by two children, John Dukeminier and Sybil Ray Bell.
Survivors include a daughter, Ramona Clark of Huntsville; two sons, Henry Dukeminier of Union Grove and Charles Dukeminier of Albeqerque, N.M.; a sister, Oma Perry of Gadsden; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
L. Jewel Floyd
L. Jewel Floyd, 86, of Huntsville died today at a local hospital. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements and will be in charge of burial.
Mrs. Floyd was a native of Huntsville.
Survivors include two daughters, Betty Ingram of Huntsville and Jimmie Giles of Tallahassee, Fla.; and two granddaughters, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Elizabeth J. Gentle
Elizabeth Jane Gentle, 63, of Huntsville died today at a local hospital. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements and will be in charge of burial.
Donnie E. Goodman
ARDMORE, Tenn. - Donnie Eugene Goodman Sr. of 24264 Holt Road died Monday at his home. Taylor Funeral Home of Ardmore will announce funeral arrangements.
Harold N. Gully
CAPSHAW - Harold N. Gully, 72, of 15111 Sanderson Road died Monday at his home. The memorial service will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at South Side Baptist Church in Huntsville with Dr. Murray Wilton and the Rev. Jeff Hatcher officiating.
Mr. Gully served as a campus minister for 32 years at the Mississippi Baptist Convention, Auburn University, Mississippi State University, the University of Mobile and others. Before retirement, he operated Gullys Fabrics of Springhill in Mobile, which he owned for 8 years.
Survivors include his wife, Nell R. Gully of Capshaw; two sons, Ronald N. Gully of Birmingham and Geremy O. Gully of Orlando, Fla.; two daughters, Robin G. Turner and Ginger G. Lewis, both of Huntsville; and eight grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Fresh Start Ministries Inc., 1400 Semoran Blvd. Suite F, Orlando, Fla. 32807.
Richard J. Martin
Richard J. Martin, 39, of Huntsville died Monday at his home. Valhalla Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Survivors include his mother, Hannah Martin of Huntsville; two sisters, Bonnie Osmer of Huntsville and Wendy Hornsby of Florida; and two brothers, Edwin Martin of Huntsville and Stanley Martin of Madison.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Julia Morgan
Julia Estelle Stone Morgan, 97, of Huntsville died Monday at her home. The graveside service will be Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at Valhalla Cemetery with the Rev. Dalton B. Styes officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mrs. Morgan had been a school teacher and had worked with her husband at the Morgan Meat Packing Co. in Tuscaloosa. She was a member of Holmes Street United Methodist Church.
Survivors include two sisters, Rebecca Herrin of Huntsville and Annie Lee Broyles of Florence, and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Lillie B. Pierce
ALBERTVILLE - Lillie Belle Pierce, 85, died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Beulah Cemetery.
Survivors include one brother, Clyde Pierce of Gadsden.
Harry Roberts
ATHENS - Harry "Hootie" Roberts, 41, of 18454 Alabama 251 died Tuesday at an Athens hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 4 p.m. at Sardis Springs Baptist Church with the Revs. Tim Keenum, Calvin Inman and Jack Bailey officiating.
Burial will be in Sardis Springs Cemetery with Limestone Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Roberts was a U.S. Army veteran and a member of Sardis Springs Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry J. and Betty Roberts.
Survivors include his wife, Holly Bailey Roberts of Athens; a son, Heath Bailey Roberts of Athens; two daughters, Misty S. Roberts of Sheffield and Jessica R. Roberts of Tuscumbia; two sisters, Kathy Ayers and Sue Roberts, both of Sheffield; and six brothers, Tommy Roberts, Chris Roberts and Kenny Roberts, all of Sheffield, Keith "Red" Roberts of Tuscumbia, Matthew "Boogie" Roberts of Beaufort, S.C., and Brad Roberts of Clarksville, Tenn.
Visitation was to be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Memorial donations may be made to the Sardis Springs Baptist Church Building Fund or to the American Heart Association.
Mary Sharpless
MILTON, Fla. - Mary Elizabeth Potts Sharpless, 74, died Sunday at a Florida hospital. The funeral will be today at 11 a.m. at Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church with the Rev. Todd Hevia officiating.
Mrs. Sharpless, a native of Akron, Ohio, moved to Milton in 1958. She was a member of Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church, the Fleet Reserve Association Branch No. 210 and the D.A.R.
Survivors include a son, Michael Sharpless of Palm Bay, Fla.; two daughters, Lynn Sharpless Harris and Sue Anne Sharpless, both of Huntsville; a brother, Paul Potts of Hemet, Calif.; a sister, Ruth Shepperd of San Bernadino, Calif.; and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Beulah M. Smith
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Beulah Maude Smith, 86, died Tuesday at a Fayetteville nursing home. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Burial will be in Cameron Cemetery.
Mrs. Smith was a native of Madison County.
Survivors include a son, James E. Sharpe of Fayetteville; a daughter-in-law, Reva Wilbanks Sharpe of Fayetteville; a sister, Myrtle Barron of Huntsville; a brother, John F. Renfroe of Huntsville; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Hobart C. Taylor
Hobart Clarence Taylor, 72, of Huntsville died Monday at his home. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mr. Taylor, a native of Lewistown, Pa., had lived in Huntsville since 1957 and was a member of Moose Lodge No. 1007, American Legion Post No. 169 and V.F.W. Post No. 2702. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and was retired from Redstone Arsenal after 35 years of service.
Survivors include his wife, Melva Hubbard Taylor of Huntsville; a daughter, Donna L. Armstrong of Brentwood, Tenn.; a stepdaughter, Tracy L. Gray of Gurley; a son, Stacey A. Taylor of Madison; a stepson, Douglas Hubbard of Athens; three sisters, Phylis Kepler and Jane Davis, both of Lewistown, Pa., and Esther Cline of Levittown, Pa.; and 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the Presbyterian Home for Children, P.O. Drawer 577, Talladega, Ala., 35161-9975.
Leslie V. Watson
GADSDEN - The Rev. Leslie V. Watson, 85, died Friday May 22 at a Gadsden hospital. The funeral was Monday, May 25, at Collier-Butler Funeral Home chapel in Gadsden with the Revs. Harris Hand and Steve Hyche officiating.
Burial was in Crestwood Cemetery.
He was a native and a lifelong resident of Etowah County, and had pastored at several Methodist churches in the area. He was also a printer for several newspapers and was a member of the Typographical Association.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby Purcell Watson of Gadsden; three sons, Robert Watson and Bill Watson, both of Gadsden, and Jerry Watson of Gurley; a sister, Elizabeth Franklin of Calera; and seven grandchildren.
Reva White
ATHENS - Mrs. Reva Effie Lawson White, 95, died Monday at a Scottsboro hospital. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with Bobby Graham officiating.
Burial was to be in Athens City Cemetery.
Mrs. White was a member of Market Street Church of Christ and a retired homemaker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Luther Shelly White.
Survivors include one niece, Elizabeth Canerdy of Scottsboro; four nephews. Gentry Stults of Daytona, Fla., A.D. Lawson, James O. Thompson and James Stults, all of Florence; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.
C.R. Williamson
C.R. Williamson, 70, of Huntsville died today at his home. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements and will be in charge of burial.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Lou Williamson of Huntsville, and two sisters, Evelyu East of Huntsville and Diane Lawler of Hazel Green .
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Family Care, 2225 Drake Ave. Suite 8, Huntsville, 35805.
Helen Carter
NASHVILLE - Helen Carter, who sang with the seminal country music group the Carter Family, died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She was 70.
Carterdied at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, said hospital spokeswoman Cynthia Manley. The cause of death was not available.
She stopped performing about three years ago because of her health, and sister Anita Carter said she had been hospitalized for most of the past year because of stomach problems.
Carter, with sisters June and Anita, performed for years in the show of country star Johnny Cash, June Carters husband.
They were the daughters of Mother Maybelle Carter, who with her cousin Sara Carter and Saras husband A.P. Carter, helped launch the country music industry in the 1920s.
Carter Family standards include country music classics such as "The Wabash Cannonball" and "Wildwood Flower." The three sisters continued the family act in the 1940s with their mother, who died in 1978.
Helen Carter wrote songs like "Poor Old Heartsick Me," a hit for Margie Bowes in 1959. She played autoharp, guitar, accordion, piano and mandolin.
