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.
Tena Abernathy
ATHENS - Mrs. Tena Abernathy, 69, of Compton Road died Tuesday at an Athens hospital. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with Carl Witty and Robert Fudge officiating.
Burial was to be in Limestone Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Abernathy was a member of Ephesus Church of Christ, was a retired seamstress at Athens Lingerie and was preceded in death by her parents, D.W. and Lizzie Payne.
Survivors include her husband, Charles E. Abernathy; two daughters, Shirley Haney and Carol Blackwood, both of Decatur; one son, Roger Abernathy of Athens; one sister, Florissa Rodgers of Athens; one brother, Edward Payne of Tallahassee, Fla.; and eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Sherry H. Alward
Sherry Hubbard Alward, 45, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Friday at noon at Valhalla Funeral Home with the Rev. Melvin Kilpatrick officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mrs. Alward was a member of Pineview Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Pat Alward; one son, Todd Alward of Huntsville; six sisters, Ann Gauldin of Anniston, Pearl Johnson and Rhonda Lacey, both of Birmingham, Joyce Vaughn of Heflin, Patricia Nixon of Huntsville and Carol Williams of Weaver; and three brothers, Woodrow E. Hubbard and Randy Hubbard, both of Talladega, and Glen Hubbard of Huntsville.
Visitation will be Friday from 10 a.m. to noon at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Juanita S. Armstrong
Juanita Smith Armstrong, 54, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at noon at Madkins Chapel C.P. Church with the Rev. Endia Scruggs officiating.
Burial will be in Northside Cemetery with Nelms Memorial Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include her husband, David C. Armstrong of Huntsville; one daughter, Mattie Fearn of Huntsville; one sister, Thelma Clinton of Huntsville; two brothers, Oscar Smith and Donald Smith, both of Cleveland, Ohio; two foster daughters, Diane Moore and Ann Jones, both of Huntsville; one stepson, Rick Jones of Huntsville; and four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Oscar O. Barker
ATHENS - Oscar O. Barker, 64, of 602 Wilburn St. died Wednesday at his home. The funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with Larry McCoy, Jimmy Sandlin and Don Osborne officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery in Athens.
Mr. Barker was active in many civic organizations and served in the U.S. Navy from 1951 to 1959. He was a member of Central Church of Christ, where he served as treasurer and Sunday school teacher.
Survivors include his wife, Marie Terry Barker of Athens; two brothers, Richard D. Barker of Athens and Jackson G. Barker of Huntsville; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to the Central Church of Christ building fund or to cancer research.
Visitation was to be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
James Baugh
James Baugh, 80, of 6019 Colfax Road died Saturday, May 30, at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at noon at St. Mark P.B. Church with the Rev. Elijah Tate officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one niece, Bertha L. Watts of Huntsville, and a great-nephew, James Kent of Huntsville.
Lillie Mae Bethune
ALBERTVILLE - Lillie Mae Bethune, 84, of 417 Highland Ave. died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Adams Funeral Home in Albertville.
Burial was in Beulah Cemetery in DeKalb County.
Mrs. Bethune was a charter member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Albertville and a member of the Singing Saints.
Survivors include five daughters, Lucille Gulley of Theodore, Francie Wells and Carolyn Youngblood, both of Georgia, Dorothy Murray of North Carolina and Brenda Sparks of Grove Oak; two sons, James Bethune of Guntersville and Dennis Bethune of Athens; one sister, Corene Gulley of Albertville; and 15 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
James F. Byars
KELSO, Tenn. - James Frank Byars, 63, of North Howard Fitch Road died Tuesday at his home. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Gallant Funeral Home with the Rev. Cleo Moon officiating.
Burial was in the Morgan Cemetery.
Mr. Byars, a native of Madison County, was a U.S. Army veteran, a member of Huntsville Pentecostal Church and was a retired janitor at the Lincoln County Courthouse.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Frame Byars of Kelso; his mother, Mary Smith Byars of Fayetteville, Tenn.; a brother, David Byars of Huntsville; and one niece and one nephew.
L. Jewel Floyd
L. Jewel Floyd, 86, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. The graveside service will be Friday at 3 p.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Allen Richardson officiating and Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Floyd was a native of Huntsville.
Survivors include two daughters, Betty Ingram of Huntsville and Jimmie Giles of Tallahassee; one brother, Jesse C. Fanning of Huntsville; and two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Elizabeth J. Gentle
Elizabeth Jane Gentle, 63, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. The memorial service will be Friday at 2 p.m. at St. Marks Lutheran Church with the Rev. Vernon Lucky officiating.
Spry Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mrs. Gentle, a lifelong resident of Huntsville, was retired from Motorola. She was a member of the Pilot Club, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and St. Marks Lutheran Church.
Survivors include her husband, George L. Gentle of Huntsville; a daughter, Melissa Gentle Vlek of Goettingen, Germany; two sons, Lennie Gentle of Atlanta and Michael Gentle of Hartselle; one sister, Patsy Nayman of Huntsville; one brother, Robert Fox Jr. of Owens Cross Roads; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society.
Colean H. Hammonds
TONEY - Colean H. Hammonds, 81, died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at St. Bartley Center with the Rev. John Humphrey officiating.
Burial will be in Indian Creek Cemetery with Nelms Memorial Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one daughter, Joan Jacobs of Baltimore, Md., and six grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Hattie Hammonds
CHICAGO - Hattie Mae Jacobs Hammonds, 79, formerly of Huntsville died Friday in Chicago. The memorial service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Cage Memorial Chapel in Chicago with Dr. Herbert Martin officiating.
Survivors include one brother, Arthur Jacobs Jr. of Toney, and one sister, Burgess J. Cooke of Chicago.
Leonard F. Hawk
Leonard Ford Hawk, 47, of 3204 Harvey St. in Huntsville died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at noon at Hopewell M.B. Church with the Rev. Leroy Cole officiating.
Mr. Hawk was chairman of the Hopewell M.B. Church board of trustees and a member of the usher board. He worked at MICOM for 27 years and for several years coached Little League baseball.
Survivors include his wife, Annette M. Hawk; one daughter, Lynette Renee Crutcher of Huntsville; two sons, Bryan Cordell Hawk and Travis Lamont Hawk, both of Huntsville; his parents, Hazel F. Hawk and Arthur "Jake" Hawk, both of Huntsville; his grandfather, Henry Clay Wherry of Huntsville; three sisters, Joann Hawk and Bernice Hawk, both of Huntsville, and Candies Moye of Montgomery; three brothers, Ralph Hawk of New Market and Charles Hawk and Marvin Hawk, both of Huntsville; and three grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Henry G. Jacobs
BRIDGEPORT - Henry Grady Jacobs, 70, died Tuesday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Bridgeport with the Rev. Tommy Nunley officiating.
Burial was to be in Cumberland View Cemetery in Kimball, Tenn., with Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson in charge.
Mr. Jacobs was the owner of Jacobs Manufacturing Co. in Bridgeport. He had served as the companys board chairman since 1954.
He was also one of the founders of the First Bank in South Pittsburg, Tenn., where he served as the banks director. He was a member of the board of Lodge Manufacturing, a trustee of the University of North Alabama and a member of the First Baptist Church of Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Masonic Lodge.
Mr. Jacobs was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Janney Jacobs.
Survivors include five daughters, Jane Barham of Chattanooga, Linda Moore of Lake City, Fla., Paula Newman of Bridgeport, Ruth Patterson of Jacksonville, Fla. and Sallie Jacobs Stevens of Louisville, Ky.; one son, Henry Grady Jacobs Jr. of Bridgeport; three sisters, Geneva Smith of Winder, Ga., and Sallie Rogers and Lethia Watson, both of Monteagle, Tenn.; one brother, Rice A. Jacobs of Birmingham; and 12 grandchildren.
Glenn Miller
GRANT - Glenn Miller, 43, died Tuesday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at the Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Ron Hardeman officiating.
Burial will be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood.
Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Evelyn and Charles Hancock of Scottsboro, and two sisters, Janet Kennamer of Grant and Regina Martin of Leakesville, Miss.
Visitation was to be today from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Annie M. Norris
FAYETTEVILLE - Annie Mildred Norris, 88, of Corders Cross Road died Wednesday at a Tennessee nursing Home. The funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Gallant Funeral Home with Carlos Kirkpatrick officiating.
Burial will be in Campbell Cemetery.
Mrs. Norris, a native of Lincoln County, was a member of Park City Church of Christ. She was a retired nurses aide at the Lincoln County Nursing Home.
Survivors include one son, Lloyd Norris of Canton, Ga.; five daughters, Juanita Dunn, Wilma Keith and Nancy Burton, all of Fayetteville, Barbara Hopkins of Huntsville and Geraldine Bain of Franklin, Tenn.; and 22 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Harry Roberts
ATHENS - Harry "Hooty" Roberts, 41, of 18454 Alabama 251 died Tuesday at an Athens hospital. The funeral was to be today at 4 p.m. at Sardis Springs Baptist Church with the Revs. Tim Keenum, Calvin Inman and Jack Bailey officiating.
Burial was to 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; one 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.
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.
Elmer F. Rowe
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Elmer F. Rowe Jr., 73, died Wednesday. The memorial service will be Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church in North Little Rock with Dr. Timothy Diehl officiating.
Griffin Leggett/Rest Hills Funeral Home in North Little Rock will be in charge of burial.
Mr. Rowe retired from Redstone Arsenal in 1985.
Survivors include his wife, Marguerite Easterling Rowe of North Little Rock; a brother, Joe Rowe of Palm Beach; a sister, Mary Frances of Texarkana; and a nephew and four nieces.
Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society, 901 North University, Little Rock, Ark., 72207.
Beulah M. Smith
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Beulah Maude Smith, 86, died Tuesday at a Fayetteville nursing home. The funeral will be Friday at 6 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with Elmer T. Hollingsworth officiating. A graveside service will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Cameron Cemetery in New Market.
Mrs. Smith was a native of Madison County.
Survivors include one son, James E. Sharpe of Fayetteville; one daughter-in-law, Reva Wilbanks Sharpe of Fayetteville; one sister, Myrtle Barron of Huntsville; one brother, John F. Renfroe of Huntsville; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 5 to 6 p.m. at the funeral home.
Douglas J. Smith
Spec. 4 Douglas James Smith,
23, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Bicentennial Chapel at Redstone Arsenal with Chaplin Paul Vicalvi and the Rev. Billy Malone officiating.
Burial will be in Bethelham Baptist Cemetery in Sardis with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Smith was a native of Peoria, Ill., and was active in the military.
Survivors include his wife, Carmen M. Smith; one son, Kurt Smith of Huntsville; one stepson, William Spratling of Fort Hood, Texas; one stepdaughter, Valerye Guppy of Fort Drum, N.Y.; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James B. Smith of Albertville; two brothers, Max Smith of Peoria, Ill., Bill Smith of Normal, Ill.; five sisters, Shelia Hawes and Terri Smith, both of Peoria, Ill., Denise Bazhenow of Bartonville, Ill., Linda Zimmerman of Pekin, Ill., and Yancy Reynolds of Creve Coeur, Ill.; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. James A. Gibbs of Kickapooh, Ill.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
His body will be at the chapel one hour before the funeral.
Lavelle T. Smith
BOAZ - Lavelle Teal Smith, 70, of 838 Niles Road died Tuesday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel.
Burial will be in New Hope Primitive Baptist Cemetery with Albertville Memorial Chapel in charge.
Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by one sister, Lola Mae Teal Jeffers, and two brothers, Lowell Teal and Trenton Teal.
Survivors include three daughters, Marsha Smith and Jane Hunter, both of Birmingham, and Alice Smith of Boaz; one son, Allan Smith of Huntsville; one brother, Dwight Teal of Boaz; and seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Visitation will be Friday from 2 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Sarah L. Smothers
BOAZ - Mrs. Sarah L. Smothers, 81, died Tuesday. A graveside service was Wednesday at New Home Cemetery with the Rev. Kevin Norton officiating.
Survivors include one daughter, Lois Smothers Hamby of Huntsville; one son, Frank Smothers of Boaz; one sister, Gladys Austin of Doyle, Tenn.; one brother, Ben Chambers of Sanatobia, Miss.; and three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Earl E. Strong
BAILEYTON - Earl Eugene Strong, 89, of 6895 Apple Grove Road died Tuesday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Ryan Baptist Church.
Burial was to be in the adjoining cemetery with Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Phoeba Strong; one daughter, Sharon Vaughn of Arab; two sons, Douglas Strong and Glen Strong, both of Ryan; and seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Lee Roy Taylor
OWENS CROSS ROADS - Lee Roy Taylor, 87, of 537 Hill Road died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at the New Hope Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Roland Lee officiating.
Burial will be in Hayden Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Marie Taylor of Owens Cross Roads; four daughters, Sylvia Berry of Muscle Shoals, Nancy Maples of New Hope, Dorothy Martin of Clayton and Mary Ward of Huntsville; three sons, Charles Taylor of Owens Cross Roads, Douglas Taylor of North Carolina and Roy Wayne Taylor of Huntsville; and 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Verbon H. Thrash
GROVE OAK, Ala. - Verbon Hammet Thrash, 74, died Tuesday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at New Prospect Baptist Church with the Revs. M.B. Bailey, Ray Kittle and Travis Warlick officiating.
Burial will be in New Prospect Cemetery with W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel in charge.
Mr. Thrash, a native of Dekalb County, was a member of New Prospect Baptist Church, a graduate of Auburn University and a World War II veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Willene Thrash of Grove Oak; two daughters, Beckey Dalton and Dana Council, both of Grove Oak; two sons, Bobby Thrash of Grove Oak and Danny Thrash of Fyffe; one sister, Ruth Knupp of Marrietta, Ga.; three brothers, Willard Thrash and Kyle Thrash, both of Grove Oak, and Lynn Thrash of Birmingham; and eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Jack W. Voigt
Jack Wendel Voigt, 70, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. The graveside service will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Huntsville Memory Gardens.
Mr. Voigt, a native of Dayton, Tenn., had lived in Huntsville for 40 years. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and had retired from the U.S. Army Missile Command in 1985.
Survivors include his wife, Karolyn E. Voigt; one son, Jack W. Voigt of Grant; two stepdaughters, Ellen Pond of New York City and Rachel Pond of Los Angeles; one stepson, Danny Pond of St. Croix, Virgin Islands; and two grandchildren and five nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Judes Childrens Hospital in Memphis.
Rena C. Whitton
FORT PAYNE - Mrs. Rena Cleo Whitton, 84, died Wednesday. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at the Kerby Funeral Home in Henagar with the Revs. J.M. Sparks, Dion Black and Joe Owens officiating.
Burial will be in Unity Cemetery.
Mrs. Whitton was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Whitton.
Survivors include two sons, Kenneth Whitton of Rossville, Ga., and Charles Whitton of Chattanooga; two sisters, Inez Ellis of Trenton, Ga., and Imonell Corbin of Henagar; and three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from noon to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
C.R. Williamson
C.R. Williamson, 70, of Huntsville died Wednesday at his home. The graveside service will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with Brother Bill Cantrell officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Lou Williamson of Huntsville, and two sisters, Evelyn East of Huntsville and Diane Lawler of Hazel Green .
Visitation will be today 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.
James F. Willis
LAFAYETTE, Tenn. - James Fountain Willis, 88, of the Williams Community died Tuesday at a Tennessee hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. atAlexander-Goad Funeral Home Chapel in Lafayette with Elder Guthrie Thompson and the Rev. J.T. Shrum officiating.
Burial will be in Underwood Cemetery.
Mr. Willis was a retired farmer and a member of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Nettie Mai Dallas Willis of Lafayette; three sons, Hollis Willis, Edward Willis and Roger Willis, all of Lafayette; one niece, Shirley McCorkle of Huntsville; and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
