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.
Shirley Adams
TULLAHOMA, Tenn. - Shirley Adams, 39, of 408 Westside Heights Drive died Sunday at her home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Head of Hurricane Baptist Church with the Rev. Ronald Anderson officiating.
Burial will be in Head of Hurricane Cemetery with Higgins Funeral Home of Fayetteville, Tenn., in charge.
Mrs. Adams was a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., a nurse at Horton Hospital and a member of Head of Hurricane Baptist Church.
Survivors include one son, Matthew Adams of Tullahoma; her parents, Harmon and Peggy Anderson Griner of Fayetteville; one brother, Randall Griner of Fayetteville; one sister, Sandra Bevers of McBurg, Tenn.; maternal grandparents, Walter Anderson of Fayetteville and Della Anderson of Elora, Tenn.; and several nieces and nephews.
Her body will be at the church two hours before the funeral.
Cora Bolton
ATHENS, Ga. - Cora Lee Arnold Bolton, 92, died Sunday at her home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville.
Burial will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery.
Survivors include three daughters, Mary Bauer of Albertville, Betty Talley of Georgia and Kathleen Causey of Guntersville.
James T. Corder
James T. Corder, 78, of Huntsville died Monday at his home. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Corder was a native and lifelong resident of Huntsville and was owner and operator of Corder Music Co. and Corder Drum Co.
Survivors include his wife, Anne B. Corder of Huntsville; three sons, Gary Corder and Ken Corder, both of Madison, and Don Corder of Hazel Green ; one sister, Margaret Sanders of Harvest; and six grandchildren.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Family Care or the Alzheimers Foundation.
John Dam Jr.
John Dam Jr., 60, of Huntsville died Saturday at his home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Glenn Courtney officiating.
Entombment will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Dam was a Methodist and a U.S. Army veteran. He retired from Redstone Arsenal.
Survivors include his wife, Vernie Dam of Huntsville; two daughters, Jodie Jaeger of Jonesboro, Ga., and Denise Franklin of Hazel Green ; one son, Mark Dam of Hazel Green ; three sisters, Janice Bruns of Gillette, Wyo., Debbie Pederson of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Tammi Mortland of Hartford, S.D.; two brothers, Thomas Dam of Austin, Texas, and James Dam of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Family Care or the American Cancer Society.
Dorothy A. Dungy
ATHENS - Dorothy Ann Dungy, 59, of Beaty Street died Monday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with Ray Pettit officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Dungy was a native of Limestone County, a member of Madison Street Baptist Church and a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, James H. Dungy of Athens; two sons, Jimmy Dungy and Johnny Dungy, both of Athens; five daughters, Lorie Tart of Huntsville and Vickie Gandy, Nancy Johnson, Tammy Davis and Allison Littleton, all of Athens; four brothers, Bobby Garris of Elkmont, Donald Garris of Decatur and Johnny Garris and Charlie Garris, both of Athens; one sister, Shelby Hobbs of Pulaski, Tenn.; and six grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Mary J. Garner
ATHENS - Mary Jane Garner, 99, of Hines Street died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home with Bill Irby and Mike Davis officiating.
Burial will be in Limestone Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Garner was a native of Madison County, a member of Hobbs Street Church of Christ and a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Buster Garner, and one daughter, Beatrice Pugh.
Survivors include three daughters, Nellie Mae Sanders of Decatur and Hazel G. White and Flora L. Doss, both of Athens; one son, Ross Garner of Decatur; one sister, Luddie Robinson of Huntsville; and 14 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
Ruth D. Gregory
DOUGLAS - Ruth Dyar Gregory, 90, of 801 Alabama 168 died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at Douglas Methodist Church.
Burial will be in Marshall Memorial Garden with Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include two daughters, Betty Buchanan and Patricia Copeland, both of Boaz; one sister, Sylvia Decker of Arizona; and three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Milas Hancock
SECTION - Milas Hancock, 83, died Monday at a Jackson County hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Don Barnett officiating.
Burial will be in Macedonia Cemetery.
Survivors include two daughters, Linda Arnold of Section and Sue Pickett of Dutton; four sons, Marlon Hancock of Scottsboro, Larry Hancock of Town Creek and Dwan Hancock and David Hancock, both of Section; three sisters, Vada Patterson and Mattie Rae Dukes, both of Section, and Jean Frost of Pisgah; three brothers, Virgil Hancock of Scottsboro, W.L. Hancock of Pisgah and Gilbert Hancock of Section; and 22 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Upper Sand Mountain Parrish.
Visitation will be today at 6 p.m. at the funeral home.
William A. Heimann
William A. Heimann Sr., 77, of Huntsville died Sunday at his home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Glenn Courtney officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Heimann was a retired U.S. Army sergeant first class. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Survivors include his wife, Catherine Heimann of Huntsville; two sons, Randolph Heimann and William Heimann Jr., both of Huntsville; two brothers, Rudy Heimann and Pittsburgh, Pa., and Richard Heimann of Michigan; one sister, Marjorie Ray of Pittsburgh; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Rickey L. Holland
HORTON - The Rev. Rickey Lee Holland, 45, of 1204 Lena Road died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Zion Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Karen Holland; one daughter, Angela Leak of Horton; one son, Tim Holland of Horton; mother, Lavurn Holland of Oneonta; two sisters, Billie Lovvorn of Arab and Faye Elrody of Horton; and two grandchildren.
Jo Ann Johnson
Jo Ann Johnson, 47, of 5003 Stag Run Circle in Huntsville died Thursday at her home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Syler Tabernacle Primitive Baptist Church with the Rev. McKinley Jones officiating.
Burial will be in Meadowlawn Garden of Peace with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include her husband, Lamont Johnson of Huntsville; one daughter, Portia Renee Toney of Huntsville; one son, Lamond Audrea Toney of Huntsville; her father, Jimmy L. Thompson of Huntsville; one sister, Mary Blankenship of Huntsville; two brothers, Bennie L. Thompson Strong of Huntsville and Jimmy L. Thompson Jr. of Canton, Ohio; and five grandchildren.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
George T. Layman
ESTILL SPRINGS, Tenn. - George T. Layman, 95, died Sunday. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Moore-Cortner Funeral Home chapel in Winchester, Tenn., with Bro. Roger Hamlett officiating.
Burial was in Elora Cemetery in Elora, Tenn.
Mr. Layman was a retired store clerk and was preceded in death by his wife, Ela Layman.
Survivors include three grandchildren, Carlene White of Shelbyville, Tenn., Dixie Gilliam of Manchester, Tenn., and Debbie Foster of Beechgrove, Tenn.; and two great-grandchildren, four nieces, four nephews and six great-nieces and great-nephews.
Jerry L. McGivney
ATHENS - Jerry L. McGivney, 80, of 1502 West Market St. died Sunday at his home. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Rick Camp and Ed McCracken officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mr. McGivney had been a Baptist Minister for 44 years and was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Survivors include his wife, Coy C. McGivney of Athens; two daughters, Linda Sloan and Diane Norwood, both of Athens; one brother, David McGivney of Waterbury, Conn.; one sister, Dale Bush of Bristol, Conn.; and three grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Limestone County.
Herbert W. McKelvey
Herbert Walls McKelvey, 78, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mr. McKelvey was a native of Madison County and a World War II veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Virgie McKelvey of Huntsville; five stepsons, James Stapler and Ronnie Stapler, both of Grand Rapids, Mich., Albert Wayne Stapler and Jerry Stapler, both of Hazel Green, and Kenneth Stapler of Baltimore, Md.; and five stepdaughters, Mary Myers, Lula Seymour and Kathy Turner, all of Huntsville, Shirley Williams of Shelbyville, Ind., and Donnie Schultz of Grand Rapids.
Ollie B. Moore
GUNTERSVILLE - Ollie B. ''Pete Moore, 84, of Guntersville died Sunday at an Albertville nursing home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville.
Burial will be in Piney Grove Cemetery.
Survivors include two daughters, Myrtie Hutchinson and Nancy McCoy, both of Guntersville; two sons, Frelon Moore and James Moore, both of Guntersville; and nine grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Laurie E. Newman
PETERSBURG, Tenn. - Laurie Ellan Newman of 3252 Lewisburg Highway died Sunday. The graveside service was to be today at 2 p.m. at Blanche Cemetery with the Rev. Walter Alexander officiating.
Higgins Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Miss Newman worked at Marshall County Memorial Library in Lewisburg, Tenn., and was a Methodist and a member of the Art League.
Survivors include her mother, Pat Newman of Petersburg; and one aunt, Robbie Marshall of Ardmore, Tenn.
Memorial donations may be made to the library.
Wilford R. OTinger
SCOTTSBORO - Wilford Ray ''Wilk OTinger, 58, died Thursday at his home. The funeral was Sunday at Goosepond Church of God in Scottsboro with the Revs. Eugene McDowell and Billy Anderton officiating.
Burial will be in Goosepond Cemetery with Scottsboro Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. OTinger was preceded in death by one son, Wilford Ray OTinger Jr.
Survivors include his wife, Opal Sisk OTinger; one daughter, Kathy OTinger Hayes of Calumet City, Ill.; two special daughters, Tiffany Boozer and Chandra Boozer, both of Scottsboro; one son, John Wayne OTinger of Scottsboro; three brothers, Ed OTinger of Albertville, Aubrey OTinger of Dutton and Hershel OTinger of Section; his grandmother, Myrtle Harper of Dutton; and three granddaughters.
Terrell Ragsdale
Terell Ragsdale, 54, of Huntsville died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Ragsdale was a native of Madison County and a contractor with BAMSI.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce Ragsdale of Huntsville; two daughters, Starr Acklin and Kristan Anderson, both of Hazel Green ; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Ragsdale of Huntsville; one sister, Juell Schultz of Arab; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Fred F. Rudder Jr.
LEESBURG, Va. - Fred Foster Rudder Jr., 58, died Wednesday at a nursing home in Virginia. A graveside service will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Stevenson City Cemetery with the Rev. Charles Hughes officiating.
Rudder Funeral Home of Stevenson is in charge of burial.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Timmons Rudder of Virginia; one daughter, Laura Rudder of Virginia; and one son, Fred Foster III of Virginia.
Leonard C. Sanders
Leonard C. Sanders, 79, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. James Smith officiating.
Burial will be in Gurley City Cemetery.
Mr. Sanders was a lifelong Madison County resident and retired after 23 years with Asburn-Gray Construction Co.
Survivors include his wife, Cleo Carlisle Sanders of Huntsville; one son, Wayne Sanders of Hazel Green ; one daughter, Rebecca Darnell Johnson of Rock Hill, S.C.; two brothers, Ruebin Sanders of Huntsville and Alvestos Sanders of Gurley; and three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Julia R. Shankles
Julia R. Shankles, 84, of Huntsville died Monday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Skirum Cemetery in Geraldine with the Revs. Dorothy Ann Webster and Kenneth Parker officiating.
Spry Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Mrs. Shankles was a native of DeKalb County and had lived in Fort Payne before moving to Huntsville five years ago. She was a member of Asbury Methodist Church in Fort Payne.
Survivors include one daughter, Mary C. Gullion of Huntsville; one sister, Lucille Morrison of Latham; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m. at Skirum Methodist Church in Geraldine.
Mabel D. Silver
WINCHESTER, Tenn. - Mabel D. Silver, 75, of 385 Wildwood Circle died Saturday at a Tennessee hospital. The funeral will be today at 6:30 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in Huntsville with Dr. Larry Dill officiating.
Burial will be in Waco, Texas Memorial Park with Moore-Cortner Funeral Home of Winchester in charge.
Mrs. Silver had been a teacher in Huntsville and was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Robert Earl Silver of Winchester; two sons, Richard Carl Silver and James Wininger Silver, both of Albuquerque, N.M.; one daughter, Martha Silver Koch of Waco; one sister, Louise Ellis of Troy, Texas; and seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Robert W. Taylor
ALBERTVILLE - Robert Woddy Taylor, 97, of 201 Holder Ave. died Sunday at a Guntersville nursing home. A graveside service will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Marshall Memorial Garden.
Carr Funeral Home of Guntersville is in charge of burial.
Mr. Taylor was a retired supervisor and teacher at Auburn University.
Survivors include his wife, Rachael Taylor of Albertville, and one stepdaughter, Elizabeth Price of Huntsville.
Shelby P. Taylor
Shelby P. Taylor, 87, of Huntsville died today at a local nursing home. A graveside service will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Coy Hallmark officiating.
Spry Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Mr. Taylor was a lifelong Madison County resident and worked in motels and grocery stores for many years. He was a member of First United Methodist Church and was preceded in death by his wife, Eva Ivy Taylor.
Survivors include two daughters, Shelby Jean Guinn of Huntsville and Susan Bailey of Birmingham; two brothers, Joe M. Taylor Jr. and Julius Taylor, both of Huntsville; and four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Edward L. Thomas
ATHENS - Edward Lipscomb Thomas, 78, of Sixth Avenue died Sunday at a Huntsville veterans home. The funeral was to be today at 3:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Dr. Walter Nunn and Dr. Fred Lackey officiating.
Burial was to be in Roselawn Funeral Home.
Mr. Thomas was a native of Madison County, a member and deacon of First Baptist Church of Athens, where he was also a printer. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and was retired from Redstone Arsenal.
Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Smith Thomas; one son, Eddie Thomas of Athens; two daughters, Annette LeCroix of Athens and Vickie Donegan of Honolulu; one sister, Edna Hatfield of Madison; and eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund or to the Alzheimers Support Group of Athens.
Sarah E. Thomas
ATHENS - Sarah Eloise Bobo Thomas, 62, of Owens School Road died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was Monday at McConnell Funeral Home with Hiram Hutto and Malcolm Andrews officiating.
Burial was in Evans Cemetery.
Mrs. Thomas was a native of DeKalb County and a member of the Jackson Drive Church of Christ.
Survivors include her husband, Arthur Horace Thomas; one daughter, Donna Eloise Thigpen; one son, Arthur Kevin Thomas of Athens; two sisters, Pat Jones of Athens and Mary Sue Janowiak of Brunswick, Ohio; two brothers, Andrew Bobo of Athens and Roger Bobo of Gulf Shores; and two grandchildren.
Frank Williams
TROY - Frank "Red" Williams, 70, died Sunday. The funeral was today at 10:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Troy with Dr. Ed Walter officiating.
Burial was in Green Hills Memorial Park with Dillard Funeral Home of Troy in charge.
Mr. Williams was a native of Luverne and had worked for Boeing for 35 years.
Survivors include his wife, Ann Kelly Williams of Troy; one daughter, Elizabeth "Betsy" Irving of Knoxville, Tenn.; one son, Frank R. Williams Jr. of Huntsville; and six grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the church building fund or to the athletic department at Troy State University.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Rebecca S. Wilson
Rebecca Sibley Wilson, 83, of 2908 Barbara Drive in Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Douglas Tabernacle Primitive Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert Rogers officiating.
Burial will be in Meadowlawn Garden of Peace with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include two daughters, Henrietta Scott of Boston, Mass., and Mary Bell Wilson of Huntsville; and three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Mildred M. Zuurbier
BYHALIA, Tenn. - Mildred M. Zuurbier, 78, died Sunday at her home. A graveside service was to be today at 2 p.m. at Middleton City Cemetery with Wes Richardson officiating.
Shackelford Funeral Directors in Bolivar, Tenn., is in charge of burial.
She was a native of Lambert, Miss., and was a supply procurement clerk at Redstone Arsenal. She spent most of her adult life in Huntsville.
Survivors include one sister, Jessie M. Drake of Huntsville.
