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.
Barbara L. Clark
ELKMONT - Barbara Lee Clark, 52, died Friday at her home. Services will be today at 1 p.m. at Spry Chapel with the Rev. Alton Downs and the Rev. Booster Graves officiating.
Burial will be in Limestone Memorial Gardens with Spry Funeral Home of Athens in charge.
Mrs. Clark was born in Somerset, Ky. She was a homemaker and a member of Union Hill Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Jackie Clark of Elkmont; two daughters, Debbie Chittam of Athens and Teresa Andreoni of Gurley; three sons, Tim Phillips of Elkmont, and Steve Phillips and Heith Clark, both of Athens; and seven grandchildren.
Charles Craig
GUNTERSVILLE - Charles Craig, 67, of 3620 Pearson Circle died Saturday at his home. A graveside service was to be today at 4 p.m. at Piney Grove Cemetery.
Carr Funeral Home of Guntersville is in charge.
Survivors include three daughters, Diane Bole of Georgia, Becky Knott of Guntersville and Debra Dalton of Tennessee; one son, Charles G. Craig of Guntersville; two sisters, Aleen Lewis and Ann Epperson, both of Tennessee; two brothers, Billy J. Craig of Tennessee and Mack Craig of California; and 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Francis W. Dill
PLANO, Texas - Francis W. ''Frank Dill, 80, died April 30. A memorial service will be Saturday at noon at the Bicentennial Chapel at Redstone Arsenal with the Rev. Coy Hallmark officiating.
Spry Funeral Home is in charge of burial arrangements.
Mr. Dill was a native of Pennsylvania but had lived in Huntsville for many years. He was a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army and had worked at Marshall Space Flight Center as a special assistant to the director of administration. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife, Dottie Dill; one son, Frank ''Butch Dill of Hazel Green ; one daughter, Bonnie Caldwell of Dallas; one brother, Jack Dill of Georgia; one sister, Ilene Diesel of Florida; and four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will follow the service at 1 p.m. at the Twickenham Room at Redstone Arsenal.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Lung Association, 250 Governors Drive, Huntsville 35801.
Axel O. Esser
Axel O. Esser, 57, of Huntsville died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Mike Carroll officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Esser was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Moose Lodge. He worked at Teledyne Brown Engineering for 17 years.
Survivors include his wife, Catherine Elaine Esser of Huntsville, and two daughters, Beth Esser Alaoui of Boston and Carole Eyler of Huntsville.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Donations may be made to the American Heart Association.
Ernest George
Ernest George, 70, of Huntsville died Sunday at his home. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mr. George was in the restaurant business 50 years in Birmingham and Huntsville.
Survivors include his wife, Alexandra George of Huntsville; one sister, Mary Marmaras of Washington, D.C.; one aunt, Helen Hagestratou of Birmingham; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Holy Cross-Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church.
William D. Green
TOWN CREEK - William Doyle Green, 63, of 300 County Road 411 died Saturday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel in Athens.
Burial will be in Giles Memory Gardens in Pulaski, Tenn.
Mr. Green was born in Limestone County. He was retired from the U.S. Air Force and was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was a member of Tarana Masonic Lodge #3 in Fairbanks, Alaska; a 32nd degree Mason, a member of the AL-ASKA Shrine Temple, the Scottish Rite and a recipient of a 25 years pin for service in the Masonic Lodge.
Survivors include his wife, Pat Green of Town Creek; two step-sons, Rick Griggs of Naples, Fla., and Wade Griggs of Pulaski; two brothers, Haron Green and Danny Green, both of Athens; two sisters, Sandra Griffin and Barbara Raney, both of Athens; and one granddaughter, two step-grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Margaret A. Hall
DECATUR - Margaret Ann Hall, 63, died Sunday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home chapel in Hartselle with the Rev. Charles Sparks officiating.
Burial will be in Bethel Cemetery.
She was a housekeeper at Summerford Nursing Home in Falkville and a member of Bethel Baptist Church in Hartselle.
Survivors include one son, Brian Keith Hall of Oden Ridge; four brothers, J.L. Pitt and Clinton Pitt, both of Russellville, and Theo Pitt and Neal Pitt, both of Decatur; two sisters, Magadlene Mitchell and Wylowdean Robinson, both of Decatur; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Alfred E. Hosch
Alfred Earl Hosch, 77, of Huntsville died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Jackson Way Baptist Church with the Rev. Gary Wayne Jordan and the Rev. Douglass Stevens.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of burial arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Georgie Frances Hosch; two sons, Kenny Dale Hosch of Huntsville and Carey Earl Hosch of Harvest; two sisters, Sarah Lee Knighton and Dorothy Mae Rousseau, both of Huntsville; and two granddaughters.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Charles E. Lewis
Charles E. Lewis, 86, of Huntsville died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at Westside Funeral Home in Calera with the Rev. R.L. White officiating.
Burial will be in First Baptist Cemetery in Calera with Nelms Memorial Funeral Home in charge of local arrangements.
Mr. Lewis retired in 1975 after 37 years with the office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington D.C. He was a World War II veteran.
Survivors include one sister, Ethel Smoot of Huntsville; and one nephew, Charles T. Smoot of Huntsville.
Visitation will be today from 7 to 8 p.m. at Nelms Memorial Funeral Home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimers Association or a favorite charity.
Elizabeth Murphy
Elizabeth Murphy, 9, of Huntsville died today at her home. Twickenham Funeral Home South will announce funeral arrangements.
Elizabeth A. Phillips
PISGAH - Elizabeth A. Phillips, 77, died Friday at a local hospital. The graveside service was today at 11 a.m. at Concord Cemetery.
W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel was in charge of burial.
Survivors include her husband, Milton Phillips of Pisgah.
Truda Ragsdale
GUNTERSVILLE - Truda Ragsdale, 95, of 709 Blount Ave. died Saturday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville.
Burial will be in Crestview Cemetery.
Survivors include one daughter, Mary Elanor Willis of Guntersville; one sister, Modena Spivey of New Hope; and two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Loverna O. Raines
ARDMORE, Ala. - Loverna O. Raines, 72, of 3rd Street died Saturday at a Decatur hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Concord Cemetery with the Rev. Austin Nichols officiating.
Gallant Funeral Home in Hazel Green is in charge of burial.
Mrs. Raines was a native of Madison County, a housewife and a member of Heards Chapel Independent Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Kathy Clemmons of Ardmore, Ala.; four sons, Jimmy Lankford of Galax, Va., Ronnie Lankford and Charles Lankford, both of Ardmore, Ala., and James Lankford of Toney; and 14 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Flossie Sanders
SCOTTSBORO - Flossie C. Sanders, 64, died Saturday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Owens Chapel Cemetery in Winchester, Tenn.
Mrs. Sanders was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Dean Sanders; one daughter, Reva Jean Sanders; and one son, Billy Ray Sanders.
Survivors include four sisters, Ruthie Smith, Karen Wood and Katherine Bailey, all of Winchester, and Helen West of Pleasant Groves, Ala.; one brother, Ernest Clark of Decherd, Tenn.; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Arnice Sims ALBERTVILLE - Arnice Sims, 91, of Albertville died Saturday at a Fort Payne hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Adams Funeral Home in Albertville.
Burial was in Memory Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include several nieces and nephews.
Eara E. Stone
Eara Elizabeth Stone, 75, of Huntsville died Friday at a local nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Leslie Sharp officiating.
Burial was to be in Twickenham Memory Gardens.
Mrs. Stone was a native of Madison County and worked at Redstone Arsenal during World War II. She also worked at Lincoln Textile Mill 15 years and was a member of Lincoln Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Franklin L. Stone of Huntsville; two daughters, Josephine Agnew of Owens Cross Roads and Joyce Turner of Hazel Green ; one son, J.R. Stone of Huntsville; three sisters, Laura Bell Buchanan of Hazel Green, Lucille Storey of Flintville, Tenn., and Myrtle Wilson of Hazel Green ; and six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Carl W. Thomas
GUNTERSVILLE - Carl Wayne Thomas, 54, died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Albertville Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Shannon Burbanks officiating.
Burial was to be in Clear Springs Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Shelby Thomas of Guntersville; one son, David Wayne Thomas of Albertville; one stepson, Ricky Eugene Epps of Guntersville; one stepdaughter, Donna Marie Epps of Guntersville; two brothers, Bill Jones of Guntersville and Chris Jones of Albertville; two sisters, Joyce Thomas of Huntsville and Barbara Hamic of Ider; and seven grandchildren.
Luther A. Young
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Luther A. Young, 82, of Hatcher Drive died Saturday at a Fayetteville hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Mike Johnson and the Rev. James Barnes officiating.
Burial will be in Riverview Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Young was a retired supervisor of facilities engineering at Redstone Arsenal, a member of Brogan Avenue Baptist Church and an Army veteran. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Evelyn Mason Young.
Survivors include one daughter, Deborah Ruthledge of Fayetteville; one son, Douglas Young of Huntsville; three brothers, Johnny T. Young, Floyd Young and Loyd Young, all of Fayetteville; three sisters, Ruth Vaughn and Lucille Moyers, both of Fayetteville, and Bertha Durham of Decatur; and four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
