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.
Christian X. Beshears
Christian Xavier Beshears, infant son of Michelle Beshears and Annais Langford Jr., both of Huntsville, died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Huntsville Memory Gardens.
Spry Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Other survivors include four brothers, Stephen Beshears, Cornelius Beshears, Montarius Marks and Devante Marks, all of Huntsville; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Key of Toney and Carolyn Fletcher of Huntsville; and great-grandparents, James Fox and Lela Fox, both of Huntsville.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Charles J. Blahut Sr.
ATHENS - Charles Joseph Blahut Sr., 50, of Holt Road died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Roy Lee Jarrett officiating.
Burial will be in Bottom Cemetery.
Mr. Blahut was a mechanic and a member of New Life Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Alice Blahut; two sons, Charles J. Blahut Jr. of Chicago and Roy Wayne Moore of Athens; one daughter, Barbara J. Warren of Athens; one stepson, Danny Wayne Moore of Athens; one stepdaughter, Susie Ann Moore of Athens; one sister, Mary Alice Miller of Chicago; and three grandchildren.
Don Brown
FYFFE - Don Brown, 59, died Tuesday at his home. The memorial service will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel in Rainsville with the Rev. Craig White officiating.
W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Marquita Brown of Rainsville; three sons, Don Brown II and Kelly Brown, both of Rainsville, and Justin Wells of Peoria, Ill.; and his mother, Stella Howey of Maywood, Calif.
James A. Ellis
GUNTERSVILLE - James Albert ''Jack Ellis, 81, of 5358 Alabama 79 died Tuesday at a Gadsden hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville.
Burial was to be in Pleasant Grove Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Emma Jean Ellis; one daughter, Nellie Jo Smith of Albertville; two sons, Jimmy Ellis of Swearengin and Charles Ellis Sr. of Albertville; one stepdaughter, Betty Emrick of Guntersville; two stepsons, Earl Partin of Guntersville and James Partin; and 26 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Summer L. Hairston
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Summer Lee Hairston, 25, died Friday in Knoxville. The funeral will be Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Arlington National Cemetery.
Capital Funeral Service of Falls Church, Va., is in charge of burial.
Ms. Hairston attended Whitesburg Middle School where she was a member of the band. She was also a member of the Huntsville Skating Club. She was a preschool teacher and a student at the University of Tennessee.
Survivors include her parents, Maj. Gen. Guy Hairston and Delores Hairston, both of Shelbyville; one brother, Guy Hairston of Tennessee; one sister, Diana Hairston of Shelbyville; and two nieces.
Thomas A. House
ATHENS - Thomas Alfred House, 69, died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Villageview United Methodist Church.
Burial will be in Thatch-Mann Cemetery with Peaples Funeral Home of Athens in charge.
Mr. House was a retired teacher.
Survivors include his wife, Catherine House of Athens; two daughters, Gwendolyn Warren Sterling of Decatur and Pamelyn House Malone of Athens; one son, Alvin House of Athens; and 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mable T. King
ARAB - Mable Terrell King, 67, of 311 3rd St. died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Gober Funeral Home in Arab.
Burial will be in Rescue Cemetery.
Survivors include five daughters, Willodean Brown and Tammy Ashburn, both of Arab, and Martha Griffin, Paula Loucakis and Lisa Curtis, all of Florida; four sons, Howard King, Jerry King and Christopher King, all of Arab, and James King of Florida; her mother, Lillie Terrell of Morgan City; seven sisters, Betty Reliford and Audrey Tabscott, both of Scant City, Zelmer Brooks of Union Hill, Lorrene Defilippo of Blountsville, Katie Fellows of Florida, Paulette Willis of Tennessee and Barbara Walls of Arab; four brothers, Perry Terrell of Florida, Terry Terrell of Albertville, John Terrell of North Carolina and George Terrell; and 21 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
May B. Kirk
BRIDGEPORT - May Belle Kirk, 81, died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson.
Burial was in Old Baptist Cemetery in Stevenson.
Mrs. Kirk was a member of the Rocky Springs Church of Christ.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Kirk Sr.
Survivors include four daughters, Norma Sieczkarek of Ooltewah, Tenn., Mary Bryant of South Pittsburg, Tenn., and Sandra McCarter and Brenda McAllister, both of Bridgeport; five sons, Joe Kirk III of Jasper, Tenn., Albert L. Kirk of Memphis, Tenn., Robert J. Kirk of Alexandria, Ala., Larry W. Kirk of South Pittsburg and Lee Van Kirk of Cummings, Ga.; one sister, Mary Glenn Smith of Kimball, Tenn.; and 29 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren.
Linda F. Knox
NEW MARKET - Linda Faye Knox, 44, died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Home Mission Baptist Church with the Rev. Otis Graves officiating.
Burial will be in Charity Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Knox was a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., but spent most her life in Madison County. She was a member of Home Mission Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Charlie E. Knox of New Market; two daughters, Wendy Williams of Fort Campbell, Ky., and Heather Knox of New Market; her mother, Janie Billions of New Market; two sisters, Betty Ann Walker of New Market and Joyce Buchanan of Kelso, Tenn.; one brother, Junior Hobbs of New Market; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Brandy J. Lambert
FYFFE - Brandy Jack Lambert, 19, died Tuesday. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at New Hope Baptist Church with the Rev. Charles Bishop and the Rev. Chris Andrews officiating.
Burial will be in Tenbroeck Cemetery with W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel in charge.
Survivors include his father and stepmother, Richard and Judy Lambert of Fyffe; his mother, Cathy Martin of Kingston, S.C.; three brothers, Andy Lambert of Fyffe and Joel Lambert and Jimmie Lambert, both of Kingston, S.C.
John V. Larson
AUSTIN, Texas - Retired Air Force Col. John V. Larson, 78, died Monday at an Austin hospital. The funeral will be Friday, Aug. 13, at 1 p.m. at Fort Meyer Chapel in Arlington, Va.
Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery.
Col. Larson lived in Huntsville from 1965 to 1985. He flew more than 60 combat missions for the Air Force during World War II and the Korean War. After retiring in 1965, he worked for the Boeing and Bendix companies at Redstone Arsenal. He attended the arsenals Bicentennial Chapel where he was an usher. He was also a member of the Officers Christian Fellowship. He moved to Austin in the late 1980s.
Survivors include his wife, Kitty Larson of Austin; one daughter, Andrean Larson of Arlington; two sons, John Larson of Arlington and Brent Larson of Reston, Va.; and three stepsons and two grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Special Olympics in the name of his granddaughter, Whitney Ruth Larson.
Burmah Lee
Burmah Irene Rowe Lee, 75, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mrs. Lee was chief of telephone operations at Redstone Arsenal until she retired in 1980. She was a member of First Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Charles V. Lee of Huntsville; one son, Charles V. Lee Jr. of Birmingham; and two granddaughters, Christina S. Lee and Meredith A. Lee, both of Birmingham.
Visitation will be Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Patricia A. Moore
ATHENS - Patricia Ann Moore, 48, of 1210 Wheeler St. died Tuesday at her home. The funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at McConnell Funeral Home with Dewey Craft officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Moore was a native of Limestone County and attended First United Pentecostal Church.
Survivors include two sons, Shane Jarrett and Tim Russell, both of Athens; one sister, Marie Cluxton of Athens; three brothers, C.L. Hastings of Minor Hill, Tenn., and Hack Hastings and Clayton Hastings, both of Athens; and five grandchildren.
Margaret Owens
HUNTLAND, Tenn. - Margaret Owens, 93, of Owens Road died Wednesday at a Winchester, Tenn., nursing home. The funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Gallant Funeral Home in Fayetteville, Tenn.
Burial will be in McClure Cemetery.
Mrs. Owens was a native of Franklin County, Tenn., and a retired school teacher. She was preceded in death by her husband, Emmet Owens.
Survivors include several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Protasio E. Penaranda
Protasio E. Penaranda, 98, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local nursing home. The graveside service will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Christ Church Cemetery in Fountain Springs, Pa.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.
Mr. Penaranda joined the Navy in 1921 in Olangapo, Philippines, and was discharged in 1927 in Brooklyn, N.Y. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service and moved to Huntsville in 1997.
Survivors include one son, Carl Penaranda of Huntsville; and three grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Barbara A. Raney
ATHENS - Barbara Ann Raney, 60, of 9th Avenue died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 3:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Bob White and James Adams officiating.
Burial will be in Sandlin Cemetery.
Mrs. Raney was a native of Limestone County, a homemaker, a member of Shanghai Baptist Church and was preceded in death by one daughter, Melissa McKinney.
Survivors include four daughters, Michele White of South Carolina, Marie Haggermaker of Lester, Sharon Mason and Stephanie Lloyd, both of Athens; one son, Marty Thompson of Summerville, Ky.; two brothers, Harold Green e and Danny Green, both of Athens; one sister, Sandra Griffin of Elkmont; and 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Donald R. Stewart
Donald Ray Stewart, 65, of Huntsville died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Twickenham Funeral Home South with the Rev. Joe Estes officiating.
Twickenham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Stewart was formerly of Pennsylvania and had lived in the Huntsville area 12 years. He was a member of the Singles Square Dancing Club and Trinity United Methodist Church and worked six years at Ace Hardware.
Survivors include two sons, Steve Stewart of Huntsville and Brad Stewart of Austin, Texas; two daughters, Michelle Stewart Lyman of Seattle, Wash., and Heather Stewart of Phoenix, Ariz.; one sister, Doris Olbert; her mother, Carrie Sterwart of Covington, Ky.; and three grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Parkinsons Disease Association, 116 John St. Suite 417, New York, N.Y., 10038, (215) 732-9550.
Nancy Walker
SCOTTSBORO - Nancy Walker, 52, died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Edmund G. Fay officiating.
Burial will be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood.
Survivors include two brothers, Robert Walker of Scottsboro and Bill Walker of Slidell, La.; and four aunts, Helen McGuffey of Madison, Ala., Helen McCormick of Emma, Ill., Louise Childress of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Mary Stewart of Marietta, Ga.
Visitation was to be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
