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.
Winnie Baugh
GUNTERSVILLE - Winnie Muriel Vest Baugh, 83, died Wednesday at her home. The funeral was today at 10 a.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville.
Burial was in Crestview Cemetery.
Survivors include two daughters, Louise Chandler and Muriel Baugh, both of Guntersville; and two grandsons, Sam Chandler Jr. and David Chandler, both of Guntersville.
Donald R. Brown
HENAGAR - Donald Ray Brown, 62, died Wednesday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 4 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home Chapel in Rainsville.
Burial was to be in Town Creek Cemetery.
Survivors include one sister, Louise Brown Morgan of Birmingham, and one brother, Leo Brown of Rainsville.
Mae Clark
SOMERVILLE - Mae Clark, 86, of 1791 Apple Grove Road died Wednesday at her home. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Gober Funeral Home in Arab.
Burial was in Mount Olive Cemetery.
Survivors include two daughters, Joy Parsons of Union Hill and Nancy Sue Cartier of Laceys Spring; two sisters, Edna Rhodes of Oneonta and Essie Ballew of Joppa; and seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Marjorie M. Jones
ATHENS - Mrs. Marjorie Maybell Jones, 61, of Market Street, died Wednesday at an Athens nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with Don Osborne officiating.
Burial was to be in Athens Memory Gardens.
Mrs. Jones was a native of Limestone County, a retired nursing assistant at Athens Convalescent Center and a member of the Church of Christ.
Survivors include two sons, Richard Jones of Decatur and Joey Jones of Athens; three sisters, Adell Griggs, Jo Wooten and Carolyn Chambers, all of Athens; two brothers, Ray Brooks of Lewisburg, Tenn. and Roger Brooks of Athens; and three grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society for lung research.
Emily Dunn Maples
ELKMONT - Miss Emily Dunn Maples, 57, of 18635 Maples Circle died Thursday at Cullman Regional Medical Center. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Athens with the Rev. Robert Sharman officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery in Athens.
Miss Maples was a native of Limestone County, a 1958 graduate of Athens High School and a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Athens. She was active in the Elkmont Homemakers Club and the Elkmont Sewing Club.
Survivors include her parents, William ''Mack and Doris Elliott Maples of Elkmont; three sisters, Ann Maples Hamner of Fayette, Susan Maples Minor of Columbiana and Jane Elizabeth Maples of Madison; and one brother, Billy Maples of Elkmont.
Memorial donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Limestone County Mental Health Association.
Sirvell M. Mills
Sirvell Morton Mills, 67, of 2214 Beasley St. in Huntsville died Tuesday at her home. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Douglas Tabernacle with the Rev. Robert Rodgers officiating.
Burial will be in Brandontown Cemetery with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one daughter, Angela Morton of Boston, Mass,; one brother, Thomas Lightford Jr. of Huntsville; and two grandchildren.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Ethel J. Overton
Ethel J. Overton, 85, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. The graveside service will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Harold Dowler officiating and Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Overton was a member of First Christian Church and was retired from civil service.
Survivors include one daughter, Terry O. Hodge of Huntsville; one grandson, Trevor Hodge of Huntsville; and one niece, Billie Wallace of Chicago.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Annie Pitts
MADISON - Annie Lee Griffin Pitts, 66, of 126-A Michael Ave. died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Moses Chapel P.B. Church with the Rev. George Franklin Sr. officiating.
Royal Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mrs. Pitts was a member of the Moses Chapel Sister Aid Society, the Eastern Star and the Mother Board. She was also a member of various choirs in which she was vice president.
Survivors include three daughters, Dorothy S. Horton and Emma Campbell, both of Madison, and Angela Stover of Orlando; one stepmother, Annie Mae Holley of Triana; four sisters, Mary Malone of Huntsville, Hazel Evans of Madison and Vinnie Foster and Sarah Watkins, both of Nashville; three brothers, Walter Lee Griffin and Morris Griffin, both of Decatur, and Toney Griffin of Triana; and two foster grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
J.D. Reece
ATHENS - J.D. Reece, 58, of Seven Mile Post Road died Wednesday in Huntsville. The funeral was today at noon at Spry Funeral Home.
Burial was in Limestone Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Reece was a native of Limestone County and was employed by Athens city schools in the maintenance department. He was preceded in death by one son, Eddie Reece.
Survivors include his wife, Ann Reece; one daughter, Gina Scott of Athens; three sisters, Agnes Davis, Lura Putman and Elaine Scott, all of Athens; three brothers, Junior Reece of Columbia, Tenn., Milburn Reece and Vernon Reece, both of Athens; and three grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Robert J. Rhodes
ARDMORE, Tenn. - Robert J. "Dusty" Rhodes, 69, of Ardmore Highway died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 11 a.m. at Ardmore Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Edd Templeton officiating.
Burial was to be in Blanche Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Linda Lou Whitt Rhodes; two daughters, Patricia J. Crabtree of Elkton, Tenn., and Cindy Whitsett of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; and one grandchild.
Betty H. Ridgeway
Betty Honey Ridgeway, 62, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Larry Johnson officiating.
Mrs. Ridgeway, a lifelong resident of Madison County, was retired from the Huntsville Police Department after 15 years there. She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer Ridgeway.
Survivors include two daughters, Cindy Dudley of Harvest and LaDell Britton of Fayetteville; one son, Mark Branon Sr. of Meridianville; two sisters, Edna Mullins and Evelyn Harris, both of Gurley; three brothers, R.D. Honey, Logan Honey and Billy Honey, all of Huntsville; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Althea Safford
BIRMINGHAM - Althea Lynne Smith Safford, 78, died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 1 p.m. at Old Sardis Baptist Church in Birmingham.
Burial will be in Zion Memorial Gardens with Smith and Gaston Funeral Services in charge.
Mrs. Safford was a Birmingham city schools teacher who retired after 20 years there.
Survivors include one son, Paul Safford of Herndon, Va.; one foster sister, Martha Washington of Birmingham; two nieces, Eather S. Moore and Geraldine Safford, both of Huntsville; one nephew, David Safford of Huntsville; and three grandchildren.
George W. Steele
George Willie Steele, 57, of 171 Wilkerson Drive in Huntsville died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Union Chapel M.B. Church with the Rev. O. Wendell Davis officiating.
Burial will be in Meadowlawn Garden of Peace with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara A. Steele of Huntsville; two daughters, Brenda Steele-Foster and Patrice Armes, both of Huntsville; one stepdaughter, Joyce Hampton of Huntsville; two sons, George Steele Jr. of Honolulu and Marlene Cole of South Carolina; one stepson, Earl Hampton Jr. of Huntsville; two sisters, Mary Alice Steele of Huntsville and Beatrice Morris of Decatur; six brothers, Robert Steele, Larry Steele and Sammy Steele, all of Huntsville, Henry Steele of Milwaukee, Claude Steele of Montgomery and James Steele of Birmingham; and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Jeannie A. Tippins
Jeannie Alta Tippins, 69, of Huntsville died June 11 at a Georgia hospital. The funeral was Thursday at Chapel of Devotion with the Rev. Glenn Courtney officiating.
Burial was in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Valhalla Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one son, Bayne E. Tippins of Alpharetta, Ga.; one sister, Mildred A. Taylor of Alexandria, Va.; and four grandchildren.
Nannie O. Ward
FALKVILLE - Mrs. Nannie O. Ward, 98, died Wednesday at a Hartselle hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Peck Funeral Home in Hartselle with the Rev. Roger Collins officiating.
Burial was in Gum Springs Cemetery.
Mrs. Ward was a member of Gum Springs Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by one son, Hilton Ward.
Survivors include seven daughters, Pearl Baker of Falkville, Brenda Sparks of Birmingham and Aline White, Vanita Ray, Reba Stinson, Yvonne Russell and Gean Self, all of Hartselle; three sons, Wilbern Ward of Decatur and Haskel Ward and Hulan Ward, both of Hartselle; and 33 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren.
Ervin L. Whitt
REMLAP - Ervin L. Whitt, 86, died Wednesday at his home. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Whitt was a farmer in the Madison County area his whole life.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Whitt of Remlap; five daughters, Sue Beason and Shirley Shelton, both of Pinson, Pat Pendergraph of Apex, N.C., andMary Ann Bright and Wanda Vaughn, both of Birmingham; one son, John R. Whitt of Chattanooga, Tenn.; two sisters, Blanche Stinnett and Edna Reagor, both of Limestone County; one brother, Johnny Whitt of Athens; and 17 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society.
