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.
Doris Ellen Y. Ballard
Doris Ellen Yeager Ballard, 82, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Latham United Methodist Church with the Rev. James Bailey and the Rev. Bobby Allford officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Valhalla Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Ballard was a long-time and very active member of the Latham United Methodist Church. She earned a 25 year pin for service with the United Methodist Women. She was an active Red Cross volunteer during her husbands active Navy career, and was involved with Meals on Wheels. She and her husband have been residents of Huntsville since 1967.
Survivors include her husband, Capt. Hinton H. "Hamp" Ballard; one daughter, Jean B. Brickle of Rhode Island; two sons, Dennis D. Flynn and Marvin Hampton Ballard, both of Virginia; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The body will be at the church one hour before funeral service.
Memorials may be made to the Latham United Methodist Church Memorial Fund.
John Jeffery Barber
John Jeffery Barber, 36, of Huntsville died Thursday at his home. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Laughlin Service Chapel with the Rev. Jay Robinson officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Cemetery in Midfield, Ala., with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Barber was a graduate of Grissom High School, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the Cumberland Law School in Birmingham. He was a member of Latham United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert L. Barber.
Survivors include his mother, Peggy Barber; a brother, Robert L. Barber Jr., both of Huntsville; two uncles, John H. Reaves of Huntsville and James ''Jim Berryman of Athens, Ga. and one aunt, Carol Ashley of Birmingham.
Visitation will be Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Huntsville, 701 Andrew Jackson Way NE, Huntsville, Al. 35801.
James L. Burgess
MARTLING - James Lenard Burgess, 93, of Martling died Wednesday in a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Adams Funeral Home in Albertville.
Burial will be in Martling Cemetery.
Survivors include one son, Jerry Burgess of Boaz; three sisters, Flora Reed of Attalla and Frances McClendon and Bonnie Allen, both of Albertville; three brothers, Boyce Burgess and James Burgess, both of Albertville, and Bob Burgess of Washington state; and three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Gracie Bailey Carden
Gracie Bailey Carden, 89, of Huntsville died Thursday at her home. The funeral will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at Laughlin Service Chapel with Pastor Paul Lawler officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Carden was a member of Meadow Drive Baptist Church.
Survivors include three daughters, Helen Carden Kissel and Shelvie Carden Gay, both of Huntsville and Clara Carden Henson of Hammond, Ind.; two sons, Ernest Carden Jr. and Billie R. Carden, both of Brownsboro; two sisters, Julia Patterson of Bridgeport and Ethel Prince of Huntsville; and 19 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Rachelle Lynn Cassity
Dr. Rachelle Lynn Cassity of Huntsville died today at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Whitesburg Baptist Church with the Dr. Jimmy Jackson officiating.
Burial will be in Mobile with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge of local arrangements.
Dr. Cassity was a clinical instructor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville from 1994-1995; assistant professor at the University of Alabama School of Medicine-Huntsville Program since 1995 and Fellow of Student Affairs there from 1997-1998.
She was a member of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine; the American Academy of Family Physicians; the Alabama Medical Association; and numerous other medical societies.
Survivors include her parents; Cecil and Linda Cassity of Huntsville, two sisters, Ginger Kirsopp of New Hope and Kelly Daniels of Mobile; maternal grandmother, Josephine Turrittin of Mobile; two nephews, Thomas Kirsopp of New Hope and Jacob Hunter Daniels of Mobile; one niece, Cara Rose Kirsopp of New Hope; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Visitation will be Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to HEART P.O. Box 2872 Huntsville, Al. 35804 or HEALS 1216 Meridian St. Huntsville, Al. 35801.
Joe Logan Commons
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Joe Logan Commons, 81 of 131 Morton Dr. died Thursday at Lincoln Skill Care. The funeral will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Louis F. Davis officiating.
Burial will be in Lebanon Cemetery with Higgins Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Commons was retired from Moores Building, a veteran of World War II and a member of Harms Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Sandlin Commons of Fayetteville; one daughter, Melissa Ritchie of Calhoun, Ga.; and one granddaughter, Heather Ritchie.
Cleo W. Davis
JONESBORO, Ga. - Cleo W. Davis, 96, of 2008 Tiffany Lane died Thursday at her home. The funeral will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert Slack officiating.
Burial will be in Hartselle City Cemetery.
Ms. Davis was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church. She taught school 30 years and some of those years in Morgan County. She was a Sunday School teacher all of her adult life. Ms. Davis was a matron of the Hartselle Chapter #39 of the Eastern Star for two terms and a member of the Eastern Star Helion Chapter #209 in Huntsville.
Suvivors include a granddaughter, Clara Diane Smith of Jonesboro, Ga.; and a grandson, Steven G. Turney of Huntsville.
Visitation will be Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the funeral home.
George F. Dillard
STEELE, Mo. - George Floyd Dillard, 47, died Tuesday. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Nelms Memorial Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Billy Earl officiating.
Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery.
Survivors include one daughter, Holly Sims of Steele; one son, Gerald Dillard of Camp Lejeune, N.C.; his mother, Irene Dillard of Huntsville; three sisters, Helen Cross and ElMarine McDonald, both of Scottsboro, and Nancy Walker of Huntsville; and five brothers, James Dillard of Scottsboro, Johnny Dillard of Blytheville, Ark., and Charlie Dillard, Donald Dillard and Handy P. Dillard, all of Huntsville.
Visitation will be today from 7 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Donald W. Guinn
STEVENSON - The Rev. Donald Wayne ''Donny Guinn, 44, died Tuesday. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Centennial Baptist Church with the Rev. Howard McCallie officiating.
Burial was to be in the adjoining cemetery with Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson in charge.
Rev. Guinn was pastor of the Centenial Baptist Church and a member of the Bolivar Lodge No. 127 in Stevenson.
Survivors include his wife, Reita Guinn; one daughter, Angie Guinn of Fackler; one son, Brian Guinn of Fackler; his mother, Faye Guinn of Bear Creek; two brothers, Mark Guinn of Stevenson and Eric Guinn of Bear Creek; and one grandson.
John W. Gunn
GUNTERSVILLE - John Will ''Johnny Gunn, 60, of 550 Conn Circle, died Tuesday in a Huntsville hospital. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Marshall Memorial Garden.
Survivors include his wife, Joann Gunn; three daughters, Shannon Arreos and Candy Wilborn, both of Guntersville, and Tonya Mohler of New Orleans; one stepdaughter, Kim Brown of Arab; mother, Eva P. Gunn of Guntersville; and seven grandchildren.
Bob Hamilton
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Bob Hamilton, 76, of 25 Boonshill Rd. died Wednesday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Fayetteville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church with Dr. Calvin Todd officiating.
Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery with Higgins Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Hamilton was owner of Hamilton Builders Supply for 40 years. He was a member and elder of the Fayetteville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, past president of the Fayetteville Rotary Club, graduate of Vanderbilt University and a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Fred S. Hamilton Jr.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy Jones Hamilton; one daughter, Mary Lindsay Hamilton of Nashville; five sons, Joe Bagley of Los Altos, Calif., Bob Hamilton Jr. of Atlanta, John Hamilton of Florence, Mack Hamilton of Fayetteville and Tom Hamilton of Memphis; one sister, Mary Anna Eslick of Jacksonville, Fla.; and 13 grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Elizabeth Hawkins
Elizabeth Hawkins, 86, of Huntsville died Thursday at her home. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Epworth United Methodist Church with the Rev. Byron White officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Hawkins was a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., and a resident of Madison County for the past 70 years. She was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church.
Survivors include one son, Billy J. Hawkins of Huntsville; one sister, Winifred Hensel of Lynchburg, Tenn.; two brothers, Leonard Walker of Park City, Tenn., and William Walker of Hawkins, Texas; two grandchildren, Melissa Hawkins Willingham of Ohatchee; and Mark Hawkins of Huntsville and two great-grandchildren, Ricky Hawkins and Hunter Willingham.
Visitation will be tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Epworth United Methodist Church Building Fund, 2102 Epworth Drive, Huntsville, Ala. 35811.
Wendy K. Hurtado
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Wendy Kay Hurtado, 23, died Sept. 18 at a local hospital. A rosary was recited Wednesday at Seaside Chapel and the funeral was held Thursday at Corpus Christi Cathedral.
Burial was in Seaside Memorial Park Cemetery with Seaside Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include her husband, Francisco Hurtado; her parents, Thomas and Lana Schlechty of Gurley, and one sister, Tracy Schlechty of Gurley.
Woodrow R. Mahan
HORTON - Woodrow R. Mahan, 85, of 1045 Douglas-Hyatt Road, died Wednesday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Liberty Hill Baptist Church.
Burial was to be in the adjoining cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Irene Mahan; one daughter, Ginger Lashley of Guntersville; one son, Roger W. Mahan of Horton; and three grandchildren.
Gladys T. Moore
HAZEL GREEN - Gladys Thrower Moore, 67, died Thursday at her home. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Elton Brazier officiating.
Burial will be in Latham Cemetery in Paint Rock Valley.
Survivors include her husband, Lee Moore; one son, Rick Moore of Toney; three sisters, Annie Mae Bingham of Garth, Pauline Sanders of Hollytree and Lucy Mason of Scottsboro; one brother, Robert Thrower of Trenton; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
James O. Peters
HOLLY POND - James O. ''Pete Peters, 69, of 4240 Alabama 67, died Wednesday at a Cullman hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in New Home Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Peters; two daughters, Shannon S. Peters and Sheila Grace, both of Holly Pond; five sisters, Martha Pendergrass, Jonnie Rudd, Shirley Cochran, Susan Bell and Evelyn Orgera, all of Florida; two brothers, Walton S. Peters of Florida and Willie E. Peters of Opelika; and four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.
Claude Pierce
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Claude Pierce, 74, of 321 Prospect Road died Thursday at his home. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with Bro. Winford Claiborne officiating.
Burial will be in Kirkland Cemetery with Higgins Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Pierce was a native of Lincoln County, Tenn. He was retired from McAlister Coop Factory and was a member of the West Fayetteville Church of Christ.
He was preceded in death by his parents James Riley and Mattie Lee Beech Pierce.
Survivors include his wife, Lorena Bates Pierce of Fayetteville; a son, Claude Randall Pierce of Fayetteville; a brother, Albert Pierce of Huntsville; and two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
George Robert Selvage
George Robert Selvage, 77, of Huntsville died Thursday at his home. The funeral will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at Spry Chapel with Charles Marshall officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Selvage was a native of Marshall County and a member of Randolph Church of Christ where he served as a deacon. He was a veteran of World War II and a member of the Civilian and Conservation Corps. He was retired from NASA and a lifetime member of the V.F.W.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ulus A. and Annie McGhee Selvage; two brothers, E.H. Selvage and Oliver Street Selvage; and three sisters, Mabel Grant, Dora Scott and Doris Caldwell.
Survivors include his wife, Louise Chaparus Wollesen Selvage; one daughter, Kathy Johnson of Athens; one son, James D. "Jackie" Wollesen of Chicago; two sisters, Elizabeth Ledbetter of Albertville and Nettie Kirkland of Claysville; two brothers, Ulus A. Selvage Jr. of Arab and Paul Selvage of Claysville; and four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Family Cares 2225 Drake Ave. Suite 8, Huntsville, Al. 35805.
Marjorie E. Stapler
GRANT - Marjorie Ester Stapler, 73, of 40 9th St. died Wednesday at an area hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Grant Memorial Chapel Funeral Home with Bros. Clayton Tuggle and Anthony Barnes officiating.
Burial was in Free Home Cemetery.
Mrs. Stapler was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxillary.
Survivors include two daughters, Jan Martin of Guntersville and Gloria Fuller of Grant; one son, Mike Stapler of Grant; one sister, Louise Musfelt of California; one brother, Guy Provience of Grant; and three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Lindin Webster
GRANT - Lindin Webster, 84, of 25 Brewer Circle died Thursday at a local hospital. The graveside service will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Panquin Cemetery with Brother Scott Gossett officiating.
Survivors include his wife, Elsie Webster; one daughter, Polly W. Edwards of Huntsville; one son, Robert S. Webster of Grant; one sister, Annie Mae Kirby of New Hope; one brother, M.C. Webster of New Hope; and three grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Hazelle L. Wilcox
Hazelle Lee Wilcox, 80, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. George Gravitte officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Wilcox was a native of Iowa and had lived in Huntsville 40 years. She was a member of Lakewood United Methodist Church.
Survivors include one sister, Mildred Fuller of Story City, Iowa; one brother, Roger Lee of St. Louis, Mo.; and two grandsons, Roy Wilcox of New Brighton, Minn., and Ben Wilcox of Lake Forrest, Calif. Visitation will be today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
