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.
William F. Beierle
William Frank Beierle, 78, of Huntsville died Saturday. The memorial service was to be today at 4 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Hal Oakley officiating.
Burial will be in Hollywood Memorial Park in Union, N.J., with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Beierle was a University of Alabama graduate. He was a deacon and trustee at the church and was a retired environmental engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers.
Survivors include three daughters, Kathleen Beierle Obra of Cypress, Calif., Deborah Beierle Dunlap of Hillsboro, Texas, and Cheryl Beierle Browning of Hollywood, Fla.; one son, Robert Beierle of Diamond Bar, Calif.; and six grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Memorial donations may be made to the churchs Helping Hand Fund at 301 Drake Ave. S.E. in Huntsville, 35802.
Robert L. Birdsong
HARVEST - Robert Louis Birdsong, 57, died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Beaver Dam Independent Church with the Rev. Eric Peeples officiating.
Burial will be in St. James Cemetery with Nelms Memorial Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include two sons, Roger Birdsong and Robert Birdsong Jr.; his mother, Zera Birdsong of Harvest; three sisters, Mary Crutcher of Harvest, Joyce Sales and Kathy Birdsong Brooks, both of Huntsville; five brothers, Ezell Birdsong, Charles Birdsong and Elmore Birdsong, all of Huntsville, Willie Birdsong of Harvest and Benny Birdsong of Athens; his grandmother, Lillian Maples of Huntsville; and eight grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Clara S. Clem
ATHENS - Clara Stanford Clem, 92, of Hine Street died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Wendel Wiser officiating.
A graveside service will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at Beulah Cemetery in Beulah, Miss.
Mrs. Clem was a native of Limestone County, a member of Southside Church of Christ and a homemaker.
Survivors include three sons, James Clem of Anderson, Virgil Clem of Cleveland, Miss., and Billy Joe Clem of Monroe, La.; two daughters, Louise Overstreet of Memphis and Audrey Abernathy of Athens; one brother, Guy Stanford of Athens; and 24 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Jean Cope
MADISON - Jean Cope, 57, died Sunday at her home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Faith Memorial Park with Madison Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one son, Allen Cope Jr. of Harvest; one daughter, Gail Lynn Hughes of Huntsville; five brothers, Jim Herman of Toney and John Vandergriff, Robert Vandergriff, Truman Lee Herman and Jerry D. Stansyphenn, all of Tacoma, Wash.; one sister, Ruby Cope of Danville, Ill.; and 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Joseph M. Gentle
Joseph Melvin Gentle, 64, of Huntsville died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at East Huntsville Baptist Church with the Rev. Don Woodward officiating.
Burial will be in Taylor Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Gentle was a lifelong Huntsville resident and worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 32 years.
Survivors include his wife, Bettie Gentle of Huntsville; one son, Mickey Gentle of Huntsville; one brother, Leonard Gentle of Huntsville; five sisters, Edna Jones and Stella Buffaloe, both of Huntsville, Frances Neeley of Scottsboro, Katherine Parton of Bessemer and Christine Costin of Menifree, Calif.; and several other relatives.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Beulah M. Hastie
Beulah Mae Hastie, 93, of Huntsville died Monday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Coy Hallmark officiating.
Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery in Carterville, Ill.
Mrs. Hastie was a resident of Huntsville since 1976, a member of First United Methodist Church and the Hospitality and Friendship Club.
Survivors include one sister, Pearl Brennaman of Huntsville; and several nieces and nephews, including Donald Becher of California.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mamie I. Hornsby
GUNTERSVILLE - Mamie Irene Hornsby, 78, of Guntersville died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Gober Funeral Home in Arab.
Burial was to be in Gilliam Springs Cemetery.
Survivors include two daughters, Jean Winker of Joppa and Glenda Demis of Wisconsin; one son, James Hornsby of Joppa; one sister, Alma Light of Huntsville; and 10 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Mary S. Hutchinson
ARAB - Mary Sue Hutchinson, 64, of Arab died Saturday at her home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Arab.
Burial will be in Arab Memorial Cemetery with Gober Funeral Home of Arab in charge.
Survivors include her husband, Richard Hutchinson; one daughter, Jill Timmons of Georgia; two sons, David Hutchinson and Dale Hutchinson, both of North Carolina; one sister, Dorothy Noyes of Birmingham; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today at 6 p.m. at the church.
Jerilyn L. Keenan
DECATUR - Jerilyn Lumpkin Keenan, 45, died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens.
Burial will be in Limestone Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Keenan was a native of Limestone County and a former special education teacher for the Albertville and Decatur city school systems.
Survivors include her mother and stepfather, Dot Higgins Goldschmidt and Bill Goldschmidt of Decatur; her father, Jerry Irwin Lumpkin of Houston, Texas; two daughters, Charlotte McSherry of Mobile and Melanie Bishop of Jacksonville, N.C.; one brother, Louie Mark Lumpkin of Greenville, S.C.; and a step-grandfather, Bill Bishop of Dawsonville, Ga.
Memorials may be made to North Alabama Mental Health Center or Hospice of the Valley in Decatur.
Stephen A. McCrea
STEELE - Stephen Austin McCrea, 51, died Sunday. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Deermans Chapel United Methodist Church with Pastor Karl Abernathy officiating.
Village Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Mr. McCrea retired after 21 years as a mechanical engineer at Redstone Arsenal.
Survivors include his wife, Mary McCrea of Steele; two daughters, Hannah Parris of Steele and Teresa Sims of Douglas; two stepsons, Jim Elliott of Gadsden and Paul Elliott of Piedmont; three stepdaughters, Kim Stidham of Hokes Bluff, Rita Jester of Rainbow City and Carly Smith of Steele; three brothers, Patrick McCrea, Kerry McCrea and Eddie McCrea, all of Great Falls, Mont.; and eight grandchildren, seven nieces and one nephew.
Memorial donations may be made to the Deermans Chapel Cemetery Fund.
Visitation will be today from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Maxine Peters
HARVEST - Maxine Yorke Farris Peters, 83, died Sunday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Fords Chapel United Methodist Church with the Rev. Ron McKay officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Peters was a native of Hickory, N.C., and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at age 2. She graduated from Fort Lauderdale High School and Florida State College for Women, now Florida State University. She lived in Clewiston, Fla., DeLand, Fla., New Orleans, Pearl River, La., Miami and Winter Haven, Fla., before moving to Madison County. She was raised in the Methodist Church and became active in the Baptist church when her husband became a Baptist minister.
Survivors include one son, William L. Peters of Harvest; one daughter, Mary A. Mentzel of Berkeley, Calif.; and three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Floyd S. Shelton
Floyd S. ''Jug Shelton, 82, of Huntsville died Monday in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The graveside service will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Ezell Esslinger officiating.
Spry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Shelton was a native of Jackson County but was a lifelong resident of Madison County. He was retired from the City of Huntsville and was a World War II veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Helen Shelton; two sons, Ricky Shelton of Huntsville and Wayne Shelton of Dallas, Ga.; two brothers, Howard Shelton and Thomas Shelton, both of Huntsville; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Walter C. Smith
MADISON - Walter Clinton Smith, 71, of 8828 U.S. 72 West died Wednesday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at noon at Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Church with the Rev. Lawrence Sanford officiating.
Burial will be in Indian Creek Cemetery with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include two daughters, Elaine Waddle of Triana and Betsy Smith of Chattanooga; one son, Terry Smith of Chattanooga; one sister, Velma Crutcher of Madison; two brothers, Earl Smith of Huntsville and James Smith of Toney; and five grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Visitation will be today from 7 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
James E. Steele
BRIDGEPORT - James Edward ''Thrifty Steele, 61, died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Bridgeport First Baptist Church with the Rev. Jim Bernard officiating.
Burial will be in Sequatchie Valley Memorial Gardens in Jasper, Tenn., with Rudder Funeral Home of Stevenson in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Myrtle Steele; one son, Brian Steele of Bridgeport; two sisters, Linda Raulston of Bridgeport and Mary Townson of Hixson, Tenn.; one brother, Johnny Steele of Bridgeport; and two grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 2 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Lera S. Stevens
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Lera Strong Stevens, 82, of 415 Mulberry Ave. died Sunday at a local nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Riverview Memorial Gardens with the Rev. Jay Archer officiating.
Higgins Funeral Home of Fayetteville is in charge of burial.
Mrs. Stevens was a member of First United Methodist Church in Fayetteville.
Survivors include one sister, Jane Strong Carter of Fayetteville; one brother, Joe Douglas Strong of Fayetteville; and one stepson, R. Whitney Stevens Jr. of Fayetteville.
Memorial donations may be made to the church or a favorite charity.
Pauline C. Wauford
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Pauline Clarke Wauford, 91, of 134 Terry Ave. died Sunday. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Lebanon, Tenn., with the Rev. Mike Johnson officiating.
Burial will be in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Lebanon with Higgins Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Wauford was a licensed practical nurse and a member of West End Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Joyce Lester of Fayetteville; two sons, James C. Wauford and Bobby E. Wauford, both of Westmoreland, Tenn.; one sister, Lucille Crockette of Nashville; and 11 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Lydia M. Weathers
ROGERSVILLE - Lydia Myrtle Weathers, 82, died Sunday at a Florence hospital. The funeral was today at 10 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Terry Herston and Jimmy Cox officiating.
Burial was in Hurricane Cemetery.
Mrs. Weathers was a retired merchant and had been employed at Reynolds Aluminum and Redstone Arsenal and was preceded in death by her husband, Porter E. Weathers.
Survivors include one daughter, Kay Mitchell of Rogersville; one son, Jerry Weathers of Rogersville; one brother, Ray Berryhill of Rogersville; four sisters, Nell Brown of Brunswick, Ga., Jane Wilkerson of Rogersville, Lybbia Jarrell and Marjorie Wilke, both of Sanford, Fla.; and three grandchildren, one great-grandchild, nieces and nephews, and a special caregiver, Cynthia Nelson of Rogersville.
Memorials may be made to National Multiple Myeloma Foundation or to Hospice of the South.
