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.
Joe M. Ashley
COLLINSVILLE - Joe Marcellas ''Cell Ashley, 87, died Friday at his home. The funeral will be today at W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel.
Burial will be in Mountain View Memory Garden.
Survivors include his wife, Gladys M. Ashley; three sons, Billy Joe Ashley of Hixson, Tenn., Leon Ashley of Collinsville and Dewayne Ashley of Gadsden; four sisters, Mrs. Audie Hendrix of Rainsville, Mrs. Gladys Wilson of Trion, Ga., and Mrs. Berlin Flowers and Mrs. Jim Erwinn, both of Gadsden; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.
Norbert Balabuch
Norbert Balabuch of Madison died Wednesday at an area hospital. The memorial Mass will be Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Josephs Catholic Church with Father Roman Mueller officiating.
Spry Funeral Home will be directing.
Mr. Balabuch was food service general manager at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Balabuch; two sons, Paul Balabuch and Peter Balabuch, both of Denton, Texas; one brother, Victor Balabuck of Madison Heights, Mich.; and four sisters, Helen Kraiza of Clinton Township, Mich., Eleanore Vertel of Detroit, Theresa Majewski of Warren, Mich., and Dorothy Marie Balabuch, Order of St. Francis, Sylvania, Ohio.
Visitation will be Monday from 9 to 10 a.m at the church.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Josephs Building Fund, 2300 Beasley Ave., Huntsville 35816, the American Diabetes Association or the American Cancer Society.
Madeline E. Bowling
NASHVILLE - Madeline Edwards Bowling, 77, formerly of Huntsville, died Thursday at a Nashville hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Neal-Tarpley Funeral Home in Clarksville with the Rev. E.G. Sims officiating.
Mrs. Bowling was a long-time member of Latham United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Thomas E. Bowling; two daughters, Marie DeBusk of Portage, Ind., and Joyce Amos of Huntsville; two sisters; three brothers; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 2 to 8 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Oma B. Brizendine
Oma Belle Brizendine, 69, of Huntsville died Thursday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 10 a.m. at Flint River Primitive Baptist Church with Elder Leon Eldridge officiating.
Burial will be in Union Cemetery in Woodville with Spry Funeral Home directing.
Mrs. Brizendine was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Edward Brizendine.
Survivors include three sons, Neal Brizendine of Laceys Spring and Blaine Brizendine and Brian Brizendine, both of Huntsville; one sister, Marie Short of Ft. Myers, Fla.; five brothers, Robert Miller of Huntsville, David Miller of New Hope, Marvin Miller of Nashville and Willie Miller and Tommy Miller, both of Anniston; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be Sunday at Spry from 4 to 8 p.m.
Memorial donations may be sent to Flint River church, Moontown Road, Ryland AL 35811.
James Downs
ATHENS - James Wendell Downs, 76, of Ridinger Road died Thursday at his home. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with the Rev. Joey Curtis officiating.
Burial will be in Limestone Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Downs was a member of the Church of Christ and was a World War II Army veteran and a retired farmer.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret Geneva Downs of Athens; and a sister, Mildred McMunn of Athens.
Ruth A. Downs
HENAGAR - Ruth A. Downs, 77, died Friday at her home. The funeral will be at 3 p.m. today at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include her husband, Clyde H. Downs.
Minnie Dunn
UNION GROVE - Minnie Dunn, 102, of 22 Quarry Road died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 3 p.m. at Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in New Salem Cemetery.
Survivors include one son, J.B. Dunn of Union Grove; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Emily T. Garth
PERDIDO BEACH - Emily Thornton Garth, 81, formerly of Huntsville, died Tuesday at her home. The service was Thursday at St. Johns Episcopal Church in Montgomery.
Burial was in Green wood Cemetery with Brooks-Cargile Funeral Home in charge.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Winston F. Garth.
Survivors include six sons, John F. Garth of Charlotte, N.C.; Frederick D. Garth and Winston F. Garth Jr., both of Pensacola, Robert D. Garth of Nashville, J. Thornton Garth of Lillian and Thomas F. Garth of Mobile; one daughter, Emily G. Brown of Chattanooga; one sister, Laura T. Hutchinson of Montgomery; and 22 grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Johns Episcopal Church, Grace Episcopal Church of Gainesville, Ga., St. Josephs Catholic Church of Lillian, the American Heart Association or a favorite charity.
Alfred Harbin
Alfred Harbin, 86, of Huntsville died Friday at his home. The funeral will be Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Larry Harbin and the Rev. Woody Harbin officiating.
Burial will be in Shiloh Cemetery.
Mr. Harbin was a lifelong resident of Madison County. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary R. Harbin.
Survivors include four sons, Larry Harbin of Tuscumbia, Woody Harbin, Jack Harbin and Lad Harbin; one sister, Mary Redding; one brother, Monroe Harbin, all of Huntsville; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Karen Holder
Karen Joyce Holder, 51, of OFallon Road died Thursday at her home. The graveside funeral will be Sunday at 9 a.m. with the Rev. Elton Brazier officiating.
Burial will be in Pleasant Grove Cemetery with Gallant Funeral Home of Hazel Green directing.
Mrs. Holder was a Realtor with Century 21.
Survivors include her husband, Kenneth Wayne Holder; her parents, Dillard and Jewel Storey Ames of New Market; one daughter, Monica Marisa Holder of Huntsville; two sisters, Janice Brown and Jeannie Rodgers, both of Fayetteville; and three brothers, Randy Ames of Fayetteville and Jeffery Ames and Lee Ames, both of New Market.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at Gallant.
Urbano Martinez
Urbano Martinez, 88, of Huntsville died Friday at his home. The funeral will be Sunday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home.
Burial will be at Huntsville Memory Gardens.
Mr. Martinez was a native of Havana, Cuba, and a Huntsville resident for the past eight years.
Survivors include one son, Nelson G. Martinez of Huntsville; one sister, Hector Martinez of Miami; one grandchild; and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m.
Dale Outlaw
SECTION - Dale Outlaw, 63, died Friday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at Section Funeral Home with the Rev. Les Brown officiating.
Burial will be in New Canaan Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Mazell Bolt Outlaw; two daughters, Lori Ledford of Fort Payne and Kim Berry of Rainsville; two sons, Nicky Outlaw and Marty Outlaw, both of Fyffe; three stepdaughters, Alma Outlaw of Rainsville, Karen Starbird of Macedonia and Nancy Gorsuch of Ohio; four sisters, Argolis Bouldin, Ambryllis Fletcher and Lueretta Gilbert, all of Fyffe, and Sandra Skelton of Sylvania; three brothers, Willis Outlaw and Wayne Outlaw, both of Fyffe, and Aubry C. Outlaw of Florida; and 14 grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Arnold Owens
FYFFE - Arnold Owens, 73, died Friday at his home. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Antioch Baptist Church with the Rev. Melvin Hilley, the Rev. Darrel Sears and the Rev. David Hairston officiating.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with Rainsville Funeral Home directing.
Survivors include his wife, Frances Owens; one daughter, Sheila Johnson of Fyffe; two sons, Harlan Owens of Fyffe and Durrell Owens of Fort Payne; six sisters, Beedie Sears, Flora Tailey and Nora Lee Nance, all of Fyffe, Loretta Robertson of Rainsville, Estelle Dabbs of Pisgah and Annie Mae Chambers of Sylvania; four brothers, Warren Owens, Dewey Owens and A.J. Owens, all of Fyffe; and Clarence Owens of Rainsville; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Nancy Raney
ATHENS - Nancy Barley Raney, 65, of South Clinton St., died Thursday at her home. The funeral will be Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with the Rev. Mike Davis officiating.
Burial will be in Limestone Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Raney was a member of the Church of Christ and a member of Eastern Star. She was retired from Brown Engineering in Huntsville.
Survivors include her husband, Wayne Raney of Athens; two sons, Billy Ray Barley Jr., of Jackson, Fla., and Johnny Edward Barley of New Orleans; two stepsons, Kip Raney and Bobby Joe Raney, both of Athens; a daughter, Susan Barley Bailey of Nashville; her mother, Mabel J. Sandlin of Athens; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Essie Rasco
ARAB - Essie Modine Williams Rasco, 89, of 2516 Ruth Road, died Thursday in an Albertville nursing home. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Bethsaida Baptist Church in Wynville.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with Gober Funeral Home of Arab directing.
Survivors include two sons, P.T. ''Bill Williams of Arab and Daniel Williams of Horton; one sister, Jane Bryant of Gadsden; one brother, Carl D. Hathorn of Oneonta; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Le Roy E. Reinsch
BEAVERTON, Ore. - Le Roy Edward Reinsch, 55, died Tuesday at his home. The funeral was Friday at 11 a.m. at Highland Memorial Baptist Church in Portland.
Survivors include his wife, Juanita Harbin of Beaverton; five daughters, Jody Reinsch of Roseburg, Ore.; Martha Winter of Denver, Colo., Marie Harbin of Aberdeen, Wash., Deanna Cooksey of Aloha, Ore., and Lisa Justice of Portland; one son, Jamie Reinsch of Oregon City, Ore.; one sister, Louise ODonnell of Gresham, Ore.; one sister-in-law, Judy Turner of Huntsville; and 10 grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Vincent Hospice or the American Cancer Society.
Jane M. Sanders
FAYETTEVILLE - Jane Monazell Cranford Sanders, 79, of 2013 Oakwood Drivedied Friday at a Fayetteville hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 11 a.m. at McCauley Funeral Home in Fayetteville with the Ronnie Gay officiating.
Burial will be in Flintville Cemetery.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James P. Sanders.
Survivors include one daughter, Sandra K. Buck of Newhall, Calif.; three sisters, Lorea Gilliam of Chattanooga and Frances Bradford and Ruth Hall, both of Fayetteville; three brothers, James M. Cranford of Fayetteville, Dairell Cranford of Hixson and Olen Cranford of Utah; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at McCauley.
Leonard H. Smith
UNION GROVE - Leonard Houston Smith, 74, of 512 Mountain View Road, died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 1 p.m. at Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Oleander Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Gladys Smith; two daughters, LaNell Spann of Union Grove and Jean Gaylord of Birmingham; two sons, Danny Smith and Donnie Smith, both of Union Grove; four sisters, Evelyn Royster and Grace Light, both of Union Grove, Vivian Tedder of Georgia Mountain and Vida Mae Hyatt of Guntersville; two brothers, R.C. Smith of Union Grove and Radford Smith of Florida; and four grandchildren.
Mable Smith
BOAZ - Mable Irene Smith, 93, of 4455 Egypt Road died Thursday at her home. The funeral will be today at 11 a.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Boaz.
Burial will be in Liberty Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her husband, Leroy R. Smith.
Survivors include three daughters, Dollie Cooper, Linda Jones and Sara Gaines, all of Boaz; six sons, Raymond Smith of Nevada, Milton Smith, Edgar Smith and Mack Smith, all of Boaz, Joel Smith of Crossville and Bobby Smith of Albertville; one sister, Irene Taylor of Tennessee; four brothers, Nolan Winsett of Colorado, Floyd Winsett of Florida, Robert Winsett of Arkansas and Willie Winsett; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Barbara A. Tansey
Barbara Anne Tansey, 71, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Good Shepherd Catholic Church with Father Phil OKennedy officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens with Laughlin Service Funeral Home directing.
Mrs. Tansey had been a comedienne about 50 years ago. She belonged to G.E. retirees, was a former volunteer for Catholic Charities. She had many published articles and poetry on life and humor and collected more than 4,000 books on humor and words.
Survivors include her husband, George F. Tansey of Huntsville; two sons, Michael F. Tansey and Richard W. Tansey, both of Huntsville; three daughters, Kathleen "Liz" Harvey of Huntsville, Eileen L. Satterfield of Hazel Green and Colleen T. Copeland of St. Louis, Mo.; her mother, Gladys Williams; one sister, Marilyn Stanley, both of Northampton, Mass.; one brother, Bruce Williams of Norcross, Ga.; and seven grandchildren.
Visitation will be Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home with a rosary at 7.
Memorials may be made to Good Shepherd church or a favorite charity.
Alma M. West
Alma McCulley West, 76, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Oak Park Baptist Church with the Rev. Tim McCord officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home directing.
Mrs. West was retired from Huntsville Manufacturing. She was preceded in death by her husband, R.B. West.
Survivors include two sons, Harrison B. ''Buddy West of New Market and Randy West of Gurley; two daughters, Donna White and Janice Weaver; one brother, James McCulley, all of Huntsville; three sisters, Margarite Phillips of Gurley and Choncie Grayson and Jane Fedrowisch, both of Huntsville; eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m.
The body will be at the church 30 minutes before the service.
Donald W. White
ATHENS - Donald William White, 70, of an Athens nursing home died Friday at her home. The funeral will be announced by Limestone Chapel Funeral Home.
George Wolfe
FAYETTEVILLE - George "Pop" Wolfe, 64, of Old Lincoln Road died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Gallant Funeral Home with the Rev. Don Russell officiating.
Burial will be in Mount Zion Cemetery.
Mr. Wolfe, a native of Tennessee, was a member of Park City Baptist Church and a carpenter for Wolfe Home Repairs. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois Wolfe.
Survivors include two sons, Michael Wolfe and Gary Wolfe, both of Fayetteville; one daughter, Barbara Butler of Kelso; two brothers, James Wolfe and Gene Wolfe, both of Sardis; and three grandchildren.
