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.
James E. Ashley
CROSSVILLE - James Edward Ashley, 72, died Sunday at a Marshall county hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Martling Holiness Church with the Revs. Billy Garner, Paul Paschall and Lonnie Croft officiating.
Burial will be in Martling Cemetery with W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Julie Deir Ashley; three daughters, Sara Williams of Geraldine, Vickey Adams of Fort Payne and Jamie Ashley of Crossville; five sons, Edward Ashley of Henagar, Benny Ashley of Albertville, Keith Ashley of Section, and Terry Ashley and Kellye Ashley, both of Crossville; and 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Thomas M. Bruce
CROSSVILLE - Thomas Max Bruce, 66, of 5211 County Road 28 died Friday at his home. The funeral was Sunday at 2 p.m. at Crossville Memorial Chapel with the Revs. Keith Dodd and Willis Kelly officiating.
Burial was in Kilpatrick Cemetery.
Mr. Bruce was a retired carpenter and a member of Crossville First Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Kathy Bruce.
Survivors include his wife, Sadie Prady Bruce; three daughters, Karen Holcomb of Crossville, and Paula Butler and Allison Bruce, both of Birmingham; one son, Thomas Max Bruce Jr. of Guntersville; and six grandchildren.
Donations may be sent to Hospice of Marshall County.
I.B. Butler
GUNTERSVILLE - I.B. Butler, 104, died Friday at a local nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Guntersville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Crestview Cemetery.
Survivors include one grandson, James R. ''Bob'' Blankenship of Huntsville; and two great-granddaughters, Susan Blankenship of Huntsville and Mary Blankenship of Birmingham.
Memorial donations may be made to the Guntersville Church of Christ or Agape Foundation of Huntsville.
Lawrence Cagle
PUTMAN MOUNTAIN - Lawrence Cagle, 74, died Saturday at a Decatur hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Howard Posey officiating.
Burial will be in Bethel Cemetery on Putman Mountain.
Survivors include his wife, Syble Cagle; two daughters, Treva D. Lawter of Satellite Beach, Fla., and Penny S. Goings of Hazel Green ; two sisters, Irene Pociecha of Detroit, and Cleo Gifford of Steger, Ill.; one brother, Richard E. Cagle of Detroit; and four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Margie B. Davis
PISGAH - Margie Belle Davis, 64, died Saturday at a Scottsboro hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson with the Rev. Thomas Shoemake officiating.
Burial will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery.
Survivors include four daughters, Evelyn Diane Foshee of Sylvania and Robbie Sue Etherton, Sandra Loretta Brown and Lucy Margie Nell Davis, all of Browntown; six sons, Robert Wade Davis and Bobby Joe Davis, both of Michigan, and Harry William Davis, Ricky Lee Davis, John Lee Davis and Tommy Harold Davis, all of Scottsboro; and 18 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and six step grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Joann Fears
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Joann Fears, 58, died Saturday at a local nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Gallant Funeral Home with the Rev. James West officiating.
Burial will be in Riverview Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Fears was a native of Lincoln County.
Survivors include her husband, Billy Fears; two sons, Pete Fears and Bruce Fears, both of Fayetteville; six sisters, Elaine Posey, Maggie Mitchell, Imogene McKin and Violet McKin, all of Fayetteville, Georgia Walker of Hazel Green, and Louise Poarch of Lewisburg; and two brothers, Carl Hobbs and John Hobbs, both of Fayetteville.
Autry M. Glassco
ALBERTVILLE - Autry Manfield Glassco, 76, died Sunday at a local nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Albertville Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Bobby Bright, Rev. Lynn Sharpton and Bro. Steve Ogles officiating.
Burial was to be in White Oak Cemetery.
Mr. Glassco was preceded in death by two brothers, George Glassco and Marcus Quinton Glassco.
Survivors include his wife, Myrtice Glassco; three sons, Donald Glassco, Ronald Glassco and Neal Glassco, all of Albertville; one brother, Andy Glassco of Albertville; two sisters, Evelyn Richey and Edna Earl Wilson, both of Albertville; and four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Tom Graham
William Thomas ''Tom'' Graham, 92, of Huntsville died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Hoyt Dalton officiating.
Mr. Graham was a native of Jackson County and lived most of his life inMadison County. He was a member of Riverton Holiness Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Carolyn G. Houk of Huntsville; one granddaughter, Gina H. Adcock of Huntsville; and two great-grandchildren, Jennifer A. Stiles and Gregory L. Adcock, both of Huntsville.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Janice E. Kelly
ANDERSON - Janice E. Chapman Kelly, 60, died today at a Athens hospital. Limestone Chapel Funeral Home will announce arrangements later.
Joyce L. Martin
ALBERTVILLE - Joyce Lynn Martin, 16, died Saturday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Dixie Street Baptist Church with the Revs. Jesse Hill and Johnny Griggs officiating.
Burial will be in Memory Hill Cemetery with Albertville Funeral Home in charge.
Miss Martin was a sophomore at Douglas High School.
Survivors include her mother, Mary Frances Harvell of Hokes Bluff; her father, James Randell Martin of Albertville; her stepmother, Sharron Martin of Albertville; her stepfather, Rodger D. Hale of Hokes Bluff; one brother, James William Martin of Albertville; one half-sister, Mindy Lynn Hale of Hokes Bluff; two step-sisters, Rosemary Smith of Guntersville and Carrie Owens of Albertville; her step-grandparents, J.D. and Helen Jones of Grant; and several aunts, uncles, nephews and cousins.
Randy J. Pritchett
GRANT - Randy Joe Pritchett, 39, died Saturday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Grant Memorial Chapel Funeral Interment Troup Cemetery with Bro. Brian Jenkins officiating.
Survivors include his wife, Glenda Pritchett; two daughters, Camillia Diane Pritchett and Margarita Patricia Pritchett, both of Grant; one son, Aaron Ray Pritchett of Grant; two brothers, Daniel Keith Pritchett and John David Pritchett, both of Grant; his parents, Forney Gray Pritchett Jr. and Willie Fay Pritchett of Grant; and one grandson, Michael Edward Anderton.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Elizabeth A. Sasser
LUTTS, Tenn. - Elizabeth Ann Sasser, 65, died Saturday at a Florence hospital. Limestone Chapel Funeral Home will announce arrangements later.
Martha M. Thomas
Martha Merrell Thomas, 81, of Huntsville died Saturday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Revs. Lance Faylor and Ben Arrington officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Thomas was a native of Marshall County and lifelong resident of Huntsville. She attended Central Assembly of God and was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Thomas; and one son, Mike Thomas.
Survivors include one daughter, Debbie Patton of Huntsville; one brother, Walter Merrell of Lexington, S.C.; and two granddaughters, Heather Patton of Huntsville and Rachel Patton of Ashville, N.C.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Jack B. Thomison
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Jack Bailey Thomison, 87, died Sunday at local nursing home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Jay Archer officiating.
Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Thomison was a retired banker and a veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Imogene Thomison; two sons, William C. ''Billy'' Thomison of Decatur and Jack Bailey ''Jackie'' Thomison of Knoxville; and five grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Marcia N. Wells
RAINSVILLE - Marcia Newman Wells, 42, died Saturday at a Fort Payne hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Union Grove Baptist Church with the Revs. Jimmy Carson, Shannon Williams and Randy Hairston officiating.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Jerry Wells; three sons, Tim Wells of Ider and Brent Wells and Jason Wells, both of Rainsville; three sisters, Myra Nell Lanier of Rainsville, Barbara Ann Lyles of Albertville and Linda Carol McBrayer of Cedar Bluff; and two grandchildren.
Fred W. Woodard
PETERSBURG, Tenn. - Fred Wilson Woodard, 59, of 1371 Shelbyville Highway died Saturday at a Shelbyville hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at McCauley Funeral Home in Fayetteville with Tom Russell and Ron Fletcher officiating.
Mr. Woodard was a native of Marshall County, Tenn., retired from Jostens in production control and was a member of the Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by one son, Kerry Woodard.
Survivors include his wife, Joanne D. Woodard; one daughter, Kelly Pryor of Knoxville; one son, Kevin Woodard of St. Louis; two grandchildren, Kristen and Kenneth Woodard; and his mother-in-law, Robbie Dunn of Petersburg.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Henry Bascom Steagall II
OZARK - Henry Bascom Steagall II, a former Alabama Supreme Court justice who served as state finance director under Gov. George C. Wallace, died Saturday after an extended illness. He was 77.
Steagall served as executive secretary, and later as finance director, under Wallace.
Steagall, who practiced law for 37 years and served four terms as a state legislator, was appointed to the Alabama Supreme Court in 1986. He retired from the court in 1995.
"His record as a leader in the state is well known, but the most important thing is he was a great human being and a wonderful friend," said Dr. Gene Allred of Ozark, a longtime friend. "He set a good example for all of us to live by."
During his legal career, Steagall served as state bar commissioner for the 33rd Judicial Circuit. The Abbeville native was named for his uncle, U.S. Rep. Henry Bascom Steagall.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the First United Methodist Church in Ozark.
Quentin Crisp
LONDON - Quentin Crisp, the eccentric writer and performer best-known for his autobiography "The Naked Civil Servant," died Sunday after collapsing at a private residence. He was 90.
Crisp, who lived principally in New York City for decades, was in his native Britain to begin touring with a one-man show.
He collapsed at the residence arranged by the Green Room Theater in the northwest England city of Manchester, where he was to begin appearing Monday night, said the theater's press manager, Christopher Hodgson.
A slight, dandified figure who wore makeup and high-heeled shoes and piled his white hair in bouffant waves on top of his head, Crisp made no secret of the fact that he was gay.
Born on Dec. 28, 1908, as Denis Pratt in Sutton, south of London, he worked as a commercial artist, part-time prostitute and art school model after leaving school. He declared his homosexuality in his 20s.
Crisp first stepped into the public arena with his 1968 autobiography, "The Naked Civil Servant," later adapted for television. It was widely praised and sold well, but he began to receive anonymous threatening phone calls.
These intensified when the book was made into a film in 1975 with John Hurt as Crisp.
