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.
Rachel B. Black
Rachel Bradford Black, 81, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Survivors include one son, Bill Black of Huntsville; one grandson, Trae Black of Huntsville; and several brothers and sisters.
Visitation will be Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Lung Association or Madison Academy.
Corinne S. Cheek
Corinne S. Cheek, 95, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1:30 p.m. at Twickenham Funeral Home South.
Burial will be in Twickenham Memory Gardens.
Survivors include two sons, Robert S. "Bob" Smith of Opelika and Allen T. "Ted" Smith Sr. of Huntsville; and two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Laura A. Draper
Laura A. Draper, 51, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at noon at Draper Memorial Church of God in Christ with Elder Dave Draper Jr. officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Draper was a counselor, educator and motivational speaker. She was also a published poet and author and founder of the first Church of God in Christ in Berlin. She wrote the books, "The Thrill of Victory", "Words of Comfort" and "Father Lead Me", and founded the "Overcomer's Outreach Ministry" for mentally, spiritually and physically abused people. She graduated in 1966 from Councill Training High School and earned a bachelor's degree from Athens State College and a master's degree from Alabama A&M University. She worked as a counselor of student support services at Alabama A&M's Office of Special Programs.
Survivors include her husband, Retired 1st Sgt. Carl Draper of Huntsville; four daughters, Carlena Draper, Christal Smith and Kimberly Jefferson, all of Huntsville, and Katrena Hannah of Memphis, Tenn.; one son, Carlton Draper of Memphis; her mother, Brazola Spencer of Huntsville; three sisters, Jakki Smartt and Tomelia Love, both of Huntsville, and Carolyn Ward of Augusta, Ga.; two brothers, Embra Patterson of Peoria, Ill., and Ira Patterson of Columbus, Ohio; and four grandchildren.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Alvin J. Eppling
Alvin J. Eppling, 83, of Huntsville died Tuesday at his home. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Hal Oakley and the Rev. Chris Hammond officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Eppling was an elder at the church and retired from Gulf Oil Corp. He was a member of Louisiana Masonic Lodge No. 102 in Metairie, La., and America Legion Post No. 176 in Huntsville.
Survivors include his wife, Alvina L. Eppling of Huntsville; three sons, Dr. Donald K. Eppling of Metairie, Ralph W. Eppling of Huntsville and Paul D. Eppling of St. Petersburg, Fla.; one daughter, Jean E. Campbell of Largo, Fla.; one sister, Audrey deBrueys of Metairie; one brother, Raymond H. Eppling of Metairie; and eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. and Friday from 12:15 to 1 p.m. at the church.
Memorial donations may be made to the church or a favorite charity.
Earney Gant
DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - Earney Gant, 72, died Tuesday. The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel in Rainsville.
Burial will be in Old Sardis Cemetery.
Mr. Gant was formerly of Geraldine.
Survivors include one daughter, Marie Gunter of Geraldine; two sons, Earney Gant Jr. of Gadsden and Douglas Gant of Sumter, S.C.; three sisters, Berte Lee Hicks of Albertville, Dovie Beam of Grove Oak and Mae Bagwell of Geraldine; one brother, Clarence Gant of Geraldine; and six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
David W. Moss Sr.
GURLEY - David Wayne Moss Sr., 49, died Wednesday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home chapel with Dr. Irvin J. Banta officiating.
Burial will be in Stateline Cemetery.
Survivors include two sons, David Moss of Huntsville and Chad Moss of Gurley; his mother, Evelyn Moss of Huntsville; and one sister, Rebecca Durham of Barkcity.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Connie F. Munger
Connie Fletcher Munger, 77, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Whitesburg Baptist Church with Dr. Jimmy Jackson officiating.
Burial will be in Molena Cemetery in Pike County, Ga., with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Munger was a member of the church. She sang in the church choir and was a longtime Sunday school teacher. She graduated from the University of Georgia and moved to Huntsville in 1950.
Survivors include her husband, John R. Munger of Huntsville; one daughter, Maribeth M. Johnson of Columbus, Ga.; one son, Russ Munger of Huntsville; one brother, James H. Fletcher of Thomaston, Ga.; and four granddaughters.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Whitesburg Baptist Church Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
Kenneth W. Ragan
Kenneth Wayne Ragan, 58, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be later in Michigan.
Burial will be in a cemetery in Walled Lake, Mich., with Valhalla Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia Ragan of Michigan; and one son, Kevin Ragan of Huntsville.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Birda Ragland
Birda Ragland, 82, of Huntsville died Wednesday. The funeral will be Saturday at noon at Center Grove United Methodist Church with the Rev. Michael Freeman officiating.
Burial will be in Center Grove Cemetery with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one son, Jordan Slay Sr. of Chattanooga, Tenn.; two sisters, Bertha Maples and Susie Fletcher, both of Huntsville; one brother, Bruce Ragland of Richmond, Calif.; and three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Jimmy T. Reeves
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Jimmy T. Reeves, 64, of 37 Oak Drive died today at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Bob Cole officiating.
Burial will be in Macedonia Cemetery.
Mr. Reeves was an Army veteran and a self-employed carpenter.
Survivors include two brothers, Buford Daniel "Shotgun" Reeves and Frank Wade Reeves, both of Fayetteville; and several nieces and nephews, including Judy Wolkowski of Fayetteville.
Visitation will be Friday at 5 p.m. at the funeral home.
Lucy S. Sandburg
Lucy Short Sandburg, 75, of Huntsville died Wednesday at her home. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Sandburg was a native of Madison County and a member of Epworth United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Roy J. Sandburg of Huntsville; one daughter, Sharon Sandburg of Chicago; one son, Michael Sandburg of Atlanta; one sister, Floy Carrigan of Zionsville, Ind.; one brother, William F. Short of Salinas, Calif; and four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
