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.
Jimmy L. Ashby
ELKMONT - Jimmy Lee Ashby, 69, of Elkmont died Thursday at his residence. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Dennis Ivey officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mr. Ashby was a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., and was owner of Ashby & Sons Roofing for many years.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Jean Ashby; three sons, Tony Ashby of Palatka, Fla., Frankie Ashby and Jimmy Dwight Ashby, both of Elkmont; eight daughters, Joann Riddle of Fayetteville, Tenn., Judy Spurlock of Satsuma, Fla., Patricia Woodall of Tullahoma, Tenn., Lesa Downes of Guntersville, Shelby Gordon and Charlotte Wales, both of Elkmont, Pricillia Chavarrig and Janice Seirra, both of Athens; one sister, Lucy Dempsey of Madison; 27 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Margie L. Brazelton
Margie L. Brazelton, 85, of Huntsville died Friday. The funeral will be Sunday at 1 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home with Charles Washburn officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Brazelton retired from Huntsville Manufacturing Co. and was a member of Fanning Heights Church of Christ.
Survivors include two sons, David Brazelton of Owens Cross Roads and Kenneth Brazelton of Huntsville; one sister, Annie Mae Lamb of Fayetteville, Tenn.; one brother, Raymond Bolden of Montgomery; and four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Charles C. Bryant
SCOTTSBORO - Charles Christopher ''Chris'' Bryant, 41, died Thursday in Huntsville. The funeral will be today at 1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Scottsboro with Dr. Rick Stevens officiating.
Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery with Scottsboro Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Bryant was a member of the Broad Street Church of Christ. He was a commercial airline pilot for 12 years and attended Auburn University.
Survivors include his parents, Jack and Glenda McGuffey Bryant of Scottsboro; one brother, Marty Bryant of Madison; and his grandmother, Ida McGuffey of Scottsboro.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a favorite charity.
Peter J. Buffington
ATLANTA - Peter J. Buffington, 58, died Wednesday. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church with the Rev. Karin Lindsey officiating.
H.M. Patterson and Son Arlington Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Buffington was formerly of Huntsville.
Survivors include his wife, Jean Buffington of Atlanta; two sons, Mark Buffington of San Francisco and John Buffington of Chapel Hill, N.C.; one stepdaughter, Courtney Adams of Auburn; and two brothers, Tom Buffington of Kingsland, Ga., and David Buffington of St. Simons Island, Ga.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Dollie M. Collins
SOMERVILLE - Dollie Maybelle Collins, 86, died Friday at a Cullman hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home.
Burial will be in New Salem Cemetery.
Mrs. Collins was a homemaker and a native of Walker County.
Survivors include one son, J.C. Collins of Somerville; and 14 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Arthur F. Filip
ARAB - Arthur Frank Filip, 88, of 1967 Wedgewood Drive died Thursday in a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Chico, Calif. Survivors include one daughter, Gloria Sunseri of Arab; and five grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Deuk H. Kim
Deuk Han Kim, 82, of Huntsville died Thursday at her home. The funeral will be Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home with the Revs. Chi, Howard Lockwood and Chul H. Kim officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens.
Mrs. Kim was a member of the International Baptist Church in Madison.
Survivors include four daughters, Kun-Sil Kim and Young-Sil Kim both of Korea, Christina Eun-Sil Kim Son of Huntsville and Bok-Sil Kim Ji Georgia; one son, Hee-Kwon Kim of Korea; and 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
William M. Maples
ELKMONT - William Malcolm ''Mack'' Maples, 85, of 18635 Maples Circle died Thursday at his residence. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Athens with the Rev. William Robert Sharman III and Dr. Curtis Coleman officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery with Athens McConnell Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Maples was a native of Elkmont, a deacon and elder at First Presbyterian Church, past president of Alabama Cattlemen's Association, the Alabama Angus Association and the Alabama Livestock Hall of Fame; past chairman of the Athens-Limestone Hospital Board of Directors, the Limestone Democratic Party and the Alabama Elk River Development Association; a former member of the Limestone County Board of Education and was presented the Boy Scout Century Leadership Award and was an Eagle Scout.
Survivors include his wife, Doris Elliott Maples; three daughters, Jane Maples of Madison, Anne Maples Hamner of Fayette and Susan Maples Minor of Columbia; one son, Billy Maples of Elkmont; one sister, Macy Maples Christopher of Athens; and 20 grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Alabama Cattlemen's Foundation, P.O. Box 2499, Montgomery, AL 36102, or to the American Cancer Society.
Sula M. Martin
DECATUR - Sula Mae Martin, 95, of Decatur died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Roselawn Funeral Home with the Revs. William Penn and Todd Evans officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Martin was a homemaker.
Survivors include four sons, Lester N. Martin of Florence, Paul Arlie Martin of Tuscumbia, Sam A. Martin of Nashville and Ray J. Martin of Trinity; three daughters, Faye Hopper of Decatur, Annette Shoopman of Fintas, Kuwait, and Betty Doris Barnett of Elgin; 23 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
Cary R. McCool
YUKON, Okla. - Cary Ray McCool, 41, died Monday at an Oklahoma City hospital. The funeral was Thursday at Yanda and Son Funeral Home in Yukon.
Burial was in Frisco Cemetery in Yukon.
Mr. McCool retired as a senior electrical technician for Nichols Research in Huntsville and served in the Air Force. He was formerly of Lacey's Spring.
Survivors include his wife, Denise McCool of Yukon; three sons, Jeremy R. McCool, Keith D. McCool and Roby A. McCool, all of Yukon; three brothers, Jerry R. McCool of Midwest City, Okla., Barry R. McCool of Bethany, Okla., and Greg R. McCool of Oklahoma City; his parents, Donald and Loretta McCool of Yukon; and paternal grandmother, G.R. Stevens of Hesperia, Calif.
Tallafaro F. Moore
BOAZ - Tallafaro F. Moore, 86, of 4758 County Road 479, died Friday at his home. The funeral will be today at 1 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Shiloh Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Lou Moore; and one sister, Mae Gibson of Birmingham.
Alfred J. Principe
Alfred J. Principe, 51, of Huntsville died Thursday at his home. A memorial service will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Bicentennial Chapel with Chaplain Travaglione officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
He retired from the Army after 24 years of service. He was a Vietnam veteran and received his master's degree in science from Alabama A&M.
Survivors include his wife, Maria Principe; one son, Joe Principe of Huntsville; two daughters, Bethzaida Principe and Aida Principe, both of Huntsville; his father, Alfred Principe of Miami, Fla.; one sister, Sandra Principe of Miami; and one granddaughter, Nadia Elese Principe of Huntsville.
Alvin E. Schiessl
Alvin E. Schiessl, 62, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 11 a.m. at Good Shepherd Catholic Church with the Rev. Phil O'Kennedy officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with Twickenham Funeral Home in charge.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Kiwanis Club, Elks Club, the Retired Officers Association and Good Shepherd Catholic Church. He was a tour guide at EarlyWorks museum.
Survivors include his wife, Kathleen Schiessl of Huntsville; two daughters, Sherry Grasson of Sterling, Va., and Lorrie P. Smith of Atlanta; one brother, George Schiessl of Surfside Beach, S.C.; one sister, Eileen Yacullo of Annandale, N.J.; and three grandchildren.
Frances L. Talley
Frances Louise Talley, 56, of Huntsville died Thursday at home. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Huntsville Free Will Baptist Church with the Rev. Brian Attwood officiating.
Burial will be in Valley View Memorial Gardens with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Talley was a native of Nashville, but spent most of her life in Madison County. She worked for Chrysler and was a member of Free Will Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Charles Talley of Huntsville; one son, David Larand Wallace of Huntsville; one daughter, Angela D. Eitleman of Huntsville; her parents, Edgar and Louise Barnett of Huntsville; five sisters, Nelda West of Lacey's Spring, Brenda Baugher of Athens, Mary Koker of Las Vegas and Betty Tucker and Rhonda Rose, both of Huntsville; one brother, Gary Edwin Barnett of Huntsville; and six grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Lisa Ward
ATHENS - Lisa Jo Walsh Ward, 34, died Thursday at home. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home with Bishop James A. Harris officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Ms. Ward was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Survivors include two sons, Evan Ward and Justin Ward, both of Athens; her parents, James L. Walsh and Mary Jo Walsh of Athens; and two brothers, Gary Walsh and Keith Walsh, both of Athens.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Gene Rayburn
GLOUCESTER, Mass. - Gene Rayburn, the jocular host who winked at double entendres during TV's popular "Match Game," died Monday of congestive heart failure. He was 81.
The "Match Game" was the top game show during much of the 1970s. Contestants would try to match answers to nonsense questions with a panel of celebrities; the references were often vaguely naughty for daytime TV.
Rayburn was nominated for five Daytime Emmy awards. He also invented the long thin microphone that he carried on the show.
Born Dec. 22, 1917, in Christopher, Ill., Rayburn initially came to New York City to become an opera singer. After World War II, he became a disc jockey instead, and the "Rayburn & Finch" show with partner Dee Finch on WNEW helped popularize the idea of morning drive time.
Moving into TV, he was the sidekick to Steve Allen on NBC's "Tonight" show.
He acted in live dramas on "Kraft Theatre" and "Robert Montgomery Presents" and worked for many years in summer stock theater.
His wife, Helen, who appeared with Rayburn on the game show "Tattletales," died in 1996.
Charlie Byrd
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Charlie Byrd, who fused Latin, classical, and jazz styles and was considered one of the world's most versatile guitarists, died Thursday of cancer. He was 74.
During a career that spanned five decades, Byrd recorded more than 100 albums, one as recently as September. Many of those recordings were with his Charlie Byrd Trio, which included his brother, Joe Byrd, on bass.
Byrd might be best known for his influence on Brazilian jazz.
He was impressed with Brazilian music during a State Department-sponsored South American concert tour in 1961 and saw the potential for using the samba rhythm in conjunction with jazz improvisation.
His 1963 collaboration with Stan Getz, "Jazz Samba," is credited with launching a bossa nova craze in the United States.
