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.
Earl Barley Sr.
CHICAGO - Earl Barley Sr., 79, died Wednesday. The funeral will be Friday at noon at First Missionary Baptist Church in Huntsville with Pastor Murray Joiner officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Nelms Memorial Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Barley was formerly of Huntsville.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Barley of Chicago; three sons, Earl Barley Jr. of Atlanta and Stanley Barley and Patrick Barley, both of Chicago; three daughters, Carolyn Britton of Valley Cottage, N.Y., Brenda Chunn of Chicago and Angela Marshall of Atlanta; four sisters, Leona Joiner, Cora Binford and Geneva Joiner, all of Huntsville, and Jesse Simmons of University Park, Ill.; and seven grandchildren.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral home.
B.H. Berry
FLINTVILLE, Tenn. - The Rev. B.H. "Rube" Berry, 82, of Clark Road died Tuesday. The funeral will be Thursday at 3 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Don Russell, the Rev. Frank Betterton and the Rev. Cletus Nesmith officiating.
Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery with Gallant Funeral Home of Fayetteville, Tenn., in charge.
The Rev. Mr. Berry was a native of Madison County and a Baptist minister. He was preceded in death by his wife, Edith Lee Rooker Berry.
Survivors include two daughters, Brenda Hatley of Hazel Green and Barbara Berry of Fayetteville; four sons, the Rev. Benny Berry and Donald Berry, both of Hazel Green, and James Robert Berry and John Thomas Berry, both of Fayetteville; one sister, Aileen Sharp of New Market; one brother, James H. Berry of Toney; and eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Gene Cantrell
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Gene Cantrell, 67, of 40 Killdeer Lane died Saturday at his home. The memorial service will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home in Fayetteville.
Dr. Cantrell was a native of Big Spring, Texas, and a Texas A&M graduate. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran, a retired physicist at Science Applications International Corp. in Huntsville and had lived in Huntsville 25 years.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara Newby Cantrell of Fayetteville; one daughter, Laurie Cantrell Phillips of Fayetteville; one stepdaughter, Barbara Balaban of Union Grove; three sons, Michael Cantrell of Fayetteville and John Cantrell and Gerald Cantrell, both of Huntsville; one sister, Jonanna White of Lubbock, Texas; and one grandchild.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Fayetteville.
Bobby N. Davis
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Bobby Nix Davis, 64, of 4009 Belle Orchard Drive died Monday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Jay Archer officiating.
Burial will be in Macedonia Cemetery.
Mr. Davis was a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., and a member of Fayetteville First United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Carol McDow Davis of Fayetteville; one daughter, Jaqueline Allen of Pelham; one son, Glenn Davis of Huntsville; one sister, Kaye Barnes of Fayetteville; and five grandchildren and several niece and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Vivian B. Donovan
Vivian B. Donovan, 94, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in K.P. Cemetery in Russellville.
Mrs. Donavan was a native of Franklin County, Ala., a retired Huntsville City Schools teacher and an Auburn graduate.
Survivors include one daughter, Jane H. Donovan of Huntsville; one sister, Velma Hester Jeffcoat of Opp; and five nieces.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 120 Green St. S.E., Huntsville, 35801.
Harold G. Gross
ALBERTVILLE - Harold Gene Gross, 52, of Albertville, died Monday at a Birmingham veterans hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Adams Funeral Home in Albertville.
Burial will be in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery.
Mr. Gross was a member of Rocky Branch Holiness Church.
Survivors include his wife, Dora Gross; two sons, Harold Gene Gross Jr. and Matthew David Gross, both of Albertville; two stepsons, Rudy Delecruz of Laura, Md., and Robert Zasquez of Georgetown, Texas; three daughters, Tammy Renae Gross, Denise Marie Johnson and Dawn Marie Gross, all of Albertville; his parents, James J. and Edna Gross of Albertville; four sisters, Janet Louise Jumalon, Kathy Hasson, Betty Petrosky and Sheila Hoff, all of Guntersville; and five grandchildren.
Ima K. Holden
COLUMBUS, Ind. - Ima Kathleen Holden, 76, died Monday at a local hospital. The graveside service will be Thursday at 3 p.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery.
Vernon Jewell-Nick Rittman Funeral Home of Columbus is in charge of burial.
Survivors include her husband, Howard Holden of Columbus; and one brother, Charlie Vinson of Athens.
Robert G. Libby
Robert G. Libby, 74, of Huntsville died Friday in Miami. The funeral will be Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church with Dr. Bill Cockrill officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Libby was a longtime resident of Huntsville and retired from BMDSC. He was in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and was awarded the Meritorious Service Award. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church and past lieutenant governor of the Alabama-Mississippi District of the Optimist Club.
Survivors include his wife, Anna DeMouy Libby; three daughters, Carol Libby Grimes of Huntsville, Marsha Libby Bridges of Pensacola, Fla., and Robin Libby Williams of Troy; one sister, Ruth Libby Winstanley of Mobile; and six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the Presbyterian Home for Children through First Presbyterian Church.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Robert B. McGowan
Robert Benjamin McGowan, 40, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home chapel with Bro. Al Phillips officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. McGowan played the piano for several gospel music groups in the South.
Survivors include his wife, Lisa McGowan of Florida; one son, Nicholas McGowan of Florida; his parents, Dorothy and Rex Adams of Lacey's Spring; one sister, Sheila Jadwin-Dolan of Grant; three brothers, Greg Ferris and Bill Ferris, both of Huntsville, and Michael Ferris of Texas; and six nieces and two nephews.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to UAB Children's Hospital.
James L. Prater
FALKVILLE - James Lemuel Prater, 71, of 87 East Pine St. died Monday at a Cullman hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Liberty Grove Baptist Church in Winston County with the Rev. Bill Pike officiating.
Peck Funeral Home of Hartselle is in charge of burial.
Mr. Prater was a member of Falkville Baptist Church and a Korean War Army veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Martha Mavis Prater of Falkville; one son, David Prater of Hartselle; two daughters, Lynn Knight of Hartselle and Lorla Allen of Somerville; three brothers, Jimmy Ray Prater and John E. Prater, both of Haleyville, and Leonard E. Prater of Price ville; five sisters, Norma McGee of Rogersville, Kay Adams of Price ville, Joyce Sutherland and Movalene Bowen, both of Double Springs, and Imogene Bailey of Bear Creek; and three grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Raymond E. Pruitt
ATHENS - Raymond Eugene Pruitt, 74, of 23135 Kennedy Road died Monday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2:30 p.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. John Garrison and Everett Conn officiating.
Burial will be in Limestone Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Pruitt was a member of Southside Baptist Church and retired from Athens Motors.
Survivors include his wife, Faye Pruitt of Athens; two sons, Rayburn Kevin Pruitt and Raymond Keith Pruitt, both of Athens; two daughters, Laverne Bohannon and Linda Turvaville, both of Belmont, Miss.; two brothers, Travis Pruitt of Belmont and Eulon Pruitt of Dennis, Miss.; one sister, Ophelia Ginn of Cherokee; and five grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Athens/Limestone County.
Joe P. Taylor
BOAZ - The Rev. Joe Pat Taylor, 92, of 620 West Mann Ave. died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Boaz.
Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Odene Bartlett Taylor; four sons, Hubert L. Taylor and Rev. Gene E. Taylor, both of Indiana, Joe M. Taylor and Eulis D. Taylor, both of Boaz; two brothers, Woodson Taylor of Indiana and Edward Taylor of Attalla; four sisters, Ora Causey and Delia Sims, both of Attalla, Dortha Scott and Louise Oliver, both of Boaz; and 21 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
James T. Thompson
ALBERTVILLE - James T. Thompson, 59, died Monday at a Gadsden hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3:30 p.m. at Albertville Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Clyde Hartley officiating.
Burial will be in Marshall Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include his wife, Faye Thompson of Albertville; one son, Nicky Lynn Thompson of Guntersville; and one granddaughter.
Memorial donations may be made to the James T. Thompson Memorial Fund at the funeral home.
David C. Whaley
David Clyde Whaley, 54, of Huntsville died Monday. The graveside service was to be today at 1 p.m. at Lone Oak Cemetery in Lewisburg, Tenn., with the Rev. Eddie Reed officiating.
Lawrence Funeral Home in Chapel Hill, Tenn., is in charge of burial.
He was a native of Maury County, Tenn., and an auto dealer. He also served in the U.S. Air Force.
Survivors include two sons, Brandon Whaley of Huntsville and Dave Hoppes of Freemont, Ohio; one sister, Ann Jarnigan of Phoenix; and one grandson.
Gene R. White
Gene R. White, 63, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Otis Graves officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. White was a native of Madison County, retired from civil service, a veteran and a former Huntsville police officer.
Survivors include his mother, Ruby Allen White of Huntsville; one brother, Garry White of Huntsville; and three sisters, Carolyn Kaiser of Lenexia, Kansas, Doris Chisam of Winchester, Va., and Gail McCartney of Conway, Ark.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Maxine S. Williams
BOAZ - Maxine Shores Williams, 75, of 172 Mount Vernon Homes died Monday at a Birmingham veterans hospital. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville.
Burial will be in the Marshall Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Williams was a Baptist and a disabled veteran of World War II.
Survivors include one daughter, Mary Sue Barnes of South Carolina; four sisters, Williahue Conaway of Boaz, Yvonne Garlen of Athens, Vivan Elfea of California and Vernoica Moore of Tennessee; one brother, G.I. Shores of South Carolina; and two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Stewart T. Wragg II
HARVEST - Stewart T. Wragg II, 17, died Monday. The funeral will be Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Billy Loveday officiating.
Burial will be in Gatlin Cemetery.
Survivors include his parents, Lynn Ray of Harvest and Stewart T. Wragg Sr. of Georgia; his stepfather, Charles T. Moore of Harvest; one brother, Luther Wragg of Canada; three sisters, Jenny Lea Wragg of Harvest, Luneal Price of Canada and Elizabeth Jones of Selma; and grandparents, Henry and Ione Meadows of Perry, Ga.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
