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.
Loren C. Allen
SCOTTSBORO - Loren C. Allen, 82, died Monday at his home. The graveside service will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Scottsboro with the Rev. Chuck Bell officiating.
Scottsboro Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Survivors include his wife, Naomi Summers Allen; two daughters, Linda Kay Gillilan of Aolphus, Ky., and Joyce Ann Campbell of Harvey, Ill.; one son, Loren Wayne Allen of Crown Point, Ind.; and seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Samuel Blackwell Sr.
ATHENS - Samuel Carlos Blackwell Sr., 83, of 17159 Turner St. died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was Monday at McConnell Funeral Home chapel with Bro. Dusty McLemore officiating.
Burial was in Athens City Cemetery.
Mr. Blackwell was a native of Marshall County. He was a resident of Limestone County most of his life and was an Army veteran of World War II. He was preceded in death By his wife, Loretta Blackwell.
Survivors include two daughters, Thelma Copeland and Glena Fay Blackwell, both of Athens; two sons, Samuel C. Blackwell Jr. and Danny Blackwell, both of Athens; one brother, Robert Garland Blackwell of Madison; and three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and several step-great-grandchildren.
Walter L. Brakefield
ATHENS - Walter Lee Brakefield, 85, of 25840 U.S. 72 East died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with Everett Conn officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mr. Brakefield was a member of Market Street Church of Christ and a World War II Army veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby Brakefield of Athens; one daughter, Shela B. Wales Smith of Athens; and three grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Athens/Limestone County.
William D. Bridges
ATHENS - William Donald Bridges, 75, of Athens died Sunday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be today at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel in Athens with the Rev. James Bridges officiating.
Burial will be in Dement Cemetery.
Mr. Bridges was a native of Limestone County. He was a Navy veteran of World War II, retired from the USDA at Sweet Sue Kitchens, a member of the Church of Christ and a member of Masonic Lodge No. 16. He was preceded in death by one son, Dereck Bridges.
Survivors include his wife, Kate Bridges of Athens; two sons, Byron Bridges and Kent Bridges, both of Athens; two brothers, Gaston Bridges of Tuscumbia and James Bridges of Athens; one sister, Margaret McElyea of Athens; one half-brother, Dwight Bridges of Athens; three half-sisters, Deloris McCoy of Pascagoula, Miss., and Linda Gordon and Wilda Davis, both of Athens; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Linos Calhoun
BOAZ - Linos Calhoun, 84, of Boaz died Sunday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Forrest Home Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Syble Calhoun; one daughter, Carol Woodard of Jacksonville; one son, Edsel Calhoun of Boaz; one sister, Essie Clark of Ohatchee; one brother, Ernest Calhoun of Oxford; and four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
William R. Flowers Sr.
MANSFIELD, Tenn. - William Robert Flowers Sr., 84, died Saturday at his home. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at McEvoy Funeral Home with Bro. Claytus Wilson officiating.
Burial will be in Haymes Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Kathryn Louise Bowden; six daughters, Betty Ann D'Auria of Scottsboro, Edith Williamson of Nashville, Merry Lee Barfield of Huntsville, Kay Flowers of Paris, Tenn., Nancy Flowers of Athens, Ga., and Dixie Flowers of Suwanee, Ga.; five sons, Jack Flowers of Section, Ala., William Robert Flowers Jr. of Paris, Ernest Flowers of Yancey, Texas, Randy Flowers of Memphis and Ronnie Flowers of Cincinnati; two sisters, Mary Belle Norwood of Springville, Tenn., and Curlie Ann Engdahl of Villa Park, Ill.; one brother, W.C. Flowers of Paris; and 20 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation was today from 9 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
J.D. Hall
RAINSVILLE - J.D. Hall, 89, died Sunday. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Rainsville Funeral Home with the Rev. Don Barnett and the Rev. Charles McCay officiating.
Burial was to be in Mountain View Memory Gardens.
Mr. Hall, a lifelong resident of Rainsville, was a member of the Robertson Chapel Methodist Church and Masonic Lodge. He was a retired heavy equipment operator for the Alabama Highway Department.
Survivors include his wife, Opal King Hall; one daughter, Phyllis P. Hanson of Atlanta; one son, Robert Hall of Pell City; two sisters, Ethelyn Scott of Statesboro, Ga., and Doris Willingham of Fort Payne; and five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Ernie D. Holland
ATHENS - Ernie Dale Holland, 60, of Rogersville died Sunday at a local nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Albert Haraway officiating.
Burial will be in Higgins Cemetery.
Mr. Holland was a native of Limestone County. He was a Marine Corps veteran, a retired farmer and a member of the Church of Christ.
Survivors include one son, Van Dale Holland of Las Vegas; one daughter, Melody Ann Evans of Athens; two sisters, Frances Holland and Opal Conn, both of Athens; and six grandchildren.
Vernon L. Holt
HAZEL GREEN - Vernon Louie Holt, 68, died Thursday at his home. There will be no funeral.
Spry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Vivian P. Holt of Waldorf, Md.; two sons, Larry Vernon Holt of Mechanicsville, Md., and Donald Jeffery Holt of Charlotte Hall, Md.; two daughters, Sherry Lee Williams and Brenda Faith McClurkin of Waldorf; and six grandchildren.
Jessie R. Hudgins
Mrs. Jessie R. Hudgins, 61, of Huntsville died Saturday at her home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home with Charles Hammon officiating.
Entombment will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Valhalla Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Hudgins was a member of the Grace Baptist Church and a native of Fort Payne. She worked in retail sales.
Survivors include her husband, Selma Hudgins of Huntsville; one daughter, Darlene Miller, and one son, Wade Hudgins, both of Huntsville; one sister, Opal Westbroke of Arab; two brothers, Joe Earl Terrell and Wendell Terrell, both of Fyffe; five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
John H. King
ARAB - John Hiram King, 71, of Arab died Sunday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Arab Church of Christ.
Burial was in Cooper Cemetery in Rogersville with Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Robbie King; one son, John David King of Arab; one sister, Louise Butler of Rogersville; and one brother, William King of Guntersville.
James L. Manning
SCOTTSBORO - James Larry Manning, 57, died Sunday. There will be a private funeral.
Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery with Rudder Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Manning was a native of Soddy Daisy, Tenn.
Survivors include one son, Lamar Manning of North Carolina; one daughter, Julie Manning of North Carolina; his mother, Nadine Manning; one brother, Steve Manning of Huntsville; and one sister, Earline Clark of Phoenix.
Irene D. Messer
GUNTERSVILLE - Irene Deck Messer, 94, of Guntersville died Sunday in Boaz. The graveside service was today at 11 a.m. at Guntersville City Cemetery.
Carr Funeral Home of Guntersville is in charge of burial.
Survivors include her niece, Sandra Campbell of Guntersville; and several other nieces and nephews.
Doris R. Nance
RAINSVILLE - Doris Rose Flarity Nance, 71, died Sunday. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Sand Mountain Funeral Home in Rainsville.
Burial will be in Rainsville Memorial Park.
Survivors include four daughters, Ann Black of Rainsville, Linda Brown of Dothan, Sherrie Gilland of Ozark and Angela Lee of Valley Head; two sons, Junior Brown of Scottsboro and David Brown of Rainsville; one sister, Nell Skaggs of Gadsden; one brother, E.L. Flarity of Fort Payne; and 14 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Kate S. Orr
MARTLING - Kate Smith Orr, 84, died Friday at her home. The funeral was Monday at Albertville Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Bobby Darnell officiating.
Burial was in Memory Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Orr was a lifelong resident of Martling. She enjoyed quilting and gardening. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Houston Orr.
Survivors include one daughter, Shirley Ann Boddie of Albertville; three grandsons, Tommy Boddie and Randy Boddie, both of Albertville, and Terry Dyer of Louisiana; one granddaughter, Stephana Swords of Albertville; and two great-grandsons and several nieces and nephews.
Sandra P. Owens
DECATUR - Sandra Prestwood Owens, 48, of Decatur died Friday at Parkway Medical Center Hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Ann's Catholic Church with the Rev. Joseph Culotta officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery with Roselawn Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Owens was a native of Decatur. She was retired from Fox Army Hospital at Redstone Arsenal, a 1969 graduate of Decatur High School and a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church.
Survivors include a son, Eddie Owens of Decatur; one daughter, Dawn Alred of Trinity; two brothers, Lee Prestwood of Hartselle and Steve Prestwood of Atlanta, Ga.; one sister, Elizabeth Boyd of Spring Hill, Tenn.; and two grandchildren.
Leroy Robison
ATHENS - Leroy Robison, 89, of Huntsville Brownsferry Road died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was Monday at Tanner Church of Christ with Robert Hall and Jim Bowers officiating.
Burial was in Limestone Memorial Gardens with McConnell Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Robison was a native of Lanett. He was a resident of Limestone County most of his life and was a member of Tanner Church of Christ. He worked at Athens Wholesale Nursery 45 years and for Strain & Son Nursery 10 years.
Survivors include his wife, Mildred Robison of Tanner; two daughters, Imogene Lang of Tanner and Betty Patterson of Opelika; one son, Gerald Robison of Atlanta; three sisters, Lorene Carter of Madison County, and Margreta Sanders and Lillian Jackson, both of Huntsville; one brother, George Robison of Patterson, Ga.; and nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Lorraine Rosser
BOAZ - Lorraine Rosser, 85, died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Sardis Cemetery.
Survivors include one daughter, Sandra Howell of Birmingham; one son, Robert Rosser of Boaz; two brothers, Jack Gilliland of South Carolina and Robert Gilliland of California; and two grandchildren.
Robert Saint
GUNTERSVILLE - Robert Saint, 56, died Saturday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Gober Funeral Home in Arab.
Burial was to be in Brookwood Cemetery.
Survivors include two daughters, Sadeania Gonzalez of Guntersville and Devona Stearns of Texas; two sons, Bradley Saint of Albertville and Mark Saint of Albertville; mother, Zolar Saint of Oneonta; four sisters, Dorothy Conkle and Kathern Daniel, both of Arab, and Billie Stapp and Shirley Hodges, both of Holly Pond; and 11 grandchildren.
Jimmy C. Smith
HAZEL GREEN - Jimmy C. Smith, 47, died Sunday at his home. The memorial service will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Hazel Green with the Rev. Bobby Eads officiating.
Spry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Smith was a native of Madison County.
Survivors include his parents, Elizabeth Hopkins of Hazel Green and James H. Smith of Athens; his stepfather, Wiley Hopkins of Hazel Green ; five brothers, Guy Smith of Las Vegas, Timothy Smith and Wade Hopkins, both of Huntsville, Chris Hopkins of Hazel Green and Bobby Hopkins of Lacey's Spring; and one sister, Belinda Hopkins of Huntsville.
Buford L. Sparks
HENAGAR - Buford Leon Sparks, 69, died Monday at his home. The funeral was today at 2 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel in Rainsville.
Burial will be in Harmony Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Annie L. Sparks of Henagar; four daughters, Sybil Culberson of Hartselle, Pamela Segars of Henagar, Barbara Edmondson of Falkville and Denise Drew of Okatie, S.C.; two sons, Stanley Sparks of Hilton Head, S.C., and Jeffery Sparks of Henagar; four sisters, Kathleen Brogdon of Section, Irene Cisco of Ider, Peggy Turner of Geraldine and Shirley Myers of Bessemer; four brothers, J.M. Sparks, J.W. Sparks and Jesse Lee Sparks Jr., all of Henagar, and Z.C. Sparks of Scottsboro; and 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Ora Taylor
RAINSVILLE - Ora Taylor, 86, died Monday at a Fort Payne hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at noon at Straight Creek Church of God in Rainsville with the Rev. Gary Haymon, the Rev. Melvin Dawson and the Rev. Leroy Smith officiating.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with Rainsville Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Taylor was preceded in death by her husband, John Will Taylor; and one daughter, Delene Taylor.
Survivors include five daughters, Ova Lee Bowen of Powell, Zelta Thomas of Chattanooga, Diane Roberts of Fort Payne and Genelle Taylor and Rhonda Miller, both of Rainsville; six sons, Verdis Taylor, Harlon Taylor, Phillip Taylor, Stephen Taylor, Urias Taylor and John Taylor, all of Rainsville; three sisters, Opal Yates of Section, Offie Loudermilk of Dutton and Omie Askew of Grant; one brother, Ellis Phillips of Grant; and 35 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Tom G. Thrasher
Tom Goodman Thrasher, 83, of Huntsville died Sunday at his home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Edward C. Gartrell officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
Mr. Thrasher served in North Africa and the European theater during World War II, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel at age 28. In 1946, he opened Thrasher Oil Co. here under a Shell Oil franchise. He was called back to Army duty in the Korean War and served as executive officer at Redstone Arsenal in 1951-52.
Mr. Thrasher's civic activities included service on the Huntsville school board, 1952-61; Industrial Developement Board, 1965-76; Von Braun Center Board of Control, 1974-90; University of Alabama in Huntsville Foundation, founding member; Huntsville Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Control, 1976-90; and the U.S. Army Community Relations Committee since its inception in 1960.
His honors included Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1985; the Distinguished Citizen Service Medal in 1995, the Army's highest civilian honor; an honorary doctorate in humanities from UAH, 1976; and recognition by the Arthritis Association for his contributions to the community, 1998.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Wright Thrasher; four daughters, Anne Swain and Amanda Segrest, both of Huntsville, Carol Mayo of Silverdale, Wash., and Sharon Langley of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and nine grandchildren and two nephews.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Tom and Dorothy Thrasher Scholarship Fund at the UAH Foundation, 102 Alumni House, UAH 35899.
Amos Voyles
CULLMAN - Amos Voyles, 80, of Cullman died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Gober Funeral Home in Arab.
Burial was in Gilliam Springs Cemetery.
Survivors include one daughter, Patricia Voyles of Cullman; one sister, Ethel Royster of Union Grove; and three brothers, C.L. Voyles of Eva, Jack Voyles of Arab and James Voyles of Cullman.
Mary E. Wildhagen
GUNTERSVILLE - Mary Elizabeth Wildhagen, 79, died Sunday at a local hospital. A funeral mass will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. William Catholic Church in Guntersville.
Burial will be in Marshall Memorial Garden with Carr Funeral Home of Guntersville in charge.
Survivors include her husband, Roland Wildhagen; one son, Victor Wildhagen of Guntersville; two sisters, Emma Torbett of Arkansas and Virginia McBride of Missouri; three brothers, Steve Parmeley, Paul Parmeley and Thomas Parmeley, all of Missouri; and three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A rosary service will be today at 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Tincy O. Wood
ATHENS - Tincy Ophelia Wood, 54, of Athens died Sunday at her home. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel in Athens with the Rev. James Toone officiating.
Burial will be in Copeland Cemetery.
Mrs. Wood was a native of Limestone County. She was a cook for Athens Family Restaurant, and was a member of the Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Jimmie D. Wood of Midland, Tenn.; two sons, Jimmie D. Wood, Jr. and Hubert Lee Wood, both of Athens; one brother, Charles M. Pack of Athens; one sister, Alice Brewer Harris of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; and two grandchildren.
