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.
Clara M. Blankenship
ARDMORE, Tenn. - Clara Mae Blankenship, 70, died Thursday at an area hospital. The funeral will be today at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Bill Karnes officiating.
Burial will be in Higgins Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Floyd Blankenship; three sons, Jimmy Dale Blankenship of Athens, Floyd Blankenship Jr. of Birmingham and Billy Blankenship of Ardmore, Tenn.; two daughters, Ann Isler of Ardmore, Ala., and Sheri Lynn McCowan of Delrose, Tenn.; one brother, Virgil Raney of Ardmore, Ala.; 13 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Eugene Cox
NEW HOPE - Eugene Cox, 87, died Friday at his home. The funeral will be Sunday at 1 p.m. at New Hope Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Billy Meres officiating.
Burial will be in Brown Cemetery.
Survivors include one son, Clarence E. Cox of Guntersville; one daughter, Mildred Mashburn of New Hope; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Donald C. Crawford
SCOTTSBORO - Donald C. Crawford, 61, died Friday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Randall's Chapel United Methodist Church in Scottsboro with the Rev. Randy Burbank and Dr. Terry Greer officiating.
Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery with Scottsboro Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Crawford was a longtime member of Randall's Chapel United Methodist Church and was retired from the Alabama National Guard with 20 years of service.
Survivors include his mother, Eunice ''Sis'' Crawford of Scottsboro; two brothers, Ronald A. Crawford of Scottsboro and Gary D. Crawford of Athens; one niece and three nephews.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Randall's Chapel United Methodist Church Building Fund.
Frederick B. Dicus
Frederick Barefoot Dicus, 66, of Huntsville died Thursday at his home. A memorial service will be Monday at Rice Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Dicus was a native of Waynesville, N.C., and had lived in Huntsville since 1959. He was an electrical engineer, U.S. Air Force veteran, and taught Alabama builders and contractors for 14 years.
Mr. Dicus was preceded in death By his wife, Edith Harlston Dicus; and one son, Bvoyd George Harlston.
Survivors include one daughter, Lois Dicus Bennett of Huntsville; one son, Colin Frederick Dicus of Huntsville; three sisters, Lois Pigg of Pasco, Wash., Meta Gordon of Summerton, S.C., and Salinda Monroe of Clemmons, N.C.; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Family Care, 2225 Drake Ave., Huntsville, AL 35805.
Orville Guinn
HOLLYWOOD - Orville Guinn, 90, died Friday at a Scottsboro hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Scottsboro Funeral Home with Dr. Rick Stevens officiating.
Burial will be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood.
Mr. Guinn was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Akin Guinn.
Survivors include one sister, Mae Guinn of Pisgah; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
Bessie W. Holland
ATHENS - Bessie White Holland, 75, of 208 Ridgelawn Drive died Friday at her home. Funeral arrangements will be announced by McConnell Funeral Home.
Sylvia W. Jupiter
Sylvia Wagner Jupiter, 77, of Huntsville died Thursday in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. The funeral will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with Rabbi Bernard Brown officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Jupiter was a veteran of the Women's Army Corps before retiring with the rank of captain and was a life member of the Retired Officers Association. She was a member of Temple B'nai Sholom where she taught Hebrew school and was active in the sisterhood. She was a life member of Hadassah and served as treasurer of the local chapter for 20 years. She worked as a volunteer in the Meals on Wheels program and the Interfaith Volunteers Transportation Service.
Survivors include her husband of 44 years, Alvin M. Jupiter; two daughters, Karen Pline of Marietta, Ga., and Ellen Hernandez of Lafayette, La.; two brothers, Joseph Wagner and Phillip Wagner, both of Jackson Heights, N.Y.; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be Sunday from 2:30 to 3 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Temple B'nai Sholom Library Fund, 103 Lincoln St., Huntsville, AL 35801.
Louise Y. Keith
Louise Yarbrough Keith, 80, of Huntsville died Thursday at her home. The graveside service will be Sunday at 1 p.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Coy Hallmark officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Keith was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church and a member of the Optimist Women's Club and the Buttercup Garden Club.
Survivors include one stepdaughter, Nita Spitzer of Dallas; three sons, Sam Keith and Neil Keith, both of Huntsville, and Milton Keith of St. Petersburg, Fla.; two brothers, William M. Yarbrough and Sam Yarbrough, both of Huntsville; and four granddaughters.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Family Care, 2225 Drake Ave., Huntsville, AL 35805.
Edna Matthews
Edna Matthews, 81, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a Ardmore, Tenn., nursing home. The graveside service will be Monday at 1 p.m. at Meadowlawn Garden of Peace with Dr. Homer L. McCall officiating.
Royal Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include one daughter, Ann M. Dowling of Detroit; one son, Dr. Charles W. M. Matthews of Huntsville; one sister, Albert Harris of Huntsville; and two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Thomas McComb
Thomas McComb, 79, of Huntsville died Tuesday at his home. The funeral will be Monday at 2 p.m. at Royal Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. James Lane officiating.
Burial will be in Meadowlawn Garden of Peace.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Mary Robinson; three daughters, Deborah Robinson and Tonya Robinson, both of Huntsville, and Tiffany Robinson of Birmingham; four sons, Eddie Robinson, Anthony Robinson, Lorenzo Robinson and Zaccheus Robinson, all of Huntsville; two brothers, Willie C. McComb of Decatur and Izic Woliton of Huntsville; and 19 grandchildren.
John M. McKinney
HORTON - John Morgan McKinney, 69, of 4301 Nixon Chapel Road, died Friday in a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Guntersville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Walker Cemetery in New Hope.
Survivors include four daughters, Linda McKinney and Ann Nolf, both of Horton, Mary Rogers of Guntersville, and Debbie Bearden of Martling; two sons, James McKinney of Union Grove and Dewayne Sherrod of Albertville; one sister, Shirley Sutton of Guntersville; two brothers, J.B. McKinney of Albertville and Royce McWhorter of Guntersville; and 20 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
William F. Owens Sr.
BRIDGEPORT - William F. ''Judge'' Owens Sr., 73, died Thursday at a Chattanooga hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson with the Rev. Larry Gillian and the Rev. Mayburn Guess officiating.
Burial will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery near Bridgeport.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Owens; three daughters, Kathy Peacock, Kay Kilgore and Donna Nunley; one son, William F. Owens Jr.; two sisters, Ruby Shoemake and Pearl Lawson, both of Stevenson; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Aline Richard
Aline Richard, 69, of Huntsville died Thursday at her home. No funeral services are planned.
Spry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include three daughters, Linda L. Smith of Huntsville, Brenda Lee Garbutt of Florence, Ky., and Jacque Lara of Monrovia; two sons, John F. Richard Jr. and Jerome E. Richard, both of Huntsville; two sisters, Helen Warwick of Vienna, Va., and Arline Nickels of Indianapolis, Ind.; and 17 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Family Care, 2225 Drake Ave., Huntsville, AL 35805.
Ilene Sims GUNTERSVILLE - Ilene Sims, 71, of 1732 O'Brig Avenue died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Carr Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Marshall Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include three daughters, Crystal Bennett of Florida, Linda Kimbrough of Tennessee, and Kathy Williams of Boaz; nine grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Martha J. Watkins
ATHENS - Martha Jackson Watkins, 68, of 306 South Beaty Street died Thursday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at McConnell Funeral Home with Mike Davis, Dan Totten and Dr. Steven Screws officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Watkins was a member of First United Methodist Church and was a volunteer for the Limestone County Sheriff's Department for 17 years.
Survivors include two daughters, Paula Tate and Janet Watkins, both of Dallas; two sons, Bryan Watkins of Madison and Thomas ''T-Bird'' Watkins of Athens; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
John Paton Davies
Washington - John Paton Davies, a China expert at the State Department who was fired as a security risk but later regained government clearance, died Thursday in Asheville, N.C. He was 91.
Davies, who grew up in China as the son of missionary parents, was let go in 1954 after accusations by the late Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy and others that Davies had undermined U.S. policy and contributed to the Communists victory in China.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia Grady Davies, seven children and 11 grandchildren.
