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.
Philip L. Adair
Philip Lawrence Adair, 63, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Weatherly Heights Church of Christ with Bro. Dennis L. Freeman and Guy P. McDaniel officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Adair was retired from U.S. Army Missile Command after 27 years of service. He was an elder at Weatherly Heights Church of Christ, served in the Coast Guard and was a retired captain in the Coast Guard reserve. He was an active member of the U.S. Tennis Association and Senior Center Orchestra and his interests included golf, tennis, playing the trombone and community activities. He was also a member of the Huntsville Botanical Garden Association and was a graduate of Auburn University.
Survivors include his wife, Peggy Price Adair of Huntsville; two daughters, Terri Gainey of Alpharetta, Ga., and Leigh Ann Evans of Huntsville; two sons-in-law, Dale S. Gainey of Alpharetta, Ga., and Robert N. Evans of Huntsville; one sister, Fannie Lee Ginn of Birmingham; two brothers, Joseph M. Adair and Conrad E. Adair, both of Birmingham; and four grandchildren, Emily Evans and Michael Evans, both of Huntsville, and Kelsey Gainey and McKenzie Gainey, both of Alpharetta.
Visitation will be today at the funeral home from 6 until 8 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to American Heart Association or Alzheimers Association.
Vera K. Fanning
Vera K. Fanning, 80, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The will be today at 2:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home Chapel with Elder Bill Taylor and Elder Mickey Harris officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Fanning was a native of Franklin County, Tenn., was a resident of Huntsville most of her life and was a member of Grace Chapel P.B. Church. She was preceded in death by her husband Floyd Fanning.
Survivors include one sister, Tina Ray of Tullahoma, Tenn., and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation was Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m.
Jackie M. Gunnells
MADISON - Jackie Marie Gunnells, 50, died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Madison Free Will Baptist Church with the Rev. Richard Hendrix officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens with Madison Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Gunnells was a member of Madison Free Will Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Michael D. Gunnells of Madison; two daughters, Sonya R. Jones and Tracy M. Neely, both of Madison; one sister, Betty Gaylor of Huntsville; her mother, Marie Dixon of Boaz; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
James H. Heard
James "Jim" H. Heard, 48, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Reuben Gaught officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Heard was a native of Huntsville.
Survivors include his mother, Hester Heard of Huntsville; two brothers, Robert Heard and Randy J. Heard, both of Hazel Green ; and one niece and three nephews.
Visitation will be Friday from noon to 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.
James H. Hilsman
ALBERTVILLE - James Howard Hilsman, 69, of 608 Goodwin Road died Wednesday at his home. A memorial service will be Saturday at 4 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Survivors include his wife, Ann Evers Hilsman; a daughter, Bonnie Prunk of Colorado; a son, Kerry Hilsman of Colorado; a brother, Aaron Hilsman of Albertville; five grandchildren; special friends, Gene and Kim Brown; and special grandson, Alan Brown.
Harrison Hodges
ALBERTVILLE - Harrison Hodges, 81, died Wednesday at a Huntsville hospital. A graveside service will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Mount Olive Cemetery in Woodville with Clayton Tuggle officiating.
Survivors include his wife, Cora Lee Hodges; three sons, Jamie Hodges of Decatur and Jack Hodges and Larry Hodges, both of Grant; and seven grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Laura M. Hudgins
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Laura Mae Hudgins, 84, died Wednesday at her home. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mrs. Hudgins was a member of Central Presbyterian Church. She was a former resident of Huntsville and a Huntsville High School graduate. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Willis Hudgins; two sisters, Vastus Cummings and Eva Taylor; and one brother, James Ivy.
Survivors include two sons, David Hudgins of Overland Park and Raymond Hudgins of Atlanta; one daughter, Doris Minmier of Atlanta; two brothers, Vernon Ivy of Huntsville and Carroll Ivy of Taft, Tenn.; one sister, Willie Dysert of Fayetteville; and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Marvin B. Jones
Marvin B. Jones, 59, of 2603 Gibson Street died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Conley Chapel CME Church with the Rev. Ollie Hatchett officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Bettye P. Jones of Huntsville, four sons, Alfred Kent Coger of Mooresville, N.C., Blohely Jones and Todd Readus Jones, both of Detroit, and Reginald D. Pace of Atlanta; and five grandchildren.
The body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Pearl L. Kelley
HOLLYWOOD - Mrs. Pearl Little Kelley, 71, died Monday in Brandenton, Fla. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Rudder Funeral Home with the Rev. Buster McCulley officiating.
Burial was to be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood.
Survivors include five daughters, Juanita Barnhart of Crete, Ill., Elizabeth Apolon of Brandenton, Linda Tomoleoni of Niles, Ill., Debbie Stallings of Scottsboro and Carolyn Billingsly of Jasper, Tenn.; three sons, Buddy Kelley of Stegger, Ill., James Kelley of Stevenson, and Charles Kelley of Sauk Village, Ill.; two sisters, Margaret Conroy of Chicago Ridge, Ill., and Jean Sanders of Harvey, Ill.; and 15 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Max E. Nowak
Max Ernest Nowak, 89, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The graveside service will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with the Rev. John T. Means officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mr. Nowak was a native of Breslau, Germany, where he studied mechanical engineering. He worked in Peenemunde, Germany, before moving to the United States with Wernher von Braun as part of the Defense Department project, "Operation Paperclip."
Survivors include one daughter-in-law, Linda S. Nowak of Dothan; and one niece, Heidemarie Nowak of Germany.
Marion Sanderson
HARVEST - Miss Marion Sanderson, 89, of Harvest died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be announced by Laughlin Service Funeral Home.
Miss Sanderson was a member of Fords Chapel Methodist Church and was retired from the Bruno Co.
Survivors include one brother, Will Sanderson of Harvest; one nephew, Woody Sanderson of Huntsville; five nieces, Leigh Sanderson of New Market, Rebecca Henderson of Opelika, Joy Woodward of Selma, Ruth Noel of Jacksonville, Fla., and Ann Spencer of Harvest.
Visitation will be Friday at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m.
Memorials may be made to a favorite charity.
Albert E. Schuler
Albert E. Schuler, 83, of Huntsville died today at his home. The funeral will be announced by Laughlin Service Funeral Home.
Mr. Schuler was a native of Germany, he studied technical physics at the University of Darmstadt and joined the Peenemunde rocket team in 1939. After World War II, he came with Dr. Wernher Von Braun to the United States and worked at NASA in test and instrumentation until his disability retirement in 1969. He received a Presidential Citation and was a member of the Instrument Society of America, which established a scholarship in his name.
Survivors include his wife, Berti L. Schuler of Huntsville; three sons, Klaus Schuler of Stuart, Fla., Frank R. Schuler of Durham, N.C., and Ralph A. Schuler of Huntsville; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Church of the Visitation.
Austin E. Scoggins
Austin E. Scoggins, 66, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with Bro. Mike Johnson and Dr. R. Laurence Dill officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens.
Mr. Scoggins was a member of Chapman Acres Church of Christ.
Survivors include his wife, Annie M. Scoggins of Huntsville; two daughters, Janice S. Drummonds and Martha L. Gean, both of Huntsville; one son, Gary E. Scoggins of Issaquah, Wash.; two sisters, Ellen S. Gorman of Ellejay, Ga., and Willie Evelyn Daniel of Kennesaw, Ga.; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
James H. Smith
HUNTLAND, Tenn. - James Harold Smith, 65, of 1868 Elora Road died Wednesday at his home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Winchester Holiness Church.
Burial will be in Winchester Holiness Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Leeree Smith of Huntland; one son, Harold Smith of Huntland; two daughters, Gail Ashley of New Market and Rita McIntosh of Huntsville; one brother, J.C. Smith of Valhermosa Srings, Ala.; and five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today at 5 p.m. at Huntland Funeral Home.
George Stubbs
DECATUR - Willie Roy George Stubbs, 80, of Decatur died Monday at a Decatur hospital. The funeral will be Friday at noon at Sharpley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. George Allen Jr. officiating.
Burial will be in Sterrs Cemetery.
Mr. Stubbs was a native of Putman County, Ga. He was employed by Decatur Utilities.
Survivors include his wife, Gertrude Napper Stubbs of Decatur; six daughters, Dorothy Gamble, Annie Pride, Rosemary Allen, Diana Pride and Corrie White, all of Decatur, and Rose Marie Wilkerson of Nashville; four sons, Bobby Pride of Elkmont, and Larry Pride, Michael Pride and Marvin Bonner, all of Decatur; 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Joe J. Thomas
BRIDGEPORT - Joe John Thomas, 55, died July 3 in Waverly, Ga. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson with the Rev. Jimmy Thomas officiating.
Burial will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Gundi Thomas; one daughter, Christi Thomas of California; one sister, Virginia Spurlock of Chattanooga; and one brother, James Thomas of Chicago.
Visitation was to be today from 3 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
