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.
Arthur Warren Barnes
ATHENS - Arthur Warren Barnes, 87, of Market Street died Wednesday at a Limestone County hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Sunnyhill Cemetery with James Bridges officiating and Spry Funeral Home in charge of burial.
Mr. Barnes was retired from Limestone County Commission District 1.
Survivors include his wife, Doris G. Barnes; two daughters, Agnes Barnes Barbee of Rogersville and Catherine Sutton of Athens; three sisters, Ada Harris of New Boston, Ohio, Cleo Duncan of Franklin, N.C., and Ruth Williams of Shelbyville, Tenn.; and nine grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Amie O. Beavers
FALKVILLE - Mrs. Amie O. Beavers, 85, of 1350 Wilson Mountain Road died Tuesday at a Hartselle hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Oden Ridge Baptist Church with the Rev. Raymond Stinson and the Rev. Daryl Banks officiating.
Burial will be in Oden Ridge Cemetery with Peck Funeral Home of Hartselle in charge.
Mrs. Beavers was a homemaker and was preceded in death by her husband, C.D. Beavers.
Survivors include one son, Robert ''Bobby R. Beavers of Falkville; two foster daughters, Jane Lindsey and Maybell Armstrong, both of Falkville; one foster son, Tom Phillips of Dalton, Ga.; one brother, James H. Oden of Eva; and 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Etheline Brewer
Etheline Brewer, 53, of Huntsville died Wednesday at a local hospital. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Burial will be in Charity Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Charlie Brewer of Huntsville; four daughters, Bonnie Atkinson, Kathy East and Debbie Pellem, all of Huntsville, and Becky Beard of Athens; one son, Mike Pellem of Pulaski, Tenn.; two brothers, Bobby Cates and James David Cates, both of Huntsville; and eight grandchildren.
Carl L. Donaldson
Carl Lee Donaldson, 55, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 10:30 a.m. at Miller Funeral Home in Ramsey, Ill. with the Rev. Norris Price officiating.
Burial will be in Myers Cemetery in Herrick, Ill., with Spry Funeral Home in charge of local arrangements.
Mr. Donaldson lived in St. Louis, Mo., until moving to Huntsville in 1997.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret Donaldson of Huntsville; two daughters, Kim Arkbauer of Witt, Ill., and Christine Ernst of Litchfield, Ill.; one son, Troy Donaldson of Hillsboro, Ill.; five sisters, Donna Price and Cora Bushert, both of Ramsey, Ill., Mary Harpster of St. Peter, Ill., Barbara Cook of Coffeen, Ill., and Carol Durbin of Payson, Utah; two brothers, Bob Donaldson of St. Elmo, Ill., and Donald Donaldson of Ramsey, Ill.; and two grandchildren.
John C. Hale
John C. Hale, 79, of Huntsville died Wednesday at his home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with Dr. Bob Horner officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens.
Mr. Hale was part-owner of Hale Brothers Furniture Co. and a member of Southside Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Hazel Hale of Huntsville; one daughter, Sandra Welborn of Birmingham; two brothers, Russell Hale of Madisonville, Ky., and D.Z. Hale of Hazel Green ; two sisters, Nettie Spiller of Muscle Shoals and Ivalea Davis of Phil Campbell; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Family Care.
Harold S. Harnly
Retired Adm. Harold Shephard Harnly, 92, of Huntsville died Sunday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church with Kee Sloan officiating.
Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge of local arrangements.
Adm. Harnly was a former president of Redstone Yacht Club. He was active in the Naval Academy Alumni Association and the Retired Officers Association.
Survivors include one daughter, Ann McKay of Monkton, Md.; two sons, retired Lt. Col. Richard Harnly, of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Dr. Thomas J. Harnly M.D. of Seattle, Wash.; two stepsons, Ed Litkenhous of Huntsville and Linn Litkenhous of Birmingham; and seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Thomas Episcopal Church, the Navy Relief Fund or a favorite charity.
James B. Jarmon
CROSSVILLE - James Bunyon Jarmon, 90, of 2836 County Road 468 died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in New Home Cemetery.
Survivors include three sisters, Minnie Townsell and Lutelia Chambers, both of Crossville, and Marness Golden of Georgia; a special niece, Jeanette Gargus of Crossville; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Herman Landers
Herman Landers, 87, of Huntsville died today at his home. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangemennts.
He is survived by one sister, Louise Landers of Huntsville.
Loyce T. Lovvorn
FYFFE - Loyce T. Lovvorn, 85, died Wednesday at her home. The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Beulah Baptist Church with the Rev. Jerry Simmons officiating.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel in Rainsville in charge.
Survivors include one son, Harold R. Lovvorn of Marietta, Ga.; one son-in-law, John Fouts Adams of Auburn; four sisters, Grace Stephenson of Dawson, Ala., Averia Reeves of Cedartown, Ga., Eva Nell Brown of Rainsville and Muriel Wilks of Fort Payne; one brother, Aubie Talley of Fyffe; and three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Don P. Lusk
SCOTTSBORO - Mrs. Don Proctor Lusk, 96, died Wednesday. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Jerry Glenn officiating.
Burial will be in Liberty Cemetery.
Survivors include six daughters, Mildred Bryant of Douglasville, Ga.; Mavis Miller of Kelson, Tenn.; and Mary Lou Bellomy, Vada Pickett, Reva Holt and Wilma George, all of Scottsboro; two sons, W.H. Lusk of Scottsboro and Newtie Lusk of Dalton, Ga.; one brother, Hugh Proctor of Scottsboro; and 21 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 to 9 p.m.
Anita B. McGhee
RAINSVILLE - Anita Bates McGhee, 36, died Wednesday at her home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel with Bro. Travis Carr and the Revs. Gary Haymon, Carthell Owens and Doc Renfroe officiating.
Burial will be in Concord Cemetery in Henagar.
Survivors include her husband, Greg McGhee of Rainsville; two daughters, Beth Bates and LeeAnn Bates, both of Rainsville; her parents, Eric and Vera Gunter of Fyffe; one sister, Karen Gunter Twilley of Fyffe; and two brothers, Adrian Gunter and Damond Gunter, both of Fyffe.
Louise S. McManus
GREER, S.C. - Louise S. McManus, 83, died Wednesday at a Greer nursing home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Wood Mortuary with Dr. Kyle Allen officiating.
Burial will be in Wood Memorial Park.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Plyler McManus.
Survivors include one daughter, Sylvia McManus Maw of Spartanburg, S.C.; two sons, Dr. Samuel Plyler McManus of Huntsville and Henry Stephen McManus of Columbus, N.C.; three sisters, Mrs. George Ramsey, Mrs. Jordan Watts and Mrs. Maurice Moore, all of Edgemoor, S.C.; and seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 1 to 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Henry Pyler and Louise Sanders McManus Scholarship Fund at UAH, 122 Alumni House, Huntsville, 35899.
Carl B. Montgomery
ATHENS - Carl Bradley Montgomery, 43, of Children Lane died Tuesday in Athens. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at McConnell Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.
Mr. Montgomery was a native of Limestone County.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy Montgomery; four daughters, Leslie Bright, Mandy Montgomery, Elizabeth Bates and Jenifer Gravette, all of Athens; two sons, Heath Montgomery and Jeramey Tillie, both of Athens; his mother, Betty Montgomery of Athens; two sisters, Vicki Stevenson of Athens and Kathy Page of Tanner; three brothers, Jimmy Montgomery of Bensenville, Ill., Roger Montgomery of Elkmont and Keith Montgomery of Athens; and two grandchildren.
Dorothy B. Pelka
PEORIA, Ill. - Dorothy Bayless Pelka, 64, formerly of Huntsville, died Friday at a Peoria hospital. The funeral was Monday at Resurrection Cemetery with the Rev. Patrick Henehan officiating.
Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home in Peoria was in charge of burial.
Mrs. Pelka, a native of Huntsville, was a Butler High School graduate. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerome Pelka; and one brother, Alvin Pelka.
Survivors include one daughter, Marcy Debis of Elmwood, Ill.; three sons, Chris Pelka of Peoria, Robert Pelka of Hannah City, Ill., and Stan Pelka of Fairbanks, Alaska; one sister, Jean Ann Geiger of Huntsville; one brother, Bob Bayless of Huntsville; and eight grandchildren.
William R. Pfeiffer
William Randall "Randy" Pfeiffer III, 54, of Huntsville died Tuesday at his home. The graveside service will be Friday at 3 p.m. at Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Valhalla Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mr. Pfeiffer was a U.S. Army veteran. He served in two tours in Veitnam and received the combat infantryman badge. He was a Butler High School and Mississippi State University graduate. He was also a member and former commander of American Legion post No. 176 and Tennessee Valley Voiture 40 and 8, former commander of Chef de Gare of the 40 and 8 and a member of Helion Lodge No. 1, Cahaba Shrine Temple and Fraternal Order of the Eagle.
Survivors include two sisters, Patricia Edwards and Michele Farr, both of Huntsville; one brother, Brian J. Pfeiffer of Half Moon Bay, Calif.; and one niece and one nephew.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Cahaba Shrine Temple and the Burned and Crippled Childrens Foundation.
J.W. Sentell
ASHLAND, Ala. - J.W. Sentell, 89, died Tuesday in Ashland. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Ben Rosser and the Rev. Bill Coleman officiating.
Burial will be in Ashland City Cemetery with Benefield Funeral Home directing.
Mr. Sentell was a 1930 graduate of Auburn University, was owner of Sentell Oil Co., Ashland Motor Co., Lineville Motor Co. and Sentell Lumber Co., a charter member of the Ashland Rotary Club and Clay County Historical Society, a member of the Masonic Lodge for more than 50 years, a trustee of Clay County High School in Lineville, a state Boy Scout executive and recipient of the Silver Beaver Award and deacon emeritus at First Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, the former Nettie L. Coleman; two daughters, Betty S. Scharf and Marie S. Belcher, both of Birmingham; two sons, Johnie W. Sentell Jr. of Birmingham and Lee Sentell of Decatur; and six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
John R. Simpson
FYFFE - John Roy Simpson, 82, died Wednesday at a DeKalb County hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Fyffe First Baptist Church with the Revs. Phillip Webb, Melvin Hilley and Delmar Blackmon officiating.
Burial will be in Corinth Cemetery in Fyffe with W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel in Rainsville in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Letha Mae Simpson of Fyffe; one son, John R. Simpson of Fyffe; two stepdaughters, Bobby Owens of Cedartown, Ga., and Mellisa Owens of Langston, Ala.; and nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
His body will be at the church 30 minutes before the funeral.
Walter C. Sparks
MADISON - Walter Charles "Chuck" Sparks, 45, died Thursday at a local hospital. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mr. Sparks worked at WZDX-TV for 10 years. He also worked as a radio broadcaster for local high school football games and was a former host of the Saturday Morning Radio Coaches Show.
Survivors include his ex-wife, Barbara Russell of Virginia Beach, Va.; two daughters, Jennifer Sparks Scribner and Bonnie Sparks, both of Virginia Beach; two brothers, William C. Sparks Jr. and Joe Sparks, both of Madison; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society.
Helen W. Wagner
Helen Wilkinson Wagner, 75, of Huntsville died Wednesday at her home. The funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Marys Church of the Visitation with the Rev. Robert Wagner officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Valhalla Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Wagner was a member of St. Marys Church of the Visitation and was retired from Crestwood Hospital as a registered nurse. She was a member of the Altar Society at the church and was a volunteer with Meals on Wheels and Catholic Charities.
Survivors include her husband, Wallace O. Wagner of Huntsville; three daughters, Lucinda W. Dawson of Chattanooga, Kathryn A. Gable of Birmingham and Jacqy W. Stone of Huntsville; two sons, Joseph W. Wagner of Charleston, S.C., and Matthew Otto Wagner of Harvest; two brothers, Wayne Wilkinson of Tiffin, Ohio, and Dale Wilkinson of Waynesboro, Ga.; and 11 grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. with a vigil service at 7 at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society or Hospice Family Care.
