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.
McCall C. Akin
KENNESAW, Ga. - McCall Cameron Akin, infant daughter of Andy and Marisa Akin, died Wednesday in Atlanta. The memorial service will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Burritt Museum with the Rev. Doris McCafferty officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Other survivors include her maternal grandparents, Marvene Nicholsand Ron and Charlotte Nichols, all of Huntsville; her paternal grandparents, Ralph and Barbara Akin of Scottsboro and Barbara and Richard Rodgers of Guntersville; her maternal great-grandmother, Lillian F. Nichols of Starkville, Miss.; and two aunts, Cathy Carroll of Huntsville and Debbie Westwood of Marietta, Ga.
Visitation will be Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Weeden House at 300 Gates Ave. in Huntsville.
Memorial donations may be made to Scottish Rite Childrens Hospital in Atlanta.
Doris S. Barnes
MULBERRY, Tenn. - Doris Solomon Barnes, 64, of 22 Old Lynchburg Road died Wednesday at a Nashville hospital. A memorial service will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. David Tipton officiating.
Mrs. Barnes was retired from Eagle Snacks Co. She was a native of Lincoln County and a member of Mulberry Baptist Church.
Survivors include three daughters, Connie Beverley of Delrose, Tenn., and Nan Simms and Jean Clevenger, both of Fayetteville, Tenn.; three sons, Randy Barnes of Fayetteville, Steven Barnes of Estell Springs, Tenn., and Daniel Ray Bearden of Lynchburg, Tenn.; her mother, Sarah Solomon of Mulberry; one brother, Bobby Solomon of LaFayette, Tenn.; and 16 grandchildren.
Helen Bigler
HAZEL GREEN - Helen Bigler, 63, of 170 Matts Way died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at at Bennet-Brown Funeral Home in Delaware, Ohio, with the Rev. Ken Durtsche officiating.
Burial will be in Oakgrove Cemetery in Delaware.
She had lived in Huntsville since 1993.
Survivors include two sons, Jeffery Bigler of Huntsville and Greg Bigler of Albany, Ga.; two sisters, Betty Gandee of Marion, Ohio, and Thurley ORourke of Panama City, Fla.; and 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Dolphus G. Bright
ALBERTVILLE - Dolphus Gerald Bright, 75, died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Adams Funeral Home in Albertville.
Burial was to be in Memory Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Bright; one daughter, Belita Bunch of Albertville; four sons, Jerry Bright of Huntsville, Dolan Bright of Guntersville, Lynn Bright of Albertville and Stanley Bright of Stevenson; and 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Willie M. Cox
HORTON - Willie Mae Cox, 76, died Monday at a Gadsden hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Gober Funeral Home in Arab.
Burial was to be in Daileys Chapel Cemetery in Blount County.
Survivors include six daughters, Barbara Karalis of Indiana, Peggy Mile of Birmingham, Joyce Edwards of Horton, Teresa Moon of Arab and Raphine Harden and Sybil Miller, both of Michigan; one son, Charles G. Ellis of Gadsden; one sister, Anne Ward of Birmingham; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Wilma B. Drake
MADISON - Wilma Bridges Drake, 85, died Thursday at her home. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mrs. Drake was a lifelong resident of Madison County. She was a home maker and had run a family grocery store and fabric store until retiring. She was a member of the Church of Christ and the Homemakers Club. She was also voted Woman of the Year in Madison County in 1978 and in 1992 received a certificate of merit for 50 years of service in the National Association for Family and Community Education.
Survivors include her husband, Allen Drake of Madison; one son, Charles Michael "Mike" Drake of Houston, Texas; and five grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Madison Academy, AGAPE or to a favorite charity.
Helen F. Erskine
Helen F. Erskine, 77, of 5485 Oakwood Road died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Blackburn Chapel C.P. Church.
Burial will be in Meadowlawn Garden of Peace with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include five daughters, Lillian Jackson and Geneva Baker, both of Huntsville, and Elma Jean Minor, Zadie Shaw and Dorothy Erskine, all of Cleveland, Ohio; four sons, Joe Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Jerry Erskine and Sammy Erskine, all of Huntsville; two sisters, Margie Patton of Cleveland and Ernestine Frazier of Nashville; one brother, Lawrence Davison of Cleveland; and 23 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Paul N. Evans
WOODVILLE - Paul N. Evans, 77, died Friday at a Birmingham hospital. No services are planned.
Johns Ridouts Funeral Parlor in Birmingham was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Evans was retired from the U.S. Air Force and was a former general labor foreman for TVA.
Survivors include his wife, Sophia M. Evans of Woodville; one daughter, Eileen S. Card of San Jose, Calif.; two sons, Paul R. Evans of Medford, N.Y., and David J. Evans of Woodville; one sister, Ruby Lands of Skyline; three half brothers, Howard Evans and Lloyd Evans, both of Scottsboro, and Rayford Evans of Fort Worth, Texas; and 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Nancy C. Foster
HARVEST - Nancy Caroll Foster, 65, died Wednesday at her home. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements, and the Rev. Kee Sloan will officiate.
Mrs. Foster, a native of Memphis, Tenn., lived in Madison County 36 years. She was a volunteer with Meals of Wheels and was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church.
Survivors include her husband, Melvin H. Foster of Harvest; two daughters, Cynthia Otwell of Germany and Dru Lynn Hites of Virginia; one son, Russell Foster of Bremerton, Wash.; and eight grandchildren.
Rose G. Freeman
DECATUR - Rose Goff Freeman, 93, died Wednesday at her home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Price ville Funeral Home with Buddy Champion and Sandra Lock-Godby officiating.
Burial will be in Decatur City Cemetery.
Survivors include three sons, Julius Coleman of Grand Rapids, Mich., Ralph Coleman of Jackson, Mich., and Russell Coleman Freeman of Decatur; two daughters, Fern Canada of Marion, Ind., and Peggy Logston of Sahavarita, Ariz.; and 23 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday at 1 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley.
Timothy R. Herston
Timothy Ray Herston, 36, of Huntsville died Tuesday at his home. The memorial service will be Friday at 6 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with Dr. Scott Harris officiating.
Mr. Herston, a native of Indiana, lived in Huntsville for 20 years and was a commercial painter.
Survivors include one son, Tyler Ray Herston of Montgomery; his mother, Bobbie Herston of Huntsville; one sister, Michelle Herston Kelly of Huntsville; two brothers, Greg Herston of Madison and Rodney Herston of Huntsville; and a grandmother, Grace Hanback of Florence.
Visitation will be Friday form 5:30 to 6 p.m. at the funeral home.
Ronnie Humphrey
Ronnie Humphrey, 62, of Huntsville died Monday at his home. The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Royal Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. John Ewing officiating. Burial will be in Meadowlawn Garden of Peace.
Survivors include two daughters, Sherry Pennington and Jacqueline Pruitt, both of Huntsville; eight sons, Harold Wilkins, Kelvin Humphrey, Ronnie Humphrey Jr., Jarrod Humphrey and Corey Humphrey, all of Huntsville, Vincent Humphrey of Carrolton, Ga., Steven Craine of Dayton, Ohio, and Trevor Humphrey of Memphis, Tenn.; three sisters, Helen Lacey and Vera Lacey, both of Huntsville, and Mattie James of Dayton; and 22 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Madge H. Mabry
Madge Hyde Mabry, 85, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Neal Funeral Home in Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
Burial will be in Mimosa Cemetery.
Mrs. Mabry, a native of Lawrence County, was a retired beautician and a member of the Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband, Johnny A. Mabry.
Survivors include one son, John M. Mabry of Huntsville; one brother, Raymond Hyde of Lawrenceburg; two sisters, Geneva Ivie of Summertown, Tenn., and Jackie Sue Brewer of Camden, Tenn.; and three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Alberta T. McNiell
MADISON - Alberta Taylor McNiell, 75, died Wednesday at her home. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mrs. McNiell was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Walter McNiell Sr.
Survivors include two sons, Joseph Walter McNiell Jr. of Madison and Warren William Cullen of Baltimore, Md.; three daughters, Brenda Leigh Womack of Madison, Joan Nelson of Bel Air, Md., and Sharon Pritchard of Baltimore; and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Orville F. Mears
Orville Floyd Mears, 66, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a McMinnville, Tenn., hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home with the Rev. Jerry Allen officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Mears was a native of Madison County.
Survivors include one sister, Pauline F. Maynor of Skyline, and four brothers, Roy J. Mears, Cecil E. Mears, W.T. Mears and Wayne A. Mears, all of Huntsville.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Louis Papp
Louis Papp, 60, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. A memorial service will be held later.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mr. Papp is survived by a loving family.
Memorial donations may be made to Huntsville Museum of Art.
Clues Ragland
Clues Ragland Jr., 54, of 3708 Broadmor Road died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mount Zion P.B. Church with the Rev. Mylon Burwell officiating.
Burial will be in Collier Cemetery in Triana with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Minnie Ragland of Huntsville; two daughters, Gloria Ragland and Monique Ragland, both of Point Clear, Ala.; two sons, Tyran Ragland of Akron, Ohio, and Andrew Ragland of Point Clear; five sisters, Dorothy Tibbs, Ola Suggs and Gertrude Jefferson, all of Huntsville, Louise Fletcher of Harvest and Fannie Evans of Washington D.C.; three brothers, Lawrence Ragland of Huntsville, Jessie Ragland of Clarksville, Tenn., and Howard Ragland of Augusta, Ga.; and six grandchildren.
Hamilton H. Sapp
Hamilton Hiram Sapp Jr., 82, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Harts Mortuary in Macon, Ga., with the Rev. Rex Odom officiating.
Burial will be in Macon Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Sapp was a native of Macon and had lived in Huntsville for two years. He was a member of Hillcrest United Methodist Church in Macon.
Survivors include one nephew, Samuel D. Sapp of Macon; and four sisters-in-law, Marjorie Thomas of Macon, Mrs. W.H. Savage of Huntsville, Mrs. E.L. Jackson of Gainsville, Ga., and Etta Richardson of Erwin, Tenn.; and several nieces and other nephews.
Visitation will be Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Joseph J. Sergi
MANCHESTER, N.J. - Joseph J. Sergi, 81, formerly of Huntsville, died July 7 at his home. The funeral was Friday at Anderson and Campbell Funeral Home in Lakehurst.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Sergi of Lakehurst; one daughter, Cynthia Galbreth of Ithaca, N.Y.; three sons, Steven Sergi of Coventry, R.I., Robert Sergi of Westfield, N.J., and Richard Sergi of Westerly, R.I.; and three grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the Manchester First Aid Squad.
