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.
Katherine M. Baker
GURLEY - Katherine M. Baker, 80, died Friday. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Flint River Running Water Consolidated Memorial Tabernacle with the Rev. Michael Rice officiating.
Burial will be in Union Cemetery with Nelms Memorial Funeral Home directing.
Survivors include her husband, Robert C. Baker; four daughters, Willie Mae Gurley and Dorothy Nance, both of Huntsville, and Ora Lee Thomas and Lorene Nance, both of Gurley; four sons, Archie Bradford of Flint, Mich., Ollie Bradford of Chattanooga and Danny Baker and Carl Baker, both of Gurley; four sisters, Ella Mae Baker of Chattanooga and Fruzzie Moore, Callie Douglas and Delia Mae Stone, all of Brownsboro; one brother, William Haygood, of Brownsboro; and 33 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren.
The body will be at the church an hour before the service.
Eula S. Bartlett
GUNTERSVILLE - Eula Samantha Davis Bartlett, 86, of 910 Guntersville Road died Saturday at her home. The funeral will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville.
Burial will be in Free Home Cemetery.
Survivors include four daughters, Imogene Smith of Union Grove, Billie Schutz of Prattville, Mary Bates of Georgia and Maggie Grider of Guntersville; three sons, Clayton Bartlett and Larry Bartlett, both of Georgia, and Cecil Bartlett of Arab; four sisters, Ila Murray of Tennessee, Nellie Atchley and Beatrice Pendergrass, both of Grant, and Zelma Deerman of Snow Point; and 24 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
William Cecil Bates
William Cecil Bates, 73, of Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Otis Graves officiating.
Burial will be in Fords Chapel Cemetery.
Mr. Bates was a Madison County native and a retiree from Martin Industries.
Survivors include one daughter, Jane House of Tuscaloosa; one son, William C. Bates Jr. of Fuquay-Varina, N.C.; one half-brother, Ralph Robinson of Birmingham; and three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 8 p.m.
Dimple Mae Brockway
Dimple Mae Brockway, 79, of Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 10 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with Bill Cantrell officiating.
Burial will be in Drake Cemetery in New Hope.
Mrs. Brockway was a Madison County native and a member of West Huntsville Church of Christ.
Survivors include one son, Ernest I. Brockway of Estill Fork; one daughter, Louise B. Thedford of Crowley, Texas; two brothers, Allen Drake of Harvest and Dan C. Drake Jr. of Huntsville; one sister, Nina Sue Burleson of Owens Cross Roads; and three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be sent to Agape of North Alabama, 2733 Mastin Lake Road, Huntsville 35810.
Timothy Champagne
LILLIAN, Ala. - Timothy Ward Champagne, 48, died Friday. The funeral will be Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Lillian.
Burial will be in Prince of Peace Cemetery in Elberta with Pine Rest Funeral Home of Foley directing.
Owner of an optical business, Mr. Champagne was active in youth sports, having coached many years in Lillian. He was president of Southeast Baldwin Dixie Youth Baseball, served on the Lillian Recreational Park board and was an active member of the Knights of Columbus.
Survivors include his wife, Kathe Champagne; three sons, Benjamin Champagne, Cary Champagne and Kenny Champagne, all of Lillian; one daughter, Sarah Champagne of Lillian; his mother, Betty Champagne of Huntsville; six sisters, Meredith Adkins, Kimberly Hardin and Holly Champagne, all of Huntsville, Kathleen Bullard of Ardmore, Ala., Kristen Jordan of Lillian and Nicole Murray of Woodstock, Ill.; and two brothers, Daniel Champagne of New Market and David Champagne of Big Sur, Calif. Visitation will be at the church in Lillian today from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m.
Memorial donations may be sent to St. Benedicts School in Elberta, the Lillian Recreational Park or Catholic High School in Pensacola.
Belle Gardner
FLINTVILLE, Tenn. - Belle Gardner, 92, of 75 South Vanntown School Road died Saturday at a Franklin County nursing home. The funeral will be Monday at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Ray Gardner and the Rev. Benny Berry officiating.
Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery with Higgins Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Gardner was a homemaker and a member of Pleasant Hill church.
Survivors include six daughters, Earline Williams of Huntsville, Margie Howard of Fayetteville, Barbara Sanders of Elora and Thelma Seals, Judy Reid and Jo Davis, all of Flintville; two sons, the Rev. Ray Gardner of Winchester and Ronald Gardner of Flintville; one brother, Earl Vann of Vanntown, Tenn.; and 26 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.
Larry D. Gatewood
Larry Darnell Gatewood, 40, of 2108 Sharon St. died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia Stone Gatewood; one son, Anthony D. Stone of Huntsville; two daughters, Felicia D. Gatewood and Lacreica A. Gatewood, both of Huntsville; his father, M.C. Kilpatrick of Memphis; two sisters, Mary L. Armstrong and Brenda A. Kilpatrick, both of Memphis; and two brothers, James C. Gatewood of Memphis and David E. Gatewood of Huntsville.
The body will be at the church beginning at 9:45 a.m. Monday.
Raymond E. Holcomb
FORT BENNING, Ga. - Sgt. Raymond Eugene Holcomb, 28, formerly of Woodville, died Saturday in a car accident in Grant. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Gross Cemetery.
Sgt. Holcomb was preceded in death by his parents, Billy Hugh and Margaret Leigh Holcomb.
Survivors include one son, Joshua Hugh Holcomb of Woodville; one sister, Margaret Ann Holcomb of Birmingham; four brothers, Billy Wayne Holcomb of Scottsboro, James Daniel Holcomb and Billy Joe Holcomb, both of Woodville, and Michael Timothy Holcomb of Woodville and Fort Benning; his grandmother, Fannie Smith of Scottsboro; and his ex-wife, Francesca S. Buck Holcomb of Frankfort, Ill.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 9 p.m. and Monday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
B. Spencer Isbell
B. Spencer ''Billy Isbell, 73, of Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce the funeral.
Survivors include his wife, Mollie Scott Isbell; four daughters, Leslie Coughlin of Carmel, Ind., Margie Higginbotham of Meridian, Miss., and Christa Burridge and Elizabeth Hornbuckle, both of Huntsville; one son, Spencer Isbell of Huntsville; one sister, Margaret McCoy of Huntsville; and seven grandchildren.
Walter L. Kennedy
Walter L. Kennedy, 73, of Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Joe Crawford officiating.
Burial will be in Huntsville Memory Gardens with Laughlin Service Funeral Home directing.
Mr. Kennedy was a member of First Baptist and was a retiree from NASA.
Survivors include his wife, Lila Kennedy; one son, Louis Kennedy of Opelika; one daughter, Connie Jemian of Trussville; one sister, Louise Libertore of High Point, N.C.; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 7 p.m.
The body will be at the church 30 minutes before the funeral.
Memorial donations may be sent to the First Baptist Church Building Fund or the American Heart Association.
Tyler B. Massengale
RAINSVILLE - Infant Tyler Blake Massengale died Wednesday at a Gadsden hospital. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Travis Carr officiating.
Burial will be in Wesleys Chapel Cemetery.
Survivors include his mother, Donna Joann Massengale of Rainsville; his father, Michael Eugene Stoke of Rainsville; and his grandparents, Marla Massengale of Rainsville and Juanita Henson of Henagar.
Clara Matthews
BOAZ - Clara Matthews, 88, Boaz died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Adams Funeral Home in Albertville.
Burial will be in Mount Vernon Cemetery.
Survivors include one son, Robert Cecil Matthews of Albertville; and four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Alberta T. McNiell
MADISON - Alberta Taylor McNiell, 75, died Wednesday at her home. The graveside service will be Saturday, Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery in Townsend, Tenn., with Dale Carnes officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home will be directing.
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; 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.
Sally Reed Myers
SECTION - Sally Reed Myers, 91, died Friday at a Collinsville nursing home. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Rainsville Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Mt. View Memory Gardens.
Survivors include her husband, John R. Myers; one son, Bobby Myers of Scottsboro; two daughters, Betty S. Cook and Janie R. Barbee, both of Scottsboro; and six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Louise T. Rotenberry
Louise T. Rotenberry, 79, of Huntsville died Friday at her home. The funeral will be Monday at 11:30 a.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Emerson Lyle officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Rotenberry was a charter member of the Cosmopolitan Club, a graduate of Auburn University and a member of First Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, William C. Rotenberry.
Survivors include two sons, Robert Clifton Rotenberry of Selma and William Edwin Rotenberry of Huntsville; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be today at Laughlin from 4 to 7 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to Child Evangelism Fellowship of Huntsville, P.O. Box 2034, Huntsville 35804.
Jerry Wade Smith
ATHENS - Jerry Wade Smith, 53, of 15921 Sanderson Lane died Saturday at his home. The funeral will be Monday at 8 p.m. at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home.
Mr. Smith was an employee of Dunlop Tire Co. of Huntsville, a member of the United Rubber Workers of America Local 915 and a member of the Cahaba Shrine Temple. He was born in Florence on Aug. 3, 1944.
Survivors include one daughter, Cynthia Bates of Athens; his father, Almond Smith of Moulton; two sisters, Janice King of Huntsville and Joan Thompson of Florence; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Limestone County.
James Henry Suns
James Henry Suns, 74, of Huntsville died Saturday at a local hospital. The graveside service will be Monday at 2 p.m. at Valhalla Memory Gardens with the Rev. Larry Johnson officiating.
Spry Funeral Home will be directing.
Mr. Suns was born in Cowan, Tenn., and lived most of his life in Huntsville.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy B. Suns; two sons, Wayne Suns and Richard Suns of huntsville; one sister, Frances Daniel of Huntsville; two brothers, Forrest Eugene Suns of Athens and Joseph Robert Suns of Harvest; and seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at Spry and before the funeral at Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Michael Roger Weaver
BOAZ - Michael Roger Weaver, 52, of 2000 McVille Road died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Monday at 4 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Boaz.
Burial will be in Memory Hill Cemetery in Albertville.
Survivors include his wife, Faye Weaver; one daughter, Michelle Wilson of Boaz; two sons, Eric Weaver and Shane Weaver, both of Boaz; his mother, Helen Weaver of Albertville; two sisters, Robbie Martin of Birmingham and Sherry LaFrance of Louisiana; seven brothers, Donnie Toland and Jeff Weaver, both of Georgia, Randy Weaver, Jerry Weaver and Steve Weaver, all of Albertville, Larry Weaver of Birmingham and Mark Weaver of Arab; and two grandchildren.
Charles F. Wood Jr.
Dr. Charles Franklin Wood Jr., 69, of Huntsville died Friday at his home. The funeral will be today at 4 p.m. at Cutshall Funeral Home in Iuka, Miss., with the Rev. Jack Fryer and the Rev. W.T. Dexter officiating.
Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Dr. Wood was a retired research and design engineer at Cape Canaveral and Redstone Arsenal. He was a pioneer in design technology for the space program including designing launch procedures used in the Apollo flights and later missions. After retiring, he served as a consultant in design engineering and physics. Dr. Wood was one of the founders of Brevard Engineering College in Melbourne, Fla., now the Florida Institute of Technology, a leading school of engineering.
Besides his doctorate in business administration, he had masters degrees in engineering and physics and a bachelors degree in electrical and mechanical engineering. Dr. Wood was in the Air Force Reserve and served as a pilot in the Korean War. He moved to Huntsville in 1971 where he was a member of Whitesburg Baptist Church, the Cahaba Shrine Temple and was a 32nd degree Mason.
Survivors include his two sisters, Clara Wood Stephens and Urcle Wood Lomenick; two nephews, Jimmy Stephens and Eddie Lomenick; two great-nieces, Suzye Lomenick Sheffield and Merrie Lomenick Hughes; and one great-great nephew, Jacob Edward Hughes, all of Tupelo; and his care-givers, Daisy Register Medley and her husband, Jerome Medley.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Family Care.
Dennis Wright
ROCKY FACE, Ga. - Dennis Wright, 66, of 2179 Lafayette Road SW died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Marshall Memorial Garden.
Survivors include two daughters, Denise Downs of Boaz and Jo Ann Wright of Birmingham; one son, Dennis Wright Jr. of Birmingham; four sisters, Betty Eubanks of Georgia, Bobbie Fleming and Linda Formby, both of Boaz, and Patricia Vales of Indiana; three brothers, Hugh Wright Jr. of Douglas, Benny Wright of Boaz and Ray Wright of Indiana; and three grandchildren.
