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.
Mandy N. Armstrong
GROVE OAK - Mandy Nicole Armstrong, 14, died Saturday. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Jerry Myers and the Rev. Chris Andrews officiating.
Burial will be in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.
Miss Armstrong was a student at Geraldine High School where she was on the basketball and softball teams.
Survivors include her parents, Anothy and Linda Armstrong of Grove Oak; one sister, Rechal Armstrong of Grove Oak; one brother, Jeremy Godwin of Fyffe; three grandparents, Arthur D. Smith of Geraldine, Donald Armstrong of Grove Oak and Frances Elrod of Michigan; and two great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Smith of Geraldine.
Durlene C. Bentford
Durlene Clack Bentford, 50, of Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at noon at Westside M.B. Church in Decatur with the Rev. Hugh Mitchell officiating.
Burial will be in Calvary Memorial Gardens with Sharpley Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Bentford worked at Redstone Arsenal 24 years. She was a member of Cathedral Faith Church of God in Church where she served on the board of trustees. She was a 1968 graduate of Lakeside High School. She also attended Calhoun College.
Survivors include two sons, Brian Harris of New Albany, Ind., and Fredrick Bentford of Madison; three daughters, Lisa Harris Moore of Pensacola, Patricia Harris of Birmingham and Karen Bentford of Madison; her mother, Merlene Clack Hollins of Decatur; two brothers, Clyde Clack of Decatur and Rickey Clack of Birmingham; two sisters, Linda Kirk of Atlanta and Hazel Boyett of Decatur; and six grandchildren.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Mamie L. Burdette
GADSDEN - Mamie L. Burdette, 75, died Sunday. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Collier-Butler Funeral Home chapel with Norman Flynn officiating.
Burial will be in Rainbow Memorial Park.
Mrs. Burdette lived in Gadsden 15 years. She was a member of Central Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry A. Burdette.
Survivors include three daughters, Brenda Brooks and Susan Fleming, both of Huntsville, and Gail Guarjardo of Texas; three sons, Richard A. Burdette of Texas, Gene Burdette of Huntsville and Jim Burdette of Gadsden; one brother, James C. Hoskins of Huntsville; and 13 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to Big Oak Ranch in care of John Croyle, 5265 Jake Mintz Road, Southside, Ala. 35907.
Homer W. Dolberry
SCOTTSBORO - Homer Wayne "Blackie" Dolberry, 40, died Saturday. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Jesse Guinn and the Rev. Bill Pace officiating.
Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include one son, Christopher Dolberry of Scottsboro; his mother, Mary Aaron Dolberry of Scottsboro; three brothers, Randall "Pete" Dolberry and Danny Dolberry, both of Scottsboro, and Kenny Buford Dolberry of Woodville; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Ruby Fricks
GROVE OAK - Runy Elaine Martin Fricks, 68, died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Piney Grove Baptist Church.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel in charge.
Survivors include one daughter, Deborah Fricks Hutchens of Gallant; two sons, Rodger Fricks of Crossville and James Fricks of Pisgah; three sisters, Nell Wilborn and Mildred Light, both of Grove Oak, and Annie Ruth Frost of Crossville; and two brothers, Thelbert Martin of Bynum, and Eugene Campbell of Pennsylvania; and seven grandchildren.
Earl C. Garrison
JOPPA - Earl Clayton Garrison Jr., 47, of 2001 County Road 1809 died Friday at a Tennessee hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Arab.
Burial was to be in Brookwood Cemetery with Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Diane Garrison; two sons, David Garrison and Doug Garrison, both of Joppa; parents, Clayton and Mozell Garrison of Arab; one sister, Carolyn Garrison of Arab; and two brothers, Randel Garrison of Arab and Phil Garrison of Tennessee.
Sonny Goodman
MADISON - William Erwin "Sonny" Goodman Jr., 77, died Sunday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Terry Colley officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Goodman, a native of Madison County, was a retired merchant. He was preceded in death by one son, David Earl Goodman.
Survivors include his wife, Agnes Goodman of Madison; one son, Fred Goodman of Madison; one sister, Daphene Mayo of Nashville; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
James L. Hall
ALPHARETTA, Ga. - James Leonard Hall, 70, formerly of the Rainsville area, died Friday. The funeral was Sunday at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Gerald Shirey officiating.
Burial was in Town Creek Cemetery.
Mr. Hall was preceded in death by one son, Gerald Hall.
Survivors include two daughters, Charlotte Payne and Shirley Mitchell, both of Sylvania; two sons, Michael Hall of Sylvania and Darril Hall of Alpharetta; one sister, Leola Stallings of Augusta, Ark.; and 18 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
O.C. Harris
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - O.C. Harris Jr. of Old Huntsville Highway died Saturday at a Fayetteville hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Bob Cole officiating.
Burial was to be in Pleasant Grove Cemetery.
Mr. Harris was a retired machine operator for Huntsville Manufacturing Co.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley Harris of Fayetteville; two daughters, Rita Henderson of Tullahoma, Tenn., and Linda Roe of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and three grandchildren.
Florence Jenkins
BOAZ - Florence Jenkins, 94, died Saturday at a Guntersville nursing home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Hillcrest Cemetery in Boaz.
Survivors include one daughter, Marcellene Higgins of Boaz; one son, Herbert Higgins Jr. of Boaz; and four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Pamela J. Rayfield
Pamela Joan Rayfield, 38, of Huntsville died Saturday at her home. A memorial service will be Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 1804 Sparkman Drive with Bishop Malcolm D. Otis officiating.
Spry Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Ms. Rayfield was a native of Mineola, N.Y., but had lived in Huntsville five years.
Survivors include her parents, Gail E. and Donald B. Rayfield of Kennesaw, Ga.; two sisters, Donna Keleinjung of Huntsville and Debra Koach of Kennesaw; one brother, David Rayfield of Manorville, N.Y.; and one niece.
Visitation will be at the church one hour before the memorial service.
Ruth E. Robertshaw
Ruth E. Robertshaw, 84, of Huntsville died Sunday at her home. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Valhalla Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include one son, Frederick L. Robertshaw Jr. of Huntsville; one brother, Charles Pomfret of Somerset, Mass.; and four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Family Care.
