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.
Orba Branum
MT. OLIVE - Orba Branum, 74, died Monday in Birmingham. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Gardendale Chapel in Gardendale.
Burial will be in Mt. Olive Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Branum was a World War II veteran and a member of Gardendale Baptist Tabernacle.
Survivors include two daughters, Shelby Branum of Mt. Olive and Debra Uptain of Parrish; four sisters, Gracie Carlton and Irma Justice, both of Gurley, Maggie Isbell of Maysville and Mary Jane McPeters of New Hope; two brothers, Willie Branum of Owens Cross Roads and Buddy Branum of New Hope; and two grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the chapel.
Henry H. Chase
Henry Homer Chase, 84, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mr. Chase, a native of Huntsville, served as president of the predecessor organization of the Alabama Nurserymens Association, president of the Southern Nurserymens Association, and was an Alabama delegate at the annual AAN Convention, president of Wholesale Nursery Growers of America and American Nurserymens Protective Association and was a founder of the Horticultural Research Institute.
Survivors include his wife, Plez Chase of Huntsville; one son, Henry Homer Chase Jr.; one daughter, Emily Chase Cook of Macon, Ga.; and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Church of the Nativity.
Memorial donations may be made to Boy Scouts of America or Huntsville Botanical Garden.
Pearl C. Childress
NEW HOPE - Pearl C. Childress, 68, of 114 Melanie Lane died Monday at her home. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Gatlin Cemetery.
New Hope Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Survivors include one daughter, Betty Endsley of Lewisburg, Tenn.; two sons, Roy L. Johnson of Huntsville and Maxie Childress of New Hope; five stepdaughters, Teresa Luna, Mary Ann Payne, Martha Proctor, Alice Rowland and Patricia Scarbrough, all of New Hope; one brother, William Canida of Russellville; one sister, Esther Fuller of Magnolia, Ark.; and six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, 14 step-grandchildren, 28 step-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation was to be today and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Rebecca K. Crowson
Rebecca Kay Crowson, 51, of Huntsville died Monday at her home. A memorial service will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at Holmes Street United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dalton Styes and the Rev. Sandra Locke-Godbey officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home will be in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Crowson was an active member of Holmes Street United Methodist Church. She started humor therapy projects at the Huntsville Hospital oncology unit and the Comprehensive Care Institute. She was a family counselor and a child development specialist with early intervention programs in Huntsville. She was also placement director at Phillips Junior College. She and her family lived in Germany five years before moving to Huntsville 12 years ago.
Survivors include her husband, Roger Crowson of Huntsville; one daughter, Ashley Burchfield of Tuscaloosa; two sons, Chase Crowson of Atlanta and Jeremey Crowson of Huntsville; her mother, Trula Vee Quinney of Linden; two sisters, Margaret Ellenstein of Chicago and Marilyn Peters of Huntsville; one brother, Dale Quinney of Montgomery; and one grandson.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church.
Memorial donations may be made to Huntsville Hospital Foundations Sunny Side Up program at 517-8077, to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital at 1-800-822-6344 or to the ARK of Huntsville.
James W. Duncan Sr.
NEW HOPE - James W. "J.W." Duncan Sr., 72, of 5293 Main Drive died Monday. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at New Hope Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Lynn Dimon and the Rev. Talmedge Clayton officiating.
Burial will be in Moon Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Arline Craft Duncan of New Hope; his mother, Lettie S. Duncan of New Hope; one son, James Duncan Jr. of New Hope; one daughter, Patricia D. Lang of New Hope; one brother, Floyd Ray Duncan of New Hope; and six grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 1 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mazie N. Freil
BIRMINGHAM - Mazie Newman Freil, 93, of Fairfield Highlands died Saturday in North Carolina. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Fairfield Highlands Presbyterian Church with Dr. Wayne Berry officiating.
Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery in Ensley with Brown Service West Chapel funeral home in Hueytown in charge.
Mrs. Freil was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Edward Freil; and one son, Lawrence Edward Freil Jr.
Survivors include three daughters, Imogene Thrasher of Houston, Texas, Ruth Rothe of Huntsville and Barbara Caine of Charlotte, N.C.; and 13 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation was to be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Fairfield Highlands Presbyterian Church at 907 11th Ave., Midfield, 35228.
John Gill Sr.
FAYETTEVILLE - John Gill Sr., 83, of 801 Shelbyville Highway in the Bellville Community died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Joe Mayberry and the Rev. Steve Dorning officiating.
Burial will be in Riverview Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Gill was a native of Lincoln County, a farmer, a former County Commissioner and a member of Friendship Baptist Church.
Survivors include one son, John L. Gill Jr. of Fayetteville; one brother, Winston Gill of Fayetteville; three sisters, Sarah Shelton and Louise Toy, both of Nashville, and Nola McGee of Fayetteville; and two grandsons and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today at noon at the funeral home.
John H. Graveman
CULLMAN - John Herman Graveman, 98, of 1206 3rd St. died Saturday at a Cullman hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Abbot Cletus officiating.
Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery with Williams-McCracken Funeral Home in Cullman in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Marie Graveman of Cullman; four sons, Emil Graveman of Petaluma, Calif., John H. Graveman Jr. and Edward Graveman both of Cullman, and Anthony Graveman of Laceys Spring; two daughters, Josephine Schaefers and Catherine Handley, both of Cullman; one brother, Joe Graveman of Cullman; and 18 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. with a rosary service at 7:30 at the funeral home.
Mary M. Jackson
Mary McAnally Jackson, 66, of Huntsville died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at Huntsville Holiness Church with Bro. David Jones officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Jackson was a member of Huntsville Holiness Church.
Survivors include her husband, Lonnie Jackson of Huntsville; two daughters, Susan Smallwood of Hazel Green and Lisa Glisson of Huntsville; one son, Dean Jackson of Hazel Green ; two sisters, Jean Cantrell and Janie Reid, both of Huntsville; and one brother, Jack McAnally of Auburn.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 4 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Her body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Dora R. Knight
HIGDON - Dora Rice Knight, 101, died Monday at her home. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Rainsville Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Dwight Milligan and Elder Edgar Brown officiating.
Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Knight was preceded in death by her husband, Lonzo Knight; one son, Earl Kinght; and three daughters, Melvie Chapman, Opha Patterson and Lillian Carter.
Survivors include one son, Melvin "Buck" Knight of Higdon; two daughters, Allie Holcomb and Linnie Gore, both of Higdon; and 15 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren and 44 great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today at 9 a.m. at the funeral home.
Guylette J. Masters
EAGAN, Minn. - Guylette J. Masters, 77, died Sunday at a Minnesota hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Advent United Methodist Church in Eagan with the Rev. Fritz Sauer officiating.
Burial will be in Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Gordon L. Masters of Jordan, Minn.; one son, Merlyn Masters of Huntsville; one daughter, Sandra Sasse of New Prague, Minn.; two sisters, Ruby Jensen and Emma Schmidt; and six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Joseph S. Klecatsky and Sons Funeral Home in Eagan and Thursday from 10:30 to 11 a.m. at the church.
Jeffery L. Oliver
ALBERTVILLE - Jeffery Lamar Oliver, 36, of 6364 Hustleville Road died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Albertville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Memory Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include his father and stepmother, Mack and Lisa Oliver of Albertville; mother and stepfather, Linda and Jim Beam of Albertville; one sister, Lesia Smalley of Albertville; one stepsister, Lauren Beason; one stepbrother, Jeff Benson; and grandmothers, Inez Oliver of Albertville and Grace Johnson of Grant.
Pamela J. Rayfield
Pamela Joan Rayfield, 38, of Huntsville died Saturday at her home. A memorial service will be today 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. She volunteered at St. Charles Hospital in New York for 15 years. In high school she was a member of National Honor Society and the marching band. In college she studied nursing, was a member of several clubs and sang in the chorus.
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 service.
Ralph W. Shockley
HAZEL GREEN - Ralph Wayne Shockley, 54, of Mason Drive died Monday at a local hospital. Gallant Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Margaret G. Stephens
SIDNEY, Ohio - Margaret Gahagan Stephens, 89, died Friday at an Ohio retirement home. The funeral will be in Pennsylvania at a later date.
Mrs. Stephens was retired after 30 years at Lamson and Sessions Co. in Kent, Ohio. She lived in Brady Lake, Ohio, more than 50 years and was a member of Brady Lake Methodist Church and a volunteer there. She was also a longtime member of Ravenna Rebecca Lodge and enjoyed traveling, golf and bowling.
Survivors include two daughters, Betty Gahagan Zingler of North Canton, Ohio, and Shirley Gahagan Gareri of Huntsville; one son, V. Paul Gahagan of Sidney, Ohio; and 11 grandchildren, including Huntsville Fire and Rescue Chief Robert Gareri, 29 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Memorial donations may be made to Dorothy Love Life Car Fund, 3003 Cisco Road in Sidney, Ohio, 45365 or to Alpha Community Center Foundation, P.O. Box 4641 in Sidney, Ohio, 45365.
Pat Wode
Pat Wode of Huntsville died Monday in Athens, Ga. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mrs. Wode was the owner of Creative Crafts.
Survivors include her husband, Melvin G. Wode of Huntsville; one son, Gary Ken Wode of Huntsville; one daughter, Susan Raeann Wode of Huntsville; and one granddaughter, one cousin and one aunt.
Visitation will be Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
