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.
Samuel A. Amerson
DECATUR - Samuel Alexander Amerson, 64, of Alabama 20 West, died Thursday at his home. The funeral will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens.
Burial will be in Antioch Cemetery.
Mr. Amerson was a native of Limestone County, a Baptist and a disabled veteran.
Survivors include four daughters, Kimberly Amerson of Memphis, Julie Larson of Ohio and Konnie Amerson and Karen Ramey, both of Indiana; three sons, Samuel Amerson of Maryland, Kevin Amerson of Indiana and Steve Larson of Ohio; six sisters, Dorothy Freeman of Alabaster, Emma Tucker of Athens, Augusta Webster of Louann, Ark., Margaret Tucker of Tampa and Louella Ray and Shirley Sasser, both of Decatur; three brothers, George Raymond Amerson of LaFontaine, Ind., Lee Roy Amerson of Tanner and James "Sonny Amerson of Montevallo; and several grandchildren.
Russell E. Bookout
STEVENSON - Russell Earl Bookout, 67, died Wednesday at his home. The funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson with the Rev. Manny Lago officiating.
Burial was in Stevenson City Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Bennie Jo Bookout; one son, Randie Bookout of Valley Station, Ky.; one stepdaughter, Virginia Moore of Chattanooga; two stepsons, C.R. Smith of Bridgeport and Joe Hutsell of Chattanooga; one sister, Katherine Brown of Chattanooga; and two brothers, Eugene Bookout of Murfreesboro and Cecil Bookout of Monteagle, Tenn.
Mary R. Brandon
ATHENS - Mary Ruth Brandon, 68, died Tuesday in St. Albans, Vt. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Lee Earl Thompson officiating.
Burial will be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood, Ala.
Survivors include two daughters, Jerldean Bright of Athens and Jimalene Corkill of Scottsboro; one son, Larry Wayne Ferguson of Grant; one sister, Marie Letson of Skyline; two brothers, Howard Talley of St. Albans and David Talley of Scottsboro; and eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Joe Walter Clem
ELKMONT - Joe Walter Clem, 72, of Children Street died Wednesday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Steve Ferguson officiating.
Burial will be in Hodges Cemetery.
Mr. Clem was a native of Limestone County, was retired from Fruehauf in Decatur and was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Lorene Clem; one daughter, Sandy Mansell of Elkmont; two sons, Larry Joe Clem of Tanner and Danny B. Clem of Elkmont; one sister, Louise Wilson of Town Creek; one brother, Woodrow Clem of Elkmont; and six grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Paul W. Conley
SCOTTSBORO - Paul W. Conley, 86, died Wednesday at a Jackson County hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church with Drs. Jerry Sisson and George Cobb officiating.
Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery with Scottsboro Funeral Home directing.
Mr. Conley, a Decatur native, worked in the textile industry. He was a charter member of Scottsboro Lions Club and was a member of the Scottsboro City Council and a trustee at Snead State Community College.
Mr. Conley was active in the Boy Scouts of America and was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he served as chairman of the board of stewards, and was a member of the board of finance and other committees.
Survivors include his wife, Jane Frazier Conley; one daughter, Janet Conley Christian of Huntsville; one son, Hank Frazier of Vail, Colo.; three granddaughters and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to First United Methodist Church of Scottsboro or to a favorite charity.
Mack Harrison
TAFT, Tenn. - Mack Harrison, 71, of Tater Road died Wednesday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Gallant Funeral Home with the Rev. Claud Hundsucker Jr. officiating.
Burial will be in Shiloh Cemetery.
Mr. Harrison was a Lincoln County native, a retired boiler maker at Lindberg Engineering and a member of Coldwater Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Daisy Patterson Harrison; one daughter, Connie Beardsley of Sanford, Fla.; two sons, David Harrison of Orlando and Michael Harrison of Casselberry, Fla.; two sisters, Irene Roland of Taft and Lottie Roland of Fayetteville; and six grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
David Hawthorne Jr.
David Wendell Hawthorne Jr., 60, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Survivors include three sisters, Joyce Barbara Burkart of Augusta, Ga., Pamela Ruby Coloski of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Carol Destin Hawthorne of Dickson, Tenn.
Visitation will be Sunday from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or to the Alabama chapter of the leukemia society in Birmingham.
Nannie Kate Lawson
STEVENSON - Mrs. Nannie Kate Lawson, 83, died Wednesday at her home. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home in Stevenson with the Rev. James Tisdale officiating.
Burial will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery in Bridgeport.
Survivors include her husband, Floyd Lawson; three daughters, Ruby Henagar of Stevenson, Billie Sue Glover of Chattanooga and Martha Jane Thompson of South Holland, Ill.; one sister, Frankie Bell of Scottsboro; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Elizabeth V. Schindler
Elizabeth "Lib Vetter Schindler, 75, of Huntsville died Wednesday at her home. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel.
Mrs. Schindler moved to Huntsville in 1993 from Medina, Ohio where she lived for 28 years. She was born and grew up in Pittsburgh.
Survivors include her husband, Richard William Schindler Jr.; one son, Donald M. Schindler of Carthage, N.C.; two daughters, Linda L. Bradley of Huntsville and Susan Rozell of Parma Heights, Ohio; one sister, Lucille Graham of Westlake, Ohio; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m.
Rupert A. Sharp
UNION GROVE - Rupert A. Sharp, 76, of Highway 231 died Thursday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Gallant Funeral Home chapel in Hazel Green with the Revs. Charles Freeman and Bob Ehr officiating.
Burial will be in Charity Cemetery.
Mr. Sharp was a Madison County native, a retired auto body repairman, a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and a Baptist.
Survivors include his wife, Edna Hillis Sharp; two sons, Robert Wayne Sharp of Montgomery and James Crutcher Sharp of Huntsville; two sisters, Odell Knowles and Bobbie Patterson, both of Hazel Green ; two brothers, Calvin Sharp and Billy Sharp, both of Petersburg, Tenn.; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 until 9 p.m. at Gallant in Hazel Green .
William M. Sharp
COLLINSVILLE - William M. Sharp, 69, died Thursday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Rainsville Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Don Brock officiating.
Burial will be in Mountain View Memory Gardens.
Survivors include his wife, Inez Sharp; three sons, Charles Taylor of LaFayette, Ga., James William Sharp of Collinsville and Phillip Wayne Sharp of Ringgold, Ga.; one daughter, Brenda Sue Stiner of Ooltewah, Tenn.; one brother, John Jack Sharp of Cleveland, Ga.; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Buel Willis
ARAB - Buel Willis, 76, died Thursday at his home. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Gober Funeral Home in Arab.
Burial will be in New Brashiers Chapel Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Juanita Willis; two daughters, Joy Allen of Florida and Kristi Wotring of Tennessee; two sisters, Clara Mae Spann and Pauline Roberts, both of Arab; and two grandchildren.
8/8/98
Jack Armor
Jack Armor, 64, of Huntsville died Friday at his residence. The funeral will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church with Dr. R. Laurence Dill officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with Laughlin Service Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Armor was a member of the board of trustees of Trinity United Methodist Church, Trinity Disciples Sunday School Class Teacher, past chairman of the Clean Community Board, member of the 25 Club, member of Pi Kappa Alpha and a graduate of Auburn University.
Survivors include his wife, Peggy Anderson Armor; two daughters, Susan Armor of Atlanta and Madolyn Armor Gilbert of Huntsville; one sister, Helen Armor Keller of Birmingham; and two grandchildren.
Lizzie E. B. Boone
IRVING, Texas - Mrs. Lizzie Etta Burgreen Boone, 69, of Irving died Wednesday in Dallas County, Texas. The funeral will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at McConnell Funeral Home in Athens with the Rev. Bill Levie officiating.
Burial will be in Madison City Cemetery.
Mrs. Boone was a native of Limestone County, a graduate of Tanner High School and the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Dallas.
Survivors include her husband, Clifford Milton Boone; one sister, Ruby Burgreen Worthey of Madison; two brothers, Lester Burgreen of Athens and Bobby Burgreen of Madison; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Parkers Chapel United Methodist Church.
Elsie May Brannon
HARTSELLE - Mrs. Elsie May Brannon, 79, of 5960 Norris Mill Road, died Thursday at her residence. The funeral will be today at 1:30 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home with the Rev. Dale Mitchell officiating.
Burial will be in Lebanon Cemetery.
Mrs. Brannon was a member of Rock Springs Baptist Church.
Survivors include one sister, Rossie Jerry of Hartselle; and one brother, Lewis C. Johnson of Hartselle.
Leland P. Brown
LEOMA, Tenn. - Leland Perry Brown, 91, died Thursday at a Lawrenceburg nursing home. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Taylor-Ardmore Funeral Home with Rev. Bruce Walters officiating.
Burial will be in Blanche Cemetery.
Mr. Brown was a member of Ardmore First United Methodist Church.
Survivors include one son, Perry Brown of Ardmore and one daughter, Peggy Bishop of Leoma.
Dema Childers
FALKVILLE - Mrs. Dema Childers, 88, of Falkville died Thursday at Woodland Community Hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Hills Chapel Church of God with the Rev. Russell Dobbs officiating.
Burial will be in Childers Cemetery with Peck Funeral Home of Hartselle directing.
Survivors include her husband, William "Homer Childers; two daughters, Josie "Lorene Blevins and Mabell Pruitt, both of Falkville; one son, William "Howard Childers of Hartselle; five sisters, Evelyn Gladys Campbell of Falkville, Jamie Janette Tenneyson of Decatur, Verdie Violet Hudgins and Myrtle Maxine Nelson, all of Eva; one brother, Arlie Esther of Falkville; eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Joseph J. Chorba
GUNTERSVILLE - Joseph J. Chorba, 76, of 722 Gunter Ave., died Friday in a local nursing home. The funeral will be Monday at 2 p.m. at the Guntersville Church of the Epiphany with Carr Funeral Home of Guntersville directing.
Mr. Chorba was a former Guntersville High football coach and the high school stadium, Chorba-Lee, is named for him. He also owned a construction company.
Visitation will be Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Chorba-Lee Scholarship Fund at Guntersville High School.
Ray P. Hargrave
TONEY - Mr. Ray P. Hargrave, 53, died Thursday at his residence. The funeral will be today at noon at Valhalla Funeral Home with Father Mike Travaglione OFM officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Valhalla Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Hargrave was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church. He was a Vietnam veteran and recipient of the Vietnam Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal. He was a former employee of AVEX of Pulaski, Tenn., and member of the AACA of Alabama.
Survivors include his wife, Dee Hargrave; two daughters, Sharon Bush of Scott, La., and Becky Hargrave of Huntsville; one son, Chris Hargrave of Union Grove; five sisters, Glory Patin of Hendersonville, N.C., Shirlen Mire of Lafayette, La., Jackie Menard of Scott, Florence Bice and Ramona Guidry, both of Abbeville, La.; one brother, Dan Hargrave of Lafayette; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 10 a.m. to noon at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Family Care or to the American Cancer Society.
Myrtle V. Harris
Mrs. Myrtle Virginia Harris, 81, of 902-C Washington St. died Thursday at her residence. The funeral will be Monday at 1 p.m. at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses with Brother Chester Randolph officiating.
Burial will be in Meadowlawn Garden of Peace Cemetery with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Conley and Alean Harris, both of Huntsville; five sons, Calvin Harris, Robert Harris, Roy Conley, Gary Conley and Charles Conley, all of Huntsville; three sisters, Willie Gaines of Chattanooga, Ruth McCrary and Juanita Love, both of Huntsville; and 14 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
David Hawthorne Jr.
Mr. David Wendell Hawthorne Jr., 60, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 5:30 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home with Rev. Mitchell Williams officiating.
Burial will be in Dickson County Memorial Gardens in Dickson, Tenn.
Survivors include three sisters, Joyce Barbara Burkart of Augusta, Ga., Pamela Ruby Coloski of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Carol Dustin Hawthorne of Dickson.
Visitation will be at the funeral home Sunday from 3-5:30 p.m.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Leukemia Society of America Inc., Alabama Office, 100 Chase Park South Suite 220, Birmingham AL 35244.
Mildred L. Stillwell
VINCENT - Mrs. Mildred Lucille Stillwell, 80, died Wednesday at her residence. The funeral will be today at 11 a.m. at Kilgore Funeral Home in Pell City with Rev. Leroy Shaw officiating.
Burial will be in Vincent City Cemetery.
Mrs. Stillwell was a member of Cline Home Demonstration Club in Shelby County, where she served as president. She was also chaplain of the Womens Society of Christian Service at Vincent Methodist Church and was an active servant in her community for 50 years.
Survivors include her husband, Woodrow Stillwell; two daughters, Mrs. Lawrence Spradley and Mrs. William Green leaf, both of Huntsville; two sisters Martha Howell of Tuscaloosa and Dorothy Ware of Valley; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Donations may be made to the Vincent Methodist Church or to the Member of Cline Home Demonstration Club in Shelby County.
Helen N. Vassar
Mrs. Helen Nayman Vassar, 85, of Huntsville died Thursday at her residence. The funeral will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at University Baptist Church with Dr. Dan Summerlin, Dr. Walter Nunn, Dr. Harold Chandler and Rev. Bob Vassar officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Valhalla Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Vassar was a native of Huntsville and a member of the University Baptist Church. She and her husband, the Rev. Hoyt Vasser, served in several churches in the Huntsville area.
Survivors include her husband, Hoyt V. Vassar; one daughter, Nancy Lou Rader of Hazel Green ; one sister, Nancy Nayman Williams of Huntsville; two grandchildren, Christopher W. Rader and Sean D. Rader; two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 4-7 p.m. The body will lie in state at the church one hour prior to the service.
Memorials may be made to the 99 Club, c/o Madison Baptist Association, 2318 Whitesburg Drive, Huntsville AL 35801.
DeRoma Ann Woods
HARTSELLE - Mrs. DeRoma Ann Woods, 50, of 904 Gable Circle died Thursday at her residence. The funeral will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home with the Rev. Paul Gearhardt officiating.
Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Mrs. Woods was a member of Central Christian Church.
Survivors include her husband, Lonnie Herman Woods; her mother, Hattie Ann Mitchell of Hartselle; one daughter, LeeAnn Christine Woods of Hartselle; one son, Gehrig Louis Woods of Hartselle; one sister, Bobbie Jean Bullard of Danville; one brother, John Russell Mitchell of Omaha, Neb.; and one grandchild.
