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.
Hattie B. Ackerman
Hattie Bragg Ackerman, 83, of Huntsville, formerly of Birmingham, died Saturday at her home. Laughlin Service Funeral Home will announce the memorial service and burial arrangements.
Mrs. Ackerman had lived in Huntsville six years and was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She retired in 1992 after teaching dance for more than 50 years and she was a founder and partner of the Bobbie Ackerman School of Dance.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Lee Ackerman.
Survivors include two daughters, Bobbi Ackerman Goss of Nashville and Pat Ackerman Gonia Burns of Huntsville; one sister, Lela Bragg McFrancis of Trussville; and six grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to a memorial fund at Trinity United Methodist Church in Huntsville.
Mattie L. Brown
HARVEST - Mattie Lee Brown, 78, died Saturday. The funeral will be Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood.
Rudder Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mrs. Brown was a homemaker.
Survivors include one daughter, Lorene Brown of Scottsboro; two sons, Delma Brock of Albertville and Billie Brown of Harvest; four sisters, Addiebell Crockmore of Baileytown, Sarah Wood of Guntersville and Ester Jolley and Teanie Kennedy, both of Albertville; four brothers, Eulas Statham of Geraldine, Beuland Statham of Palmetto, Ga., Manuel Statham of Hillsboro, Tenn., and Warner Statham of Huntland, Tenn.; and seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
John C. Costal
BRADENTON, Fla. - John Charles Costal, 62, died Wednesday. The funeral will be today at 7 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel in Huntsville with the Rev. Mike Carpenter officiating.
Burial will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. CDT in Marietta National Cemetery in Marietta, Ga.
Mr. Costal was a native of Buffalo, N.Y., and a former resident of Huntsville. He had lived in Bradenton five years.
Survivors include his wife, Carol Costal of Bradenton; one son, Alexander Costal of Huntsville; one stepson, Tim Buchman of Owens Cross Roads; one stepdaughter, Stephanie Buchman Bolden of Hazel Green ; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Family and friends will also meet at the cemetery before burial.
William T. Curry
TONEY - William Theo Curry, 72, died Friday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel with Curtis Hunter and the Rev. Donnie Hillis officiating.
Burial will be in Concord Cemetery.
Mr. Curry was a native of Madison County, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of World War II and a retired carpenter.
Survivors include his wife, Carrie E. Curry; two sons, Cecil Curry and Perry Curry, both of Toney; four sisters, Nell Sharp and Alma Dean Campbell, both of Huntsville, Winona Curry of San Leandro, Calif., and Thelma Jean of Fayetteville, Tenn.; two brothers, Cecil Curry of Huntsville and John Curry of Arkansas; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
O.B. Daniels
O.B. Daniels, 87, of Huntsville died Sunday. A private service will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with Pastor Jimmy Williams officiating.
Spry Funeral Home will be in charge of burial.
Mr. Daniels, a native of Oakvale, Miss., was the owner and operator of a general store and had moved to Huntsville this year. He was preceded in death by one son, Jan. C. Daniels.
Survivors include his wife, Lynnie Daniels of Huntsville; and two granddaughters, Stephanie Lynn Daniels and Elissa Ann Daniels, both of Huntsville.
Odis Ellett
BIG COVE - Odis Ellett, 79, died Sunday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Big Cove Holiness Church with the Rev. Oakley Drake, the Rev. David Jones and the Rev. Jack Kelly officiating.
Burial will be in Green Valley Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Ellett was a Madison County native and a World War II veteran. He was retired from civil service and attended Big Cove Holiness Church.
Survivors include his wife, Fausteen Ellett of Owens Cross Roads; one daughter, Wilda McAnally of Owens Cross Roads; one son, Jerome Ellett of Owens Cross Roads; one sister, Ludie Ellett of Owens Cross Roads; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be at the church today from 6 p.m. until the start of the funeral tomorrow.
Nannie M. Finney
SCOTTSBORO - Nannie Miller Finney, 85, died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Scottsboro Funeral Home with the Rev. Donna Airheart officiating.
Burial was to be in Pinehaven Memorial Gardens in Hollywood.
Mrs. Finney was a life-long resident of Scottsboro and a charter member of the Hollis Memorial Methodist Church. She had been married to her husband, John W. Finney Sr., for 64 years.
Survivors include her husband, John W. Finney Sr.; two daughters, Doris F. Levie of Harvest and Martha F. Petty of Tucson, Ariz.; one son, John Wiley Finney Jr. of Weslaco, Texas; two sisters, Ida OLinger of Scottsboro and Katie Hardin of Skyline; and 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Edith B. Fritz
Edith B. Fritz, 89, of Huntsville died Sunday at her home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with Pastor Paul O. Lombard Jr. officiating.
Burial will be Tuesday at 3 p.m. at New Live Oak Cemetery in Selma.
Survivors include three nieces, Edith Baird Harpe of Huntsville; Robin Baird Lowery of Americus, Ga., and Aileen Baird Stephenson of Westchester, Pa.; two nephews, James Adam Baird of Huntsville and John Buford Baird of Hoover; and 20 great-nieces and great-nephews.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the College Park Church of God building fund.
Georgie F. Hardin
ARAB - Georgie Frances Hardin, 68, of 240 3rd Ave. died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Brashiers Chapel Methodist Church.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with Gober Funeral Home of Arab in charge.
Survivors include her husband, Dolphus Hardin; one daughter, Ophelia Kritner of Arab; one son, Preston Hardin of Grassy; one sister, Bernice Parker of Lincoln; one brother, Floyd Freeman of Arab; and three grandchildren.
Lewis Hodges
RIDGETOP, Tenn. - Lewis Hodges, 73, died Saturday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel in Huntsville with the Rev. Gordon Hawkins officiating.
Burial will be in Fords Chapel Cemetery in Harvest.
Mr. Hodges was a native of Harvest and a longtime employee of the City of Huntsville. He was also a World War II Navy veteran and a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Survivors include one daughter, Carolyn James of Green brier, Tenn.; three sisters, Ellen Sharpe, Lucy Renfroe and Ruth Painter, all of Huntsville; and two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 3:30 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Audrey L. Hyatt
ARAB - Audrey L. Hyatt, 66, of 251 Fontana Drive died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Arab Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial was to be in Gilliam Springs Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Howard S. Hyatt; one son, Michael Tipton of Atlanta; one sister, Penny Rowe of Glencoe; and two brothers, Marvin Beal and Beamon Beal, both of Arab.
Faramarz Karandish
MADISON - Faramarz Karandish, 69, died Saturday at a local hospital. The funeral was Sunday at Twickenham Funeral Home east.
Burial was in Twickenham Memory Gardens.
Survivors include his wife, Zevar Karandish of Madison; two sons, Parviz Karandish and Behrooz Karandish; and one daughter, Marjan Vakili.
Lillian I. Lemley
NEW HOPE - Lillian Irene Lemley, 65, of 2130 Paint Rock Road died Sunday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at New Hope Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Rickey Hamilton officiating.
Burial will be in Hayden Cemetery.
Mrs. Lemley was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, James Lemley of New Hope; one son, John Lemley of New Hope; her mother, Nellie Pennington of Huntsville; one sister, Martha Bradford of New Market; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Gary L. Long
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. - Gary Lee Long, 56, of Prospect Road died Sunday at a Fayetteville hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Higgins Funeral Home with the Rev. Dwight Smith officiating.
Burial will be in Stateline Cemetery.
Mr. Long, a native of Ohio, was director of marketing for CMC Corp., an Army veteran and member of the Catholic church.
Survivors include his wife, Andrea Mason Long of Fayetteville; one son, Chris Long of Fayetteville; one daughter, Michelle Graham of Huber Heights, Ohio; two stepsons, Younger Toon of Lebanon, Tenn., and Lee Toon of Fayetteville; his mother, Betty Peltier of Piqua, Ohio; one stepmother, Mary Long of Fairfield Glades, Tenn.; two half sisters, Sharon Goubeaux of Van Dilia, Ohio, and Carol Long of Columbus, Ohio; four half brothers, Ed Peltier and Charles Peltier, both of Piqua, Ohio, Dirk Long of Beverly Hills, Calif., and Kent Long of Knoxville, Tenn.; and four grandchildren and three step-grandchildren.
Jesse A. McQuart
Jesse A. McQuart, 18, of 3007 Tucker Drive in Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Blackburn Chapel C.P. Church with the Rev. McKinley Jones officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. McQuart was a 1998 Johnson High School graduate. He planned to study electrical engineering at Tennessee State University beginning this fall.
Survivors include one son, Jakobi Andres Knox McQuart of Huntsville; his parents, Jesse McQuart and Bettye J. McQuart, both of Huntsville; two sisters, Cynthia E. McQuart of Huntsville and Tamiko A. McQuart of Nashville; and one grandmother, Lula Smith of New Orleans.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Lionel Pendergrass
POWELL - Lionel Pendergrass, 82, died Saturday at a Fort Payne hospital. The funeral was to be today at 3 p.m. at Rainsville Holiness Church with the Rev. Charles Willmon and the Rev. Anthony Willmon officiating.
Burial was to be in Old Sardis Cemetery with Rainsville Funeral Home in charge.
Mr. Pendergrass was a native of Powell and a farmer.
Survivors include his wife, Hortense Bailey Pendergrass; two daughters, Donna Anthony Pendergrass of Powell and Jean Royal Pendergrass of Chattanooga; one son, Marion Lane Pendergrass of Powell; and one grandson.
Memorial donations may be made to the Cat Freeman Scholarship Fund.
John L. Ransburgh
John Lawson Ransburgh, 59, of 7721 Logan Drive died Thursday at a Pensacola hospital. The memorial service will be Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church with the Rev. Larry Dill and the Rev. Elise Moss officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Ransburgh was division chief of Fabrication Services at Marshall Space Flight Center. He was a 1961 graduate of Mississippi State and began his career at NASA in 1962. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and was involved in the Junior Optimist Clubs sports programs.
Survivors include his wife, Jimmye Johnson Ransburgh; one son, John Lawson Ransburgh III of Nashville; three daughters, Rhonda Ransburgh Gierow of Huntsville, Deidra Ransburgh Hudson of Hattiesburg, Miss., and Amanda Ransburgh Lowe of Auburn; his father, John Lawson Ransburgh Sr.; one sister, Suzanne Ransburgh Benson of Houston; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the church.
Memorial donations may be made to the Trinity United Methodist Church Building Fund, the American Heart Association or the Mississippi State University Educational Foundation.
Edward C. Roberts
STEVENSON - Edward Charles ''Rudy Roberts, 64, died Saturday. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Rudder Funeral Home with Manny Lago and Barry Grider officiating.
Burial will be in Stevenson City Cemetery.
Mr. Roberts was employed at North Jackson Hospital near Stevenson and was a member of the Stevenson Church of Christ.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Jane Roberts; two sons, Barry Grider of Fayette and Heath Grider of Stevenson; one sister, Margaret Foshee of Stevenson; one brother, Cobb Roberts of Stevenson; and two grandchildren.
Visitation was to be today until 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Burl G. Stephens
NASHVILLE - Burl Gabrel Stephens, 87, died Sunday at a Nashville hospital. Spry Funeral Home of Huntsville will announce funeral arrangements. Elders Howard McNelley and Clifton Johnson will officiate.
Mr. Stephens was a Madison County native and a member of the Primitive Baptist Church. He was also retired from civil service.
Survivors include three daughters, "Doris" Jean Totton of Buffalo, Mo., Annie Ruth Anderson of Huntsville and Peggy Elledge of Hazel Green ; two sons, Wesley Stephens of Nashville and Charles E. Stephens of Arab; two sisters, Claudia Mae Parker and Beatrice McNelley, both of Huntsville; two brothers, Raymond Stephens and Charlie Stephens, both of Huntsville; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Horace J. Weeks Jr.
Horace J. Weeks Jr., 78, of Huntsville died Friday at a local nursing home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Emerson Lyle officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Weeks was a member and usher at Whitesburg Baptist Church and the North Alabama Government Accountants Association. He was also retired from Army Missile Command.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth S. Weeks of Huntsville; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 7 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Whitesburg Baptist Church.
Betty W. Whatley
SCOTTSBORO - Betty Word Whatley, 69, also of Huntsville, died Sunday at a Huntsville hospital. The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Lukes Episcopal Church in Scottsboro.
Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery with Scottsboro Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include her husband, William "Bill" Whatley of Scottsboro; three sons, William Bradden Yates, Robert Lee Yates and Cecil Bruce Yates, all of Scottsboro; two daughters-in-law, Karen Yates and Lori Yates; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Jackson County chapter of the American Red Cross.
Travis L. Williamson
NEW MARKET - Travis Lawrence Williamson, 87, died Sunday at his home. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Hazel Green Holiness Church with the Rev. Philip Story officiating.
Burial will be in Concord Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home of Huntsville in charge.
Mr. Williamson, a native of Madison County, was retired from County Commission District 1. He was preceded in death by one son, Lawrence R. Williamson.
Survivors include his wife, Lois M. Williamson of New Market; seven daughters, Wanda Pogue, Mae Brown, Patricia Durham and Nona Hinkle, all of New Market, Shirley Lanford of Huntsville, Beverly Winchester of Trinity and Travalina Helton of Maysville; three sons, Jerry Williamson of Gadsden and Dennis Williamson and Ricky Williamson, both of New Market; one brother, Fred Williamson of Vanntown, Tenn.; and 18 grandchildren and 16 grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
