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.
Pearl M. Franklin
Pearl McClure Franklin, 88, of Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with the Rev. Ted Gartrell and the Rev. Thomas Franklin officiating.
Burial will be in Madison Cross Roads Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Franklin was a teacher for 43 years in the Madison County School System which honored her as an outstanding teacher. For 17 years she was a Red Cross volunteer at Huntsville Hospital. As a member of the Madison County Homemakers Club, she was selected woman of the year.
Survivors include her husband, Loyd H. Franklin; one daughter, Linda Roller of Huntsville; one grandson, Thomas F. Coats of Weston, Fla.; and one great-granddaughter.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at Spry.
Edward A. Giddingsa
Retired Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Alfred Giddings, 67, died Friday at his home. The funeral will be Monday at 2 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home with Tommy Rosenblum officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
The retired Marine served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
Survivors include one daughter, Katina Dawn Giddings; two sons, George Edward Giddings and Andrew Vaughn Giddings, all of Huntsville; one brother, George Albert Giddings of South Burwick, Maine; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Edna L. Griffin
ATHENS - Edna Lucille Willis Griffin, 82, of 611 West Market St. died Thursday at an Athens nursing home. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Sardis Springs Baptist Church with the Rev. Jack Inman, Ollie Adams, the Rev. Jack Freeman and the Rev. Tim Keenum officiating.
Burial will be in Bottom Cemetery.
A member of West Highland Baptist Church, Mrs. Griffin was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Lee Griffin.
Survivors include one son, Garry Lee Griffin of Dalton, Ga.; one daughter, Wanda Carpenter of Athens; one brother, George Willis of Auburndale, Fla.; two sisters, Annie Browning and Mary Sue Higginbotham, both of Athens; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
The body will be at the church an hour before the funeral.
Jackson E. Hurst
Jackson E. Hurst, 74, of Huntsville died Wednesday in Houston. Valhalla Funeral Home will announce the funeral.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara R. Hurst; one daughter, Amelia Godding of Ithaca, Neb.; five sons, Patrick Hurst of Huntsville, Timothy Hurst of Madison, Michael Hurst of Brewton, Minn., Frederick Hurst of Eagen, Minn., and Jackson Hurst Jr. of St. Paul, Minn.; three sisters, Martha Denson of Jacksonville, Fla., Betty Lucas of Selma and Joann Jenkins of Shreveport, La.; three brothers, Forrest Hurst of Baton Rouge and Harris Hurst and Donald Hurst, both of Gadsden; 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Ascension Lutheran Church or Childrens Hospital of Alabama.
Bobby D. Johnston
ATTALLA - Bobby Dale Johnston, 67, of 701 Mill Hill Road died Thursday at a Birmingham hospital. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Asbury Methodist Church.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with Adams Funeral Home of Albertville directing.
Survivors include his wife, Diane Johnston; two daughters, Tina Smith and Kimberly Smith; one son, Jeffery L. Johnston, all of Attalla; his mother, Velna Johnston of Albertville; two sisters, Alice Edwards of Albertville and Jane Nussbaumer of Guntersville; and one brother, Hamp Johnston of Albertville.
Ronald L. Naugher
ARDMORE, Tenn. - Ronald Lee Naugher, 44, of 5008 Stag Run Circle died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Royal Funeral Home with the Rev. Theodis Acklin officiating.
Burial will be in Meadowlawn Garden of Peace.
Survivors include one son, Ronald Lee Naugher Jr. of Nashville; his mother, Brue Seal Naugher of Ardmore, Tenn.; two sisters, Diane Woods of Ardmore, Tenn., and Evon Paulett Hurt of Harvest.
Charles M. Ward
Charles Michael Ward, 40, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at New Life Seventh-Day Adventist Church with Pastor Harold Cleveland officiating.
Burial will be in Meadowlawn Garden of Peace with Nelms Memorial Funeral Home directing.
Survivors include his mother, Juanita Love; two brothers, Sherman Sales and Matthew Love, both of Huntsville; and three sisters, Christina Sales and Tuyree Sales, both of Chicago, and Yolanda Sales of Huntsville.
8/23/98
Opal S. Blanton
FOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. - Opal Stewart Blanton, 75, of Fountain City died Friday in Huntsville. The funeral will be Monday at 8 p.m. at Gentry-Griffey Chapel in Knoxville with the Rev. Ron Mouser and Alvin Hammer officiating.
Burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Pine Hill Cemetery in Corbin, Ky.
Mrs. Blanton was a member of Central Baptist Church of Fountain City, the Fountain City Garden Club and the Order of the Eastern Star of Corbin. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Dedrick Blanton.
Survivors include two daughters and their husbands, Lou Ane and Randy Tindell of Huntsville and Sandy and Bob Chambers of Dublin, Ohio; one sister, Alpha Mae Stansberry of Corbin; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be Monday and begin an hour before the service.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association or Central Baptist of Fountain City.
Pearl M. Franklin
Pearl McClure Franklin, 88, of Huntsville died Friday at a local hospital. The funeral will be today at 1:30 p.m. at Spry Funeral Home with the Rev. Ted Gartrell and the Rev. Thomas Franklin officiating.
Burial will be in Madison Cross Roads Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Franklin was a teacher for 43 years in the Madison County School System which honored her as an outstanding teacher. For 17 years she was a Red Cross volunteer at Huntsville Hospital. As a member of the Madison County Homemakers Club, she was selected woman of the year.
Survivors include her husband, Loyd H. Franklin; one daughter, Linda Roller of Huntsville; one grandson, Thomas F. Coats of Weston, Fla.; and one great-granddaughter.
Raymond C. Frost
CROSSVILLE - Raymond C. Frost, 87, died Saturday at a Crossville nursing home. The funeral will be Monday at 11 a.m. at W.T. Wilson Funeral Chapel.
Burial will be in Lathamville Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Atha O. Frost; five daughters, Jeanette Jolley of Crossville, Linda West of Attalla, Marie Owens of North Carolina and Martha Vandiver and Mary Rowell, both of Albertville; four sons, Junior Frost, Russell Frost, Kenneth Frost and Tony Frost, all of Crossville; and 21 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today starting at 4 p.m.
Alfred T. Hunter Jr.
BUFORD, Ga. - Alfred T. Hunter Jr., 44, of Buford died Wednesday at his home. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Sand Mountain Funeral Home with the Rev. Audry Barnhill officiating.
Burial will be in New Testament Holiness Cemetery.
Survivors include one son, Timothy Hunter of Buford; his mother, Mary Nell Hunter of Fort Payen; one sister, Marie Hunter of Fort Payne; and four brothers, Danny L. Hunter of Buford, Clarence Lee Hunter of Flowery Branch, Ga., and Earl Hunter and Nathan S. Hunter, both of Fort Payne.
Visitation will be today from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the funeral home.
Jackson E. Hurst
Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Jackson E. Hurst, 74, of Huntsville died Wednesday in Houston. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home with the Rev. Bernard Ansorge and the Rev. Lee Jenkins officiating.
Entombment will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
A 20-year veteran, Master Sgt. Hurst joined the Navy in December, 1941. After he left that branch of the military as a Second Class Petty Officer he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in December 1946.
He was severely wounded during the Battle for Iwo Jima and spent almost a year in Navy hospitals.
Nearly half his career he spent overseas and retired in December, 1962, at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Master Sgt. Hurst received the Purple Heart and many other medals.
Besides the Military Order of the Purple Heart, he was a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans.
After retiring, he worked with veterans and their families in receiving their military benefits.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara R. Hurst; two daughters, Amelia Godding of Ithaca, Neb., and Betty Dodge of New Prague, Minn.; five sons, Patrick Hurst of Huntsville, Timothy Hurst of Madison, Michael Hurst of Brooton, Minn., Frederick Hurst of Eagen, Minn., and Jackson Hurst Jr. of St. Paul, Minn.; three sisters, Martha Denson of Jacksonville, Fla., Betty Lucas of Selma and Joann Jenkins of Shreveport, La.; three brothers, Forrest Hurst of Baton Rouge and Harris Hurst and Donald Hurst, both of Gadsden; and 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Ascension Lutheran Church or Childrens Hospital of Alabama.
Oranous Kazemi
LACEY'S SPRING - Oranous Kazemi, 68, of Laceys Springs died Friday at her home. The funeral will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mrs. Kazemi was a native of Iran and a resident of Laceys Spring for the last three years. She was preceded in death by one son, Hootfan Dadfar.
Survivors include two sons, Feraidoon Dadfar of Laceys Spring and Bijan Dadfar of Birmingham, England; one brother, Iraj Kazemi of Tehran, Iran; and two grandchildren, Manoochehre Dadfar and Vanessa Dadfar, both of Laceys Spring.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m.
Alice S. Percey
Alice S. Percey, 64, of Huntsville died Saturday at her home. The funeral will be Monday at noon at Valhalla Funeral Home with Dr. Larry Billiter officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Survivors include her husband, Regis L. Percey; one daughter, Holly L. Percey of Huntsville; four sons, Daniel Fredrick Percey of Smyrna, Tenn., Regis Lawson Percey II of Saudi Arabia, Morris Wayne Percey of Mobile and Herbert Arthur Percey of Killeen, Texas; and nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Monday from 10 a.m. to noon.
Memorial donations may be sent to Hospice Family Care, 2225 Drake Ave., Suite 8, Huntsville 35805.
Dessie M. Williams
BOAZ - Dessie May Williams, 93, of 420 Patterson St., Boaz, died Friday at her home. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Boaz.
Burial will be in Liberty Cemetery.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Burnice Williams.
Survivors include two daughters, Marcheva Brasher of Gadsden and Bonnie Hendricks of Boaz; and 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
