Alabama, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1805-1967 - 1814-1935
Nathaniel John Smith
Centenarian put stock in work, Crimson Tide
He died at age 107, family members say, and to his dying day Nathaniel John Smith was a hard-core University of Alabama football fan who firmly believed that tobacco juice, not fluoride, prevented tooth decay.
Funeral services for Smith were held Friday at Mobile Memorial Gardens, followed by interment there. He died Wednesday.
"Even in the last few years, his mind was good, " said Frank Raby, Smith's son-in-law.
Smith's own father died at 93. According to Raby, Smith and his father apparently died of slow starvation. In the end, both men went through spells where they would eat normally, then they would lose interest in food, Raby said.
Smith "kept going on down and down and getting weaker and weaker, " Raby said.
Raby, 77, said his son, Gary Raby, 54, would take Smith to Alabama football games in Alabama and bordering states.
Smith "loved football and was strictly an Alabama fan, " Raby said. "I'm an Auburn fan, and we had some good discussions, disagreements, but it was all in fun. He knew a lot of the players' names, he was up on it, and that went on the rest of his life."
Hard work and contempt for alcohol were part of Smith's approach to a long, long life, Raby said.
"He didn't drink, wouldn't take a drink of whiskey for nothing, " Raby said. "He didn't smoke, but chewed tobacco."
Raby said his father-in-law still had most of his teeth well into his 90s. Smith was convinced that chewing tobacco is what saved his teeth because it prevented tooth decay and gum disease, Raby said.
Born in 1891, Smith began working for a logging company in Mississippi where he used oxen to haul logs, Raby said.
In his early 30s, Smith moved to Mobile where he became a pipefitter at Alabama Shipyard, Raby said.
During World War II, Smith discovered a better way to bend and work pipe and was presented with a presidential citation, Raby said.
Smith bought 22 acres of land in Semmes when the war ended, and became a farmer growing tomatoes, watermelons and other truck crops, Raby said.
While tinkering with a farm tractor in 1969, "a gas tank or something exploded and broke his arm, " Raby said. Smith was 78 years old at that point, and though he recovered from the accident, he decided it was time to retire, Raby said.
Smith was a "hard-working, family man who had eight kids and loved them all, " said Raby. To the very end, Smith was a gentleman who didn't have an enemy in the world, he added.
"I loved the old man, because I asked him for his daughter's hand in marriage in 1944, and he agreed even though he didn't know me."
[Published date: 12/19/1998]
Elma Sibbles
Elma Sibbles, a Crossville, Ill., native and Mobile resident, died Wednesday in Fairfax, Va.
Mrs. Sibbles was a member of St. Mark United Methodist Church and was retired from Brookley Air Force Base.
She is survived by one daughter, Nancy Malthouse of Fairfax, Va.; and one brother, H.E. Robinson of Camp Verde, Ariz.
Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. today at Radney Funeral Home in Mobile, and from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Monday at St. Mark United Methodist Church. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the church, with burial in Pine Crest Cemetery.
[Published date: 12/20/1998]
A.B. George
CAMDEN - A.B. George, a Wilcox County native and Camden resident, died Monday evening in a Selma hospital. He was 76.
He joined the Lutheran Church in Camden, Ala., at an early age. He was an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Sallie George of Camden; five daughters, Mary Perryman of Camden, Frances Stafford of Cincinnati, Josephine Williams of Hartford, Conn., Shirley George of Cleveland and Linda Woods of Portsmouth, Ohio; four sons, Robert George and A.B. George Jr. both of Camden, Joseph George of Hartford and Charles George of Cleveland; one sister, Tincy Davis of Pittsburgh; 29 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Services are set for 1 p.m. today at Magnolia Missionary Baptist Church in Camden, with viewing from noon until service time. Burial will be in McIntosh Cemetery in Camden. Jackson Memorial Funeral Home of Jackson, Ala., is in charge of arrangements.
[Published date: 12/20/1998]
Virginia Miller
NORTHPORT, Ala. - Virginia Miller, a resident of Northport in Tuscaloosa County, died Thursday. She was 72.
She is survived by three daughters, Dorothy Hayes, Claudia Holmes and Gloria Clayton; two sons, Dan Miller and Don Miller; one sister Mary Montalbano; and seven grandchildren.
The rosary will be recited from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. today at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Tuscaloosa, with visitation to follow from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at noon Monday at St. Francis of Assisi. Burial will be in Jefferson Memorial Funeral Gardens in Trussville. Arrangements are by Sunset Funeral Home in Trussville.
Memorial donations may be made to Visitation Monastery, 2300 Spring Hill Ave., Mobile, AL 36607.
[Published date: 12/20/1998]
Olof V. Streed Jr.
ESCATAWPA, Miss. - Olof Victor Streed Jr., a native of Springfield, Mass., and resident of Escatawpa, Miss., died Saturday. He was 76.
He is survived by four daughters, Amanda Richbourg, Sharon Long and Beth Sims, all of Grand Bay, and Susan Dover of Mobile; one son, Sven Victor Streed of Mobile; two sisters, Ruth Ramsay of Pascagoula, Miss., and Isabel Devine of Chickasaw; one brother, William Streed of Guyton, Ga.; and 11 grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m., Monday at Holder-Wells Funeral Home. Services will follow at the Holder-Wells Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will take place after services at the Jackson County Memorial Park in Pascagoula.
[Published date: 12/20/1998]
IRBY D. REDDITT
Irby D. Redditt, a native of Leaksville, Miss., and a resident of Gulf Shores, died Friday at a local hospital. He was a pharmacist and real estate owner. He was 73. He was a member of a local mystic society for over 30 years and was a member of the Alabama Pharmaceutical Association.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Louise Redditt; one son, Dean Redditt Jr. of Fairhope; two sisters, Maryland Havard of Gulf Shores and Erline Gilmore of Meridian, Miss. and one grandchild.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m., Monday at Radney Funeral Home in Mobile. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m., Tuesday at Magnolia Cemetery in Leaksville with burial to follow.
[Published date: 12/20/1998]
