By Staff
Bertha Jackson Brooks
December 6, 2002
Funeral services for Bertha Jackson Brooks, 87, will be held on Dec. 9, 2002 at 2 p.m. at Williams Funeral Home. Internment will follow at Green Acres Cemetery.
Visitation will be today, Dec. 8, 2002, at 6 p.m. at Williams Funeral Home.
A resident of the Catawba Springs Community in Brewton, she was a member of Catawba Springs Baptist Church. She died on Dec. 6, 2002.
She is survived by her husband, Lavon Brooks; seven children, Sue Wooten of atmore, Donna Yvonne Smith of Brownwood, Texas, Robert Brooks of Montgomery, Johnny Brooks of vinton, La., Mickey Brooks of Montgomery and Jane Snyder of Gainesville, Fla.; 24 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; and two brothers, C.C. Jackson, Jr., of Catawba Springs and Joseph Jackson of Signal Mountain, Tenn.
She was preceded in death by her parents, C.C. Jackson, Sr. and Ora Hart Jackson of Catawba Springs; two sisters, Alice Bolton of Jay and Bessie Kent of Catawba Springs; a granddaughter, Debbie Brooks McClung of Mongomery; and a great-grandson, Phillip Marcus Wooten of Atmore.
Larry Robert Parker
December 5, 2002
Funeral services for Larry Robert Parker, 52 and a resident of Rabun, will be held today, Dec. 8, 2002 at 2 p.m. at the Rabun Church of God, with Brother Randall Short and Brother Jim Sowell officiating. Interment will follow at Guy's Chapel Cemetery.
A native and lifetime resident of Rabun, he was a youth minister, a member of the Pastor's Council, a Sunday School teacher and a Superintendent of the Rabun Church of God. He was retired from the U.S. Air Force after four years. He died on Dec. 5, 2002 in Rabun.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Melba Parker. He is survived by his wife, Cheri Parker of Rabun; his father, Robert Parker of Rabun; two sons, brian O'Neal Parker of Ocean Springs, and Richards Vance Parker of Rabun; his daughter, Rita Lynette Meyers of Ocean Springs; three brothers, Russell Parker, Jeff Parker and Shane Parker, all of Rabun; a sister, Annette Parker of Greenville; and four grandchildren, Joshua Dye, Meghan Meyers, Brian Parker, Jr., and Dylan Meyers.
Thadis Wayne Johnson
December 4, 2002
Funeral services for Thadis Wayne Johnson, 54, will be held today, Dec. 8, 2002 at 1 p.m. at the Moyeville Baptist Church, with Rev. James Pugh officiating. Interment will follow at Moyeville Cemetery.
A native and lifetime resident of Moyeville, he attended the Baptist Church. He died on Dec. 4, 2002 at a Mobile hospital.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Lizzie Johnson; a grandson, Justin Wayne Johnson; and two sisters, Evelyn Hollinger and Edna Chancery.
He is survived by his wife of 42-1/2 years, Della Johnson of Flomaton; his son, Timothy Wayne "Pebo" Johnson of Loxley; five daughters, Debra (Jessie) Boutwell of Perdido, Diane (Wayne) Burkett of Atmore, Tammy (Ledon) Hadley of Flomaton, Sandra (Freddie) Stewart of Perdido, and Toni "Tootsie" (Dale) Green of Loxley; three sisters, Esther Smith of Pensacola, Eula Faye Williamsson of Baker, Fla., and Shirley Hollington of Flomaton; 17 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Tom Hellinger, Dempsey Hadley, Joseph Hadley, Jessie Boutwell, Jr., Scottie Burkett, Stephen Burkett and Dwayne Stewart. Honorary pallbearers will be Chirstopher Stewart, Dylan Johnson and Jacob Stewart.
Jesse James Gratton
December 3, 2002
Funeral services for Jesse James Gratton, 58 and a resident of Atmore, were held on Dec. 7, 2002 at Gaines Chapel A.M.E. Church, with Rev. A. Timothy Days officiating. Interment followed at Stallworth Cemetery in Atmore.
A native of Belleville in Conecuh County, he was a resident of Atmore for many years. He was a retired commercial truck driver. He died on Dec. 3, 2002 at his residence.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Lillie Bell Hines; his father, Smith Rudolph, Sr.,; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. T. Rudolph and Mr. and Mrs. J. Gratton.
He is survived by three daughters, Collen Snowden of Daphne, Lynette Gratton of Decatur, Ga., and Ruby (James) Smith of Ft. Hood, Texas; a son, James Gratton of Decatur, Ga.; four sisters, Lillie Taylor of Largo, Md., Thelma (Sam) Grant of Atmore, Jennie Rudolph of Pensacola, and Vivian (Davide) Williams of Huntsville; three brothers, Smith (Janice) Rudolph, Jr., of Springfield, Va., Angeloa Rudolph of Atmore and Ollie (Barbara) Rudolph of Ridgeville, S.C.; a step-father, Clausell "Bud" Hine of Atmore; six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Pallbearers were friends of the family.
Rev. Oscar Evon Ingram
December 4, 2002
Funeral services for Rev. Oscar Evon Ingram, 79, were held on Dec. 7, 2002 at the Eastside Chapel Funeral Home, with Rev. James Ivy, Rev. Jerry Keese and Rev. Pat Andrews officiating. Interment followed at Sardis Cemetery.
A native of Magee, Miss., he was a resident of Atmore for the past 10 years. He was a pastor of Sardis Baptist Church and had been a pastor in Florida, Mississippi and Alabama for 56 years. He died on Dec. 4, 2002 at a local hospital.
He is survived by his wife, Gladys Ingram of Atmore; his son and daughter-in-law, Charles and Carolyn Ingram of Mobile; and his daughter and son-in-law, Elsa and Edmond Williams of Mobile.
Pallbearers were Joe Bell, Ed Bean, Peyton Williams, George Hendricks, Luverne Seales and Jimmy Glass. Honorary pallbearers were Lloyd Barrow, Charles Booker, Bob Ausguard and David Matheny.
Reese Barron
December 6, 2002
Reese Barron, 61 and a resident of Atmore, died on Dec. 6, 2002 in Ft. Walton.
Funeral arrangements will be announced by Robinson Funeral Home.
Ethel M. Staples
December 5, 2002
Ethel M. Staples, 100 and a resident of Atmore, died on Dec. 5, 2002 at Atmore Community Hospital.
Funeral arrangements will be announced by Robinson Funeral Home.
John Wilson Crane
December 6, 2002
Graveside services for John Wilson Crane, 60 and a resident of Atmore, were held on Dec. 7, 2002 in Judson Baptist Cemetery, with Brother Burl Phillips and Brother Jim Weber officiating.
Born in Escambia County on Aug. 28, 1942 to the late John Campbell and Florence Agee Crane, he was employed with Masland Carpets. He died on Dec. 6, 2002 in Atmore.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Annie Catherine Smith. He is survived by a son, John C. Crane of Gulf Shores; a daughter, Laura Parker of Raymore, Mo.; two sistes, Mary Alice Crane Wood of Montgomery and Jeniva Andrews of Pensacola; two grandsons, Levi Crane and Jon Alac Parker; and nieces and nephews, Sheilo Faircloth, Carol Richards, Katie Smith, Leah Andrews, Damon Hollinger and Mark Hollinger.
Josephine Watkins
November 29, 2002
Funeral services for Josephine Watkins were held on Dec. 7, 2002 at the Second Mt. Triumph Baptist Church, with Rev. Joe L. Hayes officiating. Interment followed at Lucious Cemetery in Atmore.
Born on July 4, 1910 to Rev. Sylvester Lenon and Mollie Lenon, she was a faithful worker for the Lord and a dedicated member of the Second Mt. Triumph Baptist Church. Sher served on various auxiliaries at the church for many years. She died on Nov. 29, 2002 at UAB Medical West in Bessemer.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, David L. Lenon and Jonathan Lenon; her daughter, Gwendolyn R. Bush; and Rayfield Meeks, Sam McGraw and Lonnie Watkins.
She is survived by her children, Clifford S. (O'Livia) Meeks of LaGrange, Ga., and Sylvia T. (Derrick) Gross of Birmingham; a son-in-law, Robert Bush of Washington, D.C.; grandchildren; Gregory Bush, Roland Bush, Rene' Bush, all of Washington, D.C., Clifford C. Meeks of Phoenix, Ariz., George Carter of Tuscaloosa, Leah Meeks of Chicago, Ill., Edith Carter of Atmore, and Qshequila Ephraim and Melvin Ephraim, Jr., both of Birmingham; three great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.
Pallbearers were her grandsons, deacons and friends. Flowerbearers were Eastern Stars, church family and friends.
Kenneth Richard
"Butch" Voorhees
December 4, 2002
Funeral services for Kenneth Richard "Butch" Voorhees, 56 and a resident of Bay Minette, were held on Dec. 6, 2002, at the Chapel of Norris Funeral Home with the Rev. Val Obergon officiating. Interment followed at Perdido Baptist Cemetery.
Voorhees was a store manager at Apple Barn in Atmore and was a veteran of the Vietnam War, having served in the United States Navy and National Guard. He is survived by his wife, Clydine (Thompson) Voorhees, of Bay Minette; a son, Kenneth Richard Voorhees, II, of Bay Minette; his son's fiancee Jessica Nicole Flowers, of Bay Minette; three brother, Paul Edward Kelsay, of Colorado, Robert Lee (Andrea) Kelsay, of Colorado, Donald Earl Kelsay, of Birmingham, Ala.; three sisters, Lois Ann (David) White-Spunner, of Mobile, Susan Lynn (Jerry) Harville, of Rabun, and Traci Jean (Greg) Day, of Dyas.
Pallbearers were Rocky Berch, Clinton Wiliams, Joey Flowers, Timmy Coleman, Mechael Kelsay and Jerry Harville. Honorary pallbearers were Wayne Williams and Marcus Thompson.
Vickie Rena
McKenzie Garrett
December 2, 2002
Funeral services for Vickie Rena McKenzie Garrett, 39, were held on Dec. 5, 2002 at the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel, with Elders Frank Dickens, Jimmy Long and Hershel Bounds officiating.
Born on June 14, 1963 in Atmore, she was a mother and homemaker. She died on Dec. 2, 2002 in Jay.
She is survived by her husband, Williams James Garrett, Jr.; two sons, Tyler and Jamie Garrett; a daughter, Jennifer Garrett, all of Century; her parents, Arthur Ray and Dorothy McKenzie of Atmore; a father-in-law and mother-in-law, Byrd and Margie Garrett of Century; a great-uncle, Roy McKenzie of Collins, Miss.; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws.
Active pallbearers were Ricky Garrett, Hoopy Garrett, Larry Garrett, Donnie Cook, Jason Williams and Chris Hollingsworth. Honorary pallbearer was Marvin Hollingsworth. Burial was at Antioch Cemetary in Nokomis.
Mary Francis Hodson
December 4, 2002
Funeral services for Mary Francis Hodson, 79, of Atmore, were held on Dec. 7, 2002 at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Hodson, a homemaker, was born in Atmore to the late Johnnie F. and Mable I. Vickery on June 3, 1923.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles R. Hodson and a daughter, Pepper Mowery. She was survived by one son, John A. Brown of Fairhope, Al; one step-daughter, Phyllis Berger of Billings, Mt.; eight grandchildren, Tina Noggle, Bill Mowery, Richard Mowery, Susan Seagle, Richard Hodson, Douglas Hodson, Donna Hamilton, and Diane Hodson; and two great-grandchildren, Candice Mowery and Christopher Mowery.
Honorary pallbearers are Billy Wayne Branum, Galen Walker, John James, and Ray Shiver.
Rodger Dale Lewis
December 4, 2002
Funeral services for Rodger Dale Lewis, 56 of Bay Minette, were held on Dec. 7, 2002 at the Bay Springs Full Gospel Church with Bro. J.E. Ryland officiating. Internment followed at Bay Springs Cemetery.
Lewis had been a native of Enon, Fla., a former resident of Chicago and Bay Springs, Fla., and a resident of Bay Minette for the past seven years. He attended the Protestant Church.
He is survived by his parents Frankie and Ruby Lewis of Bay Minette; his son, Richard Joseph (Patricia) Lewis of Chicago; a brother, Buddy (Ann) Lewis of Barrineau Park, Fla.; two sisters, Elizabeth (Ronnie) Faulk of Walnut Hill and Sarah (Eddie) Fiqureid of Pensacola; his grandson, Matthew Lewis of Chicago; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were Ronnie Faulk, Eddie Fiqureid, Chris Brown, Gene Lewis, Jason Nicholson and Kevin Nicholson. Honorary pallbearers were Jeff Fox, Michael Fox, Kenny Fox, Frankie Nicholson, Peter Nicholson and Brandon Lewis.