The Rev. James A Griffin Jr., beloved husband, devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather, genuine friend and pastor to all he encountered, died peacefully Friday, Oct. 31, 2008.
He was born Dec. 31, 1922 in Hamden Ridge and graduated from Castleberry High School, the University of Alabama and Emory University Candler School of Theology.
He was a veteran of World War II and was truly a member of the Greatest Generation. He loved his God, his family and his country. After serving as a B-24 Gunnery Officer, 494th Bomb Group, Army Air Corps, in the South Pacific, he earned his wings as a private pilot. He was the unofficial goodwill ambassador at Jack Edwards Airport in Gulf Shores and spent many happy hours in the company of those who shared his passion of flying.
He was a Methodist minister in the Alabama-West Florida Conference for more than 40 years, serving Tanner Williams United Methodist Church in Wilmer, Citronelle United Methodist Church, Graceville United Methodist Church, Forest Hill United Methodist Church, Atmore United Methodist Church, Marlow and Gulf Shores United Methodist Churches, retiring from Gulf Shores UMC. In recent years, he was affiliated with Spanish Fort United Methodist Church and was an associate member of St. Andrew By The Sea in Gulf Shores.
He considered himself a universal pastor and the reaction of people of all faiths and races touchded by his love and concern proved this to be true.
Survivors include his loving wife of 59 years, Dottie Griffin; son, James A. “Skip” Griffin III of Miami; daughter, Melanie (Bob) Moore of Fairhope; many grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and countless treasured friends.
Interment will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 3 at Pine Rest Cemetery in Foley. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:15 a.m. at St. Andrew By The Sea, 17263 Highway 180 W. (Fort Morgan Road), Gulf Shores with the Rev. Robert Warren and Dr. Thomas Lane Butts officiating., A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall at St. Andrew By The Sea.
The family requests memorial donations be made to the United Methodist Children’s Home or to the Westminster Foundation.
Arrangements are by Pine Rest Funeral Home Inc., Foley.
RANDALL
Martha Roberts Randall, 68, a native of Mobile and resident of Loxley, died Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008.
Survivors include her husband, Buddy E. Randall of Loxley; daughter, Rhonda K. Whitney of Semmes; sons, Robert Freeman Jr., Richard A. Freeman and Dale Walley, all of Semmes; sister, Virginia Wise of Rockmart, Ga.; three brothers, Earl Roberts of Mobile, Woodrow Roberts of Citronelle and Charles Roberts of Mobile; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3 at Mack Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Silverhill Cemetery.
The family requests memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942.
Arrangements are by Mack Funeral Home & Crematory Inc., Robertsdale.
SOMERSET
Wallace E. “Wally” Somerset Jr., 35, a native and resident of Robertsdale, died Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008.
He was preceded in death by a son, Shaun Phillip Allen.
Survivors include his wife, Celena D. Somerset of Robertsdale; daughter, Stephanie Leigh “Boo” Somerset of Robertsdale; mother, Karen Fields Delagarza of Robertsdale; his father and step-mother, Wallace E. Somerset Sr. and Shirlene Somerset of Mobile; sister, Bobbi (Heath) York of Loxley, brothers, Josh Somerset of Mobile and Joseph Fields of Robertsdale, very special aunt, Karla Fields of Robertsdale; grandparents, Bobby and Dorothy Fields of Robertsdale; nieces and nephews, Tyler, Erin and Kayla York and Amber and Daniel Willard; other relatives and friends.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30 at the First Presbyterian Church of Foley.
Arrangements are by Mack Funeral Home, Robertsdale.
ATKINS
Martha Jean Atkins, 80, a native of Huntsville and a resident of Fairhope, died Monday, Oct. 27, 2008.
Her greatest desire and accomplishment in life was to be a loving and caring mother.
She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Gene Atkins, former Methodist minister with the North Alabama Conference and college professor; and a son, Timothy Lewis Atkins.
Survivors include a son, Steve Atkins of Birmingham; daughter, Wendy A. Pierce of Fairhope; four grandchildren, one great-grandchild, numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held Wednesday, Oct. 29 at Fairhope United Methodist Church. A private interment will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., Fairhope.
BYRD
Sallie L. Jerkins Byrd, 86, died Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 at Oakwood Nursing Home.
She was born Sept. 4, 1922. She was a resident of Stapleton and was a retired seamstress for Mannor Slacks.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Lee Byrd, her parents, Charlie and Addie McMillan Jerkins and her daughter, Chloe Frances Byrd.
Survivors include a son, Robert Alvis (Dorothy) Byrd of Stapleton; adopted daughter, Marilyn (Tony) Mosley of Stapleton; two grandchildren, Donna M. Byrd and Frances E. (Brent) Pugh, both of Stapleton; and one great-grandson, Daniel Lee Smith.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 3 at Stapleton Baptist Church with the Rev. Alan Lawhorn and the Rev. George Underwood officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Zion Cemetery.
The family requests memorial donations be made to the Stapleton Baptist Church, P.O. Box 6, Stapleton, AL 36578.
GIENGER
Edwin Bernhardt Gienger Jr., 84, a native of Philadelphia and a resident of Fairhope, died Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008 in Fairhope.
He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church and a retired executive of Reichhold Chemicals.
Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Lila I. Gienger of Fairhope; two sons, Ed Gienger of Yorba Linda, Calif., Wayne Gienger of League City, Texas; daughter, Janet Hixon of Montrose; and eight grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1 at Trinity Presbyterian Church. A private interment will be held at a later date.
The family requests memorial donations be made to Trinity Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 441, Fairhope, AL 36533; Odyssey Health Care, 9805 A Millwood Circle, Daphne, AL 36526 or Thomas Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 929, Fairhope, AL 36533.
Arrangements are by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., Fairhope.
GOODWIN
Cecil L. Goodwin, 63, a native of Loxley and a resident of Lake Villa, Ill., died Friday, Oct. 24, 2008.
He was a veteran of Vietnam, serving in the U.S. Navy; and a retired chemical operator from Abbott Laboratories.
Survivors include his wife, Sheila A. Goodwin of Lake Villa, Ill.; two daughters, Sonya (Dennis) Mott of Antioch, Ill., and Nichole (Christopher) Goodwin-Watychowicz of Lake Villa, Ill.; son, Kyle Goodwin of Lake Villa, Ill.; two sisters, Lena Faye Dyer of Norfolk, Va., and Ruby Gay Lynch of Austin, Texas; brother, Benson Goodwin of Robertsdale; and two grandchildren.
Graveside funeral services and burial was held in Antioch, Ill.
Arrangements were made by Mack Funeral Home and Crematory, Robertsdale.
The family requests memorial donations be made to your favorite charity.
HADLEY
Edith Elizabeth Hadley, 84, of Conyers, Ga., formerly of Atlanta, died Friday, Sept. 26, 2008.
She was born Feb. 11, 1924 in Foley. She graduated from Foley High School in 1943.
She was an active member of Rockdale Alliance Church. She was saved during the Billy Graham Crusade in Atlanta on Nov. 14, 1950. She lived her life to the fullest for the Lord and was a great prayer warrior. She was very devoted to all her family and will be greatly missed by them, her church family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Annie Hadley, sister, Sadie Swann, and two brothers, Tommy and Robert Hadley.
Survivors include three sisters, Mary Jane Farr of Decatur, Glo Horetz of Conyers, and Dolly (Bill) Daley of Chamblee, Ga.; four nieces, Stephanie Horetz, Evy Farr, Judy Shifflett, and Zemmie Fleck; seven nephews, Jim Swann, Bill Swann, Mark Horetz, Phillip Farr, William Farr, Harry Farr and Joe Daley; numerous grand nieces and nephews, aunt and several cousins.
Visitation was held Sunday, Sept. 28 at Horis Ward’s Rockdale Chapel, Conyers, Ga. Funeral services were held Monday, Sept. 29 from the funeral home with the Rev. Michael Brewer and Dr. Walter Sandell officiating. Interment followed at Green Meadows Cemetery.
The family requests memorial donations be made to the Edith Hadley Memorial Fund, Rockdale Alliance Church, 2020 Old Salem Road, Conyers, GA 30013.
Arrangements were made by Horis Ward’s Rockdale Chapel, Conyers, Ga.
HENRY
James Clayton Henry Sr., 81, a native of Montrose, and resident of Yucaipa, Calif., died Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008.
Survivors include four sons, James Henry Jr., of Madera, Calif., Malcolm Henry of San Diego, Ralph Henry of Yucaipa, Calif., and Steve Henry of San Diego; daughter, Valerie Henry Evans of San Diego; 15 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Tom L. Henry and Calvin Henry; and three sisters, Susan J. Bradshaw, Lorraine T. Jackson, and Mary E. Hill.
Graveside services were held Thursday, Oct. 30 at Montrose Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., Daphne.
HULLIHEN
Samuel J. Hullihen, a native of New Castle, Pa., and a resident of Porterville, Calif., died Monday, Sept. 29, 2008.
Survivors include his parents, Charles G. and Barbara L. Hullihen of Foley; sister, Sandra Divito of Hubbard, Ohio; brother, Dennis Hullihen of Robertsdale; four nieces and one nephew.
A memorial service was held Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008, at Swift Presbyterian Church, Foley. Inurnment followed at Swift Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., Foley.
JERNIGAN
Luther Edward Jernigan II, 55, a resident of the Pine Grove Community of Bay Minette, died Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008 of brain cancer, at his residence.
He was a 34-year employee and maintenance foreman for Mobile Paint Manufacturing Company.
Survivors include his wife of 34 years, Deborah Rayford Jernigan of Pine Grove; three children, Van (Gemma) Jernigan II of Bay Minette, Bridget Ann (Joel) Jernigan of Irving, Texas, and Jessica J. (Anthony) Singleton of Bay Minette; one stepson, Vernon Cowart of Florala; his parents, Van LaVell and Ruth Salva Jernigan of Bay Minette; sister, Sara E. Jernigan of Bay Minette; six grandchildren, John Tyler McDowell, Marcus Kale Jernigan, Jennifer, Victoria Olivia and Whitney Jernigan, many cousins, aunts, uncles; and devoted lifetime friend, Debby Hollingsworth of Gulfport, Miss.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, Oct. 29 at the First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Mark Anderson officiating. Burial followed at Bay Minette Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Billy Cowart, Anthony Singleton, Butch Jernigan, Joel LaMascus, Howard Johnson, Greg Vrachalus, Johnny Rouse and Dick Jefferies.
The family requests memorial donations be made to the First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 1508, Bay Minette, AL 36507.
Arrangements were made by Norris Funeral Home, Bay Minette.
JOHNSON
Mariva W. "Moe" Johnson Sr, 76, a native and resident of Robertsdale, died Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008.
He served in the U.S. Navy and retired from Farm Fresh Meats and attended Assembly of God churches.
Survivors include his wife, Eva Johnson of Robertsdale; three daughters, Susie Weeks of Magnolia Springs, Patricia Johnson of Brewton and Becky Bishop of Elberta; two sons, Marvin Johnson Jr. of Robertsdale and Joey Johnson of Elberta; sister, Frances Rushing of Ragley, La.; four brothers, Lloyd Garner of Goldonna, La., Cecil Johnson of Bay Town, Texas, Willis “Bud” Garner Jr. of Goldonna, La., and Dallas E. Garner of Doyline, La.; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 31 at Mack Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Rock Cemetery in Robertsdale.
The family requests memorial donations be made to Covenant Hospice, 1040 Stanton Road, Daphne, AL 36526.
Arrangements are by Mack Funeral Home and Crematory, Robertsdale.
MUELLER
Robert Mueller Jr., 79, a resident of Fairhope, died Tuesday, October 28, 2008.
He was married for 54 years, he worked for the Illinois Central Rail Road for 40 years. He attended Champaign Central High School, class of 1947, and he was an avid golfer.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Grace Mueller, his father, Robert Mueller Sr., and his step-mother Margaret Mueller.
Survivors include his wife, Neeta Mueller of Fairhope; daughter, Merry (Jay) Miller of St. Joseph, Ill.; two sons, Richard (Patti) Mueller of Fairhope and Donald (Jody) Mueller of Knoxville, Tenn.; sister, Mary Matthis of Bonville, Ill.; four brothers, Edward Mueller of Mahomet, Ill., James Mueller of Champaign, Ill., William Mueller of Mahomet, Ill., Jack Mueller of Mountain Home, Ark.; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation begins at 1 p.m. with funeral services at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1 from the chapel of Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home.
The family requests memorial donations be made to The Haven, P.O. Box 1063 Fairhope, AL, 36533, or the charity of your choice.
Arrangements are by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., Fairhope.
PARNELL
Billy Eugene Parnell Jr., 43, died Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 at his residence in Bay Minette.
He was a manager for McDonald's in Theodore.
He was preceded in death by his father, Billy E. Parnell Sr. and his companion DeWayne Whatley.
Survivors include his mother, Bertha Mae Parnell of Fairhope; three brothers, Thomas (Lisa) Parnell and Stevie (Becky) Parnell, both of Perdido and Stevie (Jeanette) Whatley of Pine Grove; three sisters, Rosie (Jim) Findley of Atmore; Tammy (Andy) Hicks and Andrea Middleton, both of Bay Minette; stepson, Teddy DeWayne Whatley of Whitehouse Fork.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1 at Fretwell Tabernacle Church with Helen Stewart officiating. Burial will follow at White Cemetery in Dyas.
Pallbearers will be Jamie Boyington, Casey Simerly, Bruce Ferrell, Thomas Harris, J.C. Hadley and Doug Parnell. Honorary pallbearers will be Joseph Parnell and Stevie Whatley.
Arrangements are by Norris Funeral Home, Bay Minette.
RANDALL
Alan Eugene Randall, 32, of Summerdale, died Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008.
Survivors include his wife, Natasha Randall of Summerdale; two sons, Chaiden Alan Randall of Summerdale and Seth Adam Randall of Summerdale; daughter, Alee Anielia Randall of Summerdale; his mother, Sherry (Tom) Peek of Pace, Fla.; his father, Ronnie Randall Sr. of Whatley; grandparents, Alfred and Nancy McKenzie of Goodway, Fla.; two sisters, Angela Randall Norris of Baker, Fla., and Amanda Randall of Pace, Fla.; five brothers, Ronnie Randall Jr. of Seminole, Scott Randall of Montgomery, Aaron Randall of Pace, Fla., Kevin Randall of Seminole and Tim Randall of Seminole.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2 at Bibleway Assembly Church, U.S. Highway 98, Magnolia Springs. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 3 at the church. Interment will follow at Bethel Baptist Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Cason Funeral Service, Foley.
RUPLE
Marie Velma Ruple 96, of Bay Minette and longtime resident of Mobile, died Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008 at her home.
She was born Feb. 4, 1912 to W.M. Ruple and Magie Bell Boutwell Ruple on Feb. 4, 1912. After high school she moved to Mobile where she worked for over 30 years as a clerk for McGowan-Lyon Warehouse. She was a volunteer at Mobile Infirmary where she enjoyed sewing puppets for children. She was also an active member of Dauphin Way United Methodist Church in Mobile.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, William Claude Ruple and Joseph Leroy Ruple and two sisters, Opal Habeeb and Sarah McNider.
Survivors include three sisters, Margaret R. Dumas of Mobile, Clara Freel of Canton, N.C., and Lila Fletcher of Johnson City, Tenn.
A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1 at Norris Funeral Home in Bay Minette. Burial will follow at Bay Minette Cemetery.
The family requests memorial donations be made to Dauphin Way United Methodist Church, 1507 Dauphin Street, Mobile, AL 36604.
Arrangements are by Norris Funeral Home, Bay Minette.
TURNER
Hubert Winthrop Turner Sr., 83, a native of Vinegar Bend, and a resident of Fairhope, died Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008.
He was a prominent builder, civic leader and World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy.
He was preceded in death by his father, Guy Mastin Turner, mother Mary Glenn Avent Turner, brothers, Noel C., Robert D. and David P. Turner.
Survivors include his wife, Gloria Mills Turner; children H. Winthrop (Carolyne) Turner, Joseph B. (Linda) Turner, and Mary Edith (Stuart) Wortham; brother, Guy Mastin (Lillian) Turner; and grandchildren.
Graveside services and interment will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 3 at Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile.
Arrangements are by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., Fairhope.
WARD
Helen Karoline Ward, 90, a native of Chicago and a resident of Bay Minette, died Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008 at North Baldwin Infirmary.
She was raised in Dyas and after school left for Chicago and opened and operated a beauty shop, returned to Bay Minette in 1961 and opened the Sportsman Bait & Tackle Shop and then the Baldwin Motel & Restaurant.
She was preceded in death by her parents John and Margaret Soloman Pimperl; two brothers and two sisters.
Survivors include a brother, Paul (Mary) Pimperl of Bay Minette; sister, Anitha Nagelsmit of Bay Minette; sister-in-law, Mitzi Pimperl of Phillipsville; a host of nephews and nieces.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, Oct. 29 from the chapel of Norris Funeral Home with the Rev. Timothy Pimperl officiating. Burial followed at Bay Minette Cemetery.
Arrangements were made by Norris Funeral Home, Bay Minette.
