LAVADA KING SEARCY

Heaven’s gates opened on Feb. 20, 2011, and received an angel, Lavada King Searcy, of DeFuniak Springs, Fla.

She was born June 23, 1919, to Annie Marilyn Howarth and John Monroe Forte, and was preceeded in death by her parents and late husband, William Edward King; two brothers, Aubrey Forte and Floyd Forte; and two sisters, Eulene Dixon and Vivian Bulger.

She is survived by two daughters, Beverly Ann (Curt Geohagan) King of DeFuniak Springs, Fla., and Betty Jean (Bill) Collinsworth of Gaskin, Fla.; four grandchildren, Towanda McColley of Milton, Fla., DeWayne (Beverly) Geohagan of Laurel Hill, Fla., Bradley (Joanna) Collinsworth and Brett (Shannon) Collinsworth, all of Gaskin; five great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Fred Forte of Andalusia; and one sister, Johnnie Smelley of Pensacola, Fla.

She was a member of Chapel Hill Baptist Church, wasemployed by Franklin Fergeuson in Florala for 30 years, and then owned/operated Searcy’s Grocery in Sanford for 23 years.

Devotion to her family surpassed her work dedication. Family gatherings, flower gardening – especially roses – and cooking were the joys of her life. Watching her grandchildren grow up was pure joy to her and brought light to her eyes. She will be truly missed by all.

Funeral services will be held today, Wed., Feb. 23, 11 a.m. at Evans Funeral Home in Florala with visitation one hour before services with the Rev. Mike McVay and grandson, DeWayne Geohagan, officiating. Music will be provided Donna Brito.

Pallbearers are Bill Collinsworth, Bradley Collinsworth, Brett Collinsworth, Doyle Bulger, Woodrow Braswell, and Ricky Nelson.

Her final resting place will be at Gaskin Baptist Church Cemetery.

ALAN EUBANKS

Alan Eubanks, 68, of Leeds, passed away Mon., Feb. 21, 2011, in Birmingham.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Sat., Feb. 26, at Keahey Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends on hour prior to services at Keahey Funeral Home.

Survivors include his wife, Charlotte Jones Eubanks of Leeds, formerly of Covington County; mother, Beatrice Eubanks of Moody; daughter and son-in-law, Debra (Marc) Eubanks Defreyn of Olympia, Wa.; stepson and daughter-in-law, Barry (Gail) Brown of Margaret, Ala.; brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Janet Eubanks of Pinson; daughter-in-law, Rindi Eubanks Garcia of Gilbert, Ariz.; and grandchildren, Jennifer Brown, Christina Brown, Shea Eubanks, Rhetta Eubanks, Daniale Brown, Alexandra Defreyn, Peyton Defreyn and Drew Sullivan.

She was preceded in death by a son, Michael Eubanks, and his father, Charles Emmett Eubanks.

RUBY HENDERSON

Ruby Henderson, 68, of Andalusia, passed away on Tues., Feb. 22, 2011, in the Andalusia hospital.

Funeral services are incomplete and will be announced later by Keahey Funeral Home.

ROBERT “BOB” WOODHAM

Robert A. “Bob” Woodham, 84, died Monday, February 21, 2011, at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, Tenn., after an extended illness.

He was born in Andalusia on Jan. 26, 1927, the son of the late John William Thomas Woodham and Wilma Baisden Woodham. He had lived in Kingsport since 1951.

He began his education in engineering in 1944 when he graduated from high school and volunteered, as one of two students in his high school class, to enter military service in the “Army Specialized Training Program.” The Army assigned him to engineering classes at the University of Mississippi and North Georgia College. He was assigned to Camp Blanding, Fla. There, as one of 12 men selected from his Army infantry rifle company, he was assigned to New York University for further classes in electrical engineering. He was later transferred to the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment and was honorably discharged in 1946.

In the spring of 1947, he entered the University of Alabama’s College of Engineering, from which he graduated in 1949 with a bachelor of science degree. He was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers and served five years in the Army Reserve.

In 1950, he married Patricia (Pat) Dillon of Jacksonville, Ala., and in early 1951, they moved to Kingsport to begin his 35-year career with the chemicals division of Eastman Kodak Company.

The last 20 years of his career were in international marketing with Eastman Kodak Chemicals Division. In 1977, while living in Hong Kong, he was the first person from the Eastman Kodak Company to be invited by the People’s Republic of China to visit China as a guest of the government and initiate business relations. This invitation followed the “opening” of China by the U.S. government. He and his family lived in Hong Kong for five years, where he served as manager of the Eastman Kodak Austral-Asia Region. He established new offices in Singapore and Tokyo. He retired from Eastman Kodak in 1986.

He was elected president of the Rotary Club of Kingsport in 1988. From 1994 to 1995, he served as governor of the Tennessee-Virginia District 7570 of Rotary International. He was an avid supporter of the Rotary Foundation, earning him recognition as a benefactor and as a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.

He served the Boy Scouts of America in various capacities for more than 25 years and was a member of the Order of the Arrow.

He was an active member of the First Broad Street United Methodist Church, since joining in 1951. Over the years, he served on the Church Leadership Council (the Administrative Board), chair of the annual financial budget campaign, the Staff Parrish Relations committee, chair of the Board of Trustees and as vice chair of the building bommittee to restore the First Methodist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Lorena Woodham Plaster; his son, John Keith Woodham; and his son-in-law, Frank E. Pardue.

Surviving are his wife, Patricia, of Kingsport; two daughters, Elizabeth “Betsy” Woodham Pardue and Lucy Woodham Stewart, and her husband, Chilton T. Stewart, all of Kingsport; two nephews, J. Jordan Plaster Jr. and his wife, Jenny, of Tuscaloosa and Robert F. Plaster, and his wife, Betty, of Millbrook; and four granddaughters, Patricia Katherine Pardue Carrico, and her husband, Kenneth L. Carrico III, Christina Keith Pardue, Emily Keith Stewart and Madeline Taylor Stewart.

A family graveside service will be held on Thurs., Feb. 24, at East Lawn Memorial Park. A memorial service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday at First Broad Street United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mickey Rainwater officiating. A celebration of his life and reception will follow the memorial service.

Pallbearers are Chilton T. Stewart, Kenneth L. Carrico III, J. Jordan Plaster, Robert F. Plaster and Robert C. Dillon Jr.

Honorary pallbearers are past district governors of Rotary International District 7570.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Broad Street United Methodist Church, PO Box 1346, Kingsport, TN 37662.

Visit www.hamlettdobson.com to leave an on-line message of condolence for the family.

Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes, Kingsport, is in charge of the arrangements.

WILLIS GRANT TERRY

Willis Grant Terry, 83, of Red Level, died Sun., Feb. 20, 2011, in the Opp Nursing Home.

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m., Mon., Feb. 21, at the Fairmount Baptist Church in Red Level with the Rev. Keith Parker and the Rev. John Bell officiating and interment in the church cemetery. Special music will be by Aylish Parker. Foreman Funeral Home was in charge of the services.

Survivors include his wife, Sarah A. Terry of Red Level; his sons, Frank (Martha) Terry and Jerry Terry, both of Andalusia; a grandson, Grant Terry of Andalusia; a sister, Betty Grantham of Andalusia; his niece, Nancy (Bob) Rader; and nephew, Terry (Ann) Grantham.

The deacons of Fairmount Baptist Church served as pallbearers.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Ella Terry, and his brother, Ray Terry.

Those unable to attend the service may sign the guest registry online at www.foremanfuneralhome.com.