GILLETT JUNIOR WARD

Gillett Junior Ward, 87, of Evergreen, passed away Tues., Dec. 3, 2013, at the Andalusia hospital.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., today, Sat., Dec. 7, from Foreman Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Larry Reynolds officiating. Interment will follow in Andalusia Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to service.

Survivors include his wife, Martha Ward of Evergreen; three step-children, Connie Wilson Rainer of Auburn, Joseph A. Rayfield of Newark, Del., and Abby D. Morley of Edmond, Okla.; and eight grandchildren.

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

 

JESSE EDWARD KELLEY

Jesse Edward Kelley, 74, of Andalusia passed away Thur., Dec. 5, 2013, in the Luverne nursing facility.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Sun., Dec. 8, at Keahey Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Derrick Stewart officiating. Special music will be by Betty and Kyle Kelley. Burial will follow in Stone Lake Gardens with Keahey Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include a son, Kenny (Jennifer) Taylor of Troy; daughters, Wanda (Rickey Kendrick) Kelley of Dozier, Chevel (Michael) Scarbrough, of Tallahassee, Fla.; brother, James (Betty) Kelley of Andalusia; sister, Lillian (Gene) Atkins of Andalusia; numerous grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Serving as pallbearers will be Kyle Kelley, Javis Nelson, Jeremy Etheridge, Chad Phillips, Ashton Mayhall and Mike Harvey.

 

EVELYN BIGGS

Evelyn Biggs, 49, of Andalusia, passed away Thur., Dec. 5, 2013, at her residence.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m., today, Sat., Dec. 7, at Zion Hill Baptist Church. Pastor Joe Jackson will be officiating. Interment will follow at Zion Hill Baptist Church Cemetery with Keahey Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include, husband, Dewayne Biggs; mother, Evelyn McVay; son, Marcus (Misty Ann) McGinnis; daughter, Lorretta Biggs, all of Andalusia; brothers, Michael (Kay) See of the Carolina Community, Martin (Brenda Sue) McGinnis, Mark McGinnis, Marvin (Debra) McGinnis, Manny McGinnis and Ebbert McGinnis; sisters, Everetta (Teddy) Lunsford, Elvira (Jimmy) Hernandez and Eva (John) Stephens, all of Andalusia; grandchildren, Tyler McGinnis, Alexis McGinnis, Braedon Lundy and Lily Biggs; numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and one great nephew.

Pallbearers will be Kenny Dubose, Michael Lee, Sandy McVay, Brandon Jeter, Tommy Averil and Carroll Biggs.

Sign the guest book for this family at keaheyfuneralhome.com.

 

NELL CHESSER BULLOCK

Nell Chesser Bullock, 87, of the Pigeon Creek Community, passed away Mon., Dec. 2, 2013, at her granddaughter’s home in Huntsville.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., today, Sat., Dec. 7, with visitation one hour before, at Vera Cruz United Methodist Church with Pastor Richard Holmes officiating. Interment will follow at the Pigeon Creek Cemetery with Foreman Brown Funeral Home directing.

The youngest of four girls, she was born March 2, 1926, to Frank and Alice Chesser, both deceased. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, George; two young sons, Andy and Michael; and sisters, Marguerite, Frances and Blanche.

Always devoted to her family and friends, she was a longtime member of Vera Cruz Methodist Church. She lived the last year of her life in Huntsville, where the families of a daughter and granddaughter cared for her. One of her favorite pastimes was bird watching.

She is survived by three daughters, Sue Lynn (Fred) Hall, of Pace, Fla., Alice Marie (Bill) Battle, of Huntsville and Angela Kay (Ray) Harrelson of Selma; granddaughters, Melissa (Steve) Luster and Deborah (Eric) Garland, both of Albuquerque, N.M., Wendy (Kyle) Mosier, of Huntsville, Lori (Matthew) Johnson, of Brent; grandsons, Hunter (Ginger) Harrelson, of Oxford, Miss., and Heath Harrelson, of Selma; step-grandsons, Whitman (Stacey) Smith, of Oxford, Miss., and James (Julie) Smith, of Gulf Breeze, Fla.; great-granddaughters Kaleigh, Makenna, Miracle, and Samantha Luster, of Albuquerque, Anna Anderson, Alyson, Olivia and Leah Mosier of Huntsville; step-great-granddaughters, Kesler Smith of Oxford and Sarah, Shelby and Samantha Smith; great-grandsons, Makenzie, Spencer and Logan Garland, of Albuquerque; and step-great grandson, Spencer Smith of Gulf Breeze; and many dear nieces, nephews and cousins.

Pallbearers will be Hunter Harrelson, Heath Harrelson, Kyle Mosier, Matthew Johnson, Jerry Bullock, and Frank Hester. Honorary pallbearers include Ronald Taylor, Rudon Taylor, George Chesser, Morgan Chesser, Butch Chesser, Paul Owens, Larry Carroll, John Hall, Terry Ballew, Vernon Ingram, James Ingram, Lomax Ingram, Larry Pittman, Billy Little and Clant Johnson.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Vera Cruz Methodist Church, 18881 Hwy 52, Opp, AL 36467, or Hospice Family Care of Huntsville.

 

HENRY SEYMOUR

Henry Seymour, 98, of Andalusia, passed away on Sat., Nov. 30, 2013, at a local nursing facility.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., today, Sat., Dec. 7, at Keahey Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Eugene Meadow officiating and interment following in the Andalusia Memorial Cemetery with full military honors and Keahey Funeral Home will be directing. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

He is survived by sons, Jerry (Joan) Seymour of Mt. Dora, Fla., and Henry (Bobi) Seymour of Anchorage, Alaska; daughter, Nancy Seymour of Wildwood, Fla.; sister, Rebecca Barton of Andalusia; four grandchildren, Jamie Nye, Jeff Seymour, Aubrey Auel and Charlie Seymour; and nine great-grandchildren.

 

JEAN HOWARD

Jean A. Howard, 72, of River Falls, passed away Thur., Dec. 5, 2013, at the Andalusia hospital.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., on Mon., Dec. 9, from Foreman Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Kerrey Davis and the Rev. Bill Butler officiating. Interment will follow in Fairmount Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 6-9 p.m. Sunday at Foreman Funeral Home.

Survivors include her husband, Willie Howard of River Falls; five daughters, Jane Grice of Andalusia, Marsha Nichols of Pennsylvania, Kay (Ricky) Maddox of Florida, Cheryll (Chris) Meek of Spanish Fort and Vicki (Tommy) McGaha of Florida; two step-children, Dianne (Danny) Cheek of Greenville and William “Dickie” Howard of Andalusia; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and a sister; Leila Mosley of Foley.

She is preceded in death by her grandson, Kevin Meeks.

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

 

BEATRICE RAYBON

Beatrice Raybon, 82, of Andalusia, passed away Fri., Dec. 6, 2013.

Graveside services will be held 11 a.m., on Mon., Dec. 9, at Blue Springs Church Cemetery with the Rev. Shaun Moore officiating and Keahey Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include her son, Joey (Katrina) Raybon of Andalusia; six grandchildren; and five great-granchildren.

Mrs. Raybon was preceded in death by her daughter, Cathy Miller, and son, Tom Raybon.

Sign the guest book for this family at keaheyfuneralhome.com.

 

JACK B. HUCKABAA

Jack B. Huckabaa, 60, of Covington County, died at the Andalusia hospital on Wed., Dec. 4, 2013.

Funeral services were held on Fri., Dec. 6, at Shady Hill Baptist Church with Bro. Roger Mims officiating. Interment followed at Shady Hill Cemetery.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Hazel Huckabaa; and a brother, Martin Huckabaa Jr.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Huckabaa; two step-daughters, Vicki (Paul) Burgans, all of Andalusia, and Lynn (Greg) Fabris of Daleville; two sisters, Charlene (Wayne) Bradley of Andalusia and Mary Evelyn (Edward) Davidson of Opp; three brothers, Jerry Wayne (Betty) Huckabaa of Honorsville, Curtis Huckabaa and James Huckabaaa, both of Andalusia; four step-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

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

 

THOMAS MERLIN RODGERS

Thomas Merlin Rodgers, 58, of Covington County, died at the Andalusia hospital on Sat., Nov. 30, 2013.

Memorial services are incomplete at this time.

He is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth Rodgers and Heather Ewing; three sons, Rusty Rodgers, Keith Rodgers and Lee Rodgers; one sister, Ruth Worley; and 10 grandchildren.

 

HARVEN ALLEN KELLEY

Harvey Allen Kelley, 81, a native of Birmingham, passed away on Nov. 21, 2013.

Born on June 25, 1932, to Ernest Justus and Ruby Plyler Kelley, he grew up in Graysville.

Funeral services were held on Sun., Nov. 24.

After graduating from Phillips High School, he served in the U.S. Air Force for four years. While stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Fla., he met the love of his life. After marrying, they moved to Tallahassee, Fla., and he enrolled in Florida State University, where he studied electrical engineering. In 1956, he took a job with US Steel. After 25 years as a dedicated employee, he retired as superintendent of the Axel Shop, where he formed many lifelong friendships.

After retiring, they moved to a family property in Andalusia, which became fondly know as “the farm.” His entrepreneur spirit led him to purchase and operate Kelley’s Goodyear Tire and Appliance. After selling the store in 1999, they enjoyed many years traveling and spending time with family and friends. They returned to Birmingham in 2010.

He was an avid golfer and recorded both a hole-in-one and the rarest shot in golf – a double Eagle. He loved fishing and the outdoors. He was a lifelong Alabama fan and worked weekends for Frank Taylor from 1958-1966 producing The Bear Bryant show. He loved his country and his God, impacting all whom he came in touch with. Bill O’Reilly has lost a loyal follower.

To his friends he was known as “Happy.” and with the birth of his first grandchild in 1983, he became “Papa.” His greatest accomplishment in life, he would tell you, was his family. His love for his family knew no bounds. He was greatly loved and will be forever missed.

He is survived by his wife, Jean Biggs Kelley; children, Harvey Allen Kelley Jr. (Lisa), Jeffery Dean Kelley (Phyllis), Kristi Kelley Wilson (Larry), and Kari Kelley Rubin (Gary); 14 grandchildren, Ashley, Ty, Blake; Bryant, Jake, Grace, Natalie, Justin (Melinda), April (Daniel), Brad (Kaila), Talor, Jordan, Erin and Braden; and four great-grandsons, Landon, Evan, James and Tyler; sister, Ernestine Watts Allen; brother, James B. Kelley (Dot); and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, 28938 Straughn School Road, Andalusia, AL 36421.