Betty Long Henderson

Mrs. Betty Long Henderson, 83, of the Carolina community, passed away Mon., Sept. 19, 2016, in a Dothan hospital.

Mrs. Henderson was born in Plant City, Fla., on April 9, 1933, to William Barney Long and Sinna Hutcheson Long. She operated “The Little Kitchen” for many years and was married to the late Desmond Henderson. She is known to many as simply “MeMaw.”

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Fri., Sept. 23, from Foreman Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Terry Campbell and Brother Roger Lee officiating. Interment will follow in Carolina Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:30 – 8 p.m. Thursday at Foreman Funeral Home.

She is survived by four daughters and sons-in-law, Cathy and Brett Bozeman, Karen and Larry Cross, Linda and Roger Lee, and Debra Henderson, all of Andalusia; two sons and daughters-in-law, Curtis and Sherry Henderson and Walter and DeWanna Henderson of Andalusia; 12 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild; two brothers, Joe Long of Tamp and Reese Long of Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.; and two sisters, Nancy Hayman of Andalusia and Sheila Kyte of Tampa, Fla.

Pallbearers will be Alan Baker, Justin Baker, Daniel Bozeman, Joshua Bozeman, John Henderson, Lance Burns, and Aaron Thornock.

Those who wish to sign the guest registry may do so at www.foremanfuneralhome.com.

 

Robert Carroll Williams

A celebration of life service for Mr. Robert Carroll Williams will be held 4 p.m., Thurs., Sept. 22, at Keahey Funeral Home Chapel. The eulogy will be shared by funeral celebrant Kymberly C. Keahey. Military honors will be performed by a U.S. Army team. Tripp Bass and Greg Windham will provide music.

Williams graduated from Straughn High School and honed his innate electrical interest by studying in electronics at Douglas McArthur Institute in Opp. He was then summonsed by Uncle Sam. That invitation to serve seemed to fit well with Carroll’s superior ability with electronics. During time of the Vietnam War, in lieu of serving in a combat position like many of his comrades, the military superiors requested Carroll stay at Fort Monmouth, N.J., which was revered as the Country Club of the Army. Carroll became the first enlistee to attain three outstanding critiques from the instructor methods division in the 50-year history of Fort Monmouth.

Carroll’s many adventures in life seemed to flow where the crafts of his life led him. While stationed at Fort Monmouth, with its Country Club prestige, he became friends with Bob Streeter, a Las Vegas icon and the brother of Bobby Gentry. Williams and Streeter toured their band on the Holiday Inn and Sheraton circuit. After a performance one night at the Holiday Downtown in Myrtle Beach, Williams decided to firmly plant his feet in the sands of Myrtle Beach. There he went into business with Sound Engineering which soon became Carroll Audio that provided the finer motels and restaurants with commercial sound and background music. Billboard Magazine voted the light and sound systems designed and installed by Carroll to be the “Best in the World.” Carroll was asked by the owners of the Atlanta Braves Stadium to design and install their sound system after their own engineers had not been able to successfully do it. He also designed and installed the sound system for the MGM Grand. Carroll became involved in some of the finest East Coast night clubs and eventually owned Starz Entertainment. The night club served as a musical platform for nationally recognized artist such as The Romantics, James Brown, Ronnie Milsap, Mel Tillis, Reba McIntrye and many other American and European artists.

While in Myrtle Beach, Carroll made acquaintance with Dickey Way, who joined him in many of his endeavors. Dickey proved to be a lifelong friend. The friend duo decided to leave the East Coast to pursue professional endeavors in the Biloxi and Mississippi Gulf Coast area. There, the two again, had great success in the restaurant and entertainment industry until Katrina made them decide it was time to return to Carroll’s childhood home in the Straughn Community. They each had a home on the land that had been homesteaded to Carroll’s parents in the land grant act by President William McKinley.

On Sun., Sept. 19, Robert Carroll Williams passed away peacefully in his sleep. His closest neighbor and longtime friend, Dickey Way, was next door. In Carroll’s small quaint home his other two close companions, “Princess” and “Pete,” two large, aged dogs lay sleeping. After Carroll’s passing, one of his closest friends described Carroll as a man who loved Jesus Christ “He didn’t talk it, he lived it,” his friend said.

With all Carroll’s travels and broad range of famous acquaintances, he was happiest when surrounded by his select small group of friends. Some of his closest were the talented local musicians he has spent his last years with here in Covington County.

He is survived by his long-time dear friend, Dickie Way of Andalusia; son, Jonathan R. Williams of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; daughter, Amy Haaz Williams of New Bern, N.C.; a granddaughter, Logan Williams; an uncle, Oliver Williams; and a cousin, Gail Wesley.