Obituaries July 14-20
Patrice DeeAnn Steed Brown
Decatur
Graveside service for Patrice DeeAnn Steed Brown, 63, of Decatur was held July 7 at 11:30 a.m. at Cook Cemetery with the Rev. Lynn Harvel officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing.
Patrice was born Aug. 21, 1957 in Warner Robbins, GA to Patrick D. Steed and Daisy Rylee Steed. She passed away July 3 at her residence. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Hartselle. She worked for Mar-Mac Real Estate for 16 years.
Patrice was preceded in death by her father and daughter, Kendra Stinson Miller.
Survivors include her husband, Mickey Brown; son, Brad Scott (Sierra); mother, Daisy Steed; brother, Patrick Steed (Andrea); sister, Denise Steed England (David); and five grandchildren, McKendree Miller, Brody Slater, Grayson Scott, Liam Scott and Lawson Scott.
Pallbearers were Mark Moody, Shane Odom, Kevin Chambers, Beau Goss, Greg Byrd, Tony Parker and Steve Mitchell.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of the Valley.
Emma Jean Bowling
Hartselle
Funeral service for Emma Jean Bowling, 93, was held July 5 at 1 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Walter Blackmon officiating. Burial was in Hartselle Memory Gardens. Peck Funeral Home directed.
Mrs. Bowling was born March 10, 1928 in Morgan County to Emmett Neal Doss and Clara Viola Townsend Doss. She passed away July 2 at The Oaks Senior Care Facility in Bessemer.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Shirley Holladay, first husband, Fred Templeton, and second husband, Austelle Bowling.
Mrs. Bowling was a member of East Highland Baptist Church. She loved quilting and baking cakes and sour dough bread. She loved a beautiful yard and gardening. She started her career in banking in 1949.
Mrs. Bowing had lived at the Cottages Assisted Living since December 2018.
Survivors include four nieces, Marcia Holladay Hendrix (Larry), Phyllis Holladay Allen (Greg), Jan Holladay Levy (Duke) and Julie Holladay McGough (Rob); and eight stepchildren, Wayne Bowling, (Gerri), Billy Ray Bowling (Jean), Ricky Bowling (Cindy), Polly Thompson, Thelma Jo Stephenson, Faye Segars, Sue Waters and Nell May (Steve).
Pallbearers were Matthew McGough, Sam McGough, Ben McGough, Wayne Bowling, Billy Ray Bowling and Ricky Bowling.
Clarence “Bud” Pylant Jr.
Hartselle
Clarence “Bud” Pylant Jr., 63, died July 3 at his residence. He was born July 7, 1957, in Morgan County to Clarence Eugene Pylant Sr. and Mary Eda West Pylant.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Mr. Pylant was employed as a wood worker for Don-Pool Construction.
No service is planned at this time.
Survivors include former wife and friend, Teresa Pylant; son, Jermery Pylant; two stepsons, Jonathan Stringer and Davey Stringer; and extended family and friends.
Peck Funeral assisted the family.
Diana Hedges
Trinity
Funeral service for Diana Hedges, 77, was held July 10 at 11 a.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Ralph Henderson officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Burial was in Midway Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Hedges died July 5 at Decatur Morgan Hospital. She was born Nov. 16, 1943, in Kentucky to Lacy Ernest Terrill and Dollie Josephine Cook Terrill. She was employed by General Motors as a machinist prior to her retirement.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Ferrell E. Hedges; her parents; a brother, Charles Terrill; and two sisters, Billie Arlene Van Horn and Myram Humerickhouse.
Survivors include son, Bradley Hook; daughters, Kimberly Graham (Gregory Wyatt) and Christine Smith (Ronnie); sister, Marjorie Fields; grandchildren, Whitney Priest, Hunter Priest, Sydney Melson (Josh), Daniel Abbott, Casey Smith (Taylor), Haley Smith, Zachary Hook and Alex Hook; and great-grandchildren, Matthew Priest, Sadie Melson, Stella Melson, Aubrey Smith, Kaylee Smith, Trace Smith, Waylon Smith, Kinsley Abbott and Crimson Skinner.
Pallbearers were Ronnie Smith, Greg Wyatt, Casey Smith, Hunter Priest, Zac Hook and Josh Melson.
“Bill” William Louis Tepper
Hartselle
Funeral service for “Bill” William Louis Tepper, 80, was held July 10 at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Michael Stacy and Eddie Faircloth officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing.
Mr. Tepper died July 6 at Decatur Morgan Hospital. He was born Sept. 18, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland, to William Paul Tepper and Anne Naomi Wilkins Tepper. He was employed for 20 years as a technician for Xerox Company and was then employed as an educator for Calhoun Community College for 20 years, prior to his retirement.
“Pop” was so proud of his family and boasted about them as often as possible. He left us just three days before the celebration of 60 years of marriage to his beautiful bride and best friend.
He was a teacher, a minister, a handyman, a car enthusiast, a gardener, our resident weatherman and a Crimson Tide fan. We will miss his laugh, quick wit, cautious concern and evangelistic spirit.
We are forever grateful for the sweet memories and the legacy of love he leaves behind.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include wife, Winnie Barnes Tepper; son, William Dan Tepper (Sandi); daughters, Sherrilyn Mann (Tom Thomas) and Nancy Slaton (Buddy); sister, Lois Danner; grandchildren, Emma Tepper, Brian Mann (Hannah), Heath Mann, Eli Mann, Tyler Slaton (Sabrina), Jamie Slaton (Amber) and Seth Slaton (Shannon); and great-grandchildren, Lincoln Mann, Gracie Mann and Oliver Slaton.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Emmanuel Community of Christ Church “Building Fund,” 28 Pheasant Private Drive, Decatur, AL 35603.
Opal Lazelle West “Sister”
Somerville
Funeral service for Opal Lazelle West “Sister,” 69, was held July 10 at 1 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Michael Gunter officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Burial was in Turney Cemetery.
Mrs. West died July 7 at her residence. She was born March 14, 1952, in Morgan County, to J.B. Maze and Mary Helen Breeding Maze.
She was lovingly referred to as “Sister” and “Ninny.” She was a seamstress and was Methodist in her faith.
Mrs. West loved life, family, gardening, sewing, animals, hummingbirds and helping others, but most of all she loved the Lord.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry West, and her parents.
Survivors include sons, James West (Katrinae) and Eric West (Shannon); daughter, Stacy McMinemon (Hubert II); brother, Larry Maze; sisters, Sandra West, Velita Childers and Linda Motes; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Pallbearers were Chris Bryant, Mark Smith, Nick Barber, Austin Roden, Alex Kent and Travis Stewart.
Donna Madison Maze
Hartselle
Funeral service for Donna Madison Maze, 63, was held July 11 at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Vic Tucker officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Burial was in Hartselle City Cemetery.
Mrs. Maze died July 8 at Decatur Morgan Hospital. She was born July 21, 1957, in Fairbanks, Alaska, to Max Allen Madison and Jewel Stough Madison.
Mrs. Maze was the office manager for McCutcheon Heating and Cooling prior to her passing. She loved nature and was an avid bird watcher, especially the cardinals. She loved caring for her animals.
She was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother who never missed a game, a gymnastics meet or cheering event.
She was preceded in death by her father.
Survivors include husband, Wayne Maze; son, Daxton Maze (Olivia); daughters, Chelsea Maze Emfinger (Kyle) and Ferrah Maze Isaacson (Aaron); mother, Jewel Stough Madison; brother, Larry Madison (Shari); sister, Betty Madison; and grandchildren, Collins and Max.
Pallbearers were family members.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to Gideons International.
Brenda McKinney Copeland
Hartselle
Funeral service for Brenda McKinney Copeland, 80, of Hartselle was held July 12 at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Tim McCormick officiating. Burial was in Johnson Chapel Cemetery. Peck Funeral Home directed.
Mrs. Copeland, who was born Oct. 17, 1940, in Lee County, Mississippi, to Maury Milford McKinney and Lonie Louise Shumpert McKinney, died July 10 at Decatur Morgan Hospital.
She was a homemaker and the widow of the late Rev. J.T. Copeland Jr., who was the former pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Decatur. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother and loved working in her yard, cheering for Auburn football and spending time with her great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a son, Roger Brent Copeland; a granddaughter, Emily Brooke Murphy; brothers, Roy “Buddy” McKinney of Memphis and Dewayne McKinney of Tupelo; and a sister, Bobbie Greenlee of Rutledge, Tennessee.
She is survived by a son, Daniel Copeland (Susan); two daughters, Rhonda Legg (Steve) and Sondra Dutton (Artie), all of Hartselle; a brother, Charles “Pete” McKinney (Joyce) of Nettleton, Mississippi; a sister, Linda Jones (Berdell) of Tupelo, Mississippi; 11 grandchildren, Amanda Brown (Cody), Adam Schrimsher, Caleb Murphy, Tyler Legg (Allison), Lara Grace Austin (Tres), Brent Copeland, Meagan Malkmus, Julie Legg, Josh Sartin, Matthew Sartin (Hailey) and Kayla Sartin; and eight great-grandchildren, Cole Brown, Kade Brown, Noah Legg, Brooks Austin, Mia Legg, Jaxson Nickleson, Laikleigh Austin and Ian Austin.
Adam Schrimsher, Caleb Murphy, Tyler Legg, Brent Copeland, Cody Brown, Tres Austin and Josh Sartin served as pallbearers.
