Obituaries week of Oct. 26
Gustava C. Mason
Eva
A graveside funeral service and interment for Gustava C. Mason, 92, was held
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 2 p.m. at Eva Cemetery with Bro. Josh Mason
officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Mason died on Friday, October 14, 2022 at her residence. She was born March 8, 1930, in Lauderdale County, to Thomas Wister Cornelius and Sally D. Thornton Cornelius. She was a member of the Eva United Methodist Church, a co-owner of Mason Photography Studio and co-owner of Craft Shop. She was employed, prior to
her retirement, by the Morgan County School system as a school secretary.
She always enjoyed going to musical gatherings and loved camping with her
husband Gwinn, prior to his passing in March of 2017. She was a wonderful
wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Preceding her in death were
her husband of almost 69 years, Gwinn Mason; a brother, Tommy Cornelius; her
parents; her in-laws, and other family. Survivors include daughter, Sharon Childers (Edsel); son, Ricky Mason (Rhonda); six grandchildren, Michael Childers, Stacey Childers, Chris Childers, Kristen Eckstein (Chris), Kim Middleton (Stephen) and Josh Mason (Vicky); seven great grandchildren. Pallbearers were family members.
Johnny Motes
Somerville
Johnny Motes
Somerville
Johnny Motes, 67, passed away Sunday, October 16, 2022 at his residence.
He was born October 15, 1955, in Morgan County, to Calvin Motes and Doris
Marie Hill Motes. He was employed as a mechanic by Palmer’s Auto, prior to his passing. Johnny loved to fish, gamble and was about to be a great grandfather again. He was a very loving Papa. He was preceded in death by his wife, Cynthia Motes; his brothers, Boyd, Danny and Marlin Motes and a sister, Penny Wren. Survivors include sons, Alex Motes (Nicole) and Donald Motes (Bonnie); daughters, Delena Woodall (Kevin), Jonie Norton (Stacy); sister, Beverly Maxwell; twelve grandchildren and one great- grandchild.
Adam Christopher Teague
Decatur
Adam Teague passed away Monday, October 17, 2022 at his residence. He
was born June 27, 1985, in Morgan County, to Allen Teague and Connie
Burleson Teague. He passed away after an off and on battle with drugs which he did not win.
It didn’t have to be this way, but he was self-medicating for anxiety and
depression and the words the drugs spoke were stronger than he was. He
fought hard at times, and little at other times. He was smart and funny,
frustrated and angry. He loved his kids. Willow and Callen were his world.
They could make him smile. They could make him happy at least for a while. If
you struggle with anxiety and depression, please get help. Don’t break
another parent’s heart. Preceding him in death were his grandparents, Joe and Helen Teague, Janie Halle and Doug Burleson. Survivors include parents, Allen and Connie Burleson Teague; children, Willow Smith and Callen Teague; brother, Nick Teague; mother of his children and friend, Jacqui Smith. A celebration of life may be held by family at a later date.
Katherine Edith Johnson McDonald
Hartselle
Funeral service for Katherine Edith Johnson, 88, was held Friday, October 21,
2022 at 1 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Jeremy Shinkle officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Burial was in Hartselle City Cemetery. Mrs. Johnson died Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at Life Care Center of Cleveland, Tennessee. She was born June 30, 1934, in Kay County, Oklahoma, to Roy Phelps and Florence Seaton Phelps. She was employed as a teacher for the Hartselle City School System, prior to her retirement. Preceding her in death were two husbands, William A. Hendon and John Paul Johnson, her parents and a sister, Virginia Wolfe. Survivors include sons, William Hendon, Nashville, TN, Donald Johnson (Dana), Jacksonville, Fla., and Johnny Johnson (Cindy), Orlando, FL; daughters, Mary Shinkle (Leo), Chillicothe, Ohio, Laura Nelson (Terry), Mc Donald, TN, Brenda Allen, Hartselle, AL, and Teresa Cooper (Greg) Mulberry, FL; brother, Bill Phelps (Susie), Dallas, Texas; sister, Martha Cohn (Paul), Woodland Hills, California; ten grandchildren; two great grandchildren. Pallbearers were family and friends.
Geneva Lee Ford Nappier
Hartselle
A graveside funeral service and interment for Geneva Lee Ford Nappier, 96,
was held Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. at Decatur City Cemetery with
Bro. Dale Dilbeck, her nephew, officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Nappier died Thursday, October 20, 2022 at her residence. She was born August 29, 1926, in Cullman County, to Louis Monroe Kimbril and Ethel Dale Kimbril. She was a homemaker for her family and was preceded by two husbands, Robert L. Ford and James Nappier; her parents; brothers; Charles Kimbril, Theron Kimbril and Eugene Kimbril and sisters; Lois Ford and Wenell Denny. Survivors include son, Bobby Ford (Peggy); sister, Eloise Dilbeck (Sherman) and numerous nieces and nephews.
Nelda Gillespie
Danville
A graveside funeral service and interment for Nelda Gillespie, 97, was held
Sunday, October 23, 2022 at 2 p.m. at Johnson Chapel Cemetery with Bro.
Charles Sparks officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. No visitation is
scheduled. Mrs. Gillespie passed away Thursday, October 20, 2022 at her residence.
She was born February 24, 1925, in Lawrence County, to Gaynom Printice McLemore and Bertie Aldridge McLemore. She was employed by Moulton Shirt Factory, as a plant worker, prior to her retirement. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother and homemaker for her family. She was preceded in death by her husband, James E (Buck) Gillespie; her children, Virginia Gillespie, Kathy Prater and Fred Gillespie; her brothers, Ray, Charles, Kenneth and Chalmus McLemore; sisters, Grace Gillespie and Doris Kelsoe and her parents, Gaynom and Bertie McLemore. Survivors include grandchildren, Colton Prater, Craig Gillespie and Leah Little; great grandchildren, Garrett Prater, Ryan Prater, Alexis Ladner and Laken Gillespie; great greatgrandchild, Lola Ladner; son-in-law, Danny Prater; daughter-in-law, Imogene Gillespie; sister, Leneva Lackey; sister-in-law, Barbara McLemore; numerous nieces and nephews. Pallbearers were Danny Prater, Colton Prater, Garrett Prater, Ryan Prater, Craig Gillespie and Joel Little. The family would like to express their “Sincere Appreciation” to her caregiver, Brenda and the nurses and staff of Compassus Hospice of Florence, Alabama, for the excellent care she received.
Rodney Ellis
Hartselle
Rodney Ellis
Hartselle
Funeral service for Rodney Ellis, 80, was held Sunday, October 23, 2022 at
3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Earl Holt officiating and Peck
Funeral Home directing. Burial was in Eva Cemetery. Mr. Ellis died Thursday, October 20, 2022 at Hospice Family Care. He was born March 29, 1942, in Winnebago County, Illinois, to Albert Ellis, Sr. and Virginia Sadie Reynolds Gloeckler. He was the owner and operator of his own business, Ellis Embroidery, in Falkville, prior to his retirement. He was a proud United States Army
Veteran and served as a Medic and a Sharpshooter. He loved the outdoors, sitting on his porch, watching the grandkids playing in sports and watching football with his brother. He enjoyed gardening and raising Siberian Huskies. Preceding him in death were his parents; brothers, Roger Ellis and Albert Ellis, Jr. and sisters, Alberta Ellis, Linda Hamilton, Brenda Nelson and Rita Bragg. Survivors include wife, Dorothy Ellis; daughters, Tina Palmer (Barrion), Connie Baker (Keith), and Stacy Beavers (Tim); brothers, John Gloeckler, Kenny Ellis, Charles Gloeckler and Richard Ellis; sisters, Frances Ellis Madelsen and Becky Wood; grandchildren, Alaina, Emily, James, Melissa, Amanda, Julie and Cedric, one great grandchild, Annalise. Pallbearers were John Gloeckler, Keith Baker, Tim Beavers, Cedric Beavers, Barrion Palmer and James Palmer.
Freida Vest Betterton
Hartselle
Freida Vest Betterton
Hartselle
Freida Vest Betterton, 89, passed away October 21, 2022, at Summerford
Health & Rehab, Falkville, Ala. Freida, a child of God, was born December
12, 1932 to William B. Vest & Mamie Pannell Vest in Morgan County. Funeral
Service will be October 29, 2022 at 2 p.m. at the Hartselle First United
Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 12:00 PM until service time on
Saturday at the church and interment will be in the Hartselle City Cemetery
following the service. She was a graduate of Morgan County High School in Hartselle, a lifelong
member of Hartselle First United Methodist Church, a homemaker & a community
worker. She retired after 25 years of service with the Morgan County and
Hartselle City Board of Education in the child nutrition program. She
married the love of her life, Andrew Jack Betterton, enjoying 69 years
together. She is preceded in death by her husband; parents; and five siblings. Survivors
include her children, Andrew E. (Andy) Betterton (Sandra), Florence, AL,
William H. (Billy) Betterton (Daphne), Ocean Springs, MS and Jan G. Betterton,
Stockbridge, GA; grandchildren, Jacob (Jack) Betterton (Katie), Summertown,
TN, Jane Nuby (Chris), Stevensville, MD, Jonathan Betterton, Ocean Springs,
MS, Joseph Betterton, Memphis, TN, Samantha Bignell (Joe), Ocean Springs,
MS & Alison Koesters (Mark), Harvest, AL; great grandchildren, Jackson
Betterton, Florence, AL, Joyanna Betterton a.m. Garyn Singleton-Olmstead,
Summertown, Tenn., Alice Nuby, Stevensville, MD, Madison Bignell, Ocean
Springs, MS & Carson, Connor & Cole Darby, Harvest, AL; sisters, Katie Hill,
Alabaster, AL & Reba Swinford (Cledith), Hartselle, AL; and a number of nieces and
nephews plus a host of friends and caregivers. Conrad Bell, Bud Glasscock, Danny Grissom, James Hastings, Randy Sparkman and Paul Wallace will serve as Pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Caring Hands – Prayer Shawl Ministry at Hartselle First United Methodist Church would be appreciated.
Maelin Merriman Hadley
Falkville
Funeral Service for Maelin Merriman Hadley, 84 of Falkville was held Monday, October 24, 2022 at 1 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Wade Stover officiating with burial in the Herring Cemetery with Peck Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Hadley was born August 23, 1938 in Lawrence County, Ala. to Wiley Weeks and Margaret Ann Garrison Weeks. She passed away Friday October 21, 2022 at UAB Hospital in Birmingham. Maelin was a Baptist and was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; Curtis Merriman and Willard Hadley; two brothers, Theo Weeks and Billy Weeks; sister, Merle Bradley; and granddaughter, Breanna Burgett. She was retired from General Electric after 35 years. Maelin was a loving mother. Survivors include three sons, Curtis Walt Merriman (Kathy), Brian Merriman (Dedra), and Tony Merriman (Karen); three daughters, Sandra Trussell (Joe), Sally McIntyre, and Shea Tolbert; brother, Rickey Weeks; sister, Sue Jones; 16 grandchildren, Michael Burgett, Brandon Burgett, Malikye Sanford, Misty Wilson, Merenda Mitchell, Curtis Merriman, Alisha Durbin, Christopher Merriman, Bryan McIntyre, Maelin Jones, Ashley Hulsey, Zachary Merriman, Jacob Merriman, Meri-Kathrine Tolbert, Elizabeth Tolbert, and Cheyene Tolbert; 26 great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren. Pallbearers were Brandon Burgett, Michael Burgett, Zachary Merriman, Jacob Merriman, Cody Burgett and Michael Burgett Jr.
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