Obituaries week of June 28

Verline Warren-Stansbury Atkins
Danville
A graveside funeral service and interment for Verline Warren-Stansbury
Atkins, 84, was held Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 11 a.m. at Mississippi
County Memorial Gardens, in Arkansas with Roller Swift Funeral Home
directing. Mrs. Atkins died Sunday, June 18, 2023, at her residence. She was born
May 16, 1939, in Quitman County, Mississippi, to Grady Warren and Aleene
Ferguson Warren. Mrs. Atkins was a Christian lady and member of Valley Grove Baptist Church
in Speake. She loved unconditionally no matter your status. She was equally
passionate about caring for all animals and many times throughout her life
took in dogs, cats and other animals to care for and many times ended up
adopting them. She was involved in the PTA, Sam’s Club, the Blind Club of
Mississippi and Alabama, and volunteered with the animal shelters in the
area and with Goodwill. She was very generous with charities that focused on
helping others. She loved traveling and has been to almost every state in
the United States and Canada, as well as Europe. Mrs. Atkins was employed as
the Office Manager of Consolidated Freightways, until her retirement.
Preceding her in death were her parents, a daughter, Jeri Gaye McAdams,
brothers, Glenn Allen Warren, William Warren and Tommy Warren, and sister.
Gene Acker. Survivors include husband, James Atkins; son, Chris Stanford Stansbury (Marilyn B.); daughter, Connie J. Stansbury; brothers, Sidney Warren and Victor Warren; sisters, Mamie Fisk and Gwen Clowers; two grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Pallbearers were Victor Warren, Jimmy Atkins, Terry Fisk, Hogan Harrell, Jonathan Stansbury and Ricky Kimbrell. Peck Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements 

Larry McGee
Danville
A memorial service for Larry McGee, 69, was held Saturday, June 24, 2023, at
11 a.m. at Peck Funeral Home with Bro. Michael Gunter and Bro. Ron Wright
officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Mr. McGee died Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at Decatur Morgan Hospital. He was born August 31, 1953, in Morgan County to Cecil McGee and Wyoma Bennefield McGee. He was employed as a machine operator for Chore-Time,
prior to his retirement. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include
wife, Marilyn Margaret McGee, Danville; daughters, Pamela McGee Leach (James) and Selena McGee Alghanee (Markendrick); sister, Betty McGee; grandson, Marlon (M.J.) Collier;
nieces, Missy Oliver and Marti Orr.  

Hansford “Hank” Smith 
Decatur

Hansford “Hank” Smith
Decatur
Hansford “Hank” Ernest Smith, 92, of Decatur passed away Monday, June 19,
2023, at his home surrounded by family. A celebration of life service was held June 25 at 2:30 pm at Decatur Baptist Church with Bro. Doug Ripley officiating and two of Hank’s grandsons, Adrian Baker and James DeKoker, speaking. Hank, a pastor, builder, and faithful man of God, was a member of Decatur Baptist Church. He was a beloved husband and father who was a blessing to us all. His example and his love made an incredible difference in our lives. Memories of him will be cherished by his children, Dara Cobb (Richard), Daphana DeKoker (Rick), Deree Tarwater (Randy), and David Smith (Rozlynn); eleven grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; brothers, Eskell Smith and Joe “Junior” Smith and sister, Jean Dear; fellow members of Decatur Baptist
Church; and many friends. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Dottie Smith; his son, Byron Baker and wife, Patti; his parents Joseph and Murfie Smith; sister, Phyllis and brothers, Curfew, Alvertis, and Aquillar (Dude) Smith. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be made to The Timothy Initiative, First Priority Decatur or Hospice of the Valley. 

Betty Stephenson Martin
Decatur
Funeral service for Betty Stephenson Martin, 88, was held Friday, June 23,
2023 at 4 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Peck Funeral Home
directing. Burial was held in Forrest Chapel Cemetery. Mrs. Martin died Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at Summerford Nursing Home. She was born January 30, 1935, in Morgan County, to Fred Stephenson and Mae Wallace Stephenson. She was a member of the Parkview Baptist Church and prior to retirement, she was employed by Sears Company, as a department manager for 28 years. She was a loving wife, mother, Mee-maw and sister. Preceding her in death were her husband, Billie Martin; her parents, a brother, Wallace Stephenson and a sister, Sue Stanford.
Survivors include daughters, Lisa Martin Hancock and Cheryl Martin Glaze (Ray); special friend, Hattie Hampton; sister, Barbara Stephenson Yancy (Bill);msix grandchildren; eight great- grandchildren. Pallbearers were Drew Glaze, Christopher Hancock, Benjamin Hancock, Josh Howard, Will Stutts and Isaac Peck.

John Sterling Robertson 
Scottsdale, Ariz.

John Sterling Robertson 

Scottsdale, Ariz.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved John
Sterling Robertson of Scottsdale, Ariz. John passed away Monday, June
12, 2023. He was born October 27, 1986, in Gadsden, Ala. to John and Tina
Robertson. John grew up in Glencoe and Hartselle. He graduated with
a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Alabama in
Huntsville. He recently graduated from Charis Bible College with an
associate of Biblical Studies. He worked for P97 Networks as the lead
engineer of the platform team. John helped write multiple programs
supporting many different projects and he loved what he did. Even more, than
he loved programming, was his love for teaching others about Jesus Christ.
John planned on moving to Japan and teaching others about his faith. John
loved Japanese culture and often translated at his local Japanese church.
John loved road trips and would share his journey with everyone. John was
known for his warmth, compassion, and unmistakable love of his family. In
the wake of this devastating loss, let us remember John as a great friend
and a remarkable person. John is preceded in death by his stepmother, Suzi Robertson; his paternal grandparents, Tommy and Francis Black Robertson and maternal grandparents,
Carl and Betty Black Hammon. He is survived by his father, John Robertson; his mother, Tina Robertson; his brother, Dakota Robertson (Sam); his best friends, Mr. and Mrs. Raj
Dalvi, and a host of family and friends. A graveside service was held at Mt. Tabor Cemetery, Hartselle, at 4 p.m. Friday, June 23, 2023. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Japanese Baptist International Church in Tempe, Ariz.
  

Richard “Dick” Mason
Madison
Funeral service for Richard “Dick” Mason, 78, was held Saturday, June 24,
2023, at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home with Bro. Steve Keller officiating and
Peck Funeral Home directing. Burial was held in Valhermoso Springs Cemetery.
Mr. Mason died Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at North Alabama Specialty
Hospital in Athens. He was born December 1, 1944, in San Diego County,
California, to Jack Mason and Adele Florence Collins Mason. He was employed by Northrop Grumman, in business administration, prior to his retirement. Dick and his wife, Danna, were married 40 years. He was a member of the First Bible Church of Madison, enjoyed collecting pennies, loved his family, especially his grandchildren. Preceding him in death were his parents and a sister, Nancy Warden. Survivors include wife, Danna B. Mason; son, Christopher Lee (Kimberly); daughter, Cindy Hanback (Kirk); grandchildren, Caryn Lee, Jason Lee, Meaghan Hanback and Madelynn Hanback. Pallbearers were family and friends. 

George “Buster” Norwood, III
Hartselle
A celebration of life service for George “Buster” Norwood III, 64 of
Hartselle, was held Saturday, July 8, 2023, at 5 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home
Chapel with Brother Ben Bates officiating. Buster, who was born July 3, 1958, in Jefferson County retired from General Motors after 30 years of service. He worked 25 years in Decatur at Saginaw
Steering Gear and five years at the Corvette Plant in Bowling Green. He was a
member of the UAW, loved to work on cars and was a very talented painter and
always loved to, “Buster Rig,” he could fix anything. Buster also had a
passion for radio-controlled airplanes, owned several and was a member of
the club in Bowling Green. He loved his family and friends and loved
visiting and having good conversations. Survivors Include wife, Sylvia Daniel Norwood;
one son, Wesley Daniel (Kaitlin); two daughters, Kelli Norwood Barnes (Kriss) and Melesa Lamb (Jerread); parents, George T. and Patricia Norwood; one brother, Michael Norwood (Angie);
two sisters,  Lori Underwood (Scott) and  Karen Carter (Craig); six grandchildren, Zach Daniel (Savanna), Blake Daniel (Caitlin), Chandler Daniel, Jack Lamb, Kyle Lamb, and Blaze Barnes; two great-grandchildren, Josey Lee Daniel and Emma Kate Daniel.
 

Joe R. Crawford 
Somerville

Joe R. Crawford 

Somerville 

Joe R. Crawford, a cattleman and long-time director in the federal farm credit bank system known for his welcoming nature and steadfast character, died Friday, June 23, surrounded by his family. He was 85. Crawford grew up in rural Morgan County, where he learned the values of hard work, keeping your word and treating people right. A graduate of the University of Alabama, he and his beautiful bride settled in Cocoa Beach, Fla., where he worked as an engineer for NASA at the height of the space race. But when his father died suddenly in 1968, Crawford, then 30 and the oldest of five children, left that career behind and moved his young family back home to the farm where he had grown up.  

Over the next several decades, Crawford built a successful cow-calf operation. He was named Outstanding Young Farmer and president of the Alabama Cattleman’s Association before serving for more than a decade as a director of the Farm Credit Bank of Texas and then the federal Farm Credit Funding Corporation. For his “significant contributions to agriculture,” Crawford was inducted into the bank’s Academy of Honor in 2016. A lifelong Alabama fan, Crawford designated the scholarship the bank established in his name to his alma mater.  

People who have known him longest describe his positivity, ready smile, quick wit and generosity of spirit. He loved to talk to everyone he met, anywhere he went, and he believed if he asked enough questions, he could find common ground with anyone (although his son did tell him the New York City subway might not be the best place for that.) He worked hard at staying positive and seeking out the best in everyone, and it showed.  

He is survived by his loving wife of sixty years, Carolyn Page of Ocean Springs, Miss., whose beauty and charm never failed to amaze him, their children, Jan Crawford (Doug Greenburg) of Washington, D.C., and Ron Crawford (Helen) of Atlanta, Ga., and six grandchildren. 

Indeed, for all his many accomplishments, his greatest success in life was as granddaddy and “Yay-yo” to Carolyn, Louisa, Jack and Page Greenburg, and Joe and Nora Crawford. He taught them how to drive tractors and his yellow jeep, how to shoot a gun and a jump shot, and that when you go check the cows, it’s good to sometimes stop and pick blackberries and wildflowers in the pasture to take home to Nana. He taught them more about living life than their own parents ever could have done, and he was loved by them fiercely and devotedly.  

He is preceded in death by his younger brother, Michael and parents, Clyde Crawford and Annie Hawk McKee, and he leaves behind his brother and neighbor, Bob (Judy); sister, Betsy Duncan (Bob) of Eustis, Fla.; and brother, Tony of Dallas, Texas. If there is anything he would want done in his honor, it would be for you to “keep your chin up,” get up early and visit the most down-to-earth coffee shop you can find and make a new friend or reach out to an old one. Services were at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 28, 2023, at Peck Funeral Home in Hartselle. Burial was held in Arab City Cemetery. To share a memory or a condolence, please visit www.peckfuneralhome.com.  

Juanita-Mooney Harris Mooney 
Anniston

Juanita-Mooney Harris Mooney
Anniston
A graveside funeral service and interment for Juanita-Mooney Harris Mooney, 93,
was held Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at 3 p.m. at Roselawn Cemetery with Rev.
Myron Mooney and Pastor T.C. Mooney officiating and Peck Funeral Home
directing. Juanita-Mooney Genene Harris was born to Porter and Daisy Harris on May 7, 1930.
She had one brother, Donald. In 1949, she married Charles E. Mooney. They
were married 58 years and had five sons, Mike, Kim, Brad, Tim and Jackie,
eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God and love others. Juanita-Mooney Mooney lived a life of loving God and loving others.
Juanita-Mooney Harris accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior when she was 15
years old. She immediately began sharing her love of Jesus and it was only a
short time until she was teaching Sunday School which she continued to do
for most of her life – often with a baby in her arms or a toddler on her
lap.
Juanita-Mooney began teaching her five sons about Jesus and the Bible from the time
they were born. She would stand in the hallway of their house at night and
read the Bible so that all the boys could hear her from their beds. Her
greatest joy in this life was that all her sons, daughters-in-law and
grandchildren accepted Jesus as their Savior.
Juanita-Mooney fiercely loved her family. She was always quick to defend her boys,
when needed, but just as quick to set them straight when they stepped over
the line too far. She warmed her boy’s backsides on many occasions.
Juanita-Mooney served her family in countless ways. She was an excellent cook,
seamstress, costume maker, play write, and poet as well as a willing
participant in the current adventure which included riding mopeds, skate
boards, trolleys, and basketball. The local emergency room doctor can verify
some of her escapades.
One of her greatest joys was her eight grandchildren. Juanita-Mooney would travel
hundreds of miles to be on hand to help, cook, hold, and sing original songs
to the newborn babies. Later she would host cousin camp weeks so that the
grandchildren could spend time together with Granny and Granddaddy in
Alabama.
Prayer was her greatest gift to her children and grandchildren. We all knew
that we could count on her to pray for any need we shared with her. She
would faithfully pray, often on her knees or even her face before the Lord,
during times of greatest need.
Juanita-Mooney’s love of others extended beyond her family. She was a faithful,
loving, and giving member of the church for more than seventy years. Miss
Juanita-Mooney’s baked goods graced many a kitchen, nursing home and funeral
gathering. She was a frequent visitor of those who were sick, troubled, or
confined to home. She also provided counsel to many teenage girls in need of
a loving and listening woman who welcomed them, loved them and prayed for
them. Juanita-Mooney loved a full house, whether it was family, church groups, or just
friends of her boys. Everyone was welcome at the Mooney house. Juanita-Mooney said
she always slept best when her house was full. She even bought extra
Christmas presents each year for the inevitable drop-in Christmas morning
visit of friends of the boys who knew that there would be a loving welcome
for them. What a legacy and example she has left to so many. A legacy of love,
laughter, commitment, and compassion. An example of how to love God and
others so very well. Pallbearers were Ethan Norwood, Dawson Norwood, Jackson Wayan, Dustin
Wayan, Brian Irwin and Alex Mooney.