Obituaries

Obituaries for the week of January 11, 2017

Evelyn McKinley Pipkin
Mrs. Evelyn McKinley Pipkin, age 80, passed away Wednesday, January 4, 2017 in Nokomis, Ala. She was a native and life-long resident of Nokomis, Ala. She was a member of the Good Sam Club, Mobile Road Runners and the First Assembly of God of Atmore.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gay and Grace Flowers; first husband, Carin McKinley; two brothers, Winston Flowers and Clayton Flowers and two sisters, Joyce Nall and Betty Norris.

Mrs. Pipkin is survived by her husband, James E. Pipkin of Nokomis; two sons, Greg (Patty) McKinley of Lottie, AL and Randy (Debbie) McKinley of Nokomis, AL; one daughter, Diane (Ray) Lassitter of Nokomis; one step-son, James E. (Gwen) Pipkin, Jr. of Saraland, Ala.; two step-daughters, Becky (Hodge) Walker of Bay Minette, Ala. and Catherine (Danny) Jordan of Houma, La.; eight grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Sunday, January 8, 2017 at 2 p.m. at First Assembly of God Church of Atmore with Rev. Don Davis officiating. Burial followed at Mothershed Cemetery.

The family received friends Saturday, January 7, 2017 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were Shane Lassitter, Seth Lassitter, Auden Lassitter, Hunter McKinley, Ely Godwin and Justin McKinley.

Honorary pallbearers were Charles Wilson, Danny Wilson and Norman Wilson.

Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC in charge of all arrangements, Atmore, Ala.

James Donald “J.D.” Hanks
Mr. James Donald “J.D.” Hanks, age 87, passed away Monday, January 2, 2017 in Atmore, Ala. He was a native of Bratt, Fla., former resident of Molino, Fla. (35 years) and has resided in Atmore since 1996. He was in the U.S. Air Force; worked in the oil field; collected antique bottles; loved to cook and raised Donna.

He attended the Hall’s Fork Assembly of God Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents and eight siblings.

Mr. Hanks is survived by his wife, Lettie Caraway Hanks of Atmore; one daughter, Donna Hanks (Tracey) Hall of Atmore; one sister, Marnell Weekley of Pace, Fla.; two grandchildren, Donna Elizabeth (Jamie) King of Atmore and James Ryan “J.R.” (Virginia) Hall of Gordo, Ala.; seven great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 11 a.m. at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Windell Hadley officiating. Burial followed Bay Springs Cemetery.

The family received friends Friday, January 6, 2017 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were Ronald Hanks, Billy Hanks, Steve Wilson, Luman Wilson, Ricky Beasley and Roy Thomas.

Honorary pallbearers were Brannon Baggett, Kelly Gunn, Fred LaFave, Barry Long, Aubrey Paul and Dallas Sessions.

Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC in charge of all arrangements, Atmore, Ala.

Opal J. Caraway
Mrs. Opal J. Caraway, age 74, of Atmore, Ala., passed away Thursday, January 5, 2017 in Atmore, Ala. She was a school bus driver for Escambia County, Ala. School System with twenty-four years of Service. She was born in Atmore to the late Louie Frank and Minnie Irene Rutherford Simmons. She was a member of Atmore First Assembly of God.

Mrs. Caraway is survived by her husband, Hollis “Bob” Caraway of Atmore; two sons, Hollis Wayne (Rachael) Caraway of Uriah, Ala., Ryan O’Neal (Carrie) Caraway of Atmore and two daughters, Alicia (Richard) Hetrick and Regena (Chris) Black, all of Atmore; eleven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Monday, January 9, 2017 at 2 p.m. from Atmore First Assembly of God with Bro. Don Davis officiating. Interment followed in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers, Wesley Webb, Eddie McKinley, Edgar Norris, Marlin Iutzi and Danny Guy.

The family received friends Monday, January 9, 2017 from 1 p.m. until service time at 2 p.m. at Atmore First Assembly of God.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc. in charge of all arrangements.

Alvin Owens
Mr. Alvin E. Owens, age 84, passed away Saturday, January 7, 2017 in Fairhope, Ala. He was a native of Panama City, Fla. and has resided in Atmore, Ala. for the past seventy one years.

Owens

He was a fifty year Master Mason with the Carney Lodge No. 549. He was an active member of Bethel Methodist Church serving in various leadership capacities and was a Certified Lay Speaker. He retired from Sears with twenty-seven years of service as an Appliance Technician, instructor at Sears in Atlanta, Ga. Later he was self-employed doing appliance service as Alvin Owens Appliance.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Leona Owens; an infant sister, Mary Ann Owens and brother, Robert Bob Owens.

Mr. Owens is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Nell Owens of Atmore and numerous cherished nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Monday, January 9, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Gus Jones officiating. Burial followed at Oak Hill Cemetery.

The family received friends Monday, January 9, 2017 from 12:30 p.m. until service time at 2 p.m. at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were Greg Turberville, Wesley Davis, Todd Vickery, Kevin Vickery, Doug Vickery, Robert Owens and Ben Owens.

Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC in charge of all arrangements, Atmore, Ala.

Melvin Dortch
Mr. Melvin Dortch, age 60, of Atmore, Ala., passed away Sunday, January 8, 2017 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla.

Funeral service was held Saturday, January 14, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Gaines Chapel AME Church, 122 Carver Ave., Atmore with Rev. Amos Smith, Pastor, officiating. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery.

Turner Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements.

Mary Peterson
Ms. Mary Peterson, age 69, passed away Saturday, December 31, 2016. She was born in Brewton, Ala. to Earsa Lee Crook and Lawrence Peterson. She worked as a housekeeper for many years at Days Inn. She was also a teacher at Boykin Head Start. She was a faithful member of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents; step-father, Albert Crook; daughter Frankseane Collins; two brothers, Luman Peterson and Joseph Peterson; two sisters, Rosie Randall and Annese Peterson; grandmother, Beatrice Crosby; two great-great-grands; one aunt, Ethel McKenzie and one uncle, Wilbert Crosby

Ms. Peterson is survived by four daughters, Martha Peterson, Linda (Murphy) Dixon, Tiajuana Peterson and Veronica Peterson, all of Brewton; one son, Anthony Peterson of Brewton; sisters, Nan Mosbey of Castleberry, Brenda Thomas and Lillian Day, both of Brewton; seven brothers, Frank Jones of Ashville, N.C., Lawrence Peterson, Jr. of Union springs, Ala., Raymond Peterson, Charles Crook, both of Atmore, David (Linda) Crook, Rex (Sylvia) Crook and Calep Crook, all of Brewton; two sisters-in-law, Lois crook of Brewton and Jacquelin Peterson of Atmore; twenty-one grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral services were held Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 2:30 p.m. at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, Brewton with Rev. Barrett Coachman, Pastor and

Pastor Kenneth Watson officiating. Burial followed at Oak Grove Cemetery, Brewton.

Christian Memorial Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements. Brewton, Ala.

Loretta McCants
Mrs. Loretta McCants, age 76, passed away Wednesday, December 28, 2016. She was born in Uriah, Ala. to the late George and Elizabeth Thames, Sr. She attended Escambia County Training School and later began her career with the Alabama Department of Health, retiring after twenty plus years of service. She was a member of Full of Life Ministries.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Albert McCants; two sons, Kenneth and Bob Watson; three brothers, James George Jr and Samuel Thames; one sister, Bessie McBride.

Mrs. McCants is survived by five sons, Apostle Tony (Dorothy) McAroy, Sr., Rufus Watson, Angelo (Quantina) Watson, William Watson, Jr. and Pastor Reginald (Kimberly) McCants, all of Atmore; daughter Shavaughn (Ronnie) Williams and Juanita (Terry) Griggs of Atmore; four sisters, Evelyn Murray and Shirley Thames of Pensacola, Fla., Minnie (Elvin) Stallworth of Harvest, Ala. and Ernestine King of Atmore; two brothers, Willie (Lillie) Thames of Pensacola and Theodore (Maryland) Thames of Sacramento, Calif.; sixteen grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; one brother-in-law, Cleo McCants of Atmore and one God-daughter, Katrina Tucker along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 1 p.m. at Deliverance Ministry of Jesus Christ with Dr. Kelvin Williams, host Pastor, Apostle Tony McAroy, Eulogist and Rev. Robert Grissett, officiating. Interment followed at Stallworth Cemetery.

Pallbearers were her grandsons.

Flower bearers were relatives and friends.

Christian Memorial Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements. Atmore, Ala.

Edna Wilson McLoyd
Ms. Edna Wilson McLoyd passed away recently.

The family received friends Friday, January 13, 2016 from 4 until 6 p.m. at the funeral home chapel.

Funeral services were held Saturday, January 14, 2017 at 12:30 p.m. at Christian Memorial Funeral Home Chapel.

Christian Memorial Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements. Atmore, Ala.

Rosemary Rogers-Grass
Mrs. Rosemary Rogers-Grass, age 58, of Silver Hill, Ala., passed away Monday, January 9, 2017 in Foley, Ala. She was born in Atmore, Ala. to the late Hugo and Katherine Rogers of Perdido, Ala. She was a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in Communication. She had been self-employed operating a house cleaning service for a number of years.

Mrs. Grass is survived by her husband, Larry Grass of Silver Hill; one daughter, Peggy Grass (John Higgins) and one granddaughter, Elizabeth (Lizzy), all of Silver Hill; one sister, Barbara (Larry) McCoy of Nokomis, Ala. and three brothers, Hugo (Crystal) Rogers of Waverly, Ala., Tolbert (Deborah) Rogers of Nokomis and Norman (Shelia) Rogers of Atmore; three nieces and three nephews.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time but will be announced by Wolfe Funeral Home, Fairhope, Ala.

Joe Nathan Thomas, Sr.
Mr. Joe Nathan Thomas, Sr., age 64, passed away Thursday, December 29, 2016. He was born to the late T. Thomas, Jr. and Daisy Lee Benjamin Thomas.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother L. C. Thomas and son Joe Nathan Thomas, Jr.

Mr. Thomas is survived by his children, Keysha Thomas, Trevaees Thomas, both of Cleveland, Ohio; Tori Phillips of Huntsville, Ala., Joei Phillips of Bay Minette, Ala and a devoted brother, Willie C. (Annie) Benjamin of Brewton; four aunts, Cora Lee Bailey of Brewton, Ala., Pearlie Jones of Huntsville, Annie Ruth Etheridge of Century, Fla., Augustell (Elbert) Thomas of Pensacola, Fla.; one uncle, T.J. Thomas of Pensacola, Fla.; twelve grandchildren and one great-grandchild; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 11 a.m. at Christian Memorial Funeral Home, Brewton, with Bishop Herman Bradley, officiating.

Interment followed at Greater Piney Grove Cemetery, Brewton, Ala.

Pall bearers were his nephew and cousins.

Flower attendants were his nieces and cousins.

Christian Memorial Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements. Brewton, Ala.