Obituaries

Obituaries, week of October 2, 2024

Winston R. Bryan 

Mr. Winston R. Bryan, age 85, passed away Sunday, September 22, 2024 in Mobile, Ala. He resided most of his life in Atmore, Ala. and proudly served in the United States Navy. He loved listening to music, Sacred Harp and the Gaither’s. He also liked watching westerns and both Alabama and Auburn football; enjoyed hunting and spending time outdoors; traveling to the mountains; along with making all of his grandchildren’s functions. He loved attending church and the Eagle Saints Sunday School Class.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jack (Louisa Maybell Buck) Bryan; wife, Lou-Etta Bryan; one son, Jack Ora Bryan; one sister, Meriam Bryan; two brothers, Oscar Marion Bryan and Franklin D. “Runt” Bryan.

Mr. Bryan is survived by his wife of seven years, Voncile Bryan of Atmore; three sons, Winston Rodney (Charlene) Bryan of Frisco City, Ala.; Anthony Ray Bryan Poarch, Ala. and Cameran Joel Bryan of Atmore; one daughter, San Etta (Robbie) Jaye of Atmore; one brother, Windell Wayne “Soapy” Bryan of N. C.; two sisters, Wynell Bryan (Archie) Covington of Uriah, Ala.,  Mavis Virginia Newman of N. C.; nine grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren other relatives and friends.

Funeral service will be held Friday, September 27, 2024 at 1 p.m. at First Assembly of God Church with Rev. Don Davis officiating. Burial will follow at McCullough Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Friday, September 27, 2024 from Noon until service time at 1 p.m. at First Assembly of God Church.

Pallbearers will be Chase Jaye, Connor Jaye, Jack Jaye, Corey Bryan, Cameran Bryan, Preston Payne and Josh Peebles.

Honorary pallbearers will be Eagle Saints Sunday School Class.

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

John Richard “Dick” Lodge, Jr.

Mr. John Richard “Dick” Lodge, Jr., age 75, passed away Friday, September 20, 2024. He was born in Sewanee, Tenn. to the late Rev. John Richard Lodge and Sarah Virginia (Pat) Lodge.

Mr. Lodge is survived by his wife of forty-six years, Virginia (Gina) Tyler Lodge; daughter, Sarah Lodge Tally (Trey) and son, Richard Matthew Lodge (Rachael); grandchildren, Virginia Frances Tally, Earl Burton Tally (E.B.) IV, John Richard (Jack) Lodge, III and Josephine Bright Lodge; siblings, Henry Lodge (Donna), Sarah Lodge and David Lodge (Andrea); many nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces.

The family will receive friends Wednesday, September 25, 2024 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral, Nashville, Tenn.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 3 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral.

In lieu of flowers, Dick would be honored to be remembered at Abe’s Garden Community, The Center for Contemplative Justice (CCJ), or Christ Church Cathedral.

Crawford Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements. Nashville, Tenn.

Dorothy Ann Chavers

Chavers

Mrs. Dorothy (Dottie) Ann Chavers, age 81, of McDavid, Fla., passed away Sunday, September 22, 2024. She was born in Uriah, Ala., the youngest in her family to Maybell Hayes and Leo Gordon Melvin. Her vibrant spirit was evident in her many passions. She was one of the best cooks around, a dedicated community member, a renowned cosmetologist, a teacher, a team mom, a mentor, everyone’s best friend, an active member of Pace Assembly, and a child of God.

She was preceded in death by her siblings, Louise Singleton, Mary Lewis, Royce Melvin, Vester Melvin and Daniel James (DJ) Melvin; her loving husband of thirty-three years.

Mrs. Chavers is survived by her son, Marty Preston Chavers; daughter in-law, Mellanie Long Chavers; grandchildren, Becka Chavers Vactor (Alex Vincent) Vactor and Tyler Preston Chavers (Desiri Dawn) and Nathaniel Mason Henschel; great-grandchildren, August James Vactor, Violet Tillie Vactor, Winter Francesca Chavers and Bowie Preston Chavers; cherished friend and companion for two decades, William Lewis.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 28, 2024 at from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Community of Christ Church in Huxford, Ala. with Pastor Steve Zepp and High Priest Beth Linam officiating which will be live streamed and followed by a late lunch reception. Interment will follow in Huxford Community of Christ Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Friday, September 27, 2024 from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in Atmore with a family viewing from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Flowers are appreciated but as an alternative, feel free to make a donation to the Parkinson’s Foundation www.parkinson.org.   

Johnson Quimby Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements.

Connie Sue Harris

Harris

Ms. Connie Sue Harris, age 69, of Century, Fla. passed away at her home Sunday September 22, 2024. She was born in Independence, Mo. to the late Georgia Reba Terry and Anderson Delano Dinwiddie. Her kindness, warmth, and infectious laughter along with her amazing cooking was a testament to the power of love and family dedication. Her greatest joy came from her family.

Ms. Harris is survived by her two loving sons and their families, Ryan Harris and

his son, Jaxton Harris and Chris and Melissa Harris with their son, Russell Harris; six brothers, Jim, Jerry, Fred, Mike, Ronnie, Donald Dinwiddie; two sisters, Donna Spilman and Rebecca Dinwiddie.

An inurnment will take place in Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Fla. at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a local charity of your choice in her honor.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements.

Michael Edward Bryars, Jr.

Mr. Michael “Mikey” Edward Bryars, Jr., age 27, passed away Monday, September 23, 2024 in Bay Minette, Ala. He was a lifelong resident of Bay Minette. He loved music and played a range of instruments including keyboard, bass guitar, baritone and was awarded a scholarship for trombone. He particularly loved rock and heavy metal, a taste he inherited from his father. He was a gamer, comic book collector, and had encyclopedic knowledge of music, DC, Marvel, Pokémon, horror movies and Power Rangers. He had an enormous and kind heart and greatly loved spending time with family and friends, specifically his nieces and nephews. He loved travelling on cruises to Mexico and had been many times.
He was preceded in death by his father, Michael Edward Bryars Sr.; grandparents, Clarence Earl (Martha) Bryars Sr.
Mr. Bryars is survived by his mother, Debra (Robbie) Simpson of Pine Grove, Ala.; brothers, Nik (Brittany) Bryars, Joey (Jordan) Bryars, Jonathan Colton Bryars all of Pine Grove; sisters, Autumn Simpson and Hailey Simpson, all of Pine Grove; grandparents, James (Maria) White and Artie Gardner, both of Perdido; nieces, Dylan and Oakleigh; nephew, Charlie and many other family members.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, September 28, 2024 at 11 a.m. at Petty Funeral Homes, LLC. with Brother Jimmy Satterfield officiating

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

Maria Virginia Sutton Ewing 

Ewing

Mrs. Maria Virginia Sutton Ewing passed away Saturday, September 21, 2024. She became a loyal wife, a fiercely devoted mother and a pillar of her community, known by all to be uncommonly generous and kind. She used her gifts solely for the benefit of others. Among them, cooking, baking, sewing, and good ol’ Southern hospitality. She loved taking pictures, being at the beach with her family, playing tennis with her friends, laughing, dancing and Alabama football. She was pure joy and love.

Mrs. Ewing is survived by her husband of thirty-five years, former Marine Corps Lt. Colonel Thomas Ewing; her twin girls, Savannah Rae and Alaina Colleen; her middle daughter, Celeste Virginia and her youngest, Raquel Nicole; numerous extended family members, friends and loved ones.
The family will receive friends Saturday, October 5, 2024 from 7 until 8 p.m. at Hopewell Funeral Home, 6005 S County Road 39, Plant City, Fla.

A memorial mass will be held in Atmore, Ala. at St. Roberts Bellarmine Catholic Church, Atmore, AL 36502, Friday, October 11 at 11 a.m. followed by interment at Oak Hill Cemetery and a reception in Boland Hall.

Hopewell Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements. Plant City, Fla.

Mary Virginia Weaver Mills Sharpless 

Sharpless

Mrs. Mary Virginia Weaver Mills Sharpless, age 88, passed away Sunday, September 29, 2024 at her home. She was born to Audrey and Onnie Mae Weaver of Booneville, Ala.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, James Harold Mills; her second husband, Carlton Prescott Sharpless; her brother, Charles O’Neal Weaver and her sisters Martha Sharpless and June Luker.

Mrs. Sharpless is survived by her daughters, Jeanie (Bruce) Bryan of Rome, Ga. and Shellie (Larry) Sharpless of Walnut Hill, Fla.; her brother, Jerry (Jeanette) Weaver of Booneville, Ala.; her grandchildren, Josh (Vanessa) Lyles of Nashville, Tenn., Eric Lyles of Cumming, Ga., Rachel Rogers of Atlanta, Ga., Jay (Mahryn) Sharpless of Cantonment, Fla. and Samantha (Tony) Corley of Kingsville, Texas; great-grandchildren, Lexi, Adi, Emma, Kennedy, Easton, Brayden, Cooper, Raegan, Avery, Chloe and James Jr. and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 11 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Tim Tew and Bro. Greg Sellers officiating. Interment will follow in McCullough Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Saturday, October 5, 2024 from 10 a.m. until service time at 11 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements.

Jakyran Watkins

Jakyran Watkins, age 17, of Evergreen, Ala., passed away Saturday, September 28, 2024; at Evergreen Medical Center.

Funeral services are incomplete at this time but will be announced later by Christian Memorial Funeral Home. Atmore, Ala.