Alabama, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1805-1967 - 1814-1935
Richard Lloyd Leonard
70, retired chemical engineer
Memorial service for Richard Lloyd Leonard, 70, of Decatur will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Richmond R. Webster and the Rev. Richard Lawson officiating, and Roselawn Funeral Home directing.
The family will receive friends Thursday from 10 to 11 in the church parlor.
Mr. Leonard died Monday, June 25, 2001, at his home. He was born Dec. 8, 1930, in Savannah, Ga., to Lester Bolton Leonard and Nelle Lloyd Leonard. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Emory University in 1951. Serving in Korea, he flew an F-86 jet fighter with the 67th Fighter Bomber Wing attached to the 5th Air Force.
After being discharged from the Air Force, Mr. Leonard earned a degree in chemical engineering from Georgia Tech. From then until his retirement in 1985, he worked for Chemstrand (Solutia) in Decatur and Research Triangle in North Carolina. From 1994 to 1998, he did consulting work for DuPont, participating in projects that led to several patents. While living in Cary, N.C., he served as senior warden when St. Paul's Episcopal Church became a parish. A member of St. John's Episcopal in Decatur, he was the brother of the late Lester Bolton Leonard Jr.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Wyatt Leonard; one son, Richard Wyatt Leonard of Cleveland, Tenn.; one daughter, Kathryn Leonard DeWitt of Indianapolis; one brother, Jerry Parker Leonard of Johnson City, Tenn; one sister, Betty Ann Leonard Knudsen of Raleigh, N.C.; five grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Memorials may be made to St. John's Episcopal Church.
Ila Bell McMahan
94, homemaker
ATHENS -- Funeral for Ila Bell McMahan, 94, of Port Richie, Fla. was to be today at 11 a.m. at Spry Funeral Home with Billy McGregor officiating.
Burial was to be in Athens City Cemetery.
Mrs. McMahan died Thursday, June 21, 2001, in Florida. She was born Aug. 7, 1906, in Limestone County in the Holland's Gin community to William Tribble and Ida Ann Jenkins Tribble. She was a homemaker and a member of the Church of Christ.
Survivors include one son, Billy McMahan of Port Richie; one daughter, Doris Perles of Melbourne, Fla.; one brother, Ford Tribble of Athens; three sisters, Irene Chandler of Rogersville, Divie Tribble of Michigan and Della Slatton of Athens; 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers were to be Dennis McMahan, Bryan McMahan, Charles McMahan, Joshua Jeasulites, John McMahan, and Gilbert Matheny.
Patricia Ann Mitchell
48, housekeeper
Funeral for Patricia Ann Mitchell, 48, of Decatur will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at St. Peters Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Shirley Fletcher officiating.
Burial will be in Sterrs Cemetery with Sharpley Funeral Home directing. The family will receive friends tonight from 6 to 7 at the funeral home.
Mrs. Mitchell died Saturday, June 23, 2001, at her home. She was born Sept. 8, 1953, in Decatur to Benny Phornore and Katie Mae Scott Phornore. She was employed by SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation of Decatur in the housekeeping department.
Survivors include two sons, Frankie Mitchell and Victor Mitchell, both of Decatur; her mother of Decatur; four sisters, Wylodene Garth of Chattanooga; Sarah Thompson, and Annie Pearl Perry, both of Decatur, and Ella Mae Almond of Huntsville; and seven grandchildren.
Kathy Diane Pattillo
48, teacher, magazine editor
HARTSELLE -- Graveside service for Kathy Diane Pattillo, 48, of Antioch, Tenn., will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Hartselle City Cemetery with the Rev. W.G. Henry officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing.
Ms. Pattillo died Thursday, June 21, 2001, at Ashtabula County Medical Center in Ohio. She was born Nov. 2, 1952, in Mississippi to Hugh H. Pattillo and Patricia D. Danley Pattillo. After graduating from The University of Alabama in 1974, she taught in Melbourne, Australia, for 12 years. She was a teacher for the Birmingham school system and at Leeds High School, where she was named Teacher of the Year. While in Australia, she was editor of Big Beautiful Women Magazine. She was the granddaughter Mr. and Mrs. W.V. Pattillo and Mr. and Mrs. Shelby Danley.
Survivors include her mother of Hartselle; and one brother, Van Pattillo of Spanish Fort.
Hulond Ryan Sr.
67, Businessman
A ray of sunshine disappeared Monday for the people who knew Hulond Ryan Sr.
The 79-year-old who sold furniture, then real estate while remaining active in Decatur charities died Monday at his home. Those who knew him well tell of his jovial disposition and gift of encouragement.
"He always brought good cheer and humor with him wherever he went," said J. Gilmer Blackburn, a friend for more than 40 years who attended church and Sunday school with him at First United Methodist Church.
The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Charles Boling and the Rev. Asa Boozer officiating, and Roselawn Funeral Home directing. The family will receive friends one hour before the service at the church parlor.
The man who many simply called "H" was born in Eva on May 27, 1922, to Robert Ryan and Ethel Livingston Ryan. After serving in the U.S. Coast Guard in World War II, he opened H. Ryan Appliance and Furniture in the late 1940s. It was located on Second Avenue Southeast, across from Princess Theater. He then added stores in Huntsville and the Muscle Shoals area. In 1962, he switched to selling real estate, which he continued for 35 years.
Former city Planning Director Rob Walker, who worked with Ryan for almost 30 years, said he was impressed with Ryan's hard work ethic that he balanced with genuine friendliness.
"H. Ryan came from the old school of hard work. He was very persistent, very determined and very, very likable. And, oh, he was funny. He could always lift you up. He had a wonderful gift for storytelling. He had a very unique humor that was uplifting," Walker said.
Ryan the businessman was an innovator, according to Blackburn.
"He was outstanding for promotions and used to have a two-seater bicycle that would be ridden all over town, with the riders in straw hats. He enjoyed what he was doing," Blackburn said.
Many remember Ryan for his charitable contributions, most notably as a longtime Rotarian and for helping start the Committee on Church Cooperation with Marvin Dinsmore.
When the organization needed a new building, Ryan scouted the city for sites. He also recruited contractors who contributed labor and materials at reduced prices to remodel the building at 119 First Ave. N.E. He also persuaded the owners of the building to sell it at less than its appraised value and helped raise $20,000 to cover maintenance.
In 1996, the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce honored him with its annual Humanitarian Award, in recognition of his work for the CCC. Ryan also was a former chairman of the United Way fund-raising campaign.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Ruth Ryan; one son, H. Robert Ryan Jr. of Decatur; four sisters, Lavern Cobb of Indianapolis, Olivia Entrekin of Florette, Robbie Lou Childers of Eva and Monte R. Morgan of Flint, Mich.; and one granddaughter. He was the brother of the late Louise Patton and Roland "Shorty" Ryan, who was the former mayor of Eva.
Pallbearers will be John Wyker, Ed Garrett, Bob McKenzie, Earnest Smith, Blackburn and Tom Evans.
Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Decatur Rotary Club and Lowe Lend a Hand Sunday School Class at First Methodist.
Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church or the CCC.
Michael Richard Wallner
51, construction worker
ATHENS -- The family of Michael Richard Wallner, 51, of Athens will receive friends Thursday night from 6 to 9 at Spry Funeral Home. There will be no funeral.
Mr. Wallner died Monday, June 25, 2001, at his home. He was born Nov. 15, 1949, in New York to Michael F. Wallner and Eleanor Waddell Wallner. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Decatur Elks Lodge and was a truck driver for Burgreen Construction Co. in Athens.
Survivors include his wife, Linda Wallner; one son, Michael W. Wallner of Venice, Fla.; one daughter, Therese Avery of Northport; one stepson, Ricardo Gonzales of Glendale, Calif.; and three grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to a favorite charity.
Joseph 'Black Boy' Clancy Sr.
78, Decatur Utilities retiree
Funeral for Joseph "Black Boy" Clancy Sr., 78, of Decatur will be Friday at noon at Union Grove Primitive Baptist Church with George Franklin officiating.
Burial will be in Sterrs Cemetery with Sharpley Funeral Home directing.
Mr. Clancy died Tuesday, June 26, 2001, at his home. He was born Dec. 25, 1922, in Jefferson County to Charlie Clancy and Lillian Moore Clancy. He was a retired employee of Decatur Utilities and a member of Union Grove Primitive Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Lola Lockett Clancy; one son, Joseph Clancy Jr. of Decatur; one daughter, Veronica Steele of Decatur; two stepsons, Frank Taylor of Hartselle and Michael Taylor of Hillsboro; six stepdaughters, Carrie Lockett and Sandra Clack, both of Decatur, Reba Cheatom and Lottie Moore, both of Hartselle, Melvina Watkins of Moulton and Yvonne Cox of Buford, Ga.; 35 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Kenneth Tucker, Jeff Johnson, Abraham Johnson, Paul Cagle, James Darden and Robert Key.
David 'Red' Johnson
HARTSELLE -- Funeral for David "Red" Johnson, 59, of Valhermoso Springs will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home with the Rev. Melvin Brown, the Rev. Dewitt Crowe and the Rev. Don Trosper officiating.
Burial will be in Valhermoso Holiness Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday night from 6 to 9 at the funeral home.
Mr. Johnson died Saturday, June 23, 2001, in Morgan Hill, Calif. He was born March 16, 1942, in Morgan County to William T. Johnson and Ella Mae Dudley Henderson.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Smith Johnson; two daughters, Deborah Johnson of Morgan Hill, Calif., and Denise Johnson McManus of Madison; his mother of Valhermoso Springs; one brother, Ernest Johnson of Hartselle; and two grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Jerry Fielders, Myron Fuller, Bobby Lind, Allen Smith, Bobby Smith and Christon Smith.
Beverly Lucille Polasik
69, retired occupational therapist
Memorial service for Beverly Lucille Polasik, 69, of Trinity will be Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Ann Catholic Church with the Rev. Joseph Culotta officiating and Shelton Funeral Home directing.
The family will receive friends Friday from 10 to 11 at the church.
Mrs. Polasik died Tuesday, June 26, 2001, at her home. She was born Sept. 6, 1931, in Strawberry Point, Iowa, to William Louis Troyer and Katherine Kellogg Troyer. Mrs. Polasik was a member of St. Ann Catholic Church and was a retired occupational therapist. She was a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Council on Family Relations.
Survivors include two sons, Christopher Polasik of Olathe, Kan., and Paul Polasik of Trinity; two daughters, Mary Polasik Flores of Houston, Texas, and Jean Polasik Hand of Trinity; two brothers, Melvin Troyer of Sun Prairie, Wis., and Edward Troyer of San Jose, Calif.; one sister Mary Lou Davenport of Red Wing, Minn.; and four grandchildren.
Elzada McCollum Power
77, homemaker
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. -- Funeral for Elzada McCollum Power, 77, of Destin, Fla., will be Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Andrews by the Sea Episcopal Church.
The family will receive friends tonight from 6 to 8 at McLaughlin Mortuary.
Mrs. Power died Wednesday, June 27, 2001, at Destin Health Care. She was a native of Chattanooga and was reared in Nashville and Clarksville, Tenn. She and her husband settled in Decatur following World War II, and she was involved at the Episcopal church, and the Junior Service League. A homemaker, her hobbies included cards, reading and golf. The family moved in 1969, and she became a part-time employee of Doral Country Club in Miami. She was the mother of the late John O. Power III.
Survivors include her husband, John O. Power; one son, Matthew M. Power of Pell City; two daughters, Jenifer L. Beres of Franklin, Tenn., and Laura E. Gobie of Miami; and five grandchildren.
Ervin L. 'Hoss' Reid
64, self-employed dry wall finisher and musician
ARAB -- Funeral for Ervin L. "Hoss" Reid, 64, of Arab will be Friday at 2 p.m. at New Friendship Baptist Church with the Rev. Fred Wilks and the Rev. Jerry Freeman officiating.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery with Arab-Heritage Funeral Home directing. The body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Mr. Reid died Tuesday, June 26, 2001, at Marshall Medical Center North. He was born May 18, 1937, in Cullman County to Reese L. Reid and Annie Rodgers Reid. He was a self-employed dry wall finisher and musician who performed on the Country Boy Eddie television show. He was a former member of Good Hope Town Council. He was an Air Force veteran and a member of American Legion Post 15 in Decatur. He was a member of New Friendship Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Reid; three daughters, Sherry Fincher of Cullman and Lisa Blackmon and Angie Bishop, both of Arab; two brothers, Billy Reid of Cullman and Amos Reid of Mobile; six sisters, Vonda Lee Speegle, Wilma Jean Hollis and Shirley Swann, all of Cullman, Ivalene Waldrop of Birmingham and Maggie McWhorter and Selma Howerton, both of Mississippi; and five grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Joel Moore, Charles Belk, Ted Crabtree, Pete Harris, Eddie Burns and Kent Goodwin.
