JAMES THOMAS TYSON
James Thomas Tyson was born May 13, 1943, and died March 8, 2025, at the age of 81.
A graveside service for Mr. Tyson was held on March 10 at the Little Texas Cemetery. Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home of Opelika assisted with arrangements.
KATHERINE PICKETT
Katherine Jane Pickett passed away peacefully at her home Sunday, March 9, 2025. Visitation was held Wednesday, March 12, at Jeffcoat-Trant from 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be at noon Thursday, March 13, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church.
JACKIE DURDEN
Jackie Durden passed away March 9, 2025. A funeral service will be held at Auburn United Methodist Church in the Founders Chapel on Monday, March 24, beginning at 11 a.m. CST. A visitation will be held one hour prior in the Founders Chapel from 10 to 11 a.m.. She will be laid to rest in Auburn Memorial Park Cemetery.
CAMREN SCALF
Carmen Scalf passed away March 9, 2025. A visitation will be held for Mr. Camren Scalf on Saturday, March 15, at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home from 4 to 6 p.m. CST. A service will be held in the chapel at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home on Sunday, March 16, beginning at 2 p.m. Camren will be laid to rest in a private ceremony in Garden Hills Cemetery.
THOMAS WILSON IX
Thomas Wilson IX, 82, passed away Wednesday, March 5, 2025, surrounded by family at Arbor Springs Health and Rehab Center in Opelika.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Wilson and B. Grace Jones; wife, Sandra Wilson; and sisters, Virginia Messick and Barbara Schildt.
Thomas is survived by his daughters, Sharon (Chuck) Heck and Tina (Mike) Emfinger; grandchildren, Tyler McPherson and Madison Emfinger; sister, Marcia Bubel; and brother, Alton (Julie) Wilson.
A graveside service was held March 9 at Hillcrest Cemetery in Conway, South Carolina, with his niece, Pastor Amy Bell officiating and contributions from his nephew, Daniel Wilson, and goddaughter, Bryony Pullin.
Frederick-Dean Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the National Audubon Society.
JAMES RAMSEY
James Ramsey, 91, of Opelika passed away at his home on Monday, March 3, 2025
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter Ramsey and Cornelia Ledford Ramsey; daughter, Mariekia Ramsey; and eight brothers and sisters.
He is survived by his wife, Della Faye Sims Ramsey; five children, Monekia McFalls (Maurice), Isom Ramsey (Rhonda), Melette Ramsey, Robert Sims (Rita) and Debbie Massengale (Dwayne); sisters, Aldie Tipton and Maxine Cosby; sister-in-law, Jackie Holt; 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Visitation was held March 5 at Marvyn Parkway Baptist Church with Pastor David Floyd officiating.
Interment followed March 7 at Watts Cemetery in Burnsville, North Carolina.
Frederick-Dean Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.
GARY PAUL SANDBERG
Gary Paul Sandberg, 82, of Auburn passed away peacefully on March 2, 2025, in hospice care at Russell Medical Center in Alexander City, surrounded by family. He had resided at Bill Nichols Veterans Home for the past 15 months.
Born Sherman Lewis Osquist on March 3, 1942, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gary was adopted in 1946 by his loving parents, Paul and Bernice “Babe” Sandberg.
Gary was married to Beverly Huotari Sandberg for nearly 59 years, sharing a life filled with love and devotion. A nursing student at the time, Beverly and Gary had their first date — a picnic in the rain at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis. Gary was the proud father of Christine “Chum” Wellbaum (Rob) and was preceded in death by his son, Paul Walter Sandberg, who passed away at just nine months old from a congenital heart defect.
As a loving grandfather, known as “Baba,” he found great joy in cheering on his granddaughters Hannah, Maddie and Lilli Wellbaum at their softball games, dance recitals, baton twirling competitions, golf tournaments and flag football games. He also cherished time spent with his many siblings, Beverly’s family, cousins, nieces and nephews, often traveling to spend time with them.
Raised as an only child in the Twin Cities area, in 1982, with the support of his parents, he embarked on a search for his birth family, discovering he was the ninth of 13 Osquist children — seven boys and six girls. His siblings included Howard Osquist, Dwight Osquist, Don Bunn, Wayne Lough, Pat Warren, Barbara Eidahl, Gordon Silitz, Muriel Hanson, Wynona Brown, Jim Kunze, Connie Herzfeld and Sue Pace. The amazing story was featured in various news articles and programs, and the Osquist family continues to hold regular reunions.
Gary honorably served in the U.S. Navy, enlisting and completing basic training during his junior year of high school and beginning active duty after graduating from Robbinsdale High School in 1960. He trained at NAS Pensacola before being stationed at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he worked with a top-secret clearance as an aerial photographer in the fleet intelligence command. After completing his military service in the Naval Reserves, he graduated from the Minnesota School of Business and attended the Control Data Institute in Minneapolis. Gary had a long career in technical sales and service, mostly in the data processing and computer fields. His career took him to Dallas, Miami, Atlanta and Auburn, where he retired from Gorrie-Regan.
Gary was a man of faith, attending Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Lilburn, Georgia, as well as Auburn United Methodist Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Auburn. Unsure if he had been baptized as a child, he chose to be baptized in January 2020 by Rev. Cory Smith at Auburn United Methodist Church.
Throughout his life he was an avid reader, stamp collector and photographer. Gary became fascinated with genealogy, which helped in finding his family, and he loved to travel, visiting all 50 states. Also, he loved square dancing, enjoyed taking classes at OLLI at Auburn (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) and sharing meals with his ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out) buddies. After a bout with cancer, Gary was a volunteer at the Spencer Cancer Center. He also enjoyed spending time with his friends at REACH at AUMC, a respite ministry.
A memorial service was held at AUMC on March 9. Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home of Opelika assisted the family with arrangements. A celebration of life will occur in August at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to REACH at AUMC, P.O. Box 3135, Auburn, AL 36831-3135, online at https://aumc.onlinegiving.org/donate/guest_donate?#!/ (select REACH Memorials) or to support OLLI at Auburn at AUF, P.O. Box 3140, Auburn, AL 36831-3140, online at http://auburngiving.org/GarySandberg.
MINNIE AGNES WILLIAMS VEAL “MOTHER MINNIE”
Ms. Minnie Agnes Williams Veal “Mother Minnie,” 88, of Five Points, Alabama, died Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at Roanoke Rehabilitation & Health Care Center in Roanoke.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 11, at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church located at 7259 County Road 267, in Lanett at 1 p.m. (EST), with the Rev. William Jerome Trammell officiating and interment in the Rehope Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery located at 6267 County Road 258, LaFayette.
Mother Minnie was born on June 24, 1936, to the late Roosevelt Williams Sr. and Minnie Perry Williams in Evansville, (Troup County) Georgia. She was the 10th child of 10 children.
After her family migrated to the Chambers County area, she confessed to Christ at an early age and joined the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Lanett.
Mother Minnie attended Unity Model School in Five Points and was a graduate of the Class of 1955 from Randolph County Training School in Roanoke, where she was a star basketball player.
Mother Minnie was a seamstress and domestic chef by trade. She enjoyed sewing quilts, cooking and being a caretaker for her family and others. In Mother Minnie’s spare time she enjoyed watching sports, Young & the Restless and The Price is Right on television. She was a huge Lakers fan.
Minnie believed in helping people and supporting her community through her church, Alabama New South Coalition, NAACP and the Randolph County Training School Alumni Chapter.
She is survived by her four loving daughters, Cynthia (George) Wilder and Selita (L.C.) Allen of Five Points, Jacqueline Veal (Darrell) of Roanoke and Robin (Jay) Cheeks of Franklin, Georgia.
Affectionately known as “Granny,” she leaves to cherish her memories seven grandchildren, LaTessia Wilder, Roger Williams Jr., Ashley Williams, LaShae Veal, Ebony Pitts, D’Shon Pitts and Jai’Nae Agnes Cheeks; six great-grandchildren, Chadwick Williams, Victorya Weatherspoon, Isaiah Williams, Ariya Williams, Zaiden Brooks and Zhuri Pitts; sister, Annie B. Davis of Cleveland, Ohio, and one daughter-in-law, Donna Williams of LaGrange; special nephew niece that she raised as her own, Lamar Pyant and Dianne Phillips, both of Roanoke; dear friend and classmate, Mrs. Annette Oliver of Welch, Alabama; and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Vines Funeral Home Inc. of LaFayette is handling the arrangements.To share your online condolences, visit www.vinesfuneralhome.com.