William Henry (Bill)
Gregory, III
William Henry (Bill) Gregory, III, 79, of Gold Hill, died Monday at East Alabama Medical Center.
A native of Auburn, he played basketball for Auburn High School and Auburn University, where he earned a varsity letter. He devoted his career to the advancement of agriculture in Alabama and the South, first as an animal health representative for the American Cynamid Company, traveling all over the South and earning the Golden Oval for the highest sales performance. After retiring, he worked as Superintendent of the Beef Unit at Auburn University’s E. V. Smith Experiment Station in Shorter.
A longtime member and board member of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association and the Southeastern Livestock Exposition, he served as President of the Lee County Cattlemen’s Association. He also was an elder and a choir member of First Presbyterian Church in Auburn.
As a resident of Montgomery for many years, he was a member of the Montgomery Lions Club and the board of the Blue-Gray Game. He was also a deacon, a ruling elder, a Sunday school teacher and a choir member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church.
A big man with an even bigger heart, he treasured his family and friends, his family farm, and his deep and abiding faith in God and his fellow man.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Kitty Sue Beard Gregory; his parents, William Henry Gregory Jr., and Mary Kirk Armstrong Gregory; his sister Martha Frances Gregory; his brother-in-law James Woods Baxter; and his niece Martha Kirk (Molly) Baxter Hanson.
He is survived by his children, Elizabeth Gregory (Chris) North; William Henry (Ashley) Gregory, IV; Rebecca Kirk Gregory; Carolyn Turnipseed Thomley; and Elizabeth Turnipseed (Chadd) Kelley; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Mary Elizabeth (Jerry) Shaw, Ann Gregory Baxter, Jeff Hixon (Sue) Beard, and Allen (Molly) Beard; his seven grandchildren; a host of nieces and nephews; his caregivers, Mrs. Ada White and Mrs. Louise Askew; and his dachshund, Heidi.
A memorial service was held Thursday morning at 11 a.m. at Oak Bowery Methodist Church, to be followed by graveside services at 2 p.m. at Auburn Memorial Park Cemetery. The Rev. Bill Parker and Rev. James Helms officiated, and Jeffcoat Trant Funeral Home directed.
The family requests that donations be made to the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation, 201 South Bainbridge Street, Montgomery, Alabama 36104. www.jeffcoattrant.com.
Hazel Otwell Whitman
The funeral service for Hazel Otwell Whitman of Carrollton, Ga., was held March 29 at 2 p.m. at Almon Funeral Home, Carrollton, Ga., with the Rev. Stephen Peoples officiating. Graveside service followed in Ranburne. Visitation was Saturday, March 28, at Almon Funeral home, from 5-7 p.m.
Mrs. Whitman died March 26 at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, following a brief illness. She was born in Cleburne County Dec. 30, 1921, and spent most of her adult life in Carrollton, Ga. She was a member of Abilene Baptist Church for over 50 years. Recently she attended Roopville Road Baptist Church. Mrs. Whitman has been a florist since 1952, working first for Cottage Hill Greenhouse. She has also worked for Anderson Florist and was working at Price Florist at the time of her death.
Mrs. Whitman was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, William Curtis Whitman, and an infant son, and her parents, Silas and Emma Otwell; two sisters, Lemma (Albert) Gibbs, and Nell (W.J.) Snow; one brother Ray (Brooksie) Otwell.
She is survived by daughter June (Dr. William) Garrett of Opelika, son Larry Curtis (Linda) Whitman of Hinesville, Ga., and six grandchildren: Ginny Garrett (Dr. John) Fravel of Little Rock, Ark.,Gayle Garrett (Otis) Jones of Newnan, Ga., William L (Jann) Garrett of Woodinville Wash., Jeff (Brenda) Whitman of Macon, Ga., Kristen Whitman of Hinesville, Ga., and Susan Whitman (Alex) McDonald of Decatur, Ga.
Great-grandchildren surviving Mrs. Whitman are Khani Fravel (Joe) Bradsher, Zackary Fravel, Garrett Jones, Cole Jones, Curtis Garrett, Sydney Garrett, Paul Whitman-Agan, Daniel Whitman-Agan, Luke McDonald and Andrew McDonald, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Two sisters survived Mrs. Whitman: Dorothy Jean Wiggins of Graham and Mary (Gene) Warren of Bowdon, Ga.; and brother Noel Clifford (Lucille) Otwell of Haines City, Fla.
Flowers were accepted, or donations may be given to Roopville Road Baptist Church, 835 Highway 27 N, Roopville, GA. 30170.
Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed. www.jeffcoattrant.com.
Marie Vaughan Jones
Marie Vaughan Jones, 97, of Opelika passed away March 28.
Marie was born in Heflin Dec. 22, 1917.
She attended Jacksonville University and later transferred to Auburn University. Upon graduation she taught school in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia. She married Frank Jones July 1, 1942. She was a wonderful, loving mother of three children, seven grandchildren and one great grandson.
Marie was a faithful member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She was a member of the Flewellen Sunday School Class, serving as president two times. She also has served on the church board. She was a member of Muses Study Club, former member of Auburn Women’s Club and hospital auxiliary. Mrs. Jones was an avid bridge player and belonged to several bridge clubs. Many people have been helped by her love and kindness.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Jones, in 2010.
Survivors include children, Frank Vaughan Jones (Deborah), daughter, Beth Jones Pinyerd (Carl, III) and Timothy Grant Jones (Cathy); grandchildren, Kyle Vaughan Jones, Kirk Davenport (Brittan) Jones, Carl Augustus Pinyerd IV, Timothy Grant Jones II, Katie Aston Jones, Zachary Chadwick Jones and Emily Allison Jones; and great-grandson, Luke Collum.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. March 30 at Jeffcoat-Trant Chapel. The Rev. Earl Ballard officiated. Interment was at Garden Hills Cemetery. Visitation was one hour before the service at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to Trinity United Methodist Church. 800 2nd Avenue, Opelika, AL 36801.
Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed. www.jeffcoattrant.com.
Doris Carpenter Jones
Doris Carpenter Jones, a native and lifelong resident of Mobile, passed away March 24 at Oak Park Nursing Facility in Auburn.
She was the daughter of the late Mamie Burnett Carpenter and James Alexander Carpenter, whose family was one of the first to settle in the Loop area of Mobile. Mrs. Jones had five sisters and one brother who predeceased her.
She enjoyed the arts and supported the Joe Jefferson Theater group, the Mobile Symphony and events at the Mobile Museum of Art, such as Art in the Park. Mrs. Jones was an artist in her own right, winning awards for her writing and drawing. She won the Alabama Pen Women award for two consecutive years and was recognized by the Mobile Press Register for her prose.
Mrs. Jones was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Mobile, where she taught Sunday school for many years and was a diligent member of the church archives group, who dedicated themselves to the preservation of the history of this downtown church founded in 1835.
For the nearly fifty years of her working career, Mrs. Jones was the office manager for the Julius E. Marx Real Estate firm.
She is survived by her two daughters, Julianne Druhan of Opelika and Doris Whitworth of Atlanta, Ga.; four grandchildren, Todd (Carrie) Whitworth, Patrick (Lindsey) Druhan, Kerry (Brian) Kirby and Julie Gallien, as well as four great-grandchildren.
Services were held March 28 at Pine Crest Funeral Home, 1939 Dauphin Island Parkway, Mobile, AL 36605 with visitation at 1 p.m. and the funeral service at 2 p.m.
Donations may be made to First Baptist Church of Mobile, 806 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36602 or Atlanta Pet Rescue at www.atlantapetresue.org.
Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed. www.jeffcoattrant.com.