June 13 obituaries

James Mason Choat, Jr., 80

James Mason Choat, Jr. (Jimmy) passed away on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at North Alabama Medical Center. Jimmy was born on December 15, 1945, to James Mason Choat Sr. and Ruth Highfield Choat of Cherokee AL.

Jimmy graduated from Cherokee High School and proceeded through the Pipefitter Apprentice Program. He worked for 30 plus years as a pipe­fitter at Reynolds Metals and was a member of the Pipe Fitter Local 760. He attended Barton First Baptist Church. He loved the walking horse shows, enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, and especially loved attending his grand­children and great-grand­children sporting events.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Mason & Ruth (Highfield) Choat, Sr., sister, Au­drey Watkins; daughter, Connie M. Johnson; and son-in-law, Frank Kelley.

He is survived by his wife, Thomasine Choat; children, Tonya Robb, La­nia Kelley, Chris Johnson (Leslie); grandchildren, Jami Bates (Adam), Brit­tany Lindley (Chris), Ty­ler Robb, Jacey Grissom (Derrick); great-grand­children, Ally Bates, Au­bree & Parker Lindley, Baker Grissom; nieces, Janice Thomason, Vicky Reaves, Nikki Terry; and great-niece, Libbie Terry,

The visitation will be 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Thurs­day, June 4, 2026, at Morrison Funeral Home, Tuscumbia, with the fu­neral following at 3:00 p.m. in the chapel. Offi­ciating at the service will be Bro. Shane Swinney and Bro. Bill Alexander. The burial will be at Col­bert Memorial Gardens.

The pallbearers will be Chris Johnson, Tyler Robb, Adam Bates, Chris Lindley, Mark Sellers, and Haston Alexander. The honorary pallbear­ers will be Jeff Barnes and the Bill Alexander Sunday School class.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you con­sider making a donation to Kruzn for a Kure or to St. Jude’s Children Hospi­tal in memory of Jimmy.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the Hospice of North Alabama and to Emily Dalrymple for the love and care shown.

Rosemary Brown

Pearcey, 86

Rosemary Brown Pearcey, age 86, of Mus­cle Shoals, passed away on June 1, 2026, at her res­idence. She was a member of First Southern Baptist.

Visitation will be Thursday, June 04, 2026, from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. at Morrison Funeral Home, Tuscumbia. The funeral service will immediately follow in the funeral home chapel. The burial will be at Glendale Cemetery in Leighton. The pallbearers will be family and friends.

Rosemary is preceded in death by her husband, Bill Pearcey; son, Russell Thomas, Clanton Smith; parents, Pastor Robert & Mary Viola Brown; and grandson, Seth Barrow.

She is survived by her children, Henry Lew­is Smith (Amber), Te­resa Balentine (Burt), Lisa Alred; grandchil­dren, Sabian, Nathan, Thomas Ray, Lesley Smith, Faith Smith, Han­nah Smith, Lauren Go­ins; great-grandchil­dren, Jayda, Cedric, Essie, Evee, and Avah.

Emmitt Andrew Parrish, 61

Emmitt Andrew Par­rish, 61, of Waterloo, AL, passed away, Monday, June 1, 2026. Visitation will be Sunday June 7, 2026 from 12:30 P.M. until 2:00 P.M. at Valley View House of Prayer. The funeral service will immediately follow with Larry Burbank offici­ating. Burial will be at Bumpus Creek Cemetery.

Andy enjoyed writing songs of faith for his fami­ly and hunting and fishing. He had a strong faith and worshiped his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ faith­fully. He is preceded in death by his father, Mary­land Parrish and brother, William “Peach” Parrish.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Deanna Parrish; children, Jamey Parrish (Beth) and Emily Parrish; mother, Robbie Parrish; brothers, John Parrish (Tesa) and Clovis Parrish; sisters, Vera Dra­govich (Troy) and Mary Gross (Scott); grand­children, ReNay, Gun­ner, Toby Parrish; host of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Johnny Woods, Chris Gar­gis, Richard Parrish, Da­vid Scott, Jerome Haynes, and Freddie Woods.

Honorary pallbear­ers Jamey Parrish, John Parrish, Joe Haynes, and Billy Haynes.

James Cecil Hester, 90

James Cecil Hester, a beloved father, grand­father, great-grandfa­ther, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2026, at the age of 90. Born on March 23, 1936, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, Cecil lived a life marked by dedica­tion, service, and love.

Cecil worked for and later became the owner of Landers Office Sup­ply. After his retirement, Cecil volunteered his time with Habitat for Humanity and served as an election worker in Tuscumbia, Alabama.

Cecil was an avid run­ner for over 40 years and competed in numerous 5K and 10K races as well as several marathons.

A devoted member of the Tuscumbia Church of Christ, Cecil served as both a deacon and elder, offering guidance and support to his church fam­ily. His faith was a cor­nerstone of his life, pro­viding him with strength and purpose. Cecil also served his country hon­orably in the U.S. Army.

Cecil was preceded in death by his wife, Faye Hester, as well as his par­ents, Clarence and Bertha Hester, along with two brothers and five sisters. He is survived by his daughters, Cindy Ran­dolph and Tina Russell (Ray). Grandchildren, Ashley Glakas (Paul), Ana Jarrett (Chris), Britney Russell, Rob Randolph (Sallee), Eli Randolph, and Chelsey Russell, and great-grandchildren, R.E., Tucker, Rayelynn and Adalee Randolph, Atlas, Noa, Jachin, and Haddie Jarrett, Jayden Russell, Kobe Ander­son, and Sadie Glakas. Cecil is also survived by two sisters, Elaine Oaks and Gala Mitchell.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Ukraine Mission Fund or Young At Heart at Tuscumbia Church of Christ, caus­es close to Cecil’s heart.

Cecil will be remem­bered for his unwavering faith, his dedication to family and community, and his enduring spir­it. His life was a testa­ment to the power of hard work, love, and service. He will be deeply missed by all who had the priv­ilege of knowing him.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Morrison’s Funeral Home in Tuscumbia, Alabama. The family will receive friends from 10:00 – 11:00 am prior to the ser­vice at the funeral home.

Howard Fay Watson, 87

Howard Fay Watson, age 87, of Tuscumbia, passed away on June 2, 2026, at his residence. The visitation will be 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Friday, June 5, 2026, at Morrison Funeral Home of Tuscumbia. The ser­vice will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel with Bro. Scott Livingston and Bro. Jeff Newton officiating the service. The burial will be at Col­bert Memorial Gardens.

Mr. Watson worked at Reynolds Aluminum for 46 years. He was an ac­tive member of Valdosta Baptist Church where he was a deacon and Sunday School teacher. He was also a volunteer for Helen Keller Hospital and a lov­ing husband. He enjoyed traveling, watching the Braves, and spending time with his family and espe­cially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Wesley and Etherlo­ra (Thorne) Watson.

He leaves to cherish his memories, his wife of 63 years, Una Hes­ter Watson; children, Philip Watson (Andrea), Amanda Baker (Gary); sister, Kathleen Dunn (John); grandchildren, Hunter Watson (Juliana), Lauren Hudson (Ryan), Morgan Phillips (Brad), Cole Baker (Rebecca), Brett Baker (Maddi), Shane Baker (Shannon), Ryan Baker (Ashley), Ashley Haselton; and 13 great-grandchildren.

The pallbearers will be Cole Baker, Brett Bak­er, Hunter Watson, Ryan Hudson, Brad Phillips, and David Hovater. The honorary pallbearers will be Charlie Jackson, Ryan Baker, Shane Bak­er, Allen Dunn, Wesley Dunn, Danny Watson, and the deacons of Val­dosta Baptist Church.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Alabama Hos­pice of the Shoals, San­dy Allen, Stanley Bar­ton, and Ronald Dinella.

Joseph Odell Wallace, 37

Joseph Odell “Joey” Wallace, 37, of Cherokee, passed away on Friday, June 5, 2026. Visitation will be Monday, June 8, 2026, from 12:00-2:00 p.m. at Morrison Funeral Home in Cherokee with the funeral service imme­diately following in the funeral home chapel with Bro. Gatus Cheatham of­ficiating. Burial will fol­low the service in Cher­okee Memorial Park.

Joey was a native and lifelong resident of Cherokee. He en­joyed riding motorcy­cles and working on cars.

Joey was preceded in death by his grand­parents, Odell Watson and Denzile Joseph and Eva Lee Wallace; un­cle, Ronald Wallace; and aunt, Felina Wallace.

He is survived by his children, Brandon Wallace and Fiancé, Nathalie, Au­burn Grace Wallace, Tuck­er Wallace, and Deshawn O’Neal; mother, Virginia “Jenny” Wallace; father, Joseph “Clint” Wallace; grandmother, Mary Park­er; and aunt, Susie Cole.

Family and Friends will serve as pallbearers.

Bradley Lynn Womack, 49

Bradley Lynn Wom­ack, 49, of, Killen passed away Tuesday, June 2, 2026. There will be a me­morial service scheduled by family at a later date.

Brad was a native of Tennessee. He loved fishing, playing his gui­tar, and spending time with his children and granddaughter. Brad was also an avid VOLS fan.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Lillian Womack.

Brad is survived by his wife, Misty Womack; children, Brandon Wom­ack (Kelsi Spain), Mad­ison Womack (Daniel Casteel), and Ciera Wom­ack (Garrett Watkins); granddaughter, Lilliana Womack; sisters, Tammy Putman (Wade) and Chris­tina Nichols; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Patricia Ann Nichols

Harris, 80

Patricia Ann Nichols Harris, 80, of Muscle Shoals, AL went home to be with the Lord on June 2, 2026 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s and re­cently discovered ovarian cancer. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, James E. (Jim) Harris, Jr. She is survived by her sister, Joyce Payne of Muscle Shoals, AL; daughter, Lisa A. Harris of Naples, FL; son, Ken­neth Harris (Nicole) of Napoleon, OH; 4 grand­children: Ashton (Joe) Irby of TN, AJ Jones of TN, Parker Harris of OH, Marissa Harris of OH; 7 great-grandchil­dren; nieces and nephews.

Patricia, better known as Ms. Pat, was a mem­ber of Redemption Shoals Church. She had been a resident at the Pearl of the Shoals for the last few years and is remem­bered by her bright smile.

Ms. Pat loved children and was often seen hold­ing her babies. She was a substitute teacher at Webster Elementary and Howell Graves Kinder­garten for over 30 years. She was the Extended Day Site Coordinator at Howell Graves Kinder­garten and loved each and every one of her students.

Visitation will be Fri­day, June 5, 2026 at 10:00 am with Chapel service at 11:00 am at Colbert Me­morial Chapel and Gar­dens. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Associa­tion or your local Hospice.

Quent Marlon Kelsey, 53

Quent Marlon Kelsey, age 53, of Tuscumbia, died Monday, June 1, 2026. He was born on February 4, 1973, to the late Johhny Sr. and Misty V. Kelsey.

Quent was an MRI Tech and a member of the American Registry of Ra­diologic Technologists.

Quent was preceded in death by his aforemen­tioned parents, as well as his grandparents. He was survived by his broth­er, Johnny L. Kelsey Jr., Chris Williams (who has always been there when something was needed), as well as uncles, aunt, cousins, and many friends.

Quent loved his friends and co-workers at ODC in Decatur, and the family is grateful for the love and support they gave him.

A private memo­rial service to cele­brate Quent’s life will be held at a later date.

Barbara Ann Linam, 83

Barbara Ann Linam, 83, of Muscle Shoals, passed away Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Her family will re­ceive friends for visita­tion at Colbert Memorial Chapel on Thursday, June 4, 2026 from 10-11am. Bro. Ted Vafeas will of­ficiate the funeral ser­vice in the funeral home chapel beginning at 11am. Burial will be in Col­bert Memorial Gardens.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Linam; and parents, Henry and Lois Kirchner.

She is survived by her daughter, Rebec­ca Massey (Bob); sister, Kathy Brown (Joe); and brother, Jerry Kirchner (Barbara); and numer­ous nieces and nephews.

The family gives a spe­cial thanks to the nurs­es and staff of Mitchell Hollingsworth Rehab and Preferred Hospice for their loving care to Barbara.

In lieu of flow­ers donation may be made to the Cystic Fi­brosis Foundation.

Roy Howard

Holt, 74

Howard Holt, 74, of Tuscumbia, passed away suddenly on Sunday, May 31, 2026. The visitation will be Friday, June 5, 2026 from 12-2PM at Col­bert Memorial Gardens, with the funeral immedi­ately following. Pastor Joe Collins will be officiating.

Howard was known for being a well round­ed equipment operator, & could operate any type of new equipment with­in minutes. He was em­ployed by the Alabama Department of Trans­portation (ALDOT) for over 30 years, retiring as a Transportation Main­tenance Superintendent. Before working at AL­DOT, Howard worked at Brown’s Ferry. He also helped out at C&I Crane for many years as well, & considered them his bonus family.

Though he enjoyed being an equipment op­erator, his greatest joy was being Papa to his granddaughters Kendall & Karleigh. He also en­joyed gardening & being outdoors with his dogs.

Howard was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 48 years, Jackie, as well as several oth­er family members. He is survived by daughter Kelly Holt & son Kasey Holt, as well as grandchil­dren Kendall & Karleigh. He is also survived by 3 brothers & 3 sisters, as well as numerous niec­es, nephews, & cousins.

Special thanks to Dr. Motes, Dr. McAnalley, Dr. Williams, the wonder­ful hospitalists & nurses at Helen Keller Hospital, the caring staff at Cottage of the Shoals, & Keller Home Health & Medical Equip­ment. We’d also like to thank the Isom family for their love, care, & friend­ship through the years.

Stephen

Franklin

Sparks, 71

Stephen Franklin Sparks, age 71, of Nash­ville, passed away on May 29, 2026, at As­cension Saint Thomas Hospital of Nashville.

Steve was a former teacher and then later re­tired with the Tennessee Department of Education as a compliance director. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Nash­ville and sang in the church choir for over 30 years. He was also a member of the Nashville Symphony Chorus for 32 years, the Tennessee Men’s Choir, and a volunteer at Scher­merhorn Symphony Cen­ter, Donelson Café meal delivery for the elderly, and Vanderbilt Hospital.

The visitation will be Saturday, June 06, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Morrison Funeral Home, Tuscumbia, AL. The funeral will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Bro. Joe Fitzpatrick officiating the service. Burial will fol­low at Glendale Cemetery.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Riley & Ida (Aycock) Sparks.

He leaves to cherish his memories, his brother Harold Sparks (Donna); nieces, Stacey Roney, Emily Guess; great-niece, Lucy Guess; cousins who consider him a broth­er, Carolyn Willich and Patsy Kelley; Kenneth & Georgia Aycock and other cousins; and spe­cial friends David Satter­field and Joe Fitzpatrick.

Regina Darlene Ford, 63

Regina Darlene Ford, of Leighton, AL passed away June 4, 2026 at NAMC.

She was Registered Nurse for over twen­ty-five years. She was a member of Blythe Me­morial Church and spent many years in service with her church family. Regina loved spending time with her grand kids.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Pa­tricia Earnest Bailey.

She is survived by her husband of nearly forty years, Gary Ford; daugh­ter, Mary Beth Owens (Tim); son, Matthew Ford (Amelia); grand­children, Caroline Ow­ens and T.J. Owens; fa­ther, Kenneth Bailey; brother, Kenneth Bailey, Jr. (Donna); and numer­ous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Sat­urday, June 6 at 11:00 – 12:00 at Colbert Me­morial Chapel with the funeral following at 12:00 p.m. Interment will be at Poplar Creek Cemetery, Leighton, AL.

Officiants will be Bro. Michael Smith, Bro. Mike Weldon and Bro. Ron McCormick.

Pallbearers will be family and friends.

Special thanks to the Blythe Memorial Church family, and to the nurs­es and staff of NAMC ICU and Palliative Care Units for their loving care.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Blythe Memorial General Fund.

James “Buddy” Moore, 93

James “Buddy” Moore, age 93, of Florence, passed away on Friday, June 5, 2026. Visitation will be on Tuesday, June 9th, from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm at First Baptist Church of Florence. The service will follow at 1:00 pm at the church with Brother Roger Mardis and Brother Bryan McEn­tyre officiating. Burial will follow at Green­view Memorial Park.

Survivors include his wife of 70 years, Mary Ruth Jackson Moore. His son Mike Moore (Bebe) and his daughter Kathy Moore Clemmons (Jim); Granddaughters Mary Moore LaBrecque (Brett), Orlando, FL, Katie Clem­mons (New York, NY) and Maggie Clemmons (Wash­ington, DC); great-grand­son, Teddy LaBrecque

Buddy is a Sheffield na­tive and a 1951 Graduate of Sheffield High School. At Sheffield High School, he played football for four years and was Co-Cap­tain of the 1950 Team.

He entered Florence State Teachers College (now UNA) where he re­ceived a BS Degree in History, Economics and Political Science. He let­tered four years in foot­ball and was an ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate. He also met the love of his life, Mary Ruth Jackson, to whom he was married for 70 years.

He earned a Master’s Degree and an Education­al Specialist Degree from the University of North Al­abama and served the edu­cation field for 35 years.

Buddy was commis­sioned as a 2nd Lt in the U.S. Army and served ac­tive duty for two years. Upon his discharge, he joined the Alabama Na­tional Guard as a 1st Lt and afterwards served in various command posi­tions in the Guard. His last assignment was as The Adjutant General in command of the Alabama Army and Air National Guard. He retired as a Ma­jor General with forty-one years of military service.

His educational and coaching career started at Deshler High School in Tuscumbia, Alabama where he taught Gov­ernment and Economics while serving as the Assis­tant Football Coach. Af­ter two years at Deshler, he was appointed Athletic Director, Head Football and Track Coach where he served a total of 12 years.

He accepted the posi­tion of Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Scottsboro High School in Scottsboro, Alabama for one year before mov­ing back to the Shoals to become the Assistant Prin­cipal, Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Coffee High School in Florence, Alabama for the next 10 years, and was promoted and served as Principal of Coffee High School for 9 years.

His Accom­plishments include

UNA Sports Hall of Fame

Colbert County Sports Hall of Fame

Lauderdale Coun­ty Sports Hall of Fame

UNA Alum­ni of the Year Award

American Red Cross-National Volun­teer of the Year Award for the Armed Serviced Emergency Services

Member of Phi Kappa Phi

Distinguished Ser­vice Medal, U.S. Army

Legion of Mer­it, U.S. Army

In-lieu of flowers, do­nations may be made to The American Red Cross.

Dorothy Louise

Stiger Carter, 91

Dorothy Louise Sti­ger Carter was born and raised in Tuscumbia, AL. She was the daughter of the late Payton Stiger and late Louise Ford Sti­ger of Tuscumbia. Dor­othy’s life was shaped in the close communities of her family, Trenholm ele­mentary and High School and First Missionary Bap­tist Church in Tuscumbia from a child to an adult. Her love for all, her spir­itual fortitude and her knowledge were therefore fueled by these commu­nities resulting with her living a tremendous life.

She received her high school diploma from Tr­enholm High School in 1952 and then attended Alabama State Univer­sity in Montgomery, AL where she graduated with a B.S. in Commerce and Secondary Education in 1956. Later, she received her elementary certifi­cation in education from Alabama A&M Univer­sity, Normal AL in 1958. In 1971, Dorothy Car­ter received her M.S. in elementary Education from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Dorothy’s first employ­ments were with the Walk­er Co. Board of Education during 1956-57 and then the Chilton Co. Board of Education from 1957-58. She was later employed by the Tuscumbia Board of Education from 1958-82 where she started as the secretary of her Alma Mata, Trenholm High School, under Mr. Bell for one year and then she taught second grade at Tr­enholm High School until they transferred the pri­mary grades to Southside Elementary school. She later taught at Northside and R.E. Thompson El­ementary schools. From 1982-88 she taught for the Bullock Co. Board of Edu­cation until her retirement from the Alabama Edu­cation System in 1988.

After teaching in the school system for 30 years Dorothy Carter pursued her second ca­reer as a massage thera­pist. She graduated from the Alabama School of Massage Therapy, in 1993 and was certified in Neuromuscular Therapy. She opened Therapeutic Massage Healthcare Ser­vices in Muscle Shoals AL from 1993-2006. She was known as the mas­sage therapist with those “Healing Hands”. She served as a group leader and conducted workshops on Therapeutic Touch, for Option Care Outpatient Services. She received training in the Oriental art of Qigong, from the Qigong Research Institute in Boading, China and specialized in Neuromus­cular Sports Massage and Fibromyalgia. She was appointed by Gov. Fob James as a member of the Alabama State Board of Massage Therapy from 1996-2001. In 2007, the Dorothy Carter Northwest Alabama Massage Associ­ation Award was given and named in her honor. She was also a member of Al­pha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Dorothy Carter in her later years spent time trav­eling the world while par­ticipating in indigenous ceremonies and healing. She was a special mem­ber of the CORE Center and the Florence Mound Community. Her life was unique and special. Even the birds sung her home. We were all blessed to have this Wonderful Soul in life. May she rest in Peace, Power and Love.

Known as Mama or “Mama C “Dorothy L. Stiger Carter is survived by three children. Char­lene (Winfield), Deb­orah and Jerry (Tron­da), three grandchildren (Brandon, Marland and Jazmine), and ten great- grand- children. She is also survived by nephews, nieces, great nieces and nephews and great grand- nieces and nephews and many dear friends.

Acknowledgements

The Family gives Spe­cial Thanks to all her wonderful friends who loved and supported her throughout her life and during her health chal­lenges. Special Thanks to Preferred Hospice, Dr. Jones, and Dr. Mobley, the CORE Drummers and her Special Medita­tion and Prayer warriors.

Danny Ray Burleson, 59

Danny Ray Burleson, age 59, of Muscle Shoals died June 8, 2026, at Hel­en Keller Hospital. The memorial visitation will be Wednesday, June 10, 2026, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Morrison Funer­al Home, Tuscumbia.

He devoted his career of over 30 years to G&G Steel.

He is preceded in death by his wife, John­na Burleson; and par­ents, Don & Carol (Scogin) Burleson).

He is survived by his children, Nicole Gaston (Matt), Daniel Burleson (Akayla Martin); grand­children, Sophia Gaston, Cassidy Gaston, Vivian Gaston; sister, Tammy Sfakianos (Nick); sister-in-law, Marla Jackson (Randy); numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and lov­ing family members.