By Staff
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Antionette "Toni" Dixon
ATMORE -Ms. Antionette "Toni" Dixon, 43, passed away Sunday, March 26, 2006 at her residence. She was a native and a resident of Atmore. She attended school in Escambia County, Alabama and was a homemaker.
Her grandmother, Rosie B. Franklin, grandparents, Maple and Febie Dixon and a sister, Lashelia Dixon, preceded her in death.
She is survived by three daughters, Catina L. Dixon-Hall and Ashley P. Dixon both of Atmore, and Kenesha M. Dixon of Atlanta, Ga; her parents, Willie Robert Dixon and Lillie K. Dixon; two sisters, Barbara G. Dixon of Moss Point, Miss., and Kimberly Y. Dixon of Atmore; three brothers, Carnell Dixon, John L. Dixon and Scottie Dixon all of Atmore; and one grandson, Ty-Won G. Dixon of Atmore.
Funeral services for Ms. Dixon were held Saturday, April 1, 2006 at 11 a.m. at the Greater Mt. Triumph Baptist Church with Rev. Willie Hawthorne officiating. Interment followed in Lucious Cemetery with Turner Funeral Chapel directing.
Bruce Bartley
WALNUT HILL – Mr. Bruce Bartley, 47, passed away Wednesday, March 29, 2006 in Walnut Hill, Fla.
Mr. Bartley was a native of Atmore, a former resident of Phillipsville and a resident of Walnut Hill. He was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard and attended the Protestant Church.
Survivors include: his wife, Angela Bartley of Phillipsville; his son, Timothy Bartley of Andalusia; his daughter, Heather Bartley of Andalusia; his stepdaughter, Whitney Cobb of Andalusia; his father, Llurland S. and Estelle Bartley of Phillipsville; his mother, Kitty Bartley of San Antonio, Texas; two grandchildren, William Pettie and Katelyn Pettie; his grandmother, Glady Bartley of Atmore; a brother, Edwin Bartley of Phillipsville; three stepbrothers, John Edward Ryland of Atmore, Ronnie Joe Ryland, and Donnie Wayne Ryland, both of Phillipsville; and a stepsister, Sherry Elaine Smith of White House Fork.
Funeral services were held Saturday, April 1, 2006 at 10 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Jack McCullough officiating. Burial followed at Walnut Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers were Edwin Bartley, John Edward Ryland, Ronnie Joe Ryland, Donnie Wayne Ryland, Scott Bartley and Timmy Bartley.
Dorothy Luverne Pickern
MCDAVID – Mrs. Dorothy Luverne Pickern, 79, passed away Monday, March 27, 2006 at a Mobile hospital.
Mrs. Pickern was a native of Munson, Fla., and a resident of McDavid, Fla. for most of her life. In loving memory of MaMaw, she was a devoted mother and grandmother, a retired employee of VF mills, enjoyed fishing, sewing, playing Settlers, and was a member of the Christian Home Freewill Baptist Church.
Her husband, Buddy Pickern; a brother, Byron Lester "Buddy" Flowers and two sisters, Ruby Muse and Myrtle Cassidy, preceded her in death.
Survivors include: two sons, Kenneth and Doris Pickern of Old Town, Fla., and Danny Ray and Vicki Pickern of Davisville, Fla.; two daughters, Judy and Lavon Parham of Christian Home, Fla., and Phylis and Ronnie York of Atmore; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Gwyn Brown of Baton Rouge, La., and Mary Skinner of Bryson City, N.C.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, April 1, 2006 at 2 p.m. at the Christian Home Freewill Baptist Church with Rev. John Shamblin and Rev. Gene Pickern officiating. Burial followed at Christian Home Cemetery. Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home was in charge of all arrangements.
Herbert Gibson
STOCKTON – Mr. Herbert Gibson Sr., 70, passed away Tuesday, March 28, 2006 at a Mobile hospital.
Mr. Gibson was a native of Atmore, a former resident of Ponchatoula, La., and a resident of Stockton for the past year. He was employed with the Union Brotherhood of Carpenters and Piledrivers #1846 and enjoyed fishing.
A son, Daniel C. Gibson and his parents, Elbert and Ida Grace Gibson, preceded him in death.
Survivors include: his son, Herbert Gibson, Jr. of Ponchatoula, La.; his daughter, Patsy Gibson Brady of Ponchatoula, La.; two stepsons, Michael Small of Marrero, La., and Kenneth Scott of Ponchatoula, La.; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren, Anthony Small and Austin Small; a sister, Bernice Gibson Defoe of Noblesville, Ind., Ricky Gibson of Stockton, Tony Gibson of Biloxi, Miss., Larry Gibson of Port O'Conner, Texas and Donald Gibson of Walnut Hill, Fla.; a special friend, Faye Singleton of Stockton; and two former wives, Jeanette Gibson and Patricia Gibson.
Funeral services were held Friday, March 31, 2006 at 2 p.m. at the Gospel Light Church with Rev. Marty Gehman officiating. Burial followed at Antioch Cemetery.
Ida Pearl Peavy-Matthews
Mrs. Ida Pearl Peavy-Matthews, 94, died Monday, March 27, 2006 at the Atmore Nursing Care Center.
Mrs. Matthews was a native of Chestnut and a resident of Atmore for many years. She was a housekeeper in private homes.
Survivors include: three nieces, Alice Nixon of Hampton, Va., Gladys Hooper of Akron, Ohio, and Sarah P. Bonner of Pensacola, Fla.; one great-niece/caregiver, Bernice Catskill of Atmore; and one great-nephew/caregiver, Dr. Van (Margie) McPherson of Atmore, and a host of other great nieces and nephews.
Memorial services for Mrs. Matthews will be held on Monday, April 3, 2006 at Ebenezer Lutheran Church at 11 a.m. in Atmore. Turner Funeral Chapel is in charge of all arrangements.
James W. Bethea
CLINTON – Mr. James W. Bethea, age 79, of Clinton, passed away Tuesday afternoon, March 28, 2006 at Hillcrest West Health Care. He was licensed to preach in 1954 at Glenwood Baptist Church, Knoxville.
His parents, James H. and Eunice Bethea, a brother Tillman Clark Bethea, preceded him in death. Survivors include: a daughter, Eunice Davis of Virginia; sons and daughters-in-law James B. and Pam Bethea of North Carolina, Thoomqas and Carrie Bethea of Knoxville, and Dewey and Shelia Bethea of Atmore; sisters and brother-in-law Anne Maude Nabors of Bay Minette, Pat and Burt Robinet of Huntsville; also a dear sister-in-law Katherine Bethea of Spanish Fort; several grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the medical staff at Hillcrest West for their special care and attention.
Funeral services were held on Thursday at Gentry-Griffey chapel with Chaplain Tony James officiating. Interment followed at Canoe Methodist Cemetery on Friday.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in Atmore assisted with graveside services.
Tony Dewayne McKinley
ANDALUSIA – Mr. Tony Dewayne McKinley, age 47 of Andalusia died Monday in a local hospital. Funeral services for Mr. McKinley were held on Thursday, March 30, 2006 at 2 p.m. from the Foreman Funeral Home. Interment followed in the Andalusia Memorial Cemetery with Rev. Therall Pearson officiating.
Mr. McKinley is survived by his wife, Mary E. McKinley; a son, Raymond D. McKinley and Jennifer L. DeLand; a daughter, Jo A. Gerrett and husband Willie E. of Munson, Fla.; two grandchildren, Taylor D. McKinley and Melanie Kay McKinley; his father and stepmother, Mr. and Mrs. Ray McKinley of Atmore; four brothers, Donald Ray McKinley of Jay, Fla., Andy McKinley, Jon Mitchell McKinley and wife Sandra and Joseph M. McKinley all of Atmore.
Pallbearers were Andy McKinley, Joe McKinley, Shawn McKinley, William Harris, Jesse Self, and Don McKinley. Honorary pallbearers were Robert Cook.