By Staff
Click link for 4-23-06 Obits
Claude Thompson
ATMORE – Mr. Claude Thompson, age 64 of Atmore, died Thursday, April 20, 2006 at Atmore Community Hospital. Turner Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Katie Lambeth
BAY MINETTE – Mrs. Katie Lambeth, 79, passed away Thursday, April 20, 2006 in Bay Minette.
Mrs. Lambeth was a native of Lottie and a resident of Perdido for most of her life. She attended the Fretwell Tabernacle Church and was preceded in death by her husband of 25 years, Leroy Lambeth, five sons and a daughter.
Survivors include: six sons, Roy Lambeth, Jr. of Atmore, Royce Lambeth, Eddie Lambeth, Kenny Lambeth, all of Perdido, Willie Lambeth of Bay Minette and Shannon Lambeth of Perdido; five daughters, Mildred Lister and Carolyn Stewart both of Perdido, Marilyn Capers of Davisville, Fla., Fannie Garrison of Bay Minette, and Joyce Mitchem of Perdido; 35 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; a brother, L.W. Wainwright of Pearl River, La.; and five sisters, Allene Weaver of Perdido, Clinie Stacey of Rabun, Ella Ree Gilbert of Bay Minette, Stella Hadley of Atmore and Della Johnson of Flomaton.
Funeral services were held Saturday, April 22, 2006 at 2 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Sister Helen Stewart and Bro. Joe Welch officiating. Burial followed at Lottie Methodist Cemetery.
Bobby Lee Smith
ATMORE – Bobby Lee Smith, 74, joined the Lord after a brief illness, April 14, 2006.
He was born July 24, 1931, in Atmore, AL, to Roy and Fannie Boggan Smith. He joined the National Guard Unit in Atmore in 1948. At the age of 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps serving with distinction throughout the Korean and Vietnam Wars. From 1966-1969, he had the distinct honor of serving President Johnson while assigned to Camp David. As Senior NCOIC in 1970, he was selected to train equipment mechanics and operators at Courthouse Bay in Camp LeJeune's Engineering School.
Following a six year tour of duty, he was assigned to Quantico, Virginia, as NCOIC in charge of all heavy equipment testing for the Marine Corps where he remained until his retirement in 1978 at the rank of E-9, Master Gunnery Sergeant, after 28 years.
His second career brought him to a position as District Equipment Supervisor for the Whiteville District North Carolina Forest Service in 1978. For fifteen years he worked diligently at promoting and establishing a professional, conscientious and safe preventive maintenance program that was recognized among the best in the state.
He was an avid bird hunter and a faithful member of Western Prong Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon and various other positions for the Lord. Above all, he was a loving husband, father, brother and a very good man who loved and served God and his country proudly throughout his life.
He is survived by his wife, Edith Emory Smith, of Clarkton, NC; five daughters, Pam O. Murphy, Tampa, FL; Felicia D. Smith, Birch River, WV; Wendy S. Stone, Selma, NC; Brenda S. Langston and husband Chuck of Greer, SC; Linda S. Lennon and husband Lloyd of Western Prong, NC. Grandchildren, Megan Buning, Katie Murphy, Chip Lennon, Bobby Lennon, Andrew Stone, MacKenzie Langston; one sister, Willornease Wooten and husband Clark, Atmore, AL; one brother, Gladden Smith and wife Ruthie, Atmore, AL; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and his beloved and devoted bird dog, Maggie.
He was laid to rest with full military honors on Monday, April 17, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. at the Western Prong Baptist Church, Western Prong, NC.