Dorothy Reynolds Drew

Dorothy Reynolds Drew, a resident of McCullough, passed away on Thurs., Jan. 14, 2016. She was born on June 4, 1917, in Franklin, to Parker and Hattie McKinley Reynolds.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred Drew.

She leaves three children to cherish her memory, Terral Wayne Drew (Gay), McCullough, Deanie Booker (Jimmy), Huxford and Byron Ray Drew, of Gainesville, Ga.; five grandsons, Terral Rus Drew (Kim) of Columbus, Ga., Richard F. Drew (Jenn Mitchell) of Ft. Bragg, N.C., Eddie Booker (Monica) of Uriah, Todd Booker of Huxford and Jamie Booker (Melanie) of Fairhope; four great-grandchildren, Anna Katherine Drew and Ryan Drew of Columbus, Ga., and Travis and Lane Booker of Uriah; numerous Reynolds and Drew nieces and nephews, and dear friends, Polly Kirby, Lucille Killingsworth of McCullough, Ann Walker Howell of Bay Minette, Alberta Johnson of McCullough; and many others.

Mrs. Drew loved her family, friends, the Booneville Baptist Church family, knew her Bible, was an avid Scrabble player, loved her books on tape and often quoted poems she learned as far back as high school. One of her recent favorites was “Nature” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Mrs. Drew worked at Vanity Fair Mills, Atmore, for many years. After she retired, she served for several years as a Pink Lady at the Atmore Nursing Care Center and Greenlawn Hospital. Throughout her life, she was actively involved in her church, and in giving support to her friends and community.

The family received friends at Booneville Baptist Church in Booneville on Sat., Jan. 16, for visitation with a funeral service following. Interment followed at the McCullough Cemetery with the Rev. Loretta Reynolds (niece) of Berea, Ky., officiating with the assistance of the Rev. Jessie Woods. Special songs by Darlene (niece) and Terry Boyette, and Christy Roberts will provide music.

Grateful appreciation and gratitude are extended to caregivers and staff at the Meadows Assisted Living of Atmore, Hospice Southern Care of Atmore and a devoted group of sitters.

Flowers will be accepted and donations may be made to the McCullough Cemetery.

Edwin Morse Diller

Edwin Morse Diller, 94, of Walnut Hill, Fla., passed away on Jan. 12, 2016 in Atmore.

He was born on Nov. 7, 1921, to the late Harvey and Rachel Johnson Diller in Ithaca, Mich. He is preceded in death by an infant daughter; two brothers; and four sisters.

He farmed for over 40 years, where he earned the outstanding farm family of 1970 award, the certificate of merit award for outstanding accomplishment in soil conservation in 1996 Perdido River Soil Conservation District, the distinguished service award for 10 years service with the Perdido River Soil Conservation District and was the first to market wheat in commercial quantities in Atmore.

He loved serving the Lord and was an elder at Liberty Church in Pensacola, Fla., a Gideon and active member of the First Assembly of God in Atmore. He truly loved his family.

He was an avid traveler, fishermen and scuba diver.

He is survived by his wife, Helen Loewen Diller of Walnut Hill; one son, Kelvin (Connie) Diller of Walnut Hill; and two daughters, Sharon (Richard) Keesler of Walnut Hill and Carrol (Darrell) Liechty of Pensacola; his much beloved nine grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.

Funeral services were held Sat., Jan. 16, 2016, from the First Assembly of God in Atmore with the Rev. Don Davis officiating. Burial followed in Walnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery.

Active pallbearers were Clint Keesler, David Liechty, Jonathan Liechty, Michael Diller, Joshua Fulford and Will Douglas.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Emma Glen O’Farrell Parker

Emma Glen O’Farrell Parker, our sweet mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and devoted friend, went home to be with Jesus on Jan. 12, 2016, at the age of 82.

She was a sweet, kind, gentle and beautiful person, both inside and out, so full of love for her family, friends and her precious Lord and Savior. We are so thankful to know that she is rejoicing in the arms of God.

Our mother lived a full life with three children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was born and raised in Bratt, Fla. She raised her girls in Atmore.

She moved to Montgomery, where she worked for Parisian for 25 years, a job she loved so very much. She centered her life around Frazer Church and her large group of close friends. She was a talented artist, who loved painting with her dear-devoted, life-long friend, Martha Bell.

Our mother was preceded in death by her parents, Talton and Gadis O’Farrell; her first love and husband; Tommy White; her brother, Buford O’Farrell and her sister, Eloise O’Farrell.

Survivors include Judy A. (Lynn) Wetmore, Paula K. (O’Neal) Green and Shari E. (Dave) Reinhard; grandchildren, Jennifer K. (Wes) Adams, April J. (Mark) Terry, Meredith A. (Brannan) Reaves, Morgan A. Green, Nathan T. (Maggie) Reinhard and Adam D. Reinhard; great-grandchildren, Catie Martin, Colby Smith, Raegan Terry and Emma Reinhard; and also her very special friend and paint-buddy, Martha M. Bell.

A special thanks to all the caregivers at Angels for the Elderly, and the staff of Hospice of Montgomery for all the love, compassion and special care they gave her.

There was a gathering of friends at the home of Paula and O’Neal Green on Thurs., Jan. 14.

A graveside service was held on Fri., Jan. 15, 2016, in Oakhill Cemetery in Atmore.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home was directing.

Paul Lefever Dagen

Paul Lefever Dagen, 91, of Landis Homes, Lititz, Pa., entered the peace and rest of his heavenly father on Dec. 25, 2015. He was born in Strasburg, Pa., the eldest son of Jacob L. Dagen and Florence V. Lefever Dagen, on Jan. 21, 1924.

He completed the eighth grade at the Sandstone one-room school near Hessdale, and then assumed responsibility for operating the family farm due to his father’s cardiac illness. He married Lois Susan Graybill on March 17, 1945. Five children were born: Paul Wilmer, Rose Mary, Daniel Lynn, James Douglas and Eunice Jane.

In 1955, he felt called to ministry in the Mennonite Church and in preparation, attended Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Va. During his third year of studies, he was asked to join the ministry team serving at the Poarch Gospel Mission with the Creek Nation, under Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions. He later completed his college degree by going to summer school years. He was ordained bishop in the Mennonite Church in 1961, and served the churches in the Alabama and Northwest Florida district until his retirement.

He and Lois relocated to Willow Street, Pa. in 1987, where he renewed boyhood friendships and had time to pursue hobbies.

They became actively involved at their home church, New Providence Mennonite, and provided interim leadership at Buffalo Mennonite Church and Masonville Mennonite Church for several years.

Over the years, his travels took him to Honduras several times, Israel and trips with Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) to Moldova and Belize. Paul’s strong Christian faith guided him through many challenges during his life and he dedicated his life to service through the church, living out his faith using the teachings of Jesus as his guide.

Paul and Lois celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in March 2015.

Paul leaves his wife Lois; sister, Reba Martin and husband, Carl; brother, Jacob and wife, Mabel, brother, Lester and wife, Evie; five children, Wilmer and spouse, Miriam, of Phoenix, Ariz., Rose and spouse, Rich, of Waynesboro, Pa., Dan and spouse, Kerri, of Joplin, Mo., James, of Houston, Texas, and Eunice and spouse, Tim, of Bremerton, Wa.; five grandsons, Sam, Roberto, Henry, Ricardo and Logan; one granddaughter, Abbey; and three great-grandsons, Joshua, Isaiah and Jeremiah.

Services were be held at the New Providence Mennonite Church, New Providence, Pa.

Sherry Bishop

Sherry Bishop, known as Skinny, passed away on Jan. 11, 2016, at Thomas Hospital in Fairhope.

She was born in Bay Minette on Sept. 13, 1962, and was the eighth child and the baby girl of Dorothy Mae’s 11 children.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy Mae Bonner; husband, Joseph Bishop; brothers, Clifford Bradley, Jerry Bonner, Robert Wallace and Leroy Wallace Jr.; and one sister, Grace Wallace-Rice.

She is survived by three loving and devoted children, Bryson (Tashea) Bonner of Orlando, Fla., and Mario Sanders and Jackee (Rashad) Ramos, both of Bay Minette; one very devoted nephew, Jamarcus Evans of Atlanta, Ga., who she loved as her own son; one devoted niece, Taylor Bradley; four step-daughters, Earnestine Marshall, Dorothy Crook, Diane Graves and Charity Johnson, all of Bay Minette; two step-sons, David Moore of Bay Minette and David Hudson of Milton, Fla.; nine grandchildren, Angelina Walker, Nicholas Ramos Jr. , Josiah Ramos, Hunter Dixon, Aarion Riley, Justin Bonner, Bry-Asia bonner, Ambrielle Bonner and Kaylani Bonner; five brothers, James (Lorraine) Reynolds of Mobile, Bennie Bonner of Pensacola, Fla., Guerry (Rebecca) Bonner and Leroy Bonner, both of Bay Minette, and Sylvester L. Wallace of Syracuse, N.Y.; seven sisters, Patricia Bradley, Stephanie (Herman) Abrams, both of Bay Minette, Minnie Bonner (Derrick) Wright of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Genavia Crook of Mobile, Mary (Eddie Lee) Harvey of Stockton, Lela Young of Bay Minette and Freedonia Stevens of Chicago, Ill.; two sisters in law, Sharon Sanders of Stockton and Martha Parker of Bay Minette; four brothers in law, Abel (Deborah) Bishop, Willie (Sally) Bishop, Robert Bishop and Charlie (Wanda) Goodley, all of Bay Minette; one great uncle, James (Barbara) Dean of Jefferson City, Tenn.; and seven very devoted friends, Armelia “Bay-Bay” Maye of Atmore, Pearline Gandy, Lawrence (Juanita “Pebbles”) Cox and Gwen Tunstall, all of Bay Minette, and Yvonne Bush Burkes of Eastpointe, Mich., Cindarella Bryant of Stockton and a special friend, Charles Pope of Loxley. She also left a host of nieces, nephews and extended family relations and friends too numerous to list but not forgotten.

Funeral services were held on Sat., Jan. 16, 2016, at Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Stockton with the Rev. Lawrence Cox officiating and Minister Randy Bradley as eulogist and recognizing, Bishop Charles Johnson as her pastor. Interment was held in Morning Star cemetery in Uriah.

Pallbearers were Tim Carroll, Leon Smith, Jacolby Williams, Marlon Scott, Jarodie Palmer, Herman Gandy, Carlos French and Michael Gray.

Honorary pallbearers were James Reynolds, Leroy Bonner, Roebrt Bishop, Bennie Bonner, Willie Bishop, Charlie Goodley, Guerry Bishop, Abel Bishop and Jeremiah Maye.

Flowerbearers were friends of family.

Mayberry Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Velma Alice Martin Amos

Mrs. Velma Alice Martin Amos, 72, passed away on Sat., Jan. 9, 2016, in Bay Minette.

She was a native and life-long resident of Atmore. She was retired from Vanity Fair with 48 years of service. She was a member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, an active member of the VFW Auxiliary and of the Breast Cancer Awareness Organization. She was a member of the St. Anna’s Episcopal Church of Poarch.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Paul Jackson Amos (Ret. USN, Korean and Desert Storm); her mother, Elsie Martin Holland; sister, Helen Price; and brother, Lee Van Martin.

Survivors include her three sons, Paul Lynn (Paula) Amos of Prince Fredrick, Md., John Christopher Amos of Pensacola, Fla. and Michael William Amos of Atmore; one daughter, Cindy Amos (Winston) Byrd of Atmore; three brothers, Otha (Marie) Martin of Atmore, Douglas (Shelby) Martin of Zion, Ill. and J.T. Holland of Atmore; two sisters, Jeanette (Kenneth) Beck of Atmore and Jean Ardis of Lottie; nine grandchildren, Jacob, Heather, Sarah, Joey, Karlee, Kyle, Landry, Brodie and Layla; four great-grandchildren, Micah, Kayleigh, Jayden and Marlee; and good friend, Gerri Bell of Lottie.

Funeral services were held on Wed., Jan. 13, 2016, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Father Gary Baldwin officiating.

Burial followed at Oak Hill Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Jake Thomas, Kyle Amos, Melvin Byrd, Douglas Mitchell, Dustin Lindsey and Joseph Murphy.

Honorary pallbearers were Buford Rolin, Eddie Tullis, Martin Meckel, Jamie Thomas Sr., Gravis Sells, David Kirby and Josh Thomas.

Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes LLC was in charge of all arrangements of Atmore.