Connie Benjamin Lair

Mrs. Connie Benjamin Lair, 55, of Enterprise, died on Thurs., Sept. 28, 2017, at her home.

A native of Bay Minette, Connie lived in Enterprise for many years. She was a graduate of Enterprise High School. She accepted Christ at an early age and had attended Greater New Life Baptist Church in Enterprise.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Sylvester and Mother Betty Benjamin; and her grandmothers, Mother Carrie Roberts and Mrs. Maddie Benjamin.

She will live forever in the hearts of her husband, William Ray Lair of Enterprise; two sons, Cody Brock and Winston Teague, both of Enterprise; step-children; a sister, Carmen Walker of Bay Minette; a brother, Jamie (Brenda) Walker of Perdido; devoted aunts, Pastor Frankie Austin and Min. Sherry (Eddyson) Collins, all of Colorado Springs, Colo., Min. Linda Steen and Evangelist Cindy Stots, both of Atmore, and Mary E. Broughton of Detroit, Mich.; and nieces, a nephew and cousins.

A funeral service will be held this Sat., Oct. 7, 2017 at noon at Pleasant Hill Full Gospel Baptist Church on Highway 21 in Atmore with the Rev. Willie L. Lett as eulogist and the Rev. Freddie D. Banks as host pastor.

Inhumation will be in Stallworth Cemetery with Hammond – Sconiers Funeral Home of Enterprise directing and Turner Funeral Chapel LLC announcing.

 

Jimmie Clarence McPherson

Mr. Jimmie Clarence McPherson, 67, of Atmore, left this life to be with the Lord on Fri., Sept. 29, 2017, at his residence surrounded by his family.

A native of Atmore, McPherson was a mechanic who enjoyed working around in his yard and he was an Alabama fan. He was a graduate of Escambia County Training School in 1968, where he played football. He worked as a grinder at ADICO in Brewton and was a member of Call to Life Apostolic Church in Atmore, where he was a member of the brotherhood. He was a U. S. Army Veteran.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Randolph and Delia McPherson; and two brothers, Dr. Van Lee McPherson and Charles McPherson.

Those left to cherish his life and loving memories are his wife of 26 years, Elizabeth Curry McPherson of Atmore; two daughters, Christina (Eric) McCaskill and Brenda (Anthony) Andrews, all of Atmore; two sons, Dennis (LaSonya) George and Trevon (Brittany) George all of Atmore; three sisters, Bernice McPherson McCaskill of Atmore, Lillie McPherson of Boston, Mass. and Donna (James) Grant of Atlanta, Ga.; two brothers, Melvin (Mittie) McPherson of Boston and Kenny (Jerrie) McPherson of Augusta, Ga.; 15 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A Celebration of Life Service will be this Sat., Oct. 7, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Faith Tabernacle Holiness Church (Freemanville Community) with Apostle Jermaine Gibbs as eulogist and Elder Edgar McCarthy as gracious host. Inhumation with military honors will be in Fairview Cemetery. Public viewing will be held Friday from 2-8 p.m. at the funeral home and his body will lie instate one hour prior to the funeral service at the church with Turner Funeral Chapel LLC directing.

 

Lillie Bernice Salter

Ms. Lillie Bernice Salter, 83, of Atmore (Freemanville Community) fell asleep in the arms of Jesus surrounded by her family at her eldest daughter’s residence in Birmingham on Sat., Sept. 30, 2017.

A native of Atmore, Salter was a 1952 graduate of Escambia County Training School and was retired as a telephone operator with Southland Telephone Co. (now known as Frontier Communications) with many years of service. In her leisure, she enjoyed cooking, singing, crocheting and gardening. She was a member of Mt. Gillead Baptist Church, where she was a 58-year member of the Gospel Chorus, A Matron, member of the Missionary Society and member and teacher in Sunday School.

Those who await her in the great beyond are her husband, Charlie Salter; her son, Handy Salter; granddaughter, Desiree’ Keys; her parents, Willie J. Hall and Mamie Fisher; two sisters, Nellie Knight and Ella Parker; six brothers, Grover Cleveland Fisher, Leslie Fisher, Charles Edward Fisher, Shedrick Fisher, Council Fisher and Percy Fisher.

Those left to embellish her life and legacy are two daughters, Elder Patricia (Maxford) Salter-Jameson of Birmingham and Angelia Salter Scott of Columbia, S.C.; two sons, Charles (LaTrenda) Salter of Atmore and Vincent Salter of Denver, Colo.; a sister, Cecile Fisher of New Orleans, La.; a brother, James Hall Sr. of Jacksonville, N.C.; 15 grandchildren; a host of great-grandchildren; a great-great grandson; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral service will be held this Sat., Oct. 7, 2017 at 11 a.m. at Mt. Gillead Baptist Church (Freemanville Community) with Pastor Tiffany Brown and Elder Patricia Salter as eulogist and Bishop Darryl North presiding. Retirement of her remains will be in Pierce- Rabb Cemetery (Freemanville Community).

Public viewing will be held Friday from 2-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Her body will lie instate at the church one hour prior to the service with Turner Funeral Chapel LLC directing.

 

Ester Dailey

Mr. Ester “Nuke” Dailey, 90, of Atmore (Freemanville Community) heard the master say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant,” on Sun., Sept. 24, 2017, at Select Specialty Hospital in Pensacola, Fla.

A native of Mobile County, Dailey lived most of his life in Atmore. He was an outdoorsman who enjoyed farming, fishing and hunting. He had attended Freemanville School and served in the U. S. Army during the Korean conflict. Affectionately known as Nuke, Dailey was a retired laborer with Monsanto (now known as Solutia) Chemical Plant in Pensacola.

He is preceded in death by a daughter, Inez Lee; his parents, Erving and Callie Dailey; and several siblings.

Those left to cherish memories of his life are his wife, Velma Alice Dailey of Atmore; two sisters, Reather Quarker and Alma Staples, both of Atmore; two brothers, Jethro Dailey and Min. McKinley (Gola) Dailey, all of Atmore; a sister, Geraldine Lewis of New York, N.Y.; five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral service was held Oct. 3, 2017 at Mt. Gillead Baptist Church (Freemanville Community) with Elder McKinley Dailey officiating. Retirement of his remains was with military honors in Fairview Cemetery with Turner Funeral Chapel LLC directing.

 

Andrew Len Gibson

Mr. Andrew Len Gibson, 61, passed away on Sat., Sept. 30, 2017, in Pace, Florida.

Mr. Gibson was a native of Pensacola, Fla. and has resided in Pace, Fla. since 1990.

Mr. Gibson was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. When he married Mrs. Terryle, he took on her whole family, and helped raise her grandchildren.

He put his life on hold for her entire family. He was a wonderful man. They babysat their great-grandchildren as their grandchildren went through college and graduated.

The children have stood by there mothers’ side during this difficult time.

He was employed with Jack Matchett Construction for 27 years, and at Ellis Environmental with his brothers Clay and Joe for many years. He was a member of the Gospel Light Church.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Juanita Frances Gibson; father, Otis Gibson; and two sisters, Kathleen Anise Gibson and Jenell Farnsworth Gibson.

He is survived by his wife, Terryle Gibson of Pace; three sons, Clayton Andrew Gibson of Indianapolis, Ind., Alexander Hale Gibson of Indianapolis and Gary Sanders of Pace; two daughters, Terra Sanders of Cantonment, Fla. and Brookelen Gibson of Pace; two brothers, Otis Clayton (Susan) Gibson of Walnut Hill, Fla. and Joseph David (Judy) Gibson of Pace; one sister, Sandra Faye Drake of Bowling Green, Ky.; six grandchildren, Tia (Kenny) Frye, Toriee Nielsen, Christian Nielsen, Grant Colich, Lucy Gibson and Lilah Gibson; and three great-grandchildren, Syler Frye, Elaina Frye and Nicholas Nielsen.

Funeral services will be tomorrow, Thurs., Oct. 5, 2017 at 10 a.m. at the Gospel Light Church with Rev. Marty Gehman officiating.

Burial will follow at the Springhill Methodist Cemetery in Lennox.

Visitation will be held today, Wed., Oct. 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Shawn Gibson, Joseph Gibson, Joey Gibson, Kenny Frye, Alexander Gibson and Clayton A. Gibson.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Larry Gibson, Ricky Gibson, Donald Gibson, Tony Gibson and Jerry Gibson.

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

 

Vernell K. Tims

Vernell K. Tims, 87, of Oak Grove, Fla., passed away on Wed., Sept. 13, 2017, in Atmore.

She was a homemaker, born in Holland Town, Fla. on Dec. 9, 1929, to the late John P. and Carlie Garrett Kimbro.

She is preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Earl Kimbro, Howard Kimbro, Nathan Kimbro and Walter Kimbro; and a sister, Elma Ezel.

Survivors are her husband, Byron D. Tims of Oak Grove, Fla.; two sons, Dale Tims of Virginia Beach, Va. and Clark (Debra Roley) Tims of Robertsdale; one daughter, Michelle Helton of Walnut Hill, Fla; one brother, Enzor (Edna Earl) Kimbro of Pensacola, Fla.; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial services were held Sept. 23 from the Oak Grove Baptist Church with Bro. Butch Brown officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Oak Grove Baptist Church

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Inc. in charge of all arrangements.

 

Irma Jean Macks Vestal

Irma Jean Macks Vestal, 75, of Atmore, passed away on Sun., Oct. 1, 2017, in Atmore.

She was a homemaker born in Monroe County on Aug. 13, 1942, to the late Ernest and Bessie Mae Skinner Macks Sr. She was a member of Crosspoint Church.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Junior Lee Vestal; and one brother, Junior Macks.

Survivors are three sons, Jerry Wayne (Bernice) Haskew of Andalusia, Shane (Brenda Cain) Haskew of Brewton and Ray (Londy) Hines of Flomaton; two daughters, Patsy (Roger) Alverson and Brenda K. (Danny) Lowery, all of Atmore; one brother, George Edward (Glenda) Macks of Nokomis, Fla.; one sister, Faye (Ronald) Mosley of Atmore; 18 grandchildren; and a host of great and great-great-grandchildren. A special thanks goes to her caregiver, Judy Bradley.

Services were held on Oct. 2, 2017, from Crosspoint Church with Bro. J.T. Guyton

officiating. Interment followed in Serenity Gardens. Active pallbearers were Cody Fowler, Houston Waller, Jason Macks, Douglas Haskew, Jacob Haskew and Eli Hines. Honorary Pallbearers were Charles Dinkins, Brandon Hall and Lee Waller.

Family received friends Oct. 2 at Crosspoint Church.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Inc. was in charge of all arrangements.

 

Dana Diana Pruitt Chong

Dana Diana Pruitt Chong, 66, of Atmore, gained her angel wings on Sat., Sept. 30, 2017, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla.

She was a retired branch manager at Mutual Finance Inc. of Atmore for many years. She was born in Centre on Jan. 17, 1951, to the late Howard and Nell Pruitt. She was a member of Destiny Worship Center.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her father-in-law Lee Chong Sr.; and brother-in-law John Hammonds.

Survivors are her loving and devoted husband, Lee Chong Jr.; three daughters, Dana Lynn Blocker, Teresa and Claude Riley, of Atmore, Christina and Chip Hawks of Richfield, N.C. and one son, Gary and Rachel Chong of St. Mary’s, Ga.; eight grandchildren, Jonathan and Stephanie Chong, Wesley and Audrey Sprinkle, Cody Sprinkle, LaShane Styron, Claudero and Amjamiece Riley, Mia Riley, Nicholos Blocker and Justin Blocker, Benjamin, William, Noah and Emelia Chong, Hunter, Kaylea and Elaina Hawks; nine great-grandchildren, Adrienne, Kaylyn, Traegan and Leland Chong, Brayden and McKenna Sprinkle, Keaten Sprinkle, Layla and Claudero Riley III; and a host of nieces and nephews; one brother, James and Sheila Pruitt of Atmore; two sisters, Nelda Hammonds of Glenco, and Gail and Stephen Brown of Atmore.

Services will be today, Wed., Oct. 4, 2017, at 11 a.m. from Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bishop Bernard Bishop, Bro. Butch Lee and Bro. J.T. Guyton officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery. Active pallbearers are Gary Chong, Brandon Bell, Jonathan Chong, Wesley Sprinkle, Cody Sprinkle and Claudero Riley. Honorary pallbearers are Nicholas Blocker, Dewayne Pruitt, Justin Blocker and Kevin Thomas.

Family received friends on Oct. 3, 2017, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Inc. is in charge of all arrangements.