Clarence Shirley Alexander

Mr. Clarence Shirley Alexander, 83 of Uriah, passed away on Sat., April 7, 2018, at his residence.

His residence was just down the road, from where he was born at Palmers’ Crossing in a shotgun house on Fri., Aug. 24, 1934.

The doctor came from Uriah in a horse drawn buggy to deliver him. His mother and father were quite certain he would be a girl and they would name the child Shirley. The baby turned out to be a boy so they named him Clarence Shirley Alexander. All of his life, he was known to his family and close friends as Shirley. He died close by where he was born. In the intervening years he traveled far and wide.

He began school in Alabama and later graduated from high school in Jena, La. in 1952. He attended Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La., before enlisting in the United States Navy.

He was serving off the Korean coast when the Armistice was signed on July 27, 1953.

He and his older brother, William, were permitted to serve on the same ship after his parents signed the consent required by the Navy.

While in the Navy, he sailed to Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and many other ports in the Pacific. While in the Navy, he met and later married Joyce Eberhardt of South Gate, Calif.

He returned to Louisiana in the latter half of the 1960s and began working with his father and brothers in the stump wood business. They produced over a 1,000 tons of pine stumps per week for many years.

They worked on large tracts of land in Louisiana, Georgia, Florida and many others. After retiring to the family home in Monroe County, he entered college later in life and graduated from Auburn University in Montgomery in 2000. He entered a master’s program in sociology at the University of Alabama.

He took a leave from that program to go on a mission trip with his wife for their church to New Zealand. He was a member of The Church of Latter Day Saints in Goodway.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William Medsker and Dottie Turk Alexander; his first wife, Joyce E. Alexander; two brothers, William V. Alexander and Glenn C. Alexander; and his sister, Mildred “Peggy” Koon Alexander.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley Frances Wiggins Alexander of Uriah; two sons, Bruce Todd Alexander of Uriah and Jeffrey Shawn Alexander of Wetumpka; two daughters Sherry Dawn Alexander of Anniston and Linda Gail Wilson of Plano Texas; one brother, Clifford Alexander of Roswell, Ga.; one sister, Frances Miller of Albany, Ga.; one grandson, Justin Dailey of Grady; one granddaughter, Michelle Joyce; one great-granddaughter, Kayla Joyce; and great-grandson Tyler Joyce.

Visitation was held April 10, 2018, from Johnson Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. today, Wed., April 11, 2018, from The Church of Latter Day Saints in Goodway with Greg Fralick officiating. Interment will follow at Mineola Cemetery with Johnson Funeral Home directing. Visit our online registry www.johnsonfh.org.

Thomas Falk

Mr. Thomas “Tommy” Falk, 64, passed away on Mon., April 9, 2018, in Nokomis.

He was a native of Walnut Hill, Fla. and has resided in Nokomis since 1976. He retired as an insulation foreman, was an avid bass fisherman and Auburn fan. He was a member of the McCullough Christian Center.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Opal Falk; and a brother, F.B. Sharpless Jr.

Survivors include his two sisters, Sharon (Jerry) Poulsen of Walnut Hill and June (Roger Sr.) McCann of Pensacola, Fla.; and two special friends, Dot Nall of Nokomis and Sissy Phillips of Nokomis.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. this Sat., April 14, 2018, from the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Corneilus Phillips officiating.

Burial will follow at the Walnut Hill Baptist Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. this Fri., April 13, 2018, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Jerry Poulsen, Chris Poulsen, Tim Albritton, Matt Jordan and Ray Lee and Justin Morse.

Honorary pallbearers will be William McCurdy, Adrian Smith, Buford Wiggins and Peanut McDonald.

Special thanks to Covenant Hospice Nurses, Regina and Connie, for their excellent care.

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