Obituaries week of March 15

Heather Korby
Hartselle
Funeral service for Heather Korby, 34, was held Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 3 p.m.
at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Fred Hembree officiating and Peck
Funeral Home directing. Burial was in Hartselle Memory Gardens. Mrs. Korby died Friday, February 24, 2023 at Decatur Morgan Hospital. She was born November 20, 1988, in Lowdnes County, Miss., to James Edwin Korby, Jr. and Angie Wakefield. Heather was the office manager for Anderson Motors, LLC, prior to her passing. She enjoyed going to the beach, but mostly loved deer and turkey hunting and fishing. She loved their farm in Tennessee and working on it. She was talented in many ways, was a hard worker and could do anything.
Preceding her in death were her grandparents, Nelmon and Erma Nell Wakefield
and James and Mary Korby; an aunt, Kitty Ellis, an uncle, Buddy Wakefield and a cousin, Lee McConaha. Survivors include husband, Jay Anderson; mother, Angie Wakefield; father, James Korby, Jr. (Sheri); brother, Chris Korby (Jess); sister, Joanna Clem (Jonah); nephew, Collier Clem; cousin, Michael “Mike” Fortner. Pallbearers were Guy Sloan, James Martin, Frank Campbell, Randy Curtis, Jimmy Ray Fortner and Joe Jones.

 

Tina Marie Vest
Decatur
Graveside service for Tina Marie Vest, age 60, of Decatur was held Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 2 p.m. at Montgomery Cemetery in Moulton with Brother Mike Vest officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Miss Vest, who was born February 22, 1963 in Hartselle, died Thursday, March 2, 2023 at her home in Decatur. Prior to her disability, she worked at Classic Panel Design as a machine operator. Tina was a very talented person and enjoyed painting and needlepoint. She loved the outdoors, sports and water skiing. She is survived by father, Gary Vest (Jewel); mother, Janet Essex; brother, Richard Vest; two step-brothers, Greg Hopkins and Don Hopkins; one sister, Anette Steward; step-sister, Claire Essex and good friend, Sharon McCulloch.

 

Ima Fay Hall Steele
Danville
A graveside funeral service and interment for Ima Fay Hall Steele, 89, was held Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 2 p.m. at Friendship South of Danville Cemetery with Bro. Joe Clement officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing.
Mrs. Steele died Thursday, March 2, 2023 at her residence. She was born August 18, 1933, in Morgan County, to Troy Selvin Hall and Clara Minda Miller Hall. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother and a member of the Friendship Baptist Church. She was employed by Prestolite, as an assembly worker, prior to her retirement. Preceding her in death were two husbands, Dewey Steele and Hal “Tobe” White, her parents, and a sister, Freda Hall Taylor.
Survivors include sons, Dewey Teryl Steele, David Kent Steele, and Troy Jack Steele (Judy);
brother, Terry Selvin Hall; three grandchildren, Will Steele, Leresa Jeffreys and Megan Sapp;
eight great-grandchildren. Pallbearers were Will Steele, Jeremy Sapp, Kasey Jeffreys, Joey Wise,
Jackson Sapp, Karter Mac Jeffreys.

Sandra G. Bennett
Somerville
Sandra G. Bennett, 76, died Thursday, March 2, 2023 at her residence. She was born August 12, 1946, in Mississippi, to R.C. Grimes and Myrtle Viola Campbell Grimes. She was a homemaker for her family. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and sister. Her parents preceded her in death. Survivors include daughter, Melissa Johnson; brother, Michael Grimes; sister, Ramona Hester; four grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren. No services were scheduled at this time.

 

Curtis Wylie Taylor

Hartselle

A memorial for Curtis Wylie Taylor, 84, of Hartselle will be held at Peck Funeral Home. Mr. Taylor, who died Monday, February 27, 2023, was born April 2, 1938 to Archibald Richard Taylor and Virginia Dare Taylor (née Murphy) in Greenville, Ala. Mr. Taylor grew up in Greenville and graduated from Greenville High School. Upon receiving a Walter O. Parmer Scholarship, he attended Vanderbilt University, Nashville, where he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s of Science. He also attended the University of Virginia where he specialized in procurement and contracts management. Mr. Taylor earned a commission as a lieutenant in the United States Army. He served two years active duty with the 5th Missile Battalion 517th Artillery where he excelled as a sharpshooter, and an additional six years in various reserve and National Guard units.

Mr. Taylor worked for IBM for 28 years in Huntsville and Manassas, Va. on the Saturn space program, Navy sonar programs, early stages of the Global Positioning System Program, and also the Tomahawk Missile Program, serving as Manager of Major Subcontracts, and retiring in 1993. He then worked for Lockheed Martin in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, and Huntsville, AL for 8 years as Subcontract Manager on the Air Traffic Management program and deployment of a European helicopter program for the UK. In addition, Mr. Taylor worked with the NASA space program in the US among other military programs. Most recently, he worked for Intergraph Corporation in Huntsville until 2017, continuing his subcontract management career in commercial and military programs.

While living at Manassas, Va. Mr. Taylor was an officer in the Jaycees, a member of the local barber shop singing group, and was appointed to the Manassas Historical Society where he became chairman and was instrumental in creating The Manassas Museum Associates, a 501c (3) organization, to financially support the museum and develop local sites of historical significance for Manassas, VA and the surrounding area. He was active in the planning, development and installation of the Jenny Dean Memorial. Mr. Taylor was also the chairman of the board of deacons and a member of the session of the Greenwich Presbyterian Church in Nokesville, VA. He served for years on the session of the First Presbyterian Church in Hartselle, Alabama.

Mr. Taylor enjoyed rooting for the Washington Redskins, Alabama’s college football teams, and his alma mater, Vanderbilt. During the 60s he was an avid drag racer of Ford Falcons, which he creatively modified with his racing partner, Ray Bryan. Later in life he enjoyed attending classic car shows with his friends. Mr. Taylor was especially fond of Ford Mustangs. His first Mustang was a 1965 high performance Mustang coupe, and his last was the all-electric Mustang of 2023. A charitable man, he was also a supporter of the Presbyterian Home for Children in Talladega, Ala.

Mr. Taylor is survived by his wife, Brenda Powell Taylor (née Frazier), whom he met in Hartselle in 1966 and married in 1967, and two daughters; Elizabeth Bree Taylor Dever of Foster, Rhode Island, and Katharine Dare Taylor Selvidge of Hartselle. Mr. Taylor has one grandson, Luke Taylor Selvidge, and one granddaughter, Sophia Maria Rain Selvidge, of Decatur.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mr. Taylor’s name to his favorite charity, the Presbyterian Home for Children.

Jerry Holladay

Jerry Holladay
Huntsville
Funeral service for Jerry Holladay, 84, was held Thursday, March 9, 2023 at
1 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Tom Campbell officiating and
Peck Funeral Home directing. Ms. Holladay passed away Sunday, March 5, 2023 at her residence. She was born August 25, 1938, in Morgan County, to Issac Emmett Holladay and Evie Crow Holladay. She started working as a secretary for Wernher von Braun
when he was in Huntsville. After her third child was born, she returned to
school and got her Master’s Degree of Healthcare Administration from Saint
Jospeh’s College of Maine. While employed by Price Williams Hospital in
Manassas, Va., she installed the Quality Assurance Program for the
hospital that ultimately accredited the hospital. She and her best friend
invented and patented the “Baby West” a newborn evacuation vest. When she
retired, she was the Assistant Vice President of Nursing. Jerry was a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother and friend. She was an avid reader and also enjoyed traveling and dancing.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Dewese Ockerman,
brother-in-law, Joe Ockerman, brothers, Cliff Holladay and Phil Holladay.
Survivors include husband, Archie Jordan, Huntsville; son, Dr. Kryder E. Van Buskirk, III , Danville, KY; daughters, Patricia O’Kelley, Danville, Ala. and Valerie Rose, Rossville, Ind.;
brothers, Wade Holladay, Huntsville, and Lynn Holladay, Madison; sister, Mary Gem Holladay; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

 

Billy Wayne Robinson
Decatur
A graveside funeral service and interment for Billy Wayne Robinson, 74, was
held Friday, March 10, 2023 at noon at Mt. Zion with Bro. Donald McDonald
officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Mr. Robinson died Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at Floyd E. “Tut” Fann State Veterans Home. He was born April 21,1948, in Morgan County, to William Forrest Robinson and Monzel Cowan Robinson. He was a backhoe operator, prior to his passing. Preceding him in death were his parents, brothers, Bobby Robinson and Stevie Robinson and sisters, Sue Johnson and Joan Cocke. Survivors include wife, Catherine Robinson;
daughters, Anita Towe (Barry), Denise Barnett, and Donna Mears; grandchildren, Valerie Denny, Jake Towe, Blake Towe, Dalton Hamm, Austin Hamm, Kelsey Hollingsworth and Ashlyn Mears;
eleven great grandchildren. Pallbearers were Blake Towe, Dalton Hamm, Bobby Joe Robinson, Johnny Robinson, Jeff Hemming and Cash Wallace.

 

Craig Brown
Eva
Funeral service for Craig Brown, 33, was held Saturday, March 11, 2023 at
3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Jeff Allred officiating and
Peck Funeral Home directing. Burial was in Rock Creek Cemetery.
Mr. Brown died Sunday, March 5, 2023. He was born May 2, 1989, in
Morgan County to Brent Brown and Kelley Woodall. He was employed by Woodall
Nursery, prior to his passing. He was loved by his family and will be
missed. Survivors include mother, Kelley Woodall; father, Brent Brown; brother, Dakota Pinyan;
aunt, Dot Woodall. Pallbearers were Randall Drinkard, Cody Drinkard, Leslie Woodall, Dakota
Pinyan, Phillip Vinscent and Franklin Drinkard.

 

Teresa Sandlin
Somerville
Funeral service for Teresa Sandlin, 62, was Sunday, March 12, 2023 at
1:30 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Melvin Hunter officiating and
Peck Funeral Home directing. Burial was in Turney Cemetery. Mrs. Sandlin died Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at her residence. She was born April 27, 1960, in Dallas County, Texas, to Sydney Morgan and Hazel Green Chriss. She was a homemaker for her family and a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Preceding her in death were her father; a brother, Donnie Morgan; and a
sister, Debbie Laney. Survivors include husband, Lance Sandlin; mother, Hazel Green Chriss; sons, Sean Bennett and Ross Bennett (Heather); God-child, Miranda Parker; brothers, Jeff Morgan,
JR. Morgan, and Mike Morgan; sisters, Sandra Morgan and Pam Lack; grandchildren, Ty Bennett, Preston Bennett, Michelle Reeves and Mikalee Goodwin. Pallbearers were family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Hospice of the
Valley.

 

Porter Terry
Danville
A graveside funeral service and interment for Porter Terry, 90, was held
Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 2 p.m. at Johnson Chapel Cemetery with Bro.
John Tucker officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Mr. Terry died Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at his residence. He was born January 1, 1933, in Lawrence County, to Paris Terry and Maggie McDougal Terry. He was employed by Fruehauf, working in maintenance and automotive departments, prior to his retirement. Preceding him in death were his parents; a son, Michael L. Terry and brothers, Arnold, Raburn, O’Neal, J.C. and Buford Terry. Survivors include
wife, Mary Jo Sharp Terry; daughter, Melinda Collier (Billy), Vicki Atkins (Randy) and
Tammy Harding (Bruce); sisters, Christine Hopper, Rebecca Pugh, and Shirley Nelson; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be family and friends.

At a Glance

PowerGrid Services in Hartselle evacuated for bomb threat

Morgan County

20 under 40: Trey Chowning

Falkville

20 under 40: TJ Holmes

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20 under 40: Spencer Bell

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20 under 40: Shelby Keenum

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20 under 40: Rachel Howard

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20 under 40: Mary Virgina Halbrooks

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20 under 40: Maggie McKelvey

Decatur

20 under 40: Maegan Jones

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20 under 40: Lindsey Tapscott

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‘He lets us have sex’: More details emerge on Hartselle man accused of child exploitation 

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Hartselle church creates Easter-themed escape rooms 

Danville

Family tradition: State livestock show legacy spans generations

Editor's picks

Baseball for Beau: More than $8k raised for scholarship named after Hartselle child  

Falkville

20 under 40: Lela Weeks

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20 under 40: Kalleigh Thomas

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20 under 40: Jaime Hatcher

Hartselle

Veteran Hartselle firefighter charged with possessing child porn

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Cerrowire expansion named finalist in Business Alabama Awards  

At a Glance

Work begins on repairing two bridges over I-65 in Morgan County in coming weeks

At a Glance

Tickets for Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame banquet available

Falkville

Morgan County volunteers celebrated at annual fire department banquet 

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Man jailed for stealing car from jail after earlier release 

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Police: Hartselle man encouraged children to have sex inside his apartment

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