William Troy Benford

By Staff
December 31, 2006
William Troy Benford, age 68, of Phil Campbell, passed away Sunday, December 31, 2006, at ECM Hospital.
Mr. Benford lived all his life in Franklin County and was a member of First Baptist Church in Phil Campbell. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jessie M. and Sallie Benford; a son, Allen Troy Benford; a sister, Jennie Abbott; and two brothers, Aaron Benford and Jerry Benford.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today at Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville with Sammy Taylor and Billy Thorn officiating. Interment will be in Ephesus Cemetery in Haleyville.
Mr. Benford is survived by his wife, Marolyn Benford; two children, Sallie Rogers of Phil Campbell and Scott Benford and wife Tabatha, of Phil Campbell; four step-children, Anthony McBee of Tullahoma, TN, Malcolm McBee of Decherd, TN, Frank Tucker of Phil Campbell, and Sarah Stewart of Tullahoma, TN; two brothers, Jessie Marvin Benford, Jr. and Terry Benford, both of Phil Campbell; six sisters, Olive Berry of Haleyville, Genoma Crisler of Phil Campbell, Shelby Epperson of Haleyville, Sarah Nix of Muscle Shoals, Jackie Hutcheson of Phil Campbell, and Janice Anderson of Muscle Shoals; five grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Pinkard Funeral Home assisted the family.
Margie Lucille Cooper
December 28, 2006
Margie Lucille Cooper, age 85, of Hamilton, passed away Thursday, December 28, 2006.
Mrs. Cooper was a member of the Baptist Church. She was a loving mother and grandmother and will be dearly missed by her children and grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Foad Nelson Cooper; a son, Bobby Cooper; her parents, Porter B. McCaig and Mary Brazill McCaig; and a grandson, Jody Stiltner.
Funeral services were held at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 31, 2006, at Spry Memorial Chapel with Bro. Rick Chambless officiating. Interment was in Macedonia Cemetery in Vina.
Mrs. Cooper is survived by two sons, Jessie Cooper and wife Joan, of Tennessee, and Tony Cooper of Tennessee; three daughters, Marlyn Kandell and husband David, of Mississippi, MaryLou Stiltner and husband Rex, of Michigan, and Shirley Schielke and husband Patrick, of Georgia; a sister, Audrey Wroten of Arizona; nineteen grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Spry Chapel assisted the family.
W.E. Cox, Jr.
December 30, 2006
W.E. Cox, Jr., age 76, of Westover, passed away Saturday, December 30, 2006, at his home.
Mr. Cox was born in Hamilton on November 28, 1930, to W.E. Cox, Sr. and Maggie Bell Ballard Cox. He finished high school in Russellville, where he was a football letterman. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1950-54, then lived and worked in the Birmingham area for 52 years. He retired in 1998 as an estimator/buyer, steel fabrication.
Mr. Cox married Martha Joan Pair in 1960 and fathered four children-three daughters and one son. He now has six grandchildren. He personally built the log house inn Westover and has lived there for 10 years. His hobbies were hunting and fishing, giving tractor rides to grandchildren, and cultivating a small garden.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Bolton-Letlow Funeral Home in Columbiana, AL. Interment will be at Ray Family Cemetery (five miles south of Westover on Hwy. 55).
Mr. Cox is survived by his wife, Martha Pair Cox; four children, Lorraine Cox Fancher and husband Chuck, Elaine Cox Abston and husband Mac, David Douglas Cox, and Jannine Cox Gore and husband Brian; a brother, Jack B. Cox; and six grandchildren, Shelley Fancher, Kyle Fancher, Evan Abston, Ethan Abston, Eli Abston and Preston Gore.
Robert Leon Hill
December 31, 2006
Robert Leon Hill, age 64, of Hackleburg, passed away Sunday, December 31, 2006, at his residence.
Mr. Hill was a native of Morgan County but had lived in this area for the past 39 years. He was a member of the Tuscumbia Valley Baptist Church and was retired from the lumber business. He was preceded in death by his father, Rubert Leon Hill.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 2, 2007, at Pinkard Funeral Home Chapel in Russellville with Hosea Smith and Bryan Sutton officiating. Interment was in Vandiver Hollow Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Matt Brown, David Hines, Tyler Hines, Chris Garner, Brad Fuller and Carl Hines. Honorary bearers were Billy Burleson, Keith Bullington, Bruce Harris, Kenneth Brown, Brian Brown, Carroll Herron, Phillip Pace and Ray McCarley.
Mr. Hill is survived by his wife, Martha Brown Hill; two children, Rubert "Burt" Leon Hill II of Muscle Shoals, and Nina Mosha Hill of Hackleburg; his mother, Tina Pauline Tyler of Hartselle; two brothers, Jimmy Hill of Hartselle and Joe Rains of Cado; two sisters, Paula Penny and Brinda Kaye Hill, both of Hartselle; two grandchildren, Tuesday Hill and Ryan Hill; and several nieces and nephews.
Pinkard Funeral Home assisted the family.
Ruben Oden McCurley
December 30, 2006
Ruben Oden McCurley, age 85, of Bear Creek, passed away Saturday, December 30, 2006, at his residence.
Mr. McCurley was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in World War II. He belonged to the American Legion and was a member of the Haleyville Masonic Lodge #464. He retired from Frontier Homes and was a member of Antioch Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Mary McCurley; a sister, Trudy McCurley; and five brothers, Earl, Ocie, O.D., Guy and Dowl McCurley.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, January 2, 2007, at Pinkard Funeral Home in Haleyville with Mark Daniel and Ronnie Marbutt officiating. Interment was in Antioch Cemetery near Phil Campbell.
Mr. McCurley is survived by his wife, Mary Inez Wilson McCurley; two children, Larry McCurley and wife Ava, and Darline Odom Gardner and husband Dennis; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Pinkard Funeral Home assisted the family.
Emma D. Todd
December 30, 2006
Emma D. Todd, of Russellville, passed away Saturday, December 30, 2006, at ECM Hospital.
Mrs. Todd was a native of Colbert County but had lived in Russellville most of her life. She was a member of the Baptist Church and a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jessie Walker; a daughter, Peggy Ann Zills; and two sisters, Elizabeth Lane and Lou Ella Walker.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 2, 2007, at Pinkard Funeral Home Chapel in Russellville with Danny Pettus officiating. Interment was in Franklin Memory Gardens.
Pallbearers were Mrs. Todd's grandsons.
Mrs. Todd is survived by her very loving husband, Charles Todd; three children, Kathrine Banicki of Russellville, Barbara Jean Uptain of Gardendale, and Brenda Brownell and husband Roy, of Russellville; a brother, Robert Walker of Decatur; two special nephews, Jimmy Carl Balentine of Muscle Shoals and Jim Walker of Decatur; a special grandson-in-law, Greg McCain; ten grandchildren, David Uptain, Marty Uptain, Lisa Terry, Danny Jeffreys, Michael Jeffreys, Cheri McCain, Terry Zills, Lee Brownell, Heidi Jerrald, and Craig Braly and wife Cheryl and son Cody; and nine great-grandchildren, Adam Jeffreys, Chad Jeffreys, Matthew Jeffreys, Emma Anne McCain, Morgan Uptain, Tatum Uptain, Seth Uptain, Austin Murphy and Lexie Terry.
Pinkard Funeral Home assisted the family.
Thelma Tucker
December 26, 2006
Thelma Tucker, age 85, of Gardendale and formerly of Haleyville, passed away Tuesday, December 26, 2006.
Mrs. Tucker was preceded in death by her mother, father and two sisters.
Funeral services were held on Friday, December 29, 2006, at Pinkard Funeral Home in Haleyville with William Conlee III officiating. Interment was in Littleville Cemetery.
Mrs. Tucker is survived by six daughters, Gail Allman of Rockford, IL, Barbara Woo and husband Albert, of El Paso, TX, Juanita Curtis and husband Charlie, of San Diego, Brenda Parker and husband Rick, of Gardendale, Diane Jones and husband Bruce, of Warrior, and Wanda Sturgeon of Birmingham; seven brothers and sisters, Mae Barker of Birmingham, Alma Bailey of Haleyville, Dean Hood of Haleyville, U.V. Garrison and husband Hardin, of Haleyville, J.C. McDonald and wife Rachel, of Haleyville, Orvil McDonald and wife Elnor, of Rockford, IL, and Jackie Lantz of Rockford, IL; eleven grandchildren; seventeen great-grandchildren; and a host of other family and friends.
Pinkard Funeral Home assisted the family.