Obituaries
 By  Staff Reports Published 
2:41 pm Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Melvin Lester Mays

Melvin Lester Mays

October 12, 2012

Melvin Lester Mays, 87, Phil Campbell passed away Friday, Oct. 12, 2012, at Shoals Hospital.

Mr. Mays was a lifelong resident of Franklin County and a member of Mt. View Baptist Church, Phil Campbell. He was a self-employed merchant and the owner of the Piggly Wiggly grocery store in Phil Campbell. He was also a WWII veteran of the U.S. army.

Funeral services were Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, at Pinkard Funeral Home Chapel, Russellville, with burial in Mt. View Cemetery. Officiating was Bro. Sammy Taylor.

Survivors include his wife, Marie Davis Mays; children, Lester Don Mays and wife, Barbara, Phil Campbell, Sharon Mays Hipp and husband, Ben, Hockley, Texas, David Keith Mays and wife, Debra, Spruce Pine; brother, Robert Mays and wife, Jeanette, Phil Campbell; sisters, Opal McMurry, Russellville, Virginia Parrish, Russellville; grandchildren, Todd Whirley and wife, Melody, Zachery Whirley and wife, Dawn, Amanda Hipp Fowler and husband, Tony, Jonathan Mays, Emily Mays, Amy Mays Knight and husband, Bret, Elizabeth Mays, Michael Mays and wife, Liz; fourteen great-grandchildren; special friend, Levi Hall (Little Man), Phil Campbell.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred D. and Alma Cook Mays; and daughter, Wanda Davis Whirley and husband, Bob.

Pallbearers were Billy Hurst, Danny Peppers, Randy Ergle, Dennis Davis, Bobby Davis, and Thomas James.

Also on Franklin County Times
$5M is secured for I-22 connector studies
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
June 3, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — A $5 million federal earmark has been secured for engineering and environmental studies tied to the long-discussed Haleyville bypass p...
Ayers hired as RCS assistant superintendent
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
June 3, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The city schools board of education has hired Nate Ayers as the system’s next assistant superintendent. Ayers’ hiring was approved by b...
Reserve deputies provide manpower where needed
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Addi Broadfoot Staff Writer 
June 3, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — A group of volunteers dedicating their time to help local law enforcement is playing crucial roles ranging from courthouse security to ...
Search for executive director begins soon
Franklin County, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
June 3, 2026
TUSCUMBIA — The board overseeing the Alabama Music Hall of Fame has established procedures for selecting a new executive director. The position has be...
Cultura Garden Club celebrates America 250
Editorials, News, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
June 3, 2026
Cultura Garden Club members gathered in red, white and blue for their May meeting at the scenic home of Ann Marie Bucholtz in Phil Campbell, and welco...
The world needs some family values
Columnists, Opinion
June 3, 2026
Far out in Colbert County in an area near Cherokee called Freedom Hills, my parents, Dewey and Lillie Mae Denton, scratched out a life from a small cr...
Tharptown names Burkett baseball coach
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
June 3, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Becoming Tharptown High’s head baseball coach is the culmination of a goal that was years in the making for Michael Burkett. Burkett jo...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *