Obituaries
Bunny Richardson
June 26, 2025
Bunny Richardson, 86, of Russellville, passed away June 26. Visitation was held June 28 from 12-2 p.m. at Spry Memorial Chapel. A service took place at 2 p.m. Burial was in the Knights of Pythias Cemetery.
Mary Edith Mena
June 22, 2025
Mary Edith Mena, 74, of Russellville, passed away June 22. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Spry Memorial Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Brenda Lee Bates
Brenda Lee Bates
June 19, 2025
Brenda Lee Bates, known by her family as “Pee-Wee” and “Nanny,” 83, of Sheffield, Alabama, passed away at North Alabama Medical Center on June 19.
She was born on Nov. 3, 1941, to E.L. and Minnie Hooker. Brenda enjoyed fishing, playing bingo and playing cards. Her favorite pastime in the summer was working in her yard and watching and feeding her birds and plants. She loved to cut up and have fun, especially joking with her children when they would claim which was the favorite child, although she loved each child equally. She was loved by everyone that knew her.
Brenda’s faith was not about buildings or pews, it was in her heart, in the way she treated people, and in the love, she showed every single day. Brenda had a quiet, steady kind of faith that spoke louder than words. She believed in grace, kindness and doing good wherever she could. You did not have to hear her talk about Jesus to know she walked with him; you could see it in the way she lived.
A visitation for Brenda was held on June 23, 2025from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. at Akins Funeral Home in Russellville, Alabama. A funeral service directly followed in the funeral home chapel. Brenda was laid to rest at Ridge Cemetery in Golden, Mississippi.
Brenda is survived by her sons, Van Bates and Rickey (Susan) Bates; daughter, Jenny Roberson; grandchildren, Jacob (Hillary) Bates, Ashley Bates, Anna (Chase) Hopkins, Stephanie (Clayton) Straight, Jesse (Kristin) Bates; great-grandchildren, Brooklyn Bates, Kallie Bates, Maddie Elkins, Abel Jones, Kristian Doss, Alexis Doss, Akyrah Kirkman, Cash Hopkins, Ayla Kay Hopkins, Brody Bates, and Braxton Bates; sister, Marie Mason; and brother, Robert Hooker. She is also survived by a host of nieces and nephews who were very special to her, as well as many friends, neighbors and other family members.
She was preceded in death by her parents, E.L. and Minnie Hooker; husband, Waldrep “Ras” Bates; daughter, Charlotte Lee Bates; great-grandson, Brantlee Ray Presley; brothers, Bill Hooker and Jack Hooker; and sisters, Doris Baker, Jean Nichols, and Mary Colburn.
Memories and condolences may be shared at akinsfh.com.
