Marilyn Betty Hutchings, born December 9, 1933, in Somersville, Alabama, passed away peacefully on November 29, 2025 in Hartford, AL, leaving behind a legacy of compassion, hard work, and boundless care for others.
Those who knew Marilyn would tell you she never missed an opportunity to lend a helping hand. Whether she was cleaning houses, looking after children, or tending to her beloved garden, she poured her heart into everything she did. Her kindness and willingness to go above and beyond made her a fixture in the lives of family, friends, and neighbors alike.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Hubert C. Hutchings, Jr.; her son, Mike Hutchings, and her four sisters. Their memories held a cherished place in her heart.
Marilyn is survived by her three children: Linda Guth (Dave), Debbie Tucker, and Greg Hutchings (Debbie). She is also remembered fondly by her nine grandchildren and their families. Ryan and Michael Serdula, Steve and Thomas Tucker, Michael, Matthew, Marc, Justin, and Eric Hutchings.
Marilyn’s unwavering commitment to family, her gentle humor, and her generous spirit will be missed by all whose lives she touched. Her stories, wisdom, and laughter will continue to echo in the gardens she nurtured and in the hearts of those who loved her.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests honoring Marilyn by planting something beautiful or spending a quiet moment helping someone in need- just as she would have done.
John D. Knight, Jr.,
“June” was born on November 23, 1946, to the late John D. Knight, Sr., and the late Sarah Knight. June passed away peacefully on November 25, 2025, at his home in Clio, AL.
June was a member of St. Peter A.M.E. Church, Clio, AL. He attended and graduated from Clio Public High School in May of 1964. Later that year, he married Essie Caple Knight and in that union, had one child. He later moved to Miami, FL, where he started his truck driving career and drove for numerous years, which was his passion.
June was preceded in death by his loving parents, John D. and Sarah Knight, one sister, Johnnie P. Pitman, two brothers, Grady Knight and Phillip Knight, one granddaughter, Otiyana Briana LeShay Knight and one great-granddaughter, Paisleigh Michelle Serann Gamble.
June leaves behind a loving daughter, Tamerian Hurt of Dothan, AL, grandchildren, Valencia (Markeith) Williams of Ozark, AL; Michael (Jessica) Gamble of Dothan, AL; Jamorion Kelly of Dothan, AL, great-grands, Chriszavion West, Tatiyana Alexis Teshay West, Makayla Gamble, Makeriah Gamble, Kari Amir Gamble, Greyson Kole Gamble and Jalani Nahir Kelly, three great-great grands, Jaiden Forte, Serenity Williams and Nylah Starks; siblings, James Robert
(Rose Marie, Deceased) Govan, Chicago, IL; Tom Albert (Gennette, Deceased) Govan, Chicago, IL; Ethel (John Albert) Beacham, Clio, AL; Sarah (Raymond) White, Louisville, AL; Jennie Barrow, Montgomery, AL; Bobby D. Knight, Dallas, TX; Donnell (Angela) Knight,
Moundville, AL; Teresa (Fred, Deceased) Daffin, Clio, AL; one Godbrother, Cedric Horn and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends; Special friends, Joseph Edwards, Kim Stanley, and Alfonzo Brown of Dothan, AL, and Mary McClendon and family of Clio, AL.
The family would like to thank everyone for their love and kindness during their time of loss and great care provided by Southern Care Hospice and especially nurse Heather.
Lettie Anne McGraw Spivey, age 93, passed away Tuesday afternoon, 18 November 2025, after a short illness in Fort Worth, Texas.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, December 16, 2025, in the Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memory Gardens. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends from 10:00 until 11:00 A.M. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Anne was born to Robert Lee McGraw and Robbie Lynn Beck, on Tuesday morning, 7 June 1932, in Ozark, AL. At an early age at Ozark Baptist Church, she made her profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and she served him faithfully the rest of her life. In March 1944, her brother, Robert Lee McGraw, Jr., was born. In April 1947, she began dating James Travis ‘Track’ Spivey, an eighteen-year-old high-school dropout and National Guardsman from Echo. Four months later, they eloped and were married on Sunday evening, 3 August 1947, in Fort Gaines, GA. The school board allowed them to re-enroll in school, and they graduated from Dale County High School in May 1949. While Track was doing military training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 1950, Anne gave birth to their first son, James Travis (Jr). Two years later, Track enlisted as an active-duty supply specialist in the U.S. Army. During the next ten years, Anne served alongside him in Germany, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Alabama. In 1962, when they were stationed in New Orleans, Louisiana, Anne gave birth to their second son, John Timothy. While in New Orleans, Track also was ordained as a deacon of Bethany Baptist Church. Afterward, he and Anne served again in Germany, then in Georgia. When Track went to Vietnam (1967), the rest of the family returned to Ozark. In 1969, he retired as a Sergeant Major at Fort Rucker. During his twenty years of federal service, he and Anne actively engaged in the ministry of Baptist churches or military chapels wherever they lived.
In the Fall of 1967, Anne enrolled at Troy State University. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree (Summa cum laude) in 1972 and Master of Science degree in Counseling and Guidance in 1974. Three years later, she was licensed as a secondary school teacher in history and psychology. In 1978, she began her nineteen-year career as a licensed Alabama Social Worker in Dale County. Anne was widowed in January 1979, when Track died of cancer as a result of exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Afterward, she also became a Licensed Professional Counselor (1986) and began her ministry as a Christian counselor in Dothan. She served in this capacity for thirty-two years: at First Baptist Church (1986-95) and Calvary Baptist Church (1996-2004); and in private practice on West Main Street (2004-18). This ministry touched innumerable people in several counties throughout the Wiregrass region of Southeast Alabama. During most of those years, she also led an adult Sunday School class at First Baptist Church, Dothan, where she faithfully researched Scripture and wrote and taught her own lessons.
Anne loved the Lord, His church, and her family. Whenever possible, she shared the message of eternal salvation in Christ and tried to help people build strong, healthy relationships on His foundation. Anne had an especially compassionate heart for the marginalized, down-trodden and poor. She was a firmly principled person, with a reputation for being strong-minded, independent, and resolute. The sources of that strength were her daily walk with the Lord, a consistent life of prayer, and staying grounded in His word. Her favorite hymn was ‘Sweet Hour of Prayer’, and her two guiding scriptural passages were John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9.
Anne was preceded in death by her husband of thirty-one years, James T. Spivey, Sr; her parents, Robert and Robbie Lynn McGraw, and three infant siblings.
She is survived by two sons, Jim (wife Beverly), of Fort Worth, TX and John (wife Lesley), of Mobile, AL; two grandchildren, Jennifer Spivey, of Tacoma, WA and John Spivey, Jr., of Fort Worth, TX; and brother, Bob (spouse Ernie), of San Angelo, TX.
You may sign a guest register at www.fuquabankston.com
Allen Alfred “Skinner” Donaldson of Elba, AL went home to be with the Lord on Monday, December 01, 2025. He was 86.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 06, 2025 in the chapel of Warren Holloway Ward Funeral Home in Geneva, AL with Rev. Dennis Schank and Rev. Jadon Schank officiating. Burial will follow in Fairview Baptist Church Cemetery with Warren Holloway Ward Funeral Home directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home beginning at 12:00 p.m. Flowers will be accepted.
Skinner was born in Coffee Co, AL on December 05, 1938 to the late Allen Wesley “Jack” and Flora Thelma Bludsworth Donaldson. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and loyal friend. He enjoyed living in the country and had a great love of nature and animals. He was affectionately known as our “PaPa with the chickens” or our “PaPa with the moustache. He will forever be remembered as the most gentle, calm, loving and patient man who loved the Lord and his family, especially his wife. Skinner exhibited the true fruits of the Spirit, according to God’s Holy Word. Slow, calm and steady is how he lived his life and showed the rest of the world how one should love his family. He was loved and respected by many and will be greatly missed.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Ford Donaldson and Jerry Donaldson; and one sister, Jeretha Fletcher.
Skinner is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 66 years, Margie Donaldson of Elba, AL; three children, David Donaldson (Donna) of Auburndale, FL, Sherry Fabre (Chris) of Kenner, LA and Tony “Bo” Donaldson of Lakeland, FL; five grandchildren, Jonathan Donaldson (Lindsey) of Auburndale, FL, Jenifer Wade (Aaron) of Clayhatchee, AL, Rhea Bonura (Joseph) of Montz, LA, Kerstin Bonicard (Jon Scully) of Morgan City, LA and Cody Donaldson of Kernersville, NC; eight great grandchildren, Nolan Dorminy, Lane Donaldson, Ezra Wade, Endia Wade, Colt Donaldson, Charlie Bonura, Vincent Bonura and Shep Wade; one sister, Rhonda Lynn Adkins of Santa Fe, NM and a number of special nieces and nephews.
Marie Anderson Martin, passed away peacefully on December 3, 2025, at the age of 96 in Dothan, Alabama. Born in the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina, on February 6, 1929, Marie was a woman whose life was characterized by her deep Christian faith and her unwavering commitment to her family and community.
Marie’s journey through life was marked by love from the very beginning, as the daughter of George Anderson, Sr., and Marie Anderson. In 1950, she married the love of her life, Roy Raymond Martin, Jr., in a ceremony that celebrated their shared faith and values. Together, they moved to Folly Beach, South Carolina, where Marie dedicated her early years to raising a family and serving her community. Marie’s role as the wife of a Baptist minister deepened her involvement with the church, where she met her husband and built a life centered around service and compassion. She joined the choir where she traveled, sharing the Lord’s gospel with others. Her faith was the cornerstone of her existence, guiding her through life’s challenges and celebrations alike.
A gifted and caring educator, Marie worked as a kindergarten teacher at the First Baptist Church in Charleston, touching the lives of countless young minds with her gentle spirit and profound kindness. Her dedication to nurturing the potential in every child was a testament to her loving nature.
The Martins later moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where Marie continued her life’s work with the civil service at the IRS until her retirement in 1999. Throughout her career, she was not only a respected colleague but also a cherished friend, known for her ability to bring warmth and grace to any situation.
Those who had the pleasure of knowing Marie will remember her as a soft-spoken woman whose actions spoke volumes. She was the embodiment of caring and love, always putting others before herself and ensuring that anyone in her presence felt valued and supported. Marie’s hands were rarely still, as she tirelessly worked to take care of people, creating a legacy of love that will live on through her family and every life she touched.
Marie is survived by her sons, Roy Martin, III (Carmen) and John Martin (Eliza), her daughter in law, Lisa Dixon; her grandchildren, Hannah Martin, Emma Martin, Sophie Martin, Wynn Martin, and Victoria Kopczynska; She also leaves behind several nieces and nephews who will miss her dearly. Marie was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Roy Raymond Martin, Jr., and her parents.
Marie found strength, purpose, and comfort in her relationship with the Lord, and her dedication to the church was evident in all she did. Whether she was serving in various ministries, offering a kind word to someone in need, or simply showing up with a joyful heart each Sunday, Marie lived out her beliefs with grace and sincerity.
Marie’s legacy is one of love, selflessness, and a faith-filled life. Her memory will be cherished and kept alive by the countless lives she enriched with her presence. As we bid farewell to Marie Anderson Martin, we celebrate a life extraordinarily well-lived, a life that exemplified the very best of what it means to be human. Her spirit will continue to inspire and guide us, just as it always has.
A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 2pm EST in the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, GA.
Mrs. Joan Carol Wright, of Graceville, Florida, passed away Tuesday, December 2, 2025 at Graceville Health Center surrounded be her loving family. She was 82.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, December 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM in the Chapel of Sorrells Funeral Home Slocomb with Sorrells Funeral Home directing.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to service time.
Interment will follow at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Wright was born in Jackson County, Florida on December 17, 1942, to the late Noah and Mable Oliver Crutchfield. Joan graduated in 1961 from Graceville High School and then married in 1966 to the love of her life, Tommy E. Wright. She had a big heart and enjoyed sharing her love as she sat with and cared for elderly people that needed her services. Joan was willing to provide a listening ear and assistance with any of their needs while always having a smile on her face and expressing outward compassion. She was a loving and caring mother and grandmother and great grandmother. Her heart was full because of her 3 children, 6 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren. Joan will be truly missed and the world will be much smaller without her big heart present.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Tommy E. Wright; sisters: Clara Woodham and Mary Hall.
Joan leaves behind three children: Phyllis and Jeff Carnley of Esto, Florida, Sophia and Joe Mesey of Taylor, Alabama, Marcus and Christina Wright of San Antonio, Texas; grandchildren: Wayne Carnley, Brandon Carnley, Cameron Thompson, Brittany Lynn Thompson, Nicholes Wright, Weston Wright; great grandchildren: Jarret Carnley, Rosa Waldron, Savannah Downs, Raelyn Downs; a sister of the heart, Sarah Hodges, sister Joyce Whorley (Homer) and and other extended family and friends.
McClendon and family of Clio, AL.
