WICKSBURG. . .John Brent Smith, a resident of Wicksburg, died Sunday morning, June 15, 2025, at his home. He was 62.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in the Holman-Headland Mortuary Chapel with Reverend George Bryan and Reverend Tommy Green officiating. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 P.M. (C.D.T.) Wednesday in the Blakely Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10:00 until 11:00 A.M. Wednesday at the mortuary in Headland.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Bay Springs Baptist Church “Building Fund”, 1721 South Bay Springs Road, Dothan, AL 36305 or Sardis Baptist Church Cemetery Fund/ c/o Brenda Roberson, 1597 County Road 133, Abbeville, AL 36310.
Brent Smith was born and reared in Abbeville. He was a 1980 graduate of Abbeville High School and attended Wallace Community College and Troy University Dothan Campus. Mr. Smith retired, due to disability, from Flight School XXI in Daleville as an Electronics Technician on flight simulators. In earlier years, he was employed by Sony Corporation in Dothan. Brent was a member of Bay Springs Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his father, J. B. Smith.
Surviving relatives include his wife, Amy Harris Smith; his mother, Inez Tharpe Smith, Abbeville; a sister, Brenda Ann Smith Fulford (Ted), Abbeville; a brother, Benny Smith (Renee), Abbeville; a sister-in-law, Nancy McCormick, Felton, Delaware; several nieces and nephews.
Serving as active pallbearers will be Spence Fulford, Greg Gordon, Kenneth Tew, Jackson Bawcum, John McGarry, and Trey Fortune.
The family would like to express their appreciation to Brent’s caregivers who provided loving care and kindness during his illness.
HOLMAN-HEADLAND MORTUARY & CREMATIONS IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS. Phone 334-693-3371. You may sign a guest register at www.holmanmortuaries.com. This establishment does not own a crematory.
HEADLAND. . .Jimmy A. Hicks, a resident of Headland, died Saturday afternoon, June 14, 2025, at his home. He was 86.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in the Headland Methodist Church with Pastor Clayton Lassiter, Reverend Phil Craddock and Pastor Phillip Pinyan officiating and eulogy to be given by Brent Hicks. Burial will follow in the Headland Methodist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 P.M. Tuesday in the Family Life Center of the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Headland Methodist Church “Legacy Fund”, 103 West King Street, Headland, AL 36345.
Mr. Hicks was born and reared in Geneva County, near Hartford, son of the late Luther Z. Hicks and Alma Capps Hicks. He was a 1956 graduate of Geneva County High School in Hartford and attended Massey Draughon Business College in Columbus and Atlanta. Mr. Hicks served his country in the Army National Guard in the Abbeville and Phenix City units. He lived in Columbus before moving to Headland in 1971. While living in Columbus, Mr. Hicks was a member of the Jaycees. He was an active member of the Headland Methodist Church where he participated in many church activities. Mr. Hicks formerly served as President of the Headland Athletic Association. He was retired from Hedstrom Union Company in Dothan. After retirement, Mr. Hicks was employed by King Church Furniture. He was preceded in death by a sister, Dot Brannon, and a brother Jerry Hicks.
Jimmy was known for his love of God, his family, all sports and especially Auburn football. His wonderful sense of humor made everyone smile.
Surviving relatives include his wife, Bonnie Helms Hicks, a son, Brent Hicks (Angie), Chelsea, AL; and a granddaughter, Marlee Hicks (fiancé, Jared Lamberth); a sister, Sue Cannon, Columbus, GA; a sister-in-law, Lynn Hicks, Hartford; sisters-in-law and brothers-law from the Helms family, Stan and Sherri McNeese, Alice Martin, Bob and Linda Weaver, Maxie and Wanda Helms and Chester and June Pruett; several nieces and nephews.
Serving as active pallbearers will be Steve Brannon, Mark Dillard, Laine Dillard, Bob Cannon, Tommy Cannon and Carson Joyner. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be members of the Curry Woods Men’s Bible Class.
The family would like to express their appreciation to Gentiva Hospice for the loving care and kindness shown to Mr. Hicks during his illness.
HOLMAN-HEADLAND MORTUARY & CREMATIONS IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS. Phone 334-693-3371. You may sign a guest register at www.holmanmortuaries.com. This establishment does not own a crematory.
Mary Locke, of Dothan, passed away on Monday, June 9, 2025 at her home. She was 80.
Mary was a beloved mother, grandmother, and great- grandmother. She was the mother-in- law to many, but adopted each as her own to be “Mother”. She was the heart and center of the family with a terrific sense of humor and kept us all laughing right to the end. Mary was a giving person and would give to someone else in need, even if she did not have for herself. It gave her great joy to offer help whenever she could. Her love for all has made us all better people and anyone that had the privilege of meeting her is better for it. Her presence will be missed by us all, but the joy of her memory will be with us forever.
She was preceded in death by her parents, 11 siblings and a great grandson.
Mary is survived by her daughters: Roberta McGovern (Todd) and Julie Jeter (Sonny); sons: Roger Piper (Sassia) and Brian Piper (Linda); grandchildren, Robert, Tabitha, Kristan, Brandon, Matthew, Kyra, Robin, Billy, Jenna, Candy, Kara, Tara, Brittany, Austin, Tommy, Zane, Michael, Erika, Dustin, Tori, Amber, Carlie, and Heath; many great-grandchildren and numerous niece’s nephews and other extended family and friends.
OZARK…Mrs. Sue Anna Guthrie Hunt, a resident of Ozark, passed away early Thursday morning, June 12, 2025, in Dale Medical Center. She was 92.
Homegoing services will be held at 11:30 A.M. Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Chapel of the Wings, Fort Novosel, with Chaplain Travis Wilson officiating. 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 11:30 A.M. at the chapel on Fort Novosel.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to Community Hospice of Dale Medical Center, 368 James Street, Ozark, Alabama 36360.
Mrs. Hunt was a woman of extraordinary strength, wisdom, and kindness, leaving behind a legacy that touched countless lives. Born in Bloomfield, Kentucky to Robert Lee Guthrie and Cordie Mae Simpson Guthrie, she carried the warmth of her upbringing with her wherever life took her. In 1992, she made Ozark her home, bringing with her a heart full of love and a spirit that uplifted everyone she met.
Education was a lifelong passion for Mrs. Hunt. She never let age define her ambitions—instead, she embraced learning with enthusiasm. At 74 years old, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Troy University with a degree in Social Sciences, proving that determination and curiosity have no expiration date. Then, at 85, she fulfilled another dream by publishing her book, Mary “The” Last, a collection of stories from her life—each one carrying wisdom, humor, and the experiences that shaped her.
Mrs. Hunt was more than a mother to her own children; she was a mother to many, affectionately known as “Mama Sue”. Her nurturing presence, words of encouragement, and boundless love made people feel welcomed and cherished, as if they belonged to her family.
Music was another deep passion in her life, and she dedicated many years to sharing it with others. She served as Minister of Music, Church Pianist, and Secretary at West End Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, offering her gifts in service of faith and community. When she moved to Ozark, she continued her devotion to music, becoming the Music Director at Chapel of the Wings on Fort Novosel, where her talents enriched worship and brought joy to those around her.
Mrs. Hunt’s life was filled with love and devotion, and though she endured losses, she remained a steady source of strength for those who knew her. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Willard Neil Hunt, Sr. (Staff Sergeant, United States Army, Retired); her sisters, Donzella Breckinridge, Maxine Foster, Julia Ray, and Nell Guthrie; and her brothers, Frank Foster, Sr., Howard Foster, and Ruben Foster. Though she is no longer physically present, her influence, wisdom, and love will live on in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing her.
Surviving relatives include her three daughters, Deborah George (Ron), Louisville, Kentucky, Delphia Macon, Prattville, Alabama, and Alyssa Wicks (James), West Orange, New Jersey; four sons, Keith Davis (Denita), Louisville, Kentucky, Glenn Davis (Geraldine), Ozark, Alabama, Rodney Davis (Diane), Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Willard Neil Hunt, Jr. (Consuela), Indianapolis, Indiana; nineteen grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. A host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Serving as active pallbearers are her grandsons and great-grandsons, James Wicks II, Markeese Davis, David Sims, Jr., Ian Hunt, Edward Jenkins, Jr., Zion Macon, Bryan Davis, and Derek Smith.
SLOCOMB… Kathryn May Milhone, a resident of Slocomb, Alabama, passed away late Thursday night, June 12, 2025, at her home. She was 79.
A memorial service will be held 6:00 P.M. Sunday, June 15, 2025, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witness on Brannon Stand Road in Dothan Alabama with Brother Don Smith officiating.
Ms. Milhone was born in Peoria, Illinois to the late Thomas Carter Jones, Sr. and Ethel Bernice Foraker Jones. She retired, serving the ones she loved as a nurse. She had previously lived in Grimes, Alabama, and Lynn Haven, Florida, before moving to her current resident about three years ago. She was of the Jehovah Witness faith.
Along with her parents she was also preceded in death by her brothers, Tom Jones, Bill Jones and Floyd Jones.
Leaving to cherish her memories are her sons, Greg Milhone (Kelley) and Matthew Milhone (Candace); her daughters, Tammy McNeal, April Mathis, and Blessing Holland (Sam); her brothers, Mike Jones, Butch Jones, and KC Jones; her sister, Tina Cox; her thirteen grandchildren; her thirty-three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
