Norman Romalius Williams, 93, a life-long resident of Houston County, passed away on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at Southeast Health.
Norman was born March 9, 1933, in Dothan to the late Louis Alvin & Esther Schulman Williams. He lived in Dothan all of his life and was graduate of Dothan High School. Following graduation, he enlisted and proudly served 4 years in the United States Air Force. After his time in the service, he returned to Dothan and opened a service station, before going in business as a homebuilder. He was longtime member of Calvary Baptist Church in Dothan.
He is preceded by his parents; his two brothers, Bill Williams, and Larry Williams.
He is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Bobbie Williams; his son, Robert “Scott” Williams; his daughter, Tammie Lynn Dixon; his 6 grandchildren, Amber Holland Smith (Justin), Danielle Williams (Corey Lashley), Nathan Dixon, Tyler Williams, Paige Dixon, and Natalie Dixon; his 8 great-grandchildren, Holland Smith, Hudson Smith, Henley Smith, J.D. Williams, Jax Williams, J.T. Williams, Raylie Lashley, and Cooper Lashley; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorial contributions be made to, Wiregrass Pets Rescue & Adoption Center, 2638 Hartford Highway, Dothan, AL 36301 or to, Wiregrass Area Food Bank, 382 Twitchell Road, Dothan, AL 36303.
Glover Funeral Home and Crematory has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Obituary from Holman Funeral Home of Ozark – Ozark, Alabama
Mr. William Vaughn “Van” Weeks, a resident of Ozark, passed away Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at his home. He was 73 years old.
Funeral services for Mr. Weeks will be held 11:00 A.M. Friday, July 31, 2026, in the Chapel of Holman Funeral Home in Ozark with Minister Roger Howell and Reverend Joe Underwood officiating. Interment will follow in Westview Memorial Cemetery, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home in Ozark Friday from 10:00 A.M. until service time. Serving as pallbearers will be Tommy Farmer, Louis Camp, Steve Underwood, Mark Brown, Joe Turnbull and Mike Adams.
Mr. Weeks was born March 19, 1953 in Dale County, Alabama to the late K. W. Weeks and Virginia Myrl Willis Weeks. He graduated from Carroll High School in 1971 and attended Wallace Community College where he received certifications in Electrical and HV/AC. Van was employed with Ozark Nursing Home, Carroll Heating and Air, Ted’s Heating and Cooling, Michelin, Dale Medical Center and with Little Caesars in maintenance retiring after twenty-four years. Van also drove a bus for the Ozark City School System. He attended Ariton Church of Christ. Van enjoyed working in the yard, raising bees and processing honey, tinkering and piddling. He loved his dog, Clawdy and enjoyed feeding him ice cream and chocolate milk every day. Van is survived by many special friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his memory to the Ozark-Dale County Humane Society, P. O. Box 2502, Ozark, Alabama 36361.
Obituary from Holman Funeral Home of Ozark – Ozark, Alabama
Major Joseph Warsh Oatson, Jr. (United States Army), a resident of Ozark, passed away, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Dale Medical Center. He was 83 years old.
In keeping with the wishes of the family, there are no public services planned for Major Oatson. Holman Funeral Home of Ozark has been entrusted with the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his memory to Community Hospice of Dale Medical Center, 311 James Street, Ozark, Alabama 36360.
Major Oatson was born January 28, 1943, in Louisville, Kentucky to the late Joseph Warsh Oatson, Sr. and Mishie Hilton Oatson. He was a 1962 graduate of DeSales High School in Louisville, Kentucky. Following high school, he received his Bachelors Degree in History from Eastern Kentucky University. This degree allowed Joe to begin his career in the United States Army as an officer. His basic training was in Fort Benning, Georgia and later he was shipped out to Vietnam. While in country, the Army was in desperate need of helicopter pilots. Joe returned to Fort Rucker where he learned to fly the UH1 Huey helicopter. Following his flight training, Joe returned to Vietnam to fly dust-off missions. He received two Purple Hearts during his time of service there. Joe was one of the first Cobra helicopter pilots in Vietnam. Bruce Randall was his mentor and one of the founders of the Medical EVAC. They were modern-day commandos. A book was written about his group called “Snake Driver/Cobras in Vietnam”. He was among the first SOG (Studies Observation Group) and also part of the 1st Calvary Division, United States Army in Vietnam. Joe was a warrior, a patriot and a hero.
Following his military service, he worked in several jobs including CSX Railroad in Baltimore, Maryland and settled with Bell Helicopter in Ozark. Joe was a Christian who taught Sunday School and loved to witness for Jesus. Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Rebecca Anne Steilberg Oatson of Ozark; one son, Marcos Miranda (Jenny Hall) and one grandson, Michael Miranda, all of Pembroke Pines, Florida.
ABBEVILLE… James Lewis Grace, a resident of Abbeville, Alabama, passed away Monday afternoon, July 27, 2026, at his home. He was 76.
A memorial service will be held 1:00 P.M. Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Wright Funeral Home & Crematory Chapel with Reverend Shawn Blackmon officiating. Wright Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of the arrangements.
Mr. Grace was born in Hilton, Georgia to the late Willie B. Grace and Robbee Lee Porter Grace. He was an avid Alabama fan. He loved his family.
Along with his parents, he was also preceded in death by his daughter, LaTisha Kennedy; and his son, James Kennedy.
Leaving to cherish his memories are his daughters, Teresa Kennedy, Marie Kennedy, and Earnestine Durry (Bobby); his sisters, Pauline Sanders, Betty Grace (Leon Trice), Sara Marsh (Earnest), Bobbie Bryant (David), and Linda McKinnley; his brothers, John Henry Grace and David Grace (Angela); his ten grandchildren, his 12 great-grandchildren; his several nieces, nephews, and cousins; and his best friends, James Owens and Frances Johnson.
Ronald Charles Ellis, also known as “Ron,” of Dothan, AL went home to be with the Lord on July 27, 2026.
A celebration of Ron’s life will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 11am in the Sunset Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Jerry Grandstaff and Billy Rich officiating. The family will receive friends an hour prior to the service. He will be laid to rest in Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery following the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that expressions of sympathy and those wishing to honor his memory, consider making a donation to Southside Baptist Church.
Ron is survived by his cherished wife, Pamela Ellis, who he adored and made it his mission to love, support, and honor her. He also leaves behind his children, Carrie Graham and her husband, Scott, Casey Andrews and her husband, Eric, and Craig Ellis and his wife, Mandi; and his grandchildren, Carolyn, Julia, and Colin Graham, Caleb and Maggie Andrews, and Emelia, Thomas, Rosemary, and Shepard Ellis. He is also survived by his sister, Dawn Ellis; his brother, Randy Ellis; and a host of cherished nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Winton “Buddy” Ellis and Nadine Ellis.
He lived a life defined by faith, generosity, laughter, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. He was an active and devoted member of Southside Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon and participated in countless committees, ministries, and initiatives. He especially loved being involved with Vacation Bible School and missions, always looking for any opportunity to serve his church and share God’s love with others.
He was a constant presence in his children’s lives. He coached, encouraged, participated, and showed up for their activities, sports, and endeavors. Whatever mattered to his children mattered deeply to him, and he gave freely of his time and energy to help them succeed.
He consistently cared more about others than he did about himself. He was extraordinarily generous with both his time and his resources, often recognizing a need before anyone had the chance to ask. Restaurant servers were always glad to see him seated in their section.
He loved Braves baseball and shared that love with his family. Among the memories his children will always treasure is cheering alongside him as Sid Bream slid safely home in Game 7 of the 1992 National League Championship Series, sending the Braves past the Pittsburgh Pirates and creating a moment they would relive together for years.
He will also be remembered for his wonderful sense of humor, his love of practical jokes, and his determination to bring laughter and levity into nearly every situation. He had a gift for helping people smile, especially when they needed it most. He loved cooking and was a true foodie long before being a foodie was a thing. He was quick to share his food adventures and favorite restaurants and loved sharing meals with the people he loved.
He was a role model for loving all of God’s children. He spent 42 years working in his community selling cars. He was known as a trusted advisor and had lifelong customers who wouldn’t buy a car from anyone else. Many of those customers grew into friends.
His famously messy desk may have been covered with papers and projects, but no matter how scattered it became, there was always a clear view of the photographs of his wife, family, and grandchildren – reflecting that which was most important to him.
Above all, he will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to the betterment of his family, his church, and every person whose life he touched. He would want his legacy to be defined not by personal accomplishments, but by his love for other people, his generosity, and the countless ways he worked to make life better for those around him.
And now, he is in Heaven, singing his favorite hymns loudly from the second pew and waiting for his cherished wife to join him when she has finished playing her songs.
Ron will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and carried in the hearts of his family, church family, and friends for generations to come.
Douglas Michael Norris, Sr., of Slocomb, passed away on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Flowers Hospital. He was 74 years old.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.
Douglas was born on September 27, 1951, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Charlotte Norris. A proud retired United States Marine, Douglas dedicated his life to serving his country, caring for his family, and helping those around him. He was a devoted family man who was always willing to lend a hand and took great pride in looking after the people he loved. For the past 20 years, he made his home in the Fadette community of Alabama, where he formed many lasting friendships.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Charlotte Norris; his beloved wife, Teresa Norris; his grandmother, Willda Norris; his grandfather, Kenneth Norris; uncles: Melvin Norris, Kevin Norris, and Kenny Norris.
Douglas leaves behind to cherish his memory his life partner, Christine Sawyer; daughter, Sabrina Norris; sons: Douglas Norris, Jr. (Jennifer) and Kyle Skinner (Shelby); his grandchildren: Robert “Trey” Cochran (Lily), Jasper Norris, Sydney Permuth, Gabby Permuth, Jacob Norris, Watt Norris, Acesen Skinner, and James Skinner; along with other extended family members and many dear friends.
Douglas will be remembered for his strength, loyalty, generosity, and unwavering love for his family. His legacy of service, compassion, and devotion to those around him will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.
