SGT Michael Claude Oliver (United States Army)

by Holman Funeral Home of Ozark | Sep 9, 2025 | Obituaries

Obituary from Holman Funeral Home of Ozark – Ozark, Alabama

SGT Michael Claude Oliver (United States Army), a resident of Ozark, died Friday, September 5, 2025. He was 74 years old.

Funeral services for SGT Oliver will be 11:00 A.M. Saturday, September 20, 2025, in the Chapel of Holman Funeral Home in Ozark with Reverend Joey Hudspeth officiating. Military Honors will be presented at the funeral home following the service. Interment will be in Barrancas National Veterans Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida.  The family will receive friends at the funeral home in Ozark Saturday (September 20, 2025) from 9:30 A.M. until service time.

Michael Claude Oliver Sr. also known as “Pointman,” born to the late Fred and Helen Oliver was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois.  Immediately following high school, he volunteered to join the United States Army. After enlistment, he was assigned to Company D, 4/503, 173d Airborne Brigade and shipped off to Vietnam at the young age of 17. He served honorably with the 173d Airborne Brigade and was a proud Infantryman and Paratrooper. He would return home a wounded veteran and a Purple Heart recipient, but still proud of his time served. Michael was a proud father and an even prouder grandfather. Michael was also a talented artist, and after returning from the Vietnam War, he secured a job at then, one of the “Big Five” accounting firms, in downtown Chicago, Arthur Andersen. He was hired on as a  mailroom employee, and after notice of his artistic talents, professionalism and candor, spread to leadership, he was invited to participate in an Advanced Study Conference on Slide Making with Computer Graphics from the Institute for Graphic Communication where he received a completion Certificate of Training. He would move on to complete training in Advertising Design and Typographic Layout and eventually became a Supervising Employer and received numerous recognitions for his work as a Cooperative Education Advisory Council Member for Arthur Andersen. The wounds from going to war at such a young age would prove to be deeper than he realized. He took a step away from corporate life and decided to spend some time on the open road doing what he enjoyed most-driving across the highways of the United States. He worked proudly and honorably as a truck driver  for J.B. Hunt for over 10 years and truly enjoyed talking about the many different towns and cities he was so privileged to have gone through. He also enjoyed being the resource and highway expert for his family as they planned their own travels across the country, often offering his experienced advice on routes for safety, good food, and sight seeing. After traveling the open road, Michael came back home to Chicago and became a Transportation Supervisor at the United States Post Office.

Michael enjoyed all the simple things in life such as spending time with his family, especially on a road trip, and like most Chicagoans, he loved a good bratwurst. He enjoyed listening to jazz on his record player and recorded all the songs from his record player, onto his iPod to enjoy away from home. While he loves his Jeep, driving his van was a big part of his heart and a big part of his children’s lives. His children often recall fond memories of countless road trips in their dad’s van. As he drove down the highway, with a cooler full of sandwiches, and his children in the back playing cards or trying to get a signal on the television Dad installed, it was an adventure they will always remember. As his children grew too big for the van, Michael transferred his mode of travel to his beloved Jeep. However, family trips never stopped, they just looked different. Instead of everyone in Dad’s van, the family traveled convoy style. He would even decide in the middle of their own road trip to meet them somewhere on the highway because it was truly hard for him to miss a road trip opportunity. One notable time in 2018, Michael drove from Ozark, AL to meet his daughter and her family in Washington State as they were driving from Alaska to Florida. It was a two week long road trip full of sight seeing, joy, and family time. With all of his children having homes in different states, it was not unusual for one of them to get an unannounced door bell ring, and discover that Dad had just driven for two-four days, “just because.”  His loss is felt deeply and he will forever be missed. “Rest in Heaven, Dad, aka Grandpa, aka, Grampy, aka Pointman.”

Michael’s awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross With First Class Unit Citation Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Duc, Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Qualification Badge with Automatic Rifle Bar, Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle Bar, Parachutist Badge.

Michael is preceded in death by his brothers, Fred Oliver Jr., and Cecil Oliver;  his sister Patricia Williams and brother-in-law Robert Williams Sr. He is survived by his brother, Warren Oliver and sister-in-law Joselyn Oliver, sister Phyllis Akinyele and brother-in-law Akinyinka Akinyele, his children Lawrence Smith, Chiquita Smith, Valena Mychelle Hamilton and son-in-law Torin Hamilton, son Michael Claude Oliver Jr., daughter Candace Sheree Battles, son Matthew David Oliver, loving grandchildren, extended family, and friends.

Obituary for Mr. Floyd “Buddy” Stone of Newton

by Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home | Sep 9, 2025 | Obituaries

NEWTON…Mr. Floyd “Buddy” Stone, a resident of Newton, died Monday evening, September 8, 2025, at Wesley Place on Honeysuckle in Dothan. He was 89.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Friday, September 12, 2025, in the Pinckard Memorial Cemetery with Chaplain Eddie Biss officiating. The family will receive friends from 12:30 until 1:30 P.M. Friday at the funeral home. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Stone, son of the late James Stone and Florrie Heath Stone, was a native of Dale County. He was engaged in road construction in Columbus, Georgia and was formerly employed with Wiregrass Construction in Dothan. Mr. Stone was preceded in death by a sister, Janice Dillard and two brothers, Joe Stone and Harold Stone.

Surviving relatives include his daughter, Katy McQuirt, Waycross, Georgia; four sisters, Evelyn Willis, Ewell Community, Mary Ann Dailey (Bob), Midland City, Sarah Elizabeth Stone, Ozark, and Nelda Stahl (Bill), Dothan; brother, James Stone, Midland City; nieces, nephews, and cousins.

You may sign a guest register at www.fuquabankston.com

Obituary for Mr. Albin Wayne Carroll of Midland City

by Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home | Sep 9, 2025 | Obituaries

MIDLAND CITY…Mr. Albin Wayne Carroll, a resident of Midland City, died early Thursday morning, September 4, 2025. H was 45.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, September 16, 2025, in the Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend John Dowdey officiating. Burial will follow in Chalkhead Baptist Church Cemetery. 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.

Mr. Carroll was born on December 29, 1979, in Ozark, Alabama—a small town that shaped the big-hearted man he became. He grew up with a love for the simple things: dirt roads, loud music, and the kind of laughter that comes easy when you’re surrounded by family.

He went to Enterprise High School, and after graduation, he jumped straight into the world of construction. He wasn’t afraid of hard work—he rolled up his sleeves and got things done, always with a quiet determination and a strong back. Whether he was building something with his hands or fixing up a car system, he had a knack for making things work.

Mr. Carroll found joy in the everyday. He loved riding back roads with the windows down, four-wheeling through thick Alabama mud, and tinkering under the hood of a car until it purred just right. Rap music was his soundtrack—he’d crank it up and let the beat carry him through the day. And when it came to football, he bled orange and blue. A true Florida Gators fan, he cheered loud and proud, win or lose.

But above all, Mr. Carroll loved his people. Time with his children and family was what mattered most. He was the kind of dad who showed up, the kind of brother who had your back, and the kind of son who carried the love of his parents with him every day. His heart was full when he was surrounded by those he cared about, and he made sure they knew how much they meant to him.

He carried deep loss in his life, having been preceded in death by his beloved son, Jordin Orian Carroll; his parents, Albin Wayne LeBlanc, Sr. and Sarah Carroll Meeks; and his brother, Matthew Blake Ivey.

Surviving relatives include his wife, Brittany Carroll, Midland City; two daughters, Torance Madison and Marley Lynn Carroll; his brother, Christopher Carroll; granddaughter, Hilary McAllison; cousins, aunts, and uncles.

You may sign a guest register at www.fuquabankston.com

Mary Elizabeth Bolding – Former Houston County Sheriff Deputy

by Rickey Stokes | Sep 9, 2025 | Obituaries

Obituary

Fritz Taylor of Bascom, FL

by Evans Skipper Funeral Home | Sep 9, 2025 | Obituaries

Fritz Heabel Taylor, age 86, of Bascom, FL, passed away Saturday evening, September 6, 2025, at River Valley Rehabilitation Center in Blountstown, FL.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 12, 2025 at 11:00 AM CST at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Bascom, FL with Dr. James Newell officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Keith Creel, Grayson Creel, Johnny Taylor, Colton Dixson, Todd Taylor, Ryan Taylor, and Kade Kolka serving as pallbearers. Visitation will be held from 10:00-11:00 AM CST at the church. You may sign the online guestbook at www.evansskipperfh.com.

Mr. Taylor was born in Donalsonville, GA on April 14, 1939, to William Cecil Taylor and Alice Bera Turner Taylor. Mr. Taylor was raised in Bascom, FL and after high school he joined the United States Army where he was stationed at Ft. Bragg, N.C. Following his active service in the Army he served in the Army National Guard. When he returned home he met the love of his life, Sue Speight from Cottondale, FL and they were married in 1966. He then went to work for the Florida Park Service, the Florida State Hospital and Sunland in Marianna, FL. Mr. Talyor loved fishing and having fish frys. The fish frys started with just a few men then grew to be a social event at the church.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of 58 years, Barbara Sue Speight Taylor of Bascom, FL; his daughter, Reta Creel and her husband Keith of Dothan, AL; his grandchildren, Grayson Creel and Taylor Creel both of Dothan, AL; his brothers, Larry Taylor and his wife Sherry of Lake Talquin, FL and Lyle Taylor and his wife June of Bascom, FL; a special niece that was like a daughter, Pam Dixson; great nieces and nephews, Chelsea Bible, Ciara Dixson, and Colton Dixson; and great-great nieces and nephews, Lincoln, Emerson, Hunter and Addeline .

Mr. Taylor was preceded in death by his parents, William Cecil Taylor and Alice Bera Turner Taylor.