DOTHAN…Judy Whatley Blomqvist,a resident ofDothan, Alabama,passed awayTuesday afternoon,February4, 2025, at her home at the age of 84.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. Monday, February 10, 2025 at Wright Funeral Home & Crematory. Wright Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to C.H.A.R.M. (City of Headland Animal Rescue Mission), P.O. Box 216, Headland, Alabama 36345, or www.charmheadland.org.
Mrs. Blomqvist was born in Clearwater, Florida, to the late Edward Whatley and Isabel Dillard Whatley. She previously lived in Miami, Florida, Naples, Florida, and Johnson City, Tennessee, before moving to Dothan, Alabama, nine years ago. In her earlier years she was an avid golfer. She also loved her dogs and later enjoyed growing flowers.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Erik J. Blomqvist.
She is survived by her daughter, Jocelyn Richburg (John); her son, Jay Wright (Colleen); her step-daughter, Susan O’Hara; her step-son, Erik Blomqvist (Kathy); her sister, Laurie Whatley; her brother, Ronnie Whatley; her ten grandchildren; and her six great-grandchildren.
OZARK…Mr. Lester F. “Les” Caudill (Command Sergeant Major, United States Army, Retired), died Wednesday morning, February 5, 2025, at his home in Ozark. He was 86.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at Ridgecrest Baptist Church with Reverend Dr. Scott E. Thompson officiating. Graveside services, with full military honors, will follow in Westview Memorial 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 church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ridgecrest Baptist Church, 1971 Deese Road, Ozark, Alabama 36360.
Mr. Caudill, son of the late Lewis Frank Caudill and Alta Mae Shaw Caudill, was a native of Bonaparte, Iowa, where he was a 1956 graduate of Bonaparte High School. Following high school, he enlisted in the United States Army. Mr. Caudill lived in various locations in the United States and overseas while serving in the Army, and he retired in 1981 in Fort Hood, Texas. He retired from the United States Postal Service in Erie, Pennsylvania prior to moving to Ozark in 2003. While in Pennsylvania, he was a member of the Christian Missionary Alliance Church, where he served as an Elder. Mr. Caudill was a member of Gideons International, Dale County Camp, in Ozark. He was also a member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church, where he formerly served as a Deacon and led the Prayer Team. Mr. Caudill was preceded in death by a grandson, Brandon Dominguez, a brother, Larry Caudill, and three half-brothers, Clifford, Gerald, and Verlee.
Surviving relatives include his wife of sixty-eight years, Jean King Caudill, Ozark; three daughters, Beverly Hile (Kevin), Ozark, Cheryl Lynn Clinger (Joseph), Texas City, Texas, and Pamela Joyce Jordan (Reggie), Bennett, Colorado; his son, Lester F. Caudill, Jr. (Debra), Richmond, Virginia; grandchildren, Kendra Dodd (Doug), Kevin Hile, II (Sarah Beth), Benjamin Hile (Sara Elizabeth), Jeana Clinger, Roman Clinger, Gloria Ovwigho, Charis Ovwigho, Serena Ovwigho, Garen Ovwigho, Remmie Pittman (Tate), Auri Caudill, and Elijah Caudill; fifteen great-grandchildren.
Serving as active pallbearers will be Kevin Hile, II, Benjamin Hile, Brian Douglas, and Paul Woodham. The honorary pallbearer will be Bruce Robinson.
Mr. Paul Allen Williams, a resident of Ozark, passed away Saturday, February 1, 2025. He was 66 years old.
A memorial service for Mr. Williams will be held 2:00 P.M. Saturday, February 22, 2025, from Saint Michael’s Episcopal Church in Ozark. Holman Funeral Home of Ozark has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Mr. Williams was born February 1, 1959 in Ozark, Alabama to the late Cecil Carl Williams and Mary Lou Harris Williams. He attended Carroll High School in Ozark and then worked in Texas on an oil rig. He returned to Ozark to work with his brother Harold Williams installing floor covering. Later he worked with Ben Baker Flooring off and on for over forty years. Paul enjoyed playing his father’s old guitar, grilling out on weekends, watching Alabama ball games and old westerns. Survivors include his life partner of 26 years, Terry Stewart of Ozark; his children, Paul Ashley Williams (Angela Brothers), Brandy Lee Gray (Muta), and Mary Nicole “Nikki” Williams all of Panama City, Florida; two brothers, Harold Williams and Carl Cecil Williams; grandchildren, Jaida Williams, Xander Gray, Julien Baker, Astrid Williams, Cyrus Williams, Hailey Whigham, Johnny Whigham and Tyler Bolden; great grandchildren, Kassim Johnson and Malachi Boone.
MIDLAND CITY. . .Jimmy Rex Bowman, a resident of Midland City, died Thursday afternoon, February 6, 2025, in a Dothan hospital. He was 78.
Funeral services will be held at 3:00 P.M. Sunday, February 9, 2025, in the Holman-Headland Mortuary Chapel with Pastor Dale Goodwin and Pastor David Lewis officiating. Burial will follow in the Midland City Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2:00 until 3:00 P.M. Sunday at the mortuary in Headland.
Jimmy Bowman was born and reared in Dale County in the Midland City area, son of the late Alfred Bowman and Lounette Hartzog Bowman. He served his country in the U. S. Army during the Vietnam War. Jimmy was formerly employed as a Helicopter Mechanic with Hayes Aircraft at Napier Field. In later years, he was engaged in farming. Jimmy was a member of Ewell Bible Baptist Church, near Ozark. He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Lacie Bowman, sisters, Kathleen Chandler and Hazel Covington, and brothers, George Bowman, Mutt Bowman and Ralph Bowman.
Surviving relatives include his wife, Sue Parker Bowman; daughters, Rhonda Rogers (Jason), Midland City; and Cassie Buivis (Bret), Skipperville; sons, Rex Bowman (Angie), Dothan; David Bowman (Monica), Midland City; and J. W. Bowman (Sonya), Midland City; brothers, Cleve Bowman, Newville; Levigerald Bowman, Midland City; and Johnny Bowman, Kinsey; ten grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren.
Serving as active pallbearers will be Cade Stelly, Kane Bowman, Tyler Rogers, Chase Rogers, Alex Arriaga and Michael Bowman.
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.
Shirley Maddox Lanton, a resident of Lexington, South Carolina, formerly of Columbia, Alabama, died early Friday morning, February 7, 2025, in the Lexington Community Hospice, in Lexington, SC. She was 79.
Graveside services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, February 11, 2025, in the Shiloh Free Will Baptist Church Cemetery, (County Road 22, Columbia, AL) with Ken Wimberly officiating. The family will receive friends following the graveside services. Holman-Headland Mortuary & Cremations is in charge of arrangements.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Lexington Community Hospice, 128 Library Hill Lane, Lexington, SC 29072.
Shirley Lanton was born in Columbia, Alabama and was a graduate of Houston County High School in Columbia. She was formerly employed as Office Manager with Wiregrass Construction Company in Dothan. In later years, she worked at Palm Park Apartments in Durham, North Carolina as Apartment Manager. Shirley was preceded in death by her father, William Lester Maddox, her mother, Julia Mae Mathis, the father of her children and her love, Hazard Cannon, a sister, Edna Mae Wimberly, two brothers, William Ray Maddox and James Earl Maddox, a nephew, Carl Wimberly and a niece, Sandy Maddox. Shirley had such a loving and giving heart and was a rock to her family and friends through the years. Shirley was a Christian and loved the Lord very much.
Surviving relatives include a daughter, Faye Lanton Simms (David), Lexington, SC; a son, Jimmy Ray Lanton, Jr., Columbia, AL; a sister, Julie Ann Henderson, Lexington, SC; grandchildren, Blake Lanton (Jessica), Cole Simms (Brooke), Tyler Simms (Sarah), and Jordan Condrey (Chris); great-grandchildren, Knox Condrey, Walker Condrey, Riley Simms and one great-grandchild on the way, Blakeley Simms.
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.
