DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER, FUNERAL SERVICES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2025.
Mathilda Dempster, affectionately known as “Tillie”, a long-time resident of Dothan, passed away on Monday, January 13, 2025, at the age of 97, in Midlothian, Virginia.
Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church of Dothan on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. with Rev. Elizabeth Hinton officiating. A private family burial will held at Gardens of Memory Cemetery with Glover Funeral Home directing. The family will receive friends and relatives for visitation and viewing from 2:00 until 2:45 p.m. in the church sanctuary prior to services. Flowers may be sent to First United Methodist Church of Dothan.
Tillie was born on October 15, 1927, in Dothan, Alabama, to Arthur and Essie Lee Johnson. She graduated from Dothan High School in 1946. During her time at Dothan High, she was honored with an award for congeniality and was a member of the school band. Following her high school years, she lived in Dothan and played piano for The Southernaires. Afterwards, she moved to Pensacola, Florida, and worked as a bank teller for Florida National Bank. She met her future husband, Raymond Dempster, at this time, and they were married on April 25, 1959.
Raymond and Tillie moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in June of 1969, and raised two sons, Douglas and Gregory, before returning to Dothan in 1992 to retire. They moved to Midlothian, Virginia, in January of 2023 to be close to their youngest son, Gregory, and his wife, Michaux.
Tillie is survived by her beloved husband, Raymond Dempster, of Midlothian, Virginia; her sons, Douglas, of Dothan, and Gregory, of Midlothian, Virginia; her sister, Betty Sanchez, of Selma, Alabama; and one grandchild, Douglas Schulz, of Mountain Home, Idaho. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Essie Johnson, of Dothan, and her brother, Herschel Johnson, of Sacramento, California.
Tillie’s legacy is one of kindness, compassion, and love for her family, friends, and her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Her memory will continue to live on in the hearts of those she touched.
Glover Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. (334) 699-3888. Please sign the guestbook online at www.gloverfuneral.com
Patricia Ann Parker Sewell of New Brockton, AL passed away on Thursday, January 16, 2025. She was 78 years old.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 20, 2025 in the chapel of Warren Holloway Ward Funeral Home with Rev. Danny Sherrer officiating. Burial will follow in the Asbury Church Cemetery with Warren Holloway Ward Funeral Home of Geneva, AL directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Mrs. Sewell was born on April 26, 1946 in Samson, AL to the late Jessie W. and Oyer Ruth Sorrells Parker.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene “Gene” Sewell; one granddaughter, Crystal Morris; one son-in-law, Ricky Taylor; one sister, Sue Stafford and one brother, Charles Parker.
Mrs. Sewell is survived by two sons, Larry Sewell of Westville, FL, and Terry Sewell of the Asbury Community; one daughter, Sheila Taylor of New Brockton, AL; five grandchildren, Gary Sewell, Brad Sewell (Cassie), Tyler Sewell, Brian Taylor (Jessica) and Bron Taylor (April) and ten great-grandchildren.
Cecil Gordon Motley went to be with the Lord on January 17, 2025 at his home in Holmes County, Florida. He was 94 years old.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Ruthie Merle English, his parents, Lillie Emma (Scott) and Henry Jesse Motley, one sister, Annie Belle Schilling, six brothers Lester, Howell, Joe, Wade, Lawson and Carl Motley and one great-grandson, Gavin Deedrick.
He is survived by his five children, Rhonda Joiner (Jesse), Becky Motley, Gordon Motley all of Westville, FL, Lisa Peeples (Forrest) of Palatka, FL, and Christy Paul (Lee) of Bonifay, FL; ten grandchildren, Jesse Joiner III (Audrey), Katie Castaneda (Nate), Ashley Porter (Michael), Raven Clark (Andrew), Willow Motley (fiancé, Ethan McVay), Dyan Deedrick, Michelle Azula (J.D.), Justin Peeples, Trey Paul (Laura) and Jacob Paul; sixteen great-grandchildren, and two sisters-in-law, Shirley English and Patricia English Jackson..
Cecil served seven years in the U.S. Army and sixteen years in the U.S. Air Force. His military career was transformed when a superior officer found out that he was a self-taught, proficient typist, a skill at which few soldiers excelled. Among his favorite tours of duty were Frankfurt, Germany; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Anchorage, Alaska; and Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. By the time of his retirement in 1972, he had achieved the rank of Senior Master Sergeant—not bad for someone who never graduated from high school.
After retirement from the military, Cecil went on to grow chickens for Showell Farms, serve one term on the Holmes County School Board, and work for the Holmes County Chamber of Commerce. He was instrumental in bringing a new correctional facility to Holmes County through his work on the Chamber and eventually served as the first Personnel Director of Holmes County Correctional Institution.
The major turning point in Cecil’s life occurred on October 23, 1962. That was the day he and his wife Merle made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. This decision changed the course of their family’s future. He has been a long time member of West Pittman Baptist Church and served in the capacity of Song Leader, Sunday School Teacher and Deacon. He participated in multiple mission trips throughout the United States and abroad, working in countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, Tanzania and the island of St Lucia. He has been a member of The Gideon’s International for many years and enjoyed visiting and speaking at numerous churches throughout the Panhandle.
He loved to fish and garden and by the grace of God was able to do both of those activities well into his old age. He will be missed by his immediate and extended family, his Church family and his longtime friends.
Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, January 20, 2025 at West Pittman Baptist Church with Rev. Daniel Smith and Rev. Nate Castaneda officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Warren Holloway Ward Funeral Home of Geneva directing. The family will receive friends at the church beginning at 1:00 P.M.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, 801 Bamboo Rd, Boone, NC 28607 or to The Gideons International PO Box 140800 Nashville, TN 37214-0800.
Mrs. Judy Gail Parker Skelton, a resident of Ozark, passed away, Wednesday, January 15, 2025, in Dale Medical Center. She was 80 years old.
Private funeral services will be held for Mrs. Skelton. Holman Funeral Home of Ozark has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Mrs. Skelton was born May 30, 1944 in Ozark, Alabama to the late Clifton Eugene Parker and Lillian Boyd Morrow Parker. She was a member of Chalkhead Baptist Church where she served in the Children’s Ministry, was a Sunday school teacher and worked with Vacation Bible School. Judy loved animals and worked with “Pets Are Us” to find homes for shelter animals. She loved gospel music, especially the Gaither Vocal Band.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Pamela Parker Bach.
Survivors include her husband of 62 years, Herman Douglas “Buddy” Skelton; her children, Brian Skelton (Melanie), Lisa Harrison (Derek) and Mark Skelton (Teresa Livingston); her grandchildren, Parker Skelton, Hunter Bruner, Haylee Harrison, Megan Skelton and Brianna Skelton; great grandchildren, Blake and Brooks; her sister, Maulena Loyal (Brad). Several nieces and nephews also survive.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her memory to Chalkhead Baptist Church Children’s Ministry, 495 County Road 35, Ozark, Alabama 36360.
Miss Cheryl Lynn Morrison, a resident of Houston, Texas died December 23, 2024 in Houston. She was 71 years old.
Funeral services for Miss Morrison will be 11:00 A.M. Thursday, January 23, 2025, in the Chapel of Holman Funeral Home in Ozark with Reverend Joey Hudspeth officiating. Interment will follow in Universalist Cemetery in Ariton, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home in Ozark Thursday from 10:00 A.M. until service time.
Miss Morrison was born March 12, 1953 in Galveston, Texas. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Alabama and worked with the Chevron Oil Company as a Registered Professional Petroleum Engineer until her retirement. She was a devoted member of the First United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas. Cheryl loved to travel and had traveled extensively around the world. Cheryl had a very empathetic and warm heart and wanted others to feel loved and comfortable always. Cheryl was a very proud American and brilliant engineer.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy Weed Morrison; her biological father, John Stanley Lipuscek; and her step-father, James Harry Morrison.
Survivors include three sisters, Patricia Dianne Criswell, Deborah Morrison Parton and Joan Marie Lipuscek; two brothers, Jonathan David Lipuscek and Matthew Christopher Lipuscek; nephew and nieces, Deric, Melanie, Maria Cristina, Elena Sophia and Olivia. We are very proud to have had the honor of having Cheryl as a sister and admire Cherly’s persistence in obtaining a privileged education all on her own merits and obtaining very prestigious positions at American 500 companies. You will be missed and we will see you soon in Heaven.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorials in her memory to your local animal shelter.
ABBEVILLE… Thomas Andrew “Andy” Griffin, a resident of Abbeville, Alabama, passed away Friday morning, January 17, 2025, at his home. He was 69.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held 2:00 P.M. Friday, January 24, 2025, at Abbeville First Assembly of God with Reverend Jerry Bolton, Reverend Johnny Collins, and Reverend Ed Burns officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 P.M. prior to the service. Wright Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of the arrangements.
Mr. Griffin was born Miami, Florida to the late Dennis James Griffin and Annalise Hoffman Griffin. He worked as a painter, mechanic, and long-haul truck driver before his retirement. He was a member of the Faith Tabernacle in Wewahitchka, FL.
Leaving to cherish his memories is his wife, Teresa Gail Granger Griffin; his daughters, April Laster (Will), Melissa J. McCoy (Chris), Jennifer Messick, and Angela Messick Madderra (Chris); his sons, David Stimmell and Steven Hunt (Mandi); his brother, Bobby Griffin (Mickey); his fourteen grandchildren; his nine great-grandchildren; his many nieces and nephews; and his special friends, Glenn “MudBug” Broussard, Ed Burns, and Mike Pratt, Sr..
