KINSEY. . .Martha Baxter Raley, a resident of Kinsey, died early Friday afternoon, December 27, 2024, at her home. She was 96.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, December 30, 2024, in the Kinsey Baptist Church with Reverend Joel Laseter and Chaplain Kevin Kelly officiating. The family will receive friends from 10:00 until 11:00 A.M. Monday in the church sanctuary. Graveside services will be at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday in Gardens of Memory. Holman-Headland Mortuary & Cremations is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Kinsey Baptist Church, 6745 Walden Drive, Kinsey, AL 36303.
Mrs. Raley was born and reared in Headland, daughter of the late Terrance Moran Baxter, Sr. and Annie Genie Avant Baxter. She was a 1946 graduate of Headland High School. Mrs. Raley lived in Webb before moving to Kinsey in 1950. She was a member of Kinsey Baptist Church where she served as a Sunday School teacher and was active in Vacation Bible School and was also a member of the Beatrice Sunday School Class. Mrs. Raley was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Edward “Pat” Raley, Sr., her brothers, Jim Baxter, Franklin Baxter and Moran Baxter, and her sisters, Betty Fairchild, Louise Carswell and Leah Durkee.
Surviving relatives include two daughters, Evelyn Raley Laseter, and Jo Anne Raley Decker (Charles), all of Kinsey; a son, Harold E. Raley, Jr. (Cheryl), Kinsey; grandchildren, Shea Calhoun (Jason), Hal Raley, III, Chris Raley (Lisa), Allison Raley Williams (Jay), John Laseter (Amanda), Rachel Exum, Reverend Joel Laseter (KrisAnn), Corey Decker and Patricia Decker; thirteen great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
Serving as active pallbearers will be the grandsons.
The family would like to express their appreciation to Gentiva Hospice and also sitters, Judy McArdle Hough, Valerie Underwood, Marianne Chapman and the Geraldine Bennett sitting service for the loving care and kindness shown to Mrs. Raley during her illness.
William Thaxton Lewis, a stalwart and cherished member of the Houston County community, passed away peacefully on December 26, 2024, in Dothan, Alabama. William was born on October 15, 1929, in Houston County, Alabama.
Graveside services will be held at 2 P.M. Monday, December 30, 2024 at Memory Hill Cemetery with Chaplain Eddie Biss officiating and Ward Wilson Funeral Home directing.
William was brought up by his loving parents, Charles and Beulah Lewis. He was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Opal Lewis, his brother, Wade Lewis, Sr., and his sister, Vassie Benefield.
He is survived by his children, Susan Morrison (Edward), Dennis Lewis (Sheryl), and Anthony Lewis, grandchildren Kelley Atwell (Mike), Ashley Sunday (Brandon), Ben Meredith, Holly Keefe (John), Keith Lewis, Amanda Nichols (John), and Andy Lewis (Annie), and several great-grandchildren.
Hudson Joseph Meek, 16 years old from Vestavia Hills, Alabama, died peacefully on December 21, 2024. He was surrounded by friends, family, and the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Hudson was an organ donor, and his family is comforted by knowing that he will continue to help others for years to come.
A Celebration of Hudson’s Life will take place on December 28, 2024 at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood, Alabama at 11:30 am central time, and a visitation with the family will begin at 9:30 am central. You may livestream the service via Hudson’s Instagram account or Lani’s Facebook account. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Hudson J. Meek Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded annually to a Vestavia Hills High School student. Contributions can be made by Venmo to HudsonMeekScholarship or by making a deposit at any Wells Fargo branch into Account #5908190381.
Hudson was born on August 5, 2008 to his parents, Derek Firth Meek and Lani Wells Meek. He was a sophomore at Vestavia Hills High School and a proud member of the Vestavia Hills Rebel Football Team. He was also involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Honor Choir, and SGA. Outside of school, Hudson loved gathering with his close friends, water sports, anything in the woods, traveling, and acting for television and film. He loved playing and watching all sports, but especially football, basketball, boxing, and anything involving the Auburn Tigers.
Hudson was reflective and thoughtful, however he was tenacious when he set his mind to something. He became a certified open water scuba diver at 13 years old and followed that up with an advanced open water certification later that year. He visited all 50 U.S. states and next wanted to visit all 7 continents. He loved snow-skiing and could easily navigate the hardest trails that no one else in the family would dare attempt. One of his favorite places to be was at the lake, tubing and wakeboarding. Some of the less active achievements he was proud of included video games and binge-watching every single episode of all 36 seasons of “The
Simpsons” and a variety of other shows, many of which were viewed without his parents’ knowledge and probably weren’t appropriate for whatever age he was when he watched them. Hudson had a keen ear for great music and was constantly editing “the perfect playlist” for every occasion. He fiercely loved the family dog, “Rosie”, who already knows something is off at home without him and is grieving in her own way.
Hudson’s personality was one of a kind. He was confident, convicted in his beliefs, spontaneous, and quick-witted. He never let the facts get in the way of a funny story, and he loved friendly banter. He was a prankster, loved a good joke, and was happiest when he was making others laugh. Hudson thrived in settings that allowed him to meet and serve new people. Hudson was a vibrant and dynamic person who lived life to the fullest.
Hudson was also an accomplished actor. He worked on several major motion pictures and television shows, some of which will be released in 2025. He absolutely loved spending time on set and having the chance to learn the names and stories of every member of the cast and crew.
More than anything, Hudson was passionate about his Christian faith. He loved Bible Study meetings, youth retreats, mission trips, and just being at church. An active member of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Hudson also attended youth events with friends at Shades Mountain Baptist, Vestavia Hills United Methodist, Mountain Brook Community Church, and any other church he could find with a youth event that focused on Jesus Christ. He especially loved gathering with his football teammates for Bible Study at the home of Coach Buddy Anderson.
Other worship leaders too numerous to name poured into Hudson’s Christian walk, and some of Hudson’s most impactful moments came from faith-based meetings that shaped his spirituality. Hudson’s family is comforted and eternally grateful for those and other moments where adults fostered the faith of Hudson and students like him.
Hudson loved his family. He was survived by his parents; his older brother Tucker Firth Meek; his grandmothers Margaret Green Meek and Faye Searcy Wells; Aunt and Uncle Douglas Christopher Royal and Laura Elizabeth Royal; Aunt and Uncle William Harvey Klima, Jr. (Bill) and Dorothy Elizabeth Klima (Liddy); First Cousins William Harvey Klima, III (Tripp), Benjamin Warren Klima, Vincent Wells Klima, Tyson Kate Royal, and Sydney Parks Royal; countless other cousins and relatives which he loved to see at family gatherings: and he is further survived by other friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Harold Firth Meek (2018) Joseph Lance Wells (2006), and his uncle, Joseph Warren Wells (1987).
You may sign the register book or send condolences to the family at our website: www.searcyfuneralhome.com .
Jacob Lee Harris of Montgomery, AL passed away Friday, December 20, 2024, at Baptist Medical Center South. He was 32.
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, December 30, 2024 at Searcy Funeral Home and Crematory with Rev. Johnnie Bryant officiating and Searcy Funeral Home and Crematory directing.
Survivors include his fiancé, Briana Martin, Montgomery, AL; three children, Annabelle Harris, Jasper Harris and Emmy Harris; father, Jimmy Lee Harris, Wetumpka, AL; two brothers, Jeremy Ray, Wetumpka, AL; Joey Jackson (Rebecca), Wetumpka, AL; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
You may sign the register book or send condolences to the family at our website: www.searcyfuneralhome.com.
Mr. Donald Cory Powers of Geneva, AL passed away on Wednesday, December 25, 2024. He was 66.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 30, 2024, in the chapel of Warren Holloway Ward Funeral Home in Geneva with Rev. Red Coleman officiating. Burial will follow in Commander Family Cemetery at Poplar Head with Warren Holloway Ward Funeral Home of Geneva directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Don was born in Charleston, SC on July 16, 1958, to the late Aubrey Paul, Jr. and Patricia Ann Gray Powers. Before his retirement, he worked for Motion Industries as an Operations and Account Manager. He was an avid musician and a phenomenal drummer.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Aubrey Paul Powers, III; and a nephew, Aubrey Paul Powers, IV.
Don is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 26 years, Lynne Commander Powers of Geneva, AL; two children, Phillip Powers and Jennifer Rapolla (Rob); three grandchildren, Taylor, Payten and Skylar Rapolla; one brother, Gary Michael Powers of Huntsville, AL; and his mother-in-law, Winifred Commander and brother-in-law, Bill Commander both of Geneva, AL.
Warren~Holloway~Ward Funeral Home (334) 684-9999, is in charge of arrangements. “Continuing The Trust You’ve Placed In Us” To sign a guest register, please visit: www.whwfuneralhome.com
OZARK…Mr. Wyman Helms, a resident of Ozark, died early Thursday evening, December 26, 2024, in Dale Medical Center. He was 75.
In keeping with the wishes of the family, there are no public services planned at this time. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Helms, son of the late Rules Lafayette Helms and Geraldine Wells Helms, was a native of Phenix City, Alabama. He was a 1967 Graduate of Russell County High School in Seale, Alabama. Following high school, he joined the United States Army in 1968 and then in 1971, he joined the United States Marine Corps. He was a veteran of the Vietnam Era. Mr. Helms was formerly employed with Alabama Power Company in Phenix City before moving to Covington County in 2006. He retired from Civil Service at Fort Rucker and also, Bell Helicopter in Ozark. Mr. Helms was preceded in death by his brother, James Helms.
Surviving relatives include his wife, Donna Brust Helms, Ozark; two sons, Michael Wyman Helms (Samantha), Lake Stevens, Washington and Ronald Evan Helms, Ozark; two sisters, Doris Griffin, Newnan, Georgia and Connie Geter, Phenix City, Alabama; three grandchildren, Tucker Evan Helms, Gabriel Wyman Helms, and Alice Ann Helms; nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
You may sign a guest register at www.fuquabankston.com
