DALEVILLE, ALABAMA. . . Jerry Bartow Dell, a resident of Daleville, died Sunday afternoon, January 12, 2025, in a Dothan hospital. He was 69.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Thursday, January 16, 2025, in the Holman-Headland Mortuary Chapel with Chaplain Charles Goldsmith and Clay Dell officiating. Burial will follow in the Sylvan Grove Methodist Church Cemetery, near Midland City. The family will receive friends from 12:00 Noon until 1:00 P.M. Thursday at the mortuary in Headland.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sylvan Grove Methodist Cemetery Fund/ c/o Dinah Woodham, 992 County Road 531, Midland City, AL 36350.
Jerry Dell was born and reared in Houston County, near Dothan, son of the late James Lawton Dell, Sr. and Mildred Smith Dell. He was a graduate of Headland High School and received a B. S. Degree in Agriculture Business and Economics from Auburn University. A Certified Licensed Appraiser in Alabama, Georgia and Florda, Jerry owned and operated Jerry Dell Appraisals in Enterprise. In earlier years, he was employed by the Farmers Home Administration in Abbeville, Blakely, GA and New Brockton. He was affiliated with Sylvan Grove Methodist Church. Jerry was preceded in death by a brother, Jimmy Dell and the mother of his daughter, Michele Dell Fiala.
Surviving relatives include a daughter, Haze Dell Sands (Bart), Atlanta, GA; a grandchild, Sawyer Sands; two sisters, Rosemary Dunagan (Larry), Dothan; and Kathy Curtis (Jack), Hoover, AL; a brother, Glenn Dell, Midland City; nieces, Erin Dunagan, Kerri Cox (Phillip), and Anne-Kathryn Baugh (Stephen), nephews, Clay Dell (Jenny) and Reid Dell (Andi).
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.
KINSEY. . .M. C. Douglas, a resident Kinsey, died Sunday night, January 12, 2025, at his home. He was 86.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. Thursday, January 16, 2025, in the Kinsey Baptist Church with Pastor Brad Hardy and Dr. Ray Cobb officiating. A private family graveside service will follow in the Douglas Family Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:30 until 10:30 A.M. Thursday in the church sanctuary. Holman-Headland Mortuary & Cremations is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Gentiva Hospice, 2431 W. Main Street, Suite 1102, Dothan, AL 36301.
Mr. Douglas was a lifelong resident of Kinsey, son of the late Troy A. Douglas and Ola Kelly Douglas. He served his country in the Army National Guard in the Headland unit which was activated during the Berlin Crisis. Mr. Douglas was an active member of Kinsey Baptist Church where he served on several committees. He was a charter member of the Kinsey Volunteer Fire Department. Mr. Douglas was engaged in farming all his adult lifetime. He enjoyed gatherings with his family and especially his grandchildren. Mr. Douglas was preceded in death by three sisters and five brothers.
Surviving relatives include his wife, Sarah Cobb Douglas; two sons, Phillip Douglas (Ginger), and Michael Douglas (Sylvia), all of Kinsey; grandchildren, Kaylee Hughes (Josh), Davis Allen Douglas and Jodi Lyn Douglas; great-grandchildren, Bryson Howell, Colton Hughes and Anslie Hughes; numerous nieces and nephews.
Serving as active pallbearers will be Josh Hughes, Davis Allen Douglas, Bryson Howell, Chris Ellenburg, Scott Ellenburg and Max Colon.
The family would like to express their appreciation to Gentiva Hospice and also a niece, Charlotte Duke, for the loving care and kindness shown to Mr. Douglas during his illness.
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.
Jane Pippin Gilliland, a resident of Rehobeth, died Sunday, January 12, 2025 at her residence. She was 77.
Graveside services for Mrs. Gilliland will be held Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at 11 AM at Rehobeth City cemetery with her son, Reverend Dewayne Efurd officiating. The family will receive friends following the service at the cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to; Pleasant Plains Baptist Church Mission Fund, 7220 E. Co. Rd. 22 Ashford, AL 36312.
Jane was born November 28, 1947 to B.E. and Vallie Branton Pippin, Sr. and was a lifelong resident of Rehobeth. She was a 1966 graduate of Rehobeth High School and later began a career as an Administrative Assistant at the 1st National Bank and Southeast Health Medical Center. She was a member of Memphis Baptist Church.
Mrs. Gilliland is preceded in death by her parents, husband, Larry Gilliland and siblings, Mary Nell Kirkland, Bernice Ellison Pippin, Jr. and Eddie Ruth Williams.
Survivors include her son, Dewayne Efurd (Pam); granddaughter, Jade Efurd Garcia (Ronnie); great granddaughter, Roslin Garcia; niece, Valisa Meggs and Tyler Meggs (Alyssa), niece, Kristi Goss and a sister in law, Myra Pippin.
Connie “Memaw” Mae Hendrickson 67, of Cowarts, AL, passed away Sunday, January 12th, 2025.
Connie was born August 28th, 1957, in Donalsonville, Georgia, to the late Louie Eugene Austin and the late Ada Mae Tillery. Most of her earlier years were spent in Alabama/Georgia and she would eventually make Cowarts, AL, her permanent home with her sister Frances.
Although Memaw did not achieve her high school diploma, she was successful at gaining her GED and becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant. Her goal was to become a nurse; however, she chose to become a stay-at-home mother. She had a heart to serve and help people in need as much as she could. Memaw was a very short, feisty and strong-willed woman. She said what she meant and meant what she said. She was one that loved to laugh, cut up, and have a good time. She absolutely loved spending time with her family, watching her favorite TV shows with her sisters, Frances and Paulette.
Survivors include: Four sons and daughters-in-law, Robert Hendrickson, Dothan, AL., Daniel Hendrickson, Iowa, Allen and Amy Hendrickson, Cowarts, AL., Bobby and Dina Hendrickson, Ashford AL.; two daughters, Christine and Gary Jackson, Cowarts, AL. and Rita Hendrickson, Hustle, Virginia. 19 Grandchildren, 25 Great-Grandchildren.
Sisters, Mary Frances Jones of Cowarts, AL, Patsy Austin of Ashford, AL, Paulette Blue of Ashford, AL, Judy Ivey (Willie) of Thomasville, GA, Marie Tillery Forrest of Webb, Shirley Strickland and Melissa Brackin; Brothers, Bryan Tillery (Melissa) of Cowarts, AL, Tommy Tillery (Delores) and Sammy Tillery; brother-in-law, Donnie Goff of Dothan; along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Connie is preceded in death by husband, Robert Hendrickson, daughter Paula Jean Hendrickson; sisters, Dianne Katherine Austin, Ruby Jean Johnson and Rebekkah Goff; brother Louie O’Neal Austin; brothers-in-law, James Robert Jones, J.J. Johnson, Claude Newman, David Forrest and Kenneth Brackin; sister-in-law Margaret Austin; nephew, Ronnie Eugene Jones; niece Kelly Ann Johnson; grandson Christopher Elijah Woodruff.
Per Connie’s wishes there will be no Funeral services, but a Celebration of life will be held by the family at a later date. Ward Wilson Funeral Home will be providing the final arrangements for the family. Thank you for your understanding and prayers.
The family would like to thank DaySpring Hospice and her sweet nurse Olivia Starling for the exceptional care that was given to Connie and the family.
Eddie Lucille (Palmer) Farnham, 78, passed away January 4, 2025, in Dothan, AL.
Eddie was born in Dallas, TX on May 21, 1946, to the late Eddie and William Palmer. She was a resident of Dothan for nearly 40 years. Eddie is formally from Greenwood and Biloxi, MS.
Theater and radio were her life and she made an impact on generations to come. She had a way of pulling greatness out of you. To know her was to love her and she will be dearly missed.
Leaving behind to cherish her memory are her husband of 27 years, Sam Farnham; her children, Ben Downs of Ocean Springs, MS, Shannon Bicket and Amy Talley (Brad) of Biloxi, MS; her bonus children, Michael Farnham (Dee Dee) of Loranger, La, Jeff Farnham (Stacy) of Columbus, MS, Sam Farnham (Jennifer) of Largo, FL, and Robbie Farnham (Becky) of Flowood, MS; sisters-in-law Becky Morgan of Winchester, TN and Bobbi Hart (Pat) of McComb, MS, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 AM on January 18, 2025, at the Elks Lodge located at 3041 Ross Clark Circle in Dothan. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials to be made to SEACT (seact@seact.com) or Elks Lodge of Dothan (P.O. Box 1887 Dothan, AL 36302-1887.)
Glover Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. (334) 699-3888. Please sign the guestbook online at www.gloverfuneral.com
Dr. Atwill Lamar Miller, Jr., age 93, died peacefully on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Lamar was born in Dothan on August 20, 1931, to Atwill Lamar Miller and Ann L. Joiner Miller. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Connie Hill Miller; five children: Kathryn (Byron) Woodruff of Birmingham, Becki (Clay) Hine of Atlanta, Chris (Frankie) Miller of Dothan, Joe (Elizabeth) Miller and Nancy (Mike) Heard, both of Birmingham; and nine grandchildren (who called him “Lemac”): Melody Hine, Camden Hine, Anne Miller, Christopher Miller, Daniel (Kendall) Miller, Harris Miller, Reed Miller, Levi Heard and Paul Heard. He was preceded in death by his brother, Joe L. Miller, and is also survived by sister-in-law Mary Lou Miller and nieces Teresa (Keith) Norman and Jo Ann (Mike) Marshall.
Lamar graduated from Dothan High School, where he was president of the student body and a member of the National Honor Society. After earning a B.S. from the University of Alabama in 1953, where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, he and Connie married on July 18. In 1957 he graduated from the Medical College of Alabama (now UAB School of Medicine) and then did a rotating internship and surgical residency at Lloyd Noland Hospital in Birmingham. After serving two years as general surgeon at the 3320th USAF Hospital in Amarillo, TX, he completed a urological residency at Baylor University College of Medicine in Houston, TX, where he received the Outstanding Resident in Urology award. Between 1964 and 1970, Lamar served as Chief of Urology at Lloyd Noland Hospital and clinical instructor in urology at Medical College of Alabama.
During medical school, Lamar worked two summers as camp doctor at the Children’s Fresh Air Farm in Birmingham, while Connie served on staff.
Lamar was a member of the American Medical Association and the American Urological Association and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. While in Birmingham he served as president of the Birmingham Urological Club. In 1971 he joined Urological Associates of Dothan and practiced at both Southeast Alabama Medical Center (SAMC, now Southeast Health) and Flowers Hospital. He held several offices in the Houston County Medical Society, including president. He served Flowers Hospital as Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery. He served SAMC as Chief of Surgery, chairman of the Surgical ICU Committee when the unit was built, and as a member of the Executive Committee. Lamar’s peers considered him an innovator in the OR, where he could improvise to get the desired result. He retired from Urological Associates in 1999. After retirement he worked several years at the SAMC Outpatient Wound Care Center.
Lamar had many interests other than medicine. He was a member of the Birmingham Banjo Band and a founding member of the Dothan Dixieland Band, with whom he played for 25 years. He was also an avid banjo collector. He was a deacon, choir member and adult Sunday School teacher for many years at First Baptist Church and was named Deacon Emeritus in 2017. He served FBC on the Music Committee and as chairman of the Building Committee. He also served five years on the Dothan City School Board, including a term as chairman. Over the years, Lamar served on the boards of directors of Mutual Assurance, SouthTrust Bank, Dothan Country Club and Southeast Alabama Community Theatre (SEACT). He was named board member emeritus of Music South. He was also a member of Dothan Rotary Club.
When Lamar was younger, he earned a commercial pilot’s license with multi-engine, instructor and instrument ratings and enjoyed flying a small plane. He also enjoyed woodworking and even built a grandfather clock. His interests included gardening and experimenting in the kitchen, with several of his recipes being featured in the May, 1981 issue of Southern Living. Lamar truly loved the game of golf and traveled many times with golfing buddies to play the famous courses in Scotland. Lamar was once described as owning “more golf clubs than Edwin Watts.”
Not only was Lamar a board member of SEACT, but he was also a frequent performer. He is probably best known for playing Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun, a role he originated in 1976 and reprised in 2007. He played the same character, Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside, in both Mame and Auntie Mame. He also appeared in Oklahoma! (as Ado Annie’s father), Annie (as FDR), On Borrowed Time (as Gramps), Beauty and the Beast (as Monsieur D’Arque), The Music Man, My Fair Lady and Li’l Abner.
Lamar loved the Lord and he loved his family. He was known for his honesty, his bushy eyebrows, and his booming bass voice. While we miss him dearly, we know where he is and look forward to seeing him again. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at First Baptist Church, Dothan, with visitation preceding at 1:00. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to First Baptist Church or Macular Degeneration Research. Lamar’s family would like to express our sincere gratitude to the caring people of Extendicare Health Center, Anointed Touch Caregivers and Gentiva Hospice.
