Bruce Edward Vining, age 65, of Dothan, passed away on Monday, August 25, 2025, at Flowers Hospital.
Born in Lake City, Florida, Bruce was the son of the late Ernest Vining and Pamela Libert Williams. He attended the University of Florida and went on to work as a computer engineer.
Bruce was preceded in death by his father, Ernest Vining. He is survived by his loving mother, Pamela Libert Williams of Dothan, along with other cherished relatives.
A memorial service to honor Bruce’s life will be held at a later time.
Mrs. Evelyn Virginia Hemby Mullins, age 91, a resident of Dothan, passed away Monday, August 25, 2025 at Extendicare in Dothan following a short illness. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, August 29, 2025 at Ward-Wilson Funeral Home with the Reverend Taylor Rutland officiating. Burial will follow at Memory Hill Cemetery with Ward-Wilson Funeral Home directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home at 1 p.m. one hour prior to the service.
Mrs. Mullins was born on February 21, 1934 in Slocomb, Alabama to the late T B Hemby and Francis Opal Dawsey Hemby. Evelyn was a 1952 graduate of Slocomb High School. She began her career working as a teller for Slocomb National Bank and First National Bank of Dothan prior to becoming a homemaker and stay-at-home mother. She was a tremendous caregiver to her immediate and extended families as she cared for many relatives. She was a great cook and kept a loving home. She enjoyed needlepoint and made many pieces including work on the needlepoint decorations in the vestibule of the First Baptist Church of Dothan.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, John Lewis Mullins, Jr. She is survived by her: brother, Edgar Dawsey Hemby, Panama City, FL; son, John Lewis Mullins, III, Vestavia Hills, AL; grandchildren, Lydia Mullins, Springville, AL, Andrew Mullins (Tori), Murfreesboro, TN, and Clayton Mullins, Vestavia Hills, AL; great-grandchildren, Elijah, Sampson, and Jonah Mullins, all of Murfreesboro, TN; and numerous cousins.
The family would like to share its appreciation for caregivers Melba Chandler and Donna Stolte for their loyal service for several years as well as the loving care she received from Extendicare Health & Rehabilitation Center and Gentiva Hospice. Memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church, 300 West Main St., Dothan, Alabama 36301.
Mrs. Linda Gail Shook, was born in Hartford on January 31, 1947. She left this world on August 25, 2025, to be with the Lord, her momma and daddy, Lester and Johnnie Gibson, and her baby dog Emily, who is waiting at the narrow gate for her with tail wagging.
Linda enjoyed caring for others and worked as a nurse’s aid in home health care for over 30 years. She loved children, especially babies, and adored dogs. She enjoyed crafts, cross-stitching, knitting, embroidering, diamond painting, and coloring. Linda found joy working in her flower garden pulling weeds, and mowing the yard, and her favorite flowers were sunflowers. She met the love of her life, Bill in Umatilla, FL in 1977, they were married four years later and spent 48 wonderful years together. She loved being a military wife, moving all over the world in support of Bill’s army career without ever complaining. She was loved by all and will be dearly missed.
In addition to her loving husband, Bill, she is survived by four sons: Tommy Davis and wife Patricia of Slocomb, Richard Davis of St. Robert, MO, Donald VanHoose and wife Amy of Slocomb, and Jonathan Shook and wife Christina of Headland.; eleven grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2:00PM on Friday, August 29, 2025 in the chapel of Sorrells Funeral Home in Slocomb. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service time.
Virginia Sue Lee of Abbeville, passed away Monday, August 25, 2025, at the age of 71.
Virginia is preceded in death by her parents, Billy Webb and Margaret Morrison Webb; husband, Harold Lee; daughter, Heather Lee; and brother, Henry Webb.
Survivors include her daughter, Beverly Neel (Thomas); son, JD Lee; grandchildren, Ashton Smith (Nikki Lowery-Smith) and Carson Neel; and siblings, Larry Webb, David Webb and Kim Webb.
ARITON…Mr. Gerald T. Sammons (Master Sergeant, United States Air Force, Retired), a resident of Ariton, died late Sunday evening, August 24, 2025 in a Dothan hospital. He was 88.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, August 28, 2025, in the Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home Chapel with Mr. Don McCall officiating. A eulogy will be given by his son, Jerry Sammons. Graveside services, with full military honors, will follow in Mt. Olive Cemetery. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Mr. Sammons was born and raised in the small town of Ariton, Alabama, the beloved son of Joseph Lowell Sammons and Lydia Clifford Chapman Sammons. From the beginning, he carried the values of hard work, humility, and kindness that were deeply rooted in his family and community. He graduated from Ariton High School in 1955, proud to be part of a close-knit class that shared more than just schoolwork—they shared life, laughter, and the spirit of a small town.
After high school, Mr. Sammons answered the call to serve his country and joined the United States Air Force. He dedicated twenty years of his life to military service, traveling far from home but never forgetting where he came from. His time in the Air Force shaped him into a man of discipline, honor, and quiet strength. When he retired from the military, he didn’t slow down. He went back to school at Wallace College, where he studied Air Conditioning and Refrigeration—always eager to learn something new and build a better life for his family.
Later, he worked as a machinist for DynCorp at Fort Rucker, where he was known for his steady hands, sharp mind, and dependable nature. Whether it was fixing something or lending a helping hand, Mr. Sammons was the kind of man people could count on.
For over sixty years, he was a proud member of the Ariton Masonic Lodge #171, a brotherhood that meant a great deal to him. He also found deep spiritual roots at Rocky Head Baptist Church, where he served faithfully as a deacon in years past. His faith was quiet but strong, and he lived it out in the way he treated others—with compassion, patience, and grace.
Mr. Sammons shared fifty-four beautiful years of marriage with his beloved wife, Agnes Whitehead Sammons. Together, they built a life full of love, laughter, and family. Her passing left a space in his heart that could never be filled, but her memory remained a guiding light in his life.
He was also preceded in death by his three brothers—James Lowell Sammons, Julius Marvin Sammons, and Earl Sammons—each of whom held a special place in his heart. Though they are gone, the bond they shared as brothers was strong and enduring.
Mr. Sammons lived a life marked by service, love, and quiet dignity. He will be remembered not just for what he did, but for who he was—a devoted husband, a loyal friend, a man of faith, and a true gentleman.
Survivng relatives include his two daughters, Shelia Johnson (Kevin) and Sonja Elmore (Paul); his son, Robert Gerald “Jerry” Sammons (Barbara), Ariton; his sister, Linda Faye Tucker, Dothan; his brother, Spurgeon Sammons (Chris), Jasper, Texas; grandchildren, Della Glover (John), Sabrina McGee (Adam), Shayne Sammons (Emily), Ben Johnson (Emily), Andrew Johnson (Meagan), Thomas Johnson (Stephanie), Samantha Elmore, Christopher Elmore (Rachel), Randall Browning, Daniel Browning (Raquel), and Michael Browning (Dawn); great-grandchildren, Bryce Johnson, Bailey Johnson, Sawyer Johnson, Reece Johnson, Charlotte Johnson, Aria Johnson, Lydia Elmore, Ethan McGee, Abree McGee, Milly Sammons, Lowell Sammons, Tayah Glover, and Cameron Glover; nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Serving as active pallbearers will be Shayne Sammons, Ben Johnson, Andrew Johnson, Thomas Johnson, Christopher Elmore, and Adam McGee.
The family would like to extend their deepest thanks to the wonderful staff at Providence Assisted Living in Ozark. Your kindness, compassion, and gentle care meant the world to Mr. Sammons and to all of us who loved him. During his time there, you didn’t just look after him—you made him feel at home. You treated him like family, and that gave us so much comfort and peace. We’ll never forget the way you showed up with smiles, patience, and genuine love, even on the hard days. Thank you for walking alongside us during this chapter of his life. Your support will always be remembered with gratitude in our hearts.
Obituary from Holman Funeral Home of Ozark – Ozark, Alabama
Ms. Rhonda Lea Smithers Frosch, a resident of Ozark, died Sunday, August 24, 2025, at her home following a courageous battle with cancer. She was 73 years old.
Memorial Services will be held for Ms. Frosch at a later date. Holman Funeral Home of Ozark has been entrusted with the arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.HolmanFuneralHome.com
Ms. Frosch was born October 16, 1951 in Bronx, New York to the late Charles and Mary Margosian Smithers. She graduated from high school in Long Island, New York and moved to Miami, Florida in 1970. She later moved to Hobe Sound, Florida where she raised her family. Rhonda retired in 2019 and moved to Ozark. She was a member of Center Ridge Baptist Church. Ms. Frosch loved and lived for her grandchildren and crafting. She loved her fur-baby, Cicero, a Boston Terrier. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Richard Smithers. Survivors include three daughters, Heidi Faulk of Ozark, Kara Frosch of Stuart, Florida and Veronica Griffis of St. Augustine, Florida; two sons, Dr. Louis “Louie” Frosch (Kansas Sparks) of Tallahassee, Florida and Glenn Crickmar (Sharon) of Raleigh, North Carolina. Twelve grandchildren also survive.
