Jill Morris Moore, a loving mother and devoted Meanie, passed away peacefully at her home on January 17, 2025, with her family gathered around, the sounds of her grandchildren playing in the yard and “The Goodness of God” playing softly in the background.
Jill’s highest calling and greatest accomplishment was being a mom to her four amazing children: Adam, Jacob, Anna and Sarah. She adored her grandchildren: Caiden, Adalynn, Gralynn, Agnes, Doris, Sky, Micah, Elijah, Cecil, and Smith. Oh, how she cherished making memories with them!
Jill loved her family deeply and enjoyed spending time with them, especially during the monthly family lunch. She loved watching the cousins play together and joining in the conversations with her crazy sense of humor and quit whit!
She cherished the time she spent with her sister Deborah and brother, Doug. Her nieces and nephews, including her great and great-great—all, felt like they were her favorite because she made each of them feel like they were.
Jill lived a full life in her 63 years. She loved the simple pleasures of life like sitting on the beach reading her favorite book, playing games or doing puzzles. She loved to watch her grandkids play sports and was so proud of all their accomplishments. She loved to travel and did not let Parkinson’s or cancer slow her down! She enjoyed touring New York City, making her way to St. Thomas and snow sledding in Colorado.
Jill devoted her life to her children. As a single mom, she worked tirelessly to provide for them holding various jobs throughout her life. For many years, she worked at the concession stands at Westgate Park while they played various sports. During this time, she touched the lives of many children with her generosity and kindness. Whether she served you a hot dog at the concession stand or checked you out at the Dollar Tree, she made sure everyone felt seen and loved even for a moment.
Her generous spirit was evident by the way she gave of herself. She was always willing to help people in need whether financially or with her time. Jill also loved giving gifts. On her “shop therapy” as she recently called it, she would see something she thought someone would love and she would buy it for them. She loved a bargain! If it was a good deal, she was getting it and would figure out later who needed it!
Through her courageous battle with cancer, her beautiful smile never faded, and her joyful attitude remained. If you saw her around town shopping at her favorite store or eating at her favorite restaurant, and you asked how she was doing, she would tell you she was going home! Her faith in God never wavered, only strengthened. As a young girl, she trusted Him as her Savior. and because of that, she trusted Him and His sovereign plan for her life! Her favorite song was “It is Well with my Soul” and there is no doubt she was at peace however the Lord chose to heal her.
There is so much more we could say about our beautiful mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, niece, cousin and friend. The two things she wanted people to remember about her most was her deep, abiding, constant love for her family and her Savior.
A celebration of her beautiful life will be a drop-in memorial held at the home of her niece and nephew, Scot and Amanda. The home where holidays and birthdays are regularly celebrated and where our family gathers to stay connected.
On Saturday, January 25, 2025, the family will celebrate her life with an intimate lunch in her honor and will receive friends from 1 pm – 4 pm for hugs and cake. The address is 641 County Road 39 Headland, Alabama Please stop by and celebrate with us. In lieu of flowers the family ask for donations to be made to Wiregrass Pets Rescue & Adoption in memory of Jill Morris Moore.
Mary Ellen Glass, a resident of Ashford, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family Sunday, January 19, 2025 at Flowers Hospital. She was 82.
Graveside services for Mrs. Glass will be held at 3 PM Thursday, January 23, 2025 at Gardens of Memory with Pastor James Bell officiating. The family will receive friends following the service at the cemetery.
Mrs. Glass was born April 20, 1942 in Pansey, Alabama to the late Sidney and Ollie Croom McNiel. She was a graduate of Ashford High School and worked for Wex-Tex for many years. For the most part of her life she was a loving wife, mother and Caregiver to her husband and family during their time of illness. Mrs. Glass was a member of First Baptist Ashford and currently Bluff Springs Baptist church. She loved to read and work in her flower garden and loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren dearly.
Mrs. Glass is preceded in death by her parents, husband, Bennie Joe Glass; sister, Janie Arnold and two stepbrothers.
Survivors include her children, Mary Ann Page (Scott), Darrell Glass (Donna) and Becca Raybon; grandchildren, Emily Press (Josh), Alayna Power (Bryce), Cassey Glass (Christy), Dara Glass, Tanner and Jayden Raybon; great grandchildren, Camden, Chase and Callie; brother, Joe McNiel (Ruby); brother-in-law, Ed Arnold.
Bernice Ester (Koch) Roberts, 95, a resident of Dothan, passed away on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at her residence following a brief illness.
Bernice was born on May 25, 1929, in New York. She spent most of her life there, attending high school and college. Following school, she married, Richard B. Roberts, and had one child, Paul Richard Roberts. Together as a family, they founded and operated, “Triple R Campground” in Franklinville, New York, which is now one of the top campgrounds in the United States. She later relocated to the Dothan area in 2004. Since her time here, she worked as a private caretaker for many years. Bernice was a member of St. Columba Catholic Church.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Richard B. Roberts; her son, Paul Richard Roberts; her infant triplets at birth; and her brother, Paul Koch.
She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Patricia Roberts of Dothan; her granddaughter, Rebecca McNelley (David) of Dothan; her great-grandson, Lennon McNelley; her brother, Phillip Koch; and several nieces and nephews.
The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of Enhabit Hospice for the love and care shown to their loved one during this time.
Per her wishes, no services will be held at this time.
Glover Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. (334) 699-3888. Please sign the guestbook online at www.gloverfuneral.com
Mrs. Lois Mae Smith, age 76, of Dothan, passed away Sunday, January 19, 2025 at home surrounded by her family.
Born August 22, 1948 in Columbia, Alabama to the late A. J. Smith and Omie Mae Hughes Smith, Lois enjoyed playing softball in her younger days and enjoyed her family, spending time with her children and grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, Lois is preceded in death by her siblings, Foy Lee Smith, Reuben (A. J.) Smith, James Earl Smith, and Billy Ray Smith.
Lois is survived by her children, Steve Monday (Julie) and Donna Tate (Robert); her grandchildren, Weston Monday, Railey Miller (Eli), Wyatt Monday, Robin Smith (Zach), Rhett Tate, Walker Monday, and Wagner Monday; her great-grandson, Maverick Kash Miller (who was born on her birthday); her siblings, Annette Webb, Eugene Smith, Gloria Lampert, Geraldine Faust, Debra Kay Trawick, and her sisters-in-law, Martha Smith, Linda Ammons, and Sherry Agrella Harrison; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 2 PM, Monday, January 20, 2025 from the chapel of Ward Wilson Funeral Home with Pastor Brenda Yon officiating. The family will receive friends from 1 PM until 2 PM, prior to the service at the funeral home.
COLUMBIA. . .Thomas Lowell Bristow, a resident of Columbia, died Friday afternoon, January 17, 2025, in Baptist Health Princeton Hospital in Birmingham. He was 66.
Funeral services will be held at 3:00 P.M. Monday, January 20, 2025, in the First Baptist Church of Columbia with Pastor Vann Cooley and Pastor Tony Deese officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 3:00 P.M. Monday in the church sanctuary. Burial will follow in the Columbia City Cemetery. Holman-Headland Mortuary & Cremations is in charge of arrangements.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Columbia, P.O. Box 267, Columbia, AL 36319.
Lowell Bristow was a lifelong resident of Columbia, son of the late Charles Hubert Bristow and Ila Lingo Bristow. He was a 1977 graduate of Houston County High School in Columbia and attended Wallace Community College. Lowell was an active member of First Baptist Church of Columbia where he was currently serving as Chairman of Deacons. He was the President and Co-Owner of Columbia Peanut Company and he and his brother owned and operated Bristow Farms. Lowell was currently serving as a Trustee of Pea River Electric Co-Op and the Henry County Farmer’s Federation Board. He formerly served on the Board of Directors of National Peanut Buying Points Association.
Surviving relatives include his wife of forty-six years, Dot Knowles Bristow; a daughter, Courtney Bristow Henderson (Jamie), Columbia; a son, Caleb Bristow (Freda), Headland; a sister, Nancy Bristow, Dothan; two brothers, Phil Bristow (Sue), Columbia; and Reverend Mark Bristow (Debbie), Dothan; a sister-in-law, Beth Cain (Tom), Ashford; his four grandchildren who were his pride and joy, Hayes Henderson, Ila Kate Henderson, Cason Bristow and Sam Bristow; several nieces and nephews.
Serving as active pallbearers will be Mark Bristow, Phil Bristow, Scott Blankenship, Terry Pitchford, Marty Williams, Ronnie Tucker, Michael DeShazo and Gill Bristow. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be members of the Board of Trustees of Pea River Electric Co-Op and employees of Bristow Farms.
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.
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
