James Bryant Thorne, age 84, a resident of Eufaula, Alabama passed away Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at Southeast Health in Dothan, Alabama.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, November 23, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in the Glover Funeral Home Chapel in Eufaula with Dr. Kermit Soileau officiating and Glover Funeral Home directing. The burial will follow in the Ramah Baptist Church Cemetery in Banks, Alabama. A visitation will be held Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Glover Funeral Home in Eufaula. Flowers will be accepted.
James was born on January 19, 1941, in Union Springs, Alabama to the late Loyd Bryant and Mattie Lou Shepard Thorne. He loved music and was a great drummer, he also enjoyed fishing. James loved his family and friends and enjoyed spending time with them.
He is preceded in death by his parents, and a daughter, Gina Doreen Thorne.
Left to cherish his memories are his loving wife of 64 years, Maurine Locklar Thorne; two daughters, Beverly Thorne Conner (Tony) of Locust Grove, Georgia and Angie Ussery (Shannon) of Madison, Georgia; son, Mike Thorne (Lynn) of Stockbridge, Georgia; six grandchildren, Stephen Payne, Gina Sexton (Blake), Melissa Yeager, Alex Yeager (Melanie), Michael Thorne (Jordan), and Lyndsey Thorne; six great-grandchildren, Kashten Payne, Kohen Sexton, Elizabeth Yeager, Livi Thorne, Lainey Thorne, and Hudson Thorne.
Asked to serve as pallbearers are Stephen Payne, Blake Sexton, Alex Yeager, Michael Thorne, Tony Conner, and Shannon Ussery.
Glover Funeral Home of Eufaula was entrusted with the arrangements. (334) 687-5725. Please sign the guestbook online at www.gloverfuneral.com
Loren “Les” Blocher, Jr., a cherished husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 20, 2025, in his hometown of Dothan, Alabama, where he was also born on March 1, 1963. Les was a man known for his sense of humor and his appreciation for the outdoors.
Les graduated from Dothan High School, where he built lasting friendships and developed a strong work ethic that carried into his career. He worked many years as both a mechanic and construction worker, taking pride in his skills and the quality of his work. His coworkers knew him as someone dependable and straightforward, always ready with a joke.
He enjoyed golfing, hunting, and fishing, all of which gave him time to connect with nature and the people he cared about. He also loved to reminisce about his younger days racing motorcycles, stories he never grew tired of sharing.
A dedicated supporter of Alabama Football, Les rarely missed a game and always cheered with enthusiasm. He enjoyed time spent on his porch, especially when he could tease and joke with friends and family, something that became one of his trademarks.
Les’s family was the heart of his life. He was a devoted husband to his wife of 25 years, Trina Blocher, and a loving father to his children, Tiffany Watford (Larry), April Blocher, Brittney Blocher, and Loren Bradley Blocher. His grandchildren, Austin Watford, Paisley Watford, Damean Davis, Hunter Leger, Mikaela Watford, Reese Watford, Justin Robbins, and Patrick Parrish, and his great-grandchildren, Ellie, Ryleigh, Jaxon, and Isabella, brought him great joy.
Les was preceded in death by his parents, Jacquelyn Thompson and Loren Blocher, Sr.; his grandparents, Lucille Creamer and Woodrow Creamer; and his father-in-law, Danny Simmons. He is survived by his brother, Loren C. Blocher; his sister, Aleda Blocher; his mother-in-law, Teena Holliday; his brother-in-law, Craig Simmons (Melissa); beloved uncle, Ronald Creamer (Gail); and several loving cousins.
Ms. Mary Bell Brown Baxley, known as “Ma Bell” a resident of Clayton, Alabama, passed away Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at Wesley Place in Dothan, Alabama. She was 93 years old.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Prospect Baptist Church in Clayton, Alabama, with Rev. Buddy Ward officiating and Glover Funeral Home directing. The burial will follow in the church cemetery. A visitation will be held Friday, November 21, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Glover Funeral Home in Clayton. Flowers will be accepted, or contributions can be made to one’s favorite charity.
Ms. Bell was born on August 22, 1932, in Henry County, Alabama, to the late Claude Brown and Pennie Bush Cox. She was a life-long resident of Barbour County. She worked at West Point Stevens until her retirement. She loved her family and friends. Bell was a wonderful wife, mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend to everyone. She lived a good life doing what she loved the most, cooking for her family and carrying food to people. Her special gift was making tea cakes and cakes and everyone loved them. She enjoyed fishing but especially jug fishing with her son until she was 86 years old. Bell was a member of Prospect Baptist Church, a member of the Texasville Fire Department, and the Texasville Community Club House.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband, Wiley Emmett Baxley; two brothers, Wayne Brown (Christine) and Bobby Brown; son-in-law, Theldon Byrd. Surviving relatives include her daughter, Ann Byrd of Grady, Alabama; her son, Larry Baxley (Cindy) of Dothan, Alabama; three grandchildren; Andrew Baxley (Jorda), Tracy Bowman (Jamie), and Ashley Ledbetter (Kevin); five great-grandchildren, Hunter Bowman, Kylie Bowman, Brady Ledbetter, Eleanor Baxley, and Eli Baxley; three sisters; Dorothy Gould of Lake Martin, Alabama, Jean McKnight (James) of Dothan, Alabama, and Beth Scott of Shorterville, Alabama.
Active pallbearers will be Andrew Baxley, Kevin Ledbetter, Jamie Bowman, Hunter Bowman, Dennis Baxley, and Bruce Adams.
Honorary pallbearers will be Eli Baxley and Brady Ledbetter.
Glover Funeral Home of Clayton was entrusted with the arrangements. (334) 775-3403. Please sign the guestbook online at www.gloverfuneral.com
Betty Wills Hudgins, 82, passed away on November 13, 2025, after a long battle with ovarian cancer. Betty was born in Shorterville, AL, and grew up in Abbeville, AL, the daughter of W.C. and Lucile Wills. She graduated from Abbeville High School. Betty held a degree in social work from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide), where she was a member of the Delta Zeta Sorority, a source of lifelong friendships. After graduation, she began a career in advertising, where she met her husband, Don. She later became a successful residential real estate agent in Atlanta, GA. As a real estate agent, Betty loved getting to know her clients and many of them became lifelong friends.
Betty was preceded in death by her mother, father, and husband. She is survived by her daughter Stephanie Philippo and her son-in-law Drew Philippo, as well as her five cherished siblings and spouses: brothers George Wills, Jerry Wills (and wife Patty), Bill Wills, and Phil Wills (and wife Janet) and sister Barbara Wills. Betty is also survived by a large family of nieces, nephews, and in-laws, all of whom she loved dearly.
The family would like to express their deep appreciation for her longtime caregivers Jackie Saunders and Karen White. Their loving care, dedication, and support were invaluable and made Betty’s cancer journey the best it could possibly be.
A memorial service will be held in January at H.M. Patterson & Son – Arlington Chapel, Sandy Springs, GA. Details, date, and time will be posted later. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Cancer Society.
For further information please contact Holman-Abbeville Mortuary & Cremations at 334-585-5261.
John J. McCraney, a resident of Blountstown, FL, went to be with the Lord Saturday, November 15, 2025. He was 70.
John was born in Barbour County, Alabama, the son of the late JC McCraney and Annie Mae (Grubbs) McCraney. He loved the water, enjoyed freshwater fishing, and could often be found working on cars and restoring lawn mowers. He was a heavy equipment operator in the Pulpwood industry and of the Baptist faith.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his eight siblings– five brothers and threesisters, and a brother-in-law, James Vinson.
Survivors include three sisters: Alberta Vinson, JoAnn Shuyler (husband, Terry), and Patsy Vaughn (husband, Bob) all of Alabama; along with additional family members.
PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLORIDA. .Jerry Keith Skeen, a resident of Panama City Beach, Florida, formerly of Ozark, passed away Wednesday morning, November 19, 2025, in the Vitas Suites @ Community Health & Rehabilitation in Panama City. He was 85.
Funeral services will be held at 3:00 P.M. Friday, November 21, 2025, in the Union Free Will Baptist Church, near Abbeville, Alabama, with Reverend Joey Hudspeth officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:30 until 3:00 P.M. Friday in the church sanctuary. Holman-Abbeville Mortuary & Cremations is in charge of arrangements.
Jerry Skeen was born and raised in Henry County, Alabama, near Newville, son of the late Legon Littleton Skeen and Willie Mae Smith Skeen. He was a graduate of Newville High School. Jerry lived in Ozark, Alabama for many years before moving to Panama City Beach in 1985. He was the founder and lead vocalist for Jerry Skeen & the Starlighters. In earlier years, Jerry was employed by Alabama Power Co. He was preceded in death by a sister, Faye Skeen Hamm and a brother, Terry Skeen.
Surviving relatives include his wife, Phyllis Barfield Skeen; two sons, Jerry L. “Jay” Skeen (Donna), Dothan and Keith Skeen (Angela), Gardendale, AL; four sisters, Peggy Herring, Abbeville; Ann Walker, South Carolina; Martha Dunagan, Cullman, AL; and Rosa McCoy (Tommy), Abbeville; a brother, Mickey Skeen, Abbeville and a sister-in-law, Martha Skeen; grandchildren, Anne-Marie Wilson, Julia Skeen and Jordan Deritas; great-grandchildren, Briggs Wilson and Hadley Wilson; several nieces and nephews.
HOLMAN ABBEVILLE MORTUARY & CREMATIONS IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS. Phone 334-585-5261. You may sign a guest register at www.holmanmortuaries.com. This establishment does not own a crematory.
James Bryant Thorne, age 84, a resident of Eufaula, Alabama passed away Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at Southeast Health in Dothan, Alabama.
Ms. Mary Bell Brown Baxley, known as “Ma Bell” a resident of Clayton, Alabama, passed away Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at Wesley Place in Dothan, Alabama. She was 93 years old.
