Glenda “Joyce” (Mercer) Loftin, 77, a life-long resident of Houston County, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and precious friends, on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Funeral services will be held at 5:00 p.m., Sunday, June 28, 2026, at Victory Family Church with Reverend Jason Duren officiating. Burial will follow in Ashford City Cemetery with Glover Funeral Home & Crematory of Dothan directing. The family will receive friends from 4:30 until 5:00 p.m., prior to the service.
Flowers will be accepted, or memorial contributions may be made to Victory Family Church Mission Fund, 3225 Headland Avenue, Dothan, AL 36303.
Joyce was born August 4, 1948, in Houston County to the late James Calvin & Annie Wilmer (Watson) Mercer. She lived the early years of her life in Ashford and was a 1966 graduate of Ashford High School. Joyce worked many years as bank teller at First National Bank of Ashford, and as a secretary for the Pain Management office. She thoroughly enjoyed gardening, cooking, but most importantly being called “Nana” and spending time with her grandchildren. Joyce loved her Church Prayer Group and was a member of Victory Family Church.
Nana was the most precious lady anyone could meet, she loved fiercely and loved her family and truly lived out her Faith in God.
She is preceded by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Gary Loftin; her children, CJ Chadwick (Will), Michael Jernigan (Buffy), Stephen Jernigan (Cindy), and Alyson Aplin (Steve); 15 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren, and one more on the way; her brother, Danny Mercer (Ocie) ; and her very special friends, Donna Kennedy, Andrea Katz, and Missy Marsh; as well as several nieces and nephews..
The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff and nurses of Day Spring Hospice, UAB NSSU, Dr. Nance, and Justin Casey.
Glover Funeral Home and Crematory has been entrusted with the arrangements.
OZARK…Mrs. Evelyn J. Perala, a resident of Ozark, died late Friday evening, June 26, 2026, at her home. She was 88.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in the Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Chad Ingle officiating. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memory Gardens. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 P.M. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Mrs. Perala, the daughter of the late Jalmar M. Paavola and Alma Armia Bajumpaa Paavola, was born and raised in the quiet countryside of Leaf Lake Township, Minnesota. She grew up surrounded by family, faith, and the simple joys of small‑town life. A proud graduate of New York Mills High School, Class of 1956, she carried her Minnesota roots with her wherever life took her.
After high school, she worked in a small-town doctor’s office as a nursing assistant. She loved that job, and even many years later she would share stories about the people she met and the moments that stayed with her. Caring for others came naturally to her, and those early experiences shaped the gentle, steady way she moved through the world.
In July of 1961, she married the love of her life, Robert H. “Bob” Perala. Their marriage was a true partnership—full of devotion, laughter, and the kind of everyday love that grows stronger with time. As he served in the United States Air Force and later the United States Army, she supported him through every move and every new chapter. Together, they lived in several places across the country before finally settling in Ozark in 1979 when he retired at Fort Rucker. She was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Ozark.
She was a woman of many talents. An excellent seamstress, she could turn a simple piece of fabric into something beautiful. She enjoyed cross‑stitching, reading, and challenging herself with Sudoku and crossword puzzles. She loved to cook, and her kitchen was often filled with the comforting smells of meals made with care. But more than anything, she loved being surrounded by family and friends. Her home was a place where people felt welcome, where conversations lingered, and where love was always present.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of forty‑six years, Robert H. “Bob” Perala (Sergeant First Class, United States Army, Retired), her sister Darlene Russell, and her husband Dwayne Russell. Though she will be deeply missed, her warmth, kindness, and the memories she created will continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.
Surviving relatives include her two daughters, Katrina Stephens (Jeffrey) and Nicole Peters (Chris), all of Ozark; son, Craig Perala (Mary Alice), Robertsdale, Alabama; eight grandchildren, Jennifer Shelton (Corey), Jimmy Stephens (Vanessa), Josh Stephens (Katie Barbaree), Emma Peters, Evan Peters (Clara Bradley), Wesley Smith, Travis Perala (Kelsey), and Ann Marie Robertson (James); great-grandchildren, Stephen Shelton, Cole Brakefield, Ethan Shelton, Riley Shelton, John David Stephens, Rachel Stephens, Hayden Stephens, Graham Perala, Elliana Perala, Archer Smith, and Ava Smith.
Serving as active pallbearers will be Josh Stephens, Jimmy Stephens, Corey Shelton, Evan Peters, Cole Brakefield, and John David Stephens. Honorary pallbearers will be Travis Perala, Wesley Smith, and James Robertson.
You may sign a guest register at www.fuquabankston.com
NEWVILLE… Kenny Dawkins, a resident of Newville, Alabama, passed away Saturday morning, June 27, 2026, at his home. He was 65.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Wright Funeral Home and Crematory Chapel. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Wright Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
With heavy hearts and grateful memories, we celebrate the life of Kenny Dawkins, born on October 04, 1960, in Newville, Alabama to the late David Lee Dawkins and Velma Dawkins.
Shortly after his birth, Kenny’s family located to Miami, Florida, where he spent his early childhood. At the age of nine, he returned to Alabama where he attended school and made many lifelong friendships. Around the age of sixteen, Kenny moved back to Miami, where he built a life and established deep roots. When Kenny was twenty, he married and went on to raise his children in Miami, creating a life centered around family, hard work, and perseverance.
In his later years, he returned to Alabama to live with his brother, Danny, where he spent the remainder of his life surrounded by the love of family.
Kenny was a man who truly loved working with his hands. A gifted carpenter, he built a successful remodeling business in Miami and earned a reputation for quality craftsmanship and honest work. He took great pride in every home he remodeled and enjoyed sharing the many photographs that showcased his completed projects. His work reflected not only his talent but also the care and dedication he poured into everything he did.
When he wasn’t remodeling homes, Kenny could often be found working on one of his many trucks, another passion that brought him endless enjoyment.
On June 27, 2026, Kenny peacefully entered eternal rest, leaving behind a legacy of hard work, resilience, and unwavering love for his family. His generous spirit, strong work ethic and kind heart touched the lives of many and will continue to be remembered for generations to come.
Kenny was preceded in death by his parents, David Lee Dawkins, and Velma Dawkins; beloved grandparents; his youngest daughter, Eloise Dawkins; brothers, Larry Dawkins, Charles Dawkins, Charles E. Dawkins, David Dawkins; sisters, Shelley Swann, Ethel Holmes, and Beverly Bethel.
He leaves to cherish his precious memories, his loving son, Kenny Dawkins, Jr.; loving daughter, Velma Dawkins; devoted brothers, Danny Dawkins, William L. Dawkins, and Tommy Dawkins; loving sisters, Linda Dawkins, Debroah Haynes, and Betty Lynn; a host of nieces, nephews, cousin, other relatives and dear friends whose lives were forever enriched by knowing him.
Kenny will be remembered for his hardworking spirit, the skilled hands that could build or fix just about anything, his unwavering dedication to his family and the kindness he showed to those around him. His legacy lives on through the lives he touched, the homes he transformed and the love he shared so freely.
Though he is no longer with us in body, his memory will forever remain in the hearts of those who loved him. He will be deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten.
James Murloy “Jimmy” Mullins, a longtime resident of Panama City, Florida, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Saturday, June 20, 2026, with family by his bedside. He was 84 years old. Known lovingly as Jimmy, Dad, and Capaw, he passed after complications from treatment during a two-year battle with cancer — surrounded, to the end, by the love of his family. Jimmy was born in Newton, Alabama, and raised in Headland, Alabama, by his late parents, Forrest Murloy Mullins and Doris Head Mullins. He graduated from Headland High School in 1960, spending his teenage years working at the family’s Headland Feed Mill and showing livestock. After graduation, he attended Auburn University, where he earned his degree from the School of Pharmacy in 1965. After short seasons in Marianna and Jacksonville, Florida, Jimmy settled in Lynn Haven in 1970 with his high school sweetheart and then-wife, the late Glenda McClendon Lewis, and their three sons, Ken, Brad, and Matt. Shortly thereafter, he built and opened Mullins Pharmacy in 1971, followed a few years later by The Daisy Basket Florist. For more than 45 years, Jimmy served the Lynn Haven community through Mullins Pharmacy with a kind demeanor and genuine care for the families who walked through its doors. In time, it became a true multi-generational calling — he helped mentor his daughter-in-law into pharmacy and supported Ken and DeAnn as they carried the legacy forward, remaining close to the work until 2016 and often stepping in as relief pharmacist whenever a grandbaby needed Mom. After marrying his wife, GiGi, in 1986, Jimmy spent nearly 40 years sharing life, family, and many wonderful days on the water with her. Together, they sailed to the Bahamas more than 25 times aboard his private sailboat, enjoying the islands each spring with friends and family. There were not many days when Jimmy could not be found aboard his 41-foot Morgan, carefully upgrading and outfitting it with the kind of skill, patience, and precision that made the boat feel like an extension of him — usually with a Jimmy Buffett tune playing nearby. When grandchildren came along, he became known as “Capaw” — captain and grandpa, all rolled into one — a name that fit him perfectly, because so much of the life he loved, and the memories he gave his family, happened on the water. When he wasn’t on the boat or enjoying Shell Island, Jimmy stayed healthy and active, often walking the streets of downtown Panama City in the early mornings, getting in his three miles along the way. He was even famous in the family for doing backflips off the front of the EXTASEA, with his last one recorded on Father’s Day at age 82. Jimmy faithfully supported his grandchildren by attending sporting events, birthdays, graduations, and the ordinary moments that meant the most. When his family called, he was there. Cool, calm, and collected, he was a constant in the lives of those who loved him. Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents, Forrest Murloy Mullins and Doris Head Mullins; his grandparents, Que and Lila Mullins and Jim and Bonnie Head; his stepdaughter, Tammy Wright; and his stepson, Casey Wright. He is survived by his wife, GiGi Mullins; his brother, Michael Mullins and wife Brenda; his sons, Ken Mullins and wife DeAnn, Brad Mullins and wife Stephanie, and Matt Mullins and wife Eva; his grandchildren, Stevie-Marie Mullins, Kennedy Mullins, Bradley Mullins, Katie Black and husband Joel, Ethan Mullins and wife Emma, Madison Mullins, and Danielle Jackson; and his great-grandchildren, Hensleigh Black, Keelen Jackson, and Briella Jackson. In keeping with Jimmy’s wishes, the immediate family will hold a private Celebration of Life aboard his beloved sailboat, EXTASEA. And now, when the sun slips low over Shell Island and a Jimmy Buffett song drifts from a boat speaker, we will think of him — steady at the helm and loved beyond words. Until we meet again in the presence of Jesus, sail on, Capaw.
SHORTERVILLE…..Cameron “Corky” Edward Bunting, a resident of Shorterville, died Friday, June 26, 2026 at his home. He was 75.
Corkey was born in New Jersey to the late Maurice V. Bunting and Virginia L. Savage Bunting. He spent the majority of his life in Florida before making Shorterville, Alabama his home for the past six years.
Corky was a gifted master craftsman who devoted many years to the art of woodworking. With remarkable skill and creativity, he could build anything he set his mind to. He took great pride in his work, pouring his talent, patience, and attention to detail into every project. Whether building, repairing, or creating something from scratch, he found joy in making things that were both beautiful and built to last. His strong work ethic and dedication were driven by his love for his family and his desire to provide for them. His greatest legacy is found not only in the things he built, but in the life he built for his family through the work of his hands.
Throughout his life, he found peace and happiness in the outdoors, especially while riding motorcycles and fishing. He appreciated life’s simple pleasures and treasured every opportunity to be with family and friends, creating memories that will be cherished for years to come. He will be remembered for his generous heart, unwavering work ethic, remarkable craftsmanship, and deep love for his family. Though he will be greatly missed, the memories he created, the lessons he taught, and the legacy he leaves behind will forever live in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Josephine Bunting; two sons, Robert Gronberg III and Matthew Gronberg; a sister, Vivian Bunting; and a brother, Frank Bunting
Left to cherish his memories are his wife, Deborah Church Bunting; his daughters, Tracey Hidalgo (Carlos), Janie Sullivan (Greg), Amber Jowers (Richard); his sons, Robert Lockmiller (Pamala), Cameron Bunting (Heidi) and James Gronberg (Amber); brother, Paul Wiseman; twelve grandchildren; five great grandchildren; several other loving family members and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. The family will announce the date, time, and location.
Linda Frances (Metzger) Spivey, a resident of Louisville, Alabama, passed away Friday, June 26, 2026, at Westside Terrace Health and Rehab in Dothan, Alabama. She was 80 years old.
Funeral services will be held Monday, June 29, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Clayton Baptist Church in Clayton, Alabama, with Rev. Shane Traylor officiating and Glover Funeral Home directing. The burial will follow in the Louisville Cemetery in Louisville, Alabama. A visitation will be held on Sunday, June 28, 2026, in the Glover Funeral Home Chapel in Clayton from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Flowers will be accepted or contributions can be made to the Louisville Cemetery- PO Box 125 Louisville, Alabama 36048.
Linda was born on December 2, 1945, in Eufaula, Alabama to the late Mary Robinson Ventress. She was a 1964 graduate of Clayton High School and worked for Home and Farm Supply in Clayton for many years. Linda enjoyed square dancing and was a member of the Clayton Square Dancing Club. She also loved flowers, her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and getting together to spend time with her family that she loved with all her heart. She was a member of Clayton Baptist Church.
She is preceded in death by her mother; loving husband of 50 years, Corbitt Don Spivey; sister, Cathy Donley; grandmother, Edna Robinson; special Aunt, Mattie Sherman.
Survivors include her three children, Kevin Spivey (Lana) of Clayton, Alabama, Keith Spivey (Beverly) of Louisville, Alabama, and Kim Casey of Enterprise, Alabama; six grandchildren, Catherine Finlayson (Andrew), Kenton Spivey, Mary Linda Thew (Blake), Drew Spivey (Jessica), Jodie Butler (Nathan), and Konner Casey (Abbie Quinney); eight great-grandchildren, Charlotte Finlayson, Klayton Casey, Koen Spivey, Susanna Thew, Sara Cate Thew, Madelyn Thew, John Thew, and Molly Drew Spivey; nephew, Brian Elliott; her two fur babies that she loved so dearly, Bo and Ms. Bella.
Asked to serve as pallbearers are Blake Thew, Drew Spivey, Wayne McGilvary, Andrew Finlayson, Konner Casey, and JP Watson.
Glover Funeral Home of Clayton was entrusted with the arrangements. (334) 775-3403. Please sign the guestbook online at www.gloverfuneral.com
Linda Frances (Metzger) Spivey, a resident of Louisville, Alabama, passed away Friday, June 26, 2026, at Westside Terrace Health and Rehab in Dothan, Alabama. She was 80 years old.