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Editor's Notes
Last week, The Democrat remembered those whose obituaries we published in 2006. We had been keeping monthly lists since last January and I had no idea that the tally for the year would be 416! And I'm sure we didn't print all that we should have. These folks were, for the most part, not famous but they were influential in that they were people we knew and loved- friends, relatives and neighbors. I certainly didn't know all 416 but I would like to run down the list of some of those I did know. Bob C. Dickinson was an avid Auburn fan and I caused a furor when I labeled him an Alabama fan in a column after he died. I suppose he and Shug Jordan are still laughing about that. His brother-in-law, Cecil S. "Jack" Chapman was the Alabama fan and he died just days later. Jack was one of Grove Hill's old timers and ran a business here for years. Shields Finney Sr. had a white beard and delighted at playing Santa for the Christmas parade each December and listening to children's wants afterwards. Joe Anderson was in the water well drilling business. He had a big heart and loved politics. We lost Fletcher Kinman, Grove Hill barber/jokester and self-proclaimed Mayor of Helwestern in February, weeks after he was involved in a terrible wreck in town. We won't forget him! I hadn't had dealings with Nelson Spinks in years but when he died I remembered that when I first sold ads for The South Alabamian in Jackson, Nelson was selling for WHOD and our paths crossed frequently. Dr. Bill deShazo died in Tuscaloosa where he had lived for years and been the team physician for the University of Alabama football squad. Dr. deShazo was our family doctor when he practiced in Jackson years ago and he delivered my baby brother, Robert. Tom Deas died in April. Tom was a county commissioner for years and did a lot for our county. Jimmy "Runt" Outlaw left us for that big heavenly baseball diamond. Jimmy was on the Detroit Tigers team that won the World Series in 1945. He was 93. Cole Armistead died in Thomasville at the age of 95 (we have good longetivity genes around here, don't we?). I used to listen to Cole's tales at the restaurant coffee table when I'd go to Thomasville. Palmer Bedsole, who lived in Mobile, died of a heart attack at his beloved Gosport farm. Palmer and Ann Bedsole are said to be wealthy but their greatest claim to fame was their generosity and civic involvement in Mobile and southwest Alabama. Vaiden Dozier died in Thomasville. He was a good businessman. Vester Hodge of Coffeeville delivered fresh shrimp, oysters and other good seafood around the area. I miss him. Roy Megginson died in Thomasville at the age of 100. He was remarkable! Rhett Payne left us. His wife, Jean, worked for The Democrat and they were like kinfolks. I miss Rhett's soft laugh and easy-going manner. Lloyd Willoughby used to work for Lathan Funeral Home in the days when we had to go by weekly to pick up obituaries (now they are faxed or e-mailed). Marion Bradford died up in Birmingham. Back in the 1950s he was a state representative while his cousin Gerald Bradford was a state senator. Rudy Carlson was a native Clarke Countian who lived in Michigan. He and his second wife, the former Irma Brady, wintered in Grove Hill and attended the local Methodist church. Sara Frances Counselman was my fourth grade teacher at Coffeeville. Just days after her death, her sister-in-law, Virena Counselman, died unexpectedly. Another icon from my childhood was Alice Marie Deas of Coffeeville who taught me in Sunday School at the Coffeeville Methodist Church. Georgia Garrick left us too. For some reason, we had repeated problems keeping Miss Georgia's subscriptions straight and I always dreaded her calls but now I wish she would call. Mickey Wiggins, died of cancer at the age of 50. He was married to a classmate, Vicki Edwards Wiggins. At Mickey's funeral I talked with James Edwards for a few minutes. Just days later he would collapse and be gone too. I remember Bobby Kelly, a former sheriff's deputy who was a good lawman and once ran for sheriff. Mack Baugh died. He was the electrician at Scotch Lumber for years. We were all shocked when Judy Williamson Etheredge died unexpectedly after what was to be a routine surgery. Judy was the technology guru for the county school system and did a wonderful job. Edd Stifflemire, 51, suffered for a long time from the cancer that claimed him but he did not give up. The Grove Hill town clerk collapsed and died on the sidewalk at town hall after delivering some paperwork there. I miss Edd's bluegrass music and his dry wit. Olen Edge, a World War II veteran and a good man, left us. My aunt Mary Hamrick collapsed and died over in Choctaw County. We didn't see it coming at all. Jesse Ray Jordan left us as the year ticked away. The former owner of Jordan's Cleaners was another of our local characters and I wished I had taped some of his tales over the years. Wilburn McVay was truly one of Jackson's old timers at the age of almost 95. The former businessman was an old bachelor but very sharp, very keen and very much a gentleman. I remember customers from years ago who used to do business at my daddy's service station in Coffeeville. Lillie V. Pelham of the West Bend community always dressed well and carried herself well. She was 93. Others I pumped gas for years ago included Lucille White, Wayne Walker, Frank "Red" Russell and Commer Pace. Wayne died in a wreck as did Bobbie Joe Fleming and probably others. Young people's car deaths were especially tragic. They included Jared Whitehead, 27, and Nathan Alan Overstreet, 16. Maybe I shouldn't have started because I see so many other familiar names and I'm running out of space: Robert McConnell, Robert Foreman, Sammy Faust, Mary Quinn, Allen Huggins, Mary Ellen Wilson, Eunice York, Janie Bell Stokey and so many, many others. We miss them all.
Thanks for the memories! Jim Cox is editor and publisher of The Clarke County Democrat.
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