Obituaries
OBITUARIES
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RECENT OBITUARIES
- Karen Lynn Walker
Karen Lynn Walker 62 of Harvest Alabama passed away on Saturday February 5, 2011 at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham Alabama. Survivors include her husband of 38 years, Joe J. Walker, two daughters, Teri Neiland and husband Bill of Meridianville and Tiffany Davis and husband Stevan of Madison; one son, Jonathan Walker of Huntsville; four grandchildren,Clay, Callie, Nicalos, and Noah; one brother, Larry Taormina and wife Janice of Huntsville; and her parents, John and Edna Riley Taormina. A life celebration gathering will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. A private burial is planned at Maple Hill Cemetery.Karen Lynn Walker-Edna Gloria Riley-John Hardy Riley- Laura Nellie Riley-Emanuel Riley-Edward Riley-John Riley, Sr.
- William Woodham Wright, Sr.
William Wright, 92, finished his race and received his crown on Friday, September 3, 2010. He was born in Hartford, AL in 1918. With a lifelong love of travel and exploration he joined the Navy and marched in FDR's 2nd inaugural parade. Then he was stationed at Pearl Harbor, surviving the "Day of Infamy," aboard the USS Vestal moored next to the USS Arizona.
From there he served with a flotilla of PT Boats, the same one made famous by JFK's PT109. He met his wife of 64 years, Rusty, and married in 1946 and then was back in the fray of the Korean War. His career took an important turn as a part of the team launching the Navy's early ballistic missile, the "Regulas".
That led to an interview with Dr. Debus and a job with what became NASA after retiring. In 1958 they launched our first satellite Explorer 1 and then was selected for "Operation Hardtack," which launched and detonated a nuclear warhead in the atmosphere over the Pacific.
Back in Cape Canaveral, and then KSC, their team put men into space in the Mercury program and then on the moon with Apollo. From 1956 to 1977 he wasn't just an observer of history, but a participant.
All this along with his love for his wife and family, his unquestioned goodness, his unwavering faith and his passion for sailing and birding was what made "The Greatest Generation" great.
He is survived by his wife, Rusty; his two sons, Bill and Eric and his wife Susan; grandchildren, Eric and Eva, John William and Labri, Quentin and Nadine, Logan and Oceana. His first great grandchild is due in December.
Memorial Services will be at Oceanside Church of Christ, Tuesday September 7th at 4:30 pm.
Published in FLORIDA TODAY on September 5, 2010
For those of you that might be interested, my cousin Robert Earl Woodham passed away on August 2, 2009. Here is his obituary from The Post Searchlight, Bainbridge, Ga. Clayton Logue posted this on the Woodham Family Genealogy Forum.
- Robert Woodham September 24, 1932 - August 2, 2009
The late Robert Earl Woodham, 69, of Columbus, Ga., was interred Thursday, Aug. 6, at East Porterdale Cemetery in Columbus. Born on Sept. 24, 1939, in Seminole County, Ga., Mr. Woodham died on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009, at his residence. Mr. Woodham was a 1957 graduate of Bainbridge High School, where he was a member of the marching band. He later attended West Georgia College, majoring in journalism. Mr. Woodham began his writing career with The Atlanta Journal. He was especially dedicated to researching his family background, which eventually became his life-long passion.
Mr. Woodham is survived by his three siblings; Janet Owens and Donnie Parrish of Columbus, Ga., and R. Harold Parrish Jr. of Forsyth, Ga.
McMullen Funeral Home in Columbus was in charge of funeral arrangements.
- Esker Dell "EK" Riley (submitted by Judi Hayes, 01/06/2010)
Posted by: ChadWhisnant
Date: Jan 05 2010 2:16 PM
Mr. Esker Dell “EK” Riley of the Lytle Community, passed away on Monday, January 4, 2010. He was 96. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 6, 2010 in the Chapel of Pittman Funeral Home in Geneva with Rev. Elbert Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens with Pittman Funeral Home of Geneva directing. The family will receive friends prior to the service Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. until service time.
Mr. Riley was born in Geneva County on December 10, 1913 to the late Albert and Anzelli Riley. He was raised in the Echo Community. He served in the US Army during WWII. Prior to retirement, he owned and operated Riley Butcher Pen for many years. Preceding him in death were three sisters, Mae Hicks, Mamie Roney and Leo Anderson; and two brothers, Odis Riley and Louie Riley.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jessie Riley; daughter, Pam Barnes of La Grange, GA; son-in-law, Albert Barnes of Samson; two grandsons, Chad Barnes of Madison, WI and Alex Barnes of Columbus, GA; and many nieces and nephews.
