Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
10:55 am Friday, July 19, 2002

Obituaries for Friday, July 19, 2002

By Staff
ANNIE RUE GILMER VANCE
Retired
UNION Services for Annie Rue Gilmer Vance will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Erin Cumberland Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Charles Morrow officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Vance, 92, of Marietta, Ga., died Wednesday, July 17, 2002, in Tranquility Hospice in Marietta. She was a retired shirt factory trimmer.
Survivors include her daughters, Barbara Ewald and her husband, Ron, of Marietta, and Linda Huey and her husband, Johnny, of Jasper, Ala.; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sisters, Marie Lott of Byhalia, Hester Billups of Birmingham, Ala., Audine Sells of Eight Mile, Ala., and Wynette Futral of Dothan, Ala.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Sharp Vance, sisters, Hazel Morrow, Ruby Barrett and a brother, Carlton Gilmer.
Visitation will be today from 6 p.m.- 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
ELIZA STENNIS COLE
ENTERPRISE Services for Eliza Stennis Cole will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Enterprise Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Devertis Savage officiating. Burial will be in Pinegrove Cemetery in Bailey.
Mrs. Cole, 100, of DeKalb, died Monday, July 15, 2002, at Kemper Home Place Nursing Facility in DeKalb.
Survivors include a son, Levore Kinard, of Bailey; a daughter, Leuretha Gordon, of Bailey; 11 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her parents Sylvester and Amelie Stennis.
Visitation will be held Saturday from noon-1 p.m. at the funeral home.
THOMAS H. COPELAND SR.
Retired engineer
Services for Thomas H. Copeland Sr. will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Webb Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. David Meadows officiating. Burial will be in Concord Methodist Cemetery.
Mr. Copeland, 87, of Meridian, died Thursday, July 18, 2002, at his home. He was a retired engineer with Southern Railway, a member of Fifth Street United Methodist Church and belonged to Woodmen of the World.
Survivors include his daughters, Clarice Stahl, of Meridian, and Peggy Ramage, and her husband, Bill, of Meridian; his son, Thomas Copeland Jr., of Meridian; his sisters, Ruth McDonald, Inez Keller and Louise Cox; brothers Sonny Copeland and James Copeland; 10 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wives, Alma Copeland and Orlena Copeland.
Visitation will be held Friday from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the Funeral Home.
DIANNE BALL NATALE
Professional keyboard instructor
Graveside services for Dianne Ball Natale will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Natale, 50, of West Palm Beach, Fla., died Monday, July 8, 2002, at Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach. She was Director of Music at Bobb's Pianos and Organs in West Palm Beach, and had been a professional keyboard instructor for more than 15 years.
She was a graduate of Meridian High School, class of 1969 and Mississippi State University with a bachelor's of arts degree in music. While in high school, she was a member of the school band, Choralaires, Lamplighters, Phi Kappa little sister and the Dusty Social Club. While attending Mississippi State University, she was a member of Phi Mu Sorority, Pi Kappa Alpha little sister and a member of the University marching band and orchestra. While living in Meridian she was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
Survivors include her two children, Kimberly and Steven Natale; a sister, Deborah Ball Lau and her husband, Dr. Glenn Lau; a brother, Timothy Ball and his wife, Becky; a nephew, Jeffrey Ball; and a niece, Rosey Lau.
She was preceded in death by her parents Jimmy and Jeanette Ball and a brother, Phillip Ball.
ALMA MCINTOSH
Homemaker
UNION Services for Alma McIntosh will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at St. Mark United Methodist Church in DeKalb with Pastor John H. House officiating. Burial will be in Depot Hill Cemetery in DeKalb with E.E. McDonald Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. McIntosh, 100, of DeKalb, died Wednesday, July 17, 2002, at Mississippi Care Center of DeKalb, LLC. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include three daughters, Birdie Johnson and her husband, Gilford, of Glen Carbon, Ill., Minnie Jewel Love, of Baltimore, Md., Irene Edwards and herm husband, Sylvester, of East St. Louise, Ill.; seven sons, Henry B. McIntosh and his wife, Helen, of Norfolk, Va., Johnnie C. McIntosh and Charlie and his wife Cathryn all, of East St. Louis, Virgil McIntosh and wife, Ella, Shumpter McIntosh and his wife, Ruth, and Jimmie McIntosh and his wife Frances, all of Erie, Pa., Willie McIntosh and wife, Joyce, of DeKalb; a sister, Minnie Reyes, of Los Angeles; a number of grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren; five sisters-in-law, Mattie Mae McIntosh, of Vaiden, Cozette McIntosh of East St. Louis, Helen McIntosh, of Preston, Lillie McIntosh, of St. Louis, Ina Jean Robert and her husband, Marcellus, of East St. Louis, two brothers-in-law, Melvin McIntosh Sr. of Meridian, and Leslie McIntosh and his wife, Joyce, of Albany, N.Y.
She was preceded in death by her husband and a son.
Visitation will be held Saturday from 7 p.m.7-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
MRS. WILLIE KNOX
Services for Mrs. Willie Knox are incomplete.
Mrs. Knox, 98, of Meridian, died Thursday, July 18, 2002, at Kings Daughters and Sons Rest Home.

Also on Franklin County Times
Drone contraband is becoming a problem
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Area law enforcement officials say they support the idea of more authority to stop drones from delivering contraband into jails. Alabam...
Oliver: Too many children are being abused
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County deputies investigated 85 cases involving child and sexual abuse in 2025. “For a county the size of Franklin County, tha...
Sentencing delayed again in manslaughter trial
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Brandy Dowdy will have to wait even longer to learn how long she will serve in prison after her sentencing was delayed for the second t...
Garden club hosts plant, bake sale
Columnists, News, Red Bay
In the Community
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RED BAY — The Red Bay Garden Club held its annual plant and bake sale Saturday at the high school greenhouse to raise funds for projects across the ci...
Has the city on a hill lost its shine?
Columnists, Opinion
April 15, 2026
Ronald Reagan used the “Shining City on a Hill” as a metaphor for the United States as a beacon for freedom and democracy in the world. Joe Biden ofte...
Delta Kappa Gamma learns gardening tips
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
April 15, 2026
Our April meeting of Delta Kappa Gamma at Calvary Baptist Church in Russellville featured a lively and practical program by Trace Barnett, a native of...
TVA president, CEO announces retirement
News
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
Less than a year after he was named president and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority, Don Moul told members of the board of directors he will be re...
Students’ art selected for State Capitol exhibit
News, Russellville
By Maria Camp camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The art of three Russellville Elementary School students is on display at the Alabama State Capitol through April 28. Khloe Ball, a fou...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *