EDNA NORA (PERKINS) KEEL , 92, Waterloo, died Wednesday, June 13, 2001, in Florence. She was a native and lifelong resident of Lauderdale County, member of Williams Chapel Presbyterian Church, a retired employee of the Lauderdale County Board of Education as a CNP worker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Andrew Jackson Keel, in 1945. Visitation will be Friday, June 15, 2001, at 10 a.m. at Williams Chapel Church, with Brother Bob Graves officiating. Interment will follow in Williams Chapel Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Randall Smith, Timothy and Barry McFall, Wesley Winborn, David Winborn, Tony Orrick and Randy Smith. Nephews will be honorary pallbearers. Surviving her are daughters, Clara Mae Keel Smith, Clanton, Ala., Emma Jean Keel Lacher, Waterloo, Ala.; sister, Thelma Mae Perkins, Waterloo; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; five nieces; four nephews; 11 grandnieces; and seven grandnephews. A special thanks to the staff at Glenwood Convalescent Center and Dr. Danny McFall, Dr. Macon Landers, Dr. Ricky Irons and the community and friends. Spry Funeral Home of Florence is directing.”
Contributed by Mildred Gean Mason
Information taken from the remembrance pamphlet at the funeral home. b September 11, 1908 d June 13, 2001

ELVIN LAWRENCE KEEL ,was born February 9, 1928 in Alabama, the son of James Keel and the late Lura Lambert Keel. On October 4, 1947 he married the former Evelyn Cossey. Mr. Keel departed suddenly from this life, January 22, 1973, at his home, at the age of 44 years, 11 months, and 13 days. He leaves other than his wife, a daughter, Mrs. Shirley Benson, Savannah; two brothers Carlton Keel, Melrose Park, Ill., and Raymond Keel, Section, Ala.; two sisters, Mrs. Aline Beil, Hollywood, Fla. And Mrs. Ludene Fondren, Ft. Mitchell, Ky. Also his father of Florence, Alabama; one grandchild; two half brothers, James Walbert Keel, Florence, Ala., and Ottis Wayne Keel, also of Florence; four half sisters Hellen Morris, Memphis, Mrs. Lois Walker and Mrs. Joyce May both of Florence and Mrs. Linda Bates, Birmingham, Ala.”
Contributed by Mildred Gean Mason

EDGAR DANIEL KEELE , 70, North Crossroads community near Iuka, Miss., died Friday in Memphis, Tenn. He was a retired farmer and saw mill worker. Services will be today at 1p.m. from Fairview Free Will Baptist Church. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Survivors include: wife, Mabel Keele; daughters, Brenda Taylor, Gladys McDuffy, Linda Linton, Iuka., Miss.; Merle Edmondson, Counts, Tenn.; Dorris Lettrell, Red Bank, Miss.; Rachel Harrison, Sitka, Alaska; Nina Tuckett, Tishomingo, Miss.; sons, Loyal Keele, Denvil Keele Iuka, David Keele, Timothy Keele, Corinth, Miss.; Jerrel Keele, Burnsville, Miss.; brothers, James Keele, Florence; George Keele, Corinth; sister, Martha King, Waterloo; 25 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.”
Contributed by Mildred Gean Mason

MABLE KEELE , 83, died Wednesday, July 19, 2000. The funeral will be at 4 p.m. today at Cutshall Funeral Home chapel, Iuka, with burial in Fairview Cemetery. She was the mother of Denvil Keele, Russellville, Ala., and sister of Virgil Gean, Florence, Ala.”
Contributed by Mildred Gean Mason - Times Daily Florence AL
Note: Mable was born 5 Dec. 1916, the daughter of George and Florence Perkins Gean of Waterloo, Ala., who are deceased.

DONALD HOWARD KEETON , age 3 years, 10 months, was born Aug. 12, 1968, and died June 17, 1972 at Coffee Memorial Hospital. He was a native of Lauderdale County, Ala. and was the son of Donald H. and Carrie Burgess Keeton, Rt. Cloverdale, Ala He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Keaton, one sister, Anglea Denise Keaton of the home; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Keaton, Cloverdale, Ala., and Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Burgess, Sheffield, Ala.; great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. T.L. Harrison, Sheffield, Ala.; great-great-grandmother, Mrs. Vergie Harrison, Sheffield, Ala.; a host of relatives and friends.”
Contributed by Mildred Gean Mason -
Information from clergyman’s records of Virgil Gean, Sr., compiled by Middle Tn. Funeral Home, Waynesboro, Tn.

LENISE W. KEETON , 85, Cherokee, Ala., died Friday, Oct. 24, 1997. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26, 1997, at Morrison Funeral Home chapel, Cherokee, with burial in Barton Cemetery. Officiating will be Rev. Larry Harbin and Rev. Mike Butler. She was a native of Colbert County. She was a homemaker and a loving mother. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Cherokee. Survivors include her sons, Paul Rex Keeton and wife Elizabeth, Sheffield, Howard W. Keeton and wife Shirley, Cherokee; daughter, Yvonne Keeton Underwood and husband Bill, Tuscumbia; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; three step-great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will include Neal Keeton, Lance Underwood, John Underwood, Jason Underwood, Tommy Freeman, Doug Williams and David Williams. Memorials may be made to Barton Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 506, Cherokee, Ala., 35616.”
Contributed by MIldred Gean Mason Times Daily, Florence AL

LUCILLE (CLEMMONS) KELLY , 78, Magnolia Gardens Florence, died Thursday, August 17, 1995, after an extended illness. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. today at Green view Funeral Home Chapel, with burial in Green view Memorial Park. Officiating at the funeral will be Ellis Coats. She was a native and lifelong resident of Lauderdale Co. She is survived by her sons, Billy S. Kelley, Bud Kelley, both of Florence, sister Cecil Medley, Florence; brother Bob Clemmons, Florida; 10 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arlon L Kelley. Pallbearers will include Herbert Norris, Clifford Miles, Boonie Harrison, Dale Jones, Don Wilson, and Kelsey Clemmons. She was a member of Darby Drive Church of Christ.
August 18 1995 Times Daily

OLIN DEE KERN , 74, Jonesboro, died Sunday March 22, 2009 at NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital. He was born Aug. 31, 1934, in Williams, Indiana. He was a Church of Christ minister. He lived in Jonesboro for a little over two years, formerly of Newbern, Tenn. Mr. Kern attended Tri State College in Angola on a basketball scholarship and graduated from Florida College. He was active in youth and high school sports activities. He was a member of the Stone Street Church of Christ. Olin began preaching in 1957 in Lake Orion, Ohio, and has preached for the following congregations: Berea, Ohio, Central, Charlotte, Tenn., South Marion, Marion, South 46th Street, Ft. Smith, Ark., Main & 13th, Blytheville, Ark., Plainfield, Southern Boulevard, Sheffield, Ala., Main Street, Newbern, Tenn., First Street, Lawrenceburg, Tenn. and Stone Strett, Jonesboro), Ark. Twenty of those years were in Newbern, Tenn. During all these years Olin preached in 182 gospel meetings. In congregations where he has done local work as well as in meetings, there have been 993 responses-baptisms, restorations, and placing membership. Survivors include his wife, Editha Jo Kern; a daughter and her husband, Jody and Dave St. John of Florence, Ala.; a son and his wife, David and Carol Kern of Jonesboro, Ark.; a sister, Rosalee Elrod of Greenwood; four grandchildren, Adam St. John, Jacob St. John, Madyson St. John and Jay Kern; and several nieces and nephews. He was also preceded in death by his father, Luther Kern; his mother, Bessie Mae Kern; and a sister, Ruth Phipps. A celebration of his life will be held at noon today at the Stone Street Church of Christ in Jonesboro with Kenneth Camp, Mark Joslin and Dick Blackford officiating. Services are under the direction of Gregg Funeral Home of Jonesboro. Burial will be at noon Wednesday at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens in Florence, Ala
Source: The State Gazette Dyersburg TN

EUGENE CHRISTOPHER KING , Rt. 1, died at Colbert County Hospital, Sheffield, Dec. 16. He was a native of Walker County, a veteran of World War Two, and a member of the Free Will Baptist Church. Surviving are the widow, Mrs. Martha Keele King, Waterloo; stepson, Doyle Williams, Waterloo; stepdaughter, Mrs. Agnes W. Benson, Roswell, Ga.; two sisters, Mrs. Alice Camper, Florence; Mrs. Annie Frost, Florence; three nephews; a niece. Services will be conducted Monday at 2 p.m. from Bumpus Creek Free Will Baptist Church by Nick White, and Virgil Geans. Burial will be in Bumpus Creek Cemetery, Morrison-Elkins of Florence, directing.”
Contributed by Mildred Gean Mason Times Daily, Florence AL

JOHN HIRAM KING , 71, Arab, died Sunday, Dec. 19, at Huntsville Hospital East. Funeral services were Tuesday, Dec. 21, at Arab Church of Christ with Ken Tyler and Mark Posey officiating. Burial was in Cooper Cemetery. Arab Memorial Chapel directing. Mr. King was a native of Lauderdale County, attended college at Florence and University of Alabama, owned and operated King’s Department Store for 40 years. He was a member of Arab Church of Christ. Survivors include his wife, Robbie Cooper King, Arab; son, John David King, Arab; brother, William E. King, Guntersville; sister, Louise King Butler, Rogersville. He was preceded in death by a sister, Elaine King Pettus; parents, Luther and Lena Mae King.”
Contributed by Mildred Gean Mason - East Lauderdale News, December 23, 1999

COLUMBUS FRANKLIN KOONCE , one of the prominent elders of North Lauderdale, died at his home at Salem church, near Cloverdale, on Saturday night last after an illness of several weeks, resulting from a stroke of paralysis. The second stroke sustained within a few weeks. The interment was made at Wesley Chapel, the funeral service being conducted by Revs. J. S. Martin and W. S. Brooks, the pastors of the Cloverdale and Oakland charges. Mr. Koonce was about 70 years of age and is survived by his wife and two sons and four daughters, all of whom are grown to maturity and married, and all residing in the community of which they were born and reared. The deceased was one of the most worthy citizens of our county. For many years he had been an official and loyal member of the Methodist church, and a consistent advocate of all enterprises of the community in which he lived, for the upbuilding of the people and the advancement of their interests. A good man after years of usefulness, has gone to his eternal reward.
Source: Sharon Rhoades - Find-A-Grave

MARY E. KOONCE , aged 81, widow of the late C. F. Koonce, who died 18 years ago, passed away last night at 11:53 o'clock at her home in the Cloverdale community, Lauderdale county, after an illness of 16 months. A native and lifelong resident of the Cloverdale community, Mrs. Koonce spent the last 46 years of her life in the same house. She was a devoted member of the Wesleys Chapel Methodist church. Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. J. E. Lovelace, Mrs. R. J. Austin, Mrs. Henry Marks and Mrs. Madge Harbin, all of Cloverdale; two sons, W. C. Koonce, of Florence, and J. P. Koonce, of Cloverdale, and 26 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted Sunday afternoon at Wesleys [sic] Chapel at 2:30 o'clock by Rev. Grady Allridge, a Methodist minister. Burial will follow there, Brown-Service, Florence, directing. The following grandchildren will be active pallbearers, E. K. Lovelace, James Lovelace, Lloyd Austin, John Austin, Glenn Marks and Cecil Harbin. Those who will serve as honorary pallbearers are J. D. McCorkle, R. J. Austin, Dave McCorkle, J. M. Lewis, G. J. Paulk, Everett Fowler, Allen Hendrix, Grover Hendrix, Judge J. F. Koonce, S. P. Smith, R. W. Hendrix, John W. Haddock, Jim Haddock, Willie Haddock, Dave Haddock, Marvin Haddock, Elbert Haddock, Denver Haddock, W. C. Darby, Harold Koonce and Edgar Koonce.
Source: Sharon Rhoades - Find-A-Grave