Obituaries for Aug. 3

John Berry Lemoynne Whitten

John Berry Lemoynne Whitten, 80, of Cullman died Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, at Cullman Regional Medical Center. He was born on Oct. 10, 1926, in Douglas, Ala., to Ezra Homer Whitten and Miriam Etrulia Miller. He was an automobile dealer and a former member of the Merchant Marines.

In accordance with Mr. Whitten’s wishes, there will not be a public viewing or service. A private family service will be held at a later date.

Cullman Heritage Funeral Home is notifying.

Mr. Whitten was preceded in death by a young son, Michael, in 1954; a brother, James Whitten; and both parents.

Survivors include his former wife, Betty Edwards Whitten of Cullman; a son, Mark (Cindy) Whitten of Cullman; two daughters, Suzanne (Phil) Luker of Fairhope and Lara Whitten; two grandchildren, Liza Whitney Luker and Luke Whitten Luker, both of Auburn; and two aunts, Dula Keynton of Montgomery and Nila Riseling of Birmingham.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, c/o Cullman Regional Medical Center, 1912 Ala. Highway 157, Cullman, AL 35058.



Jay Kevin Burtis

Funeral services for Jay Kevin Burtis, 29, of Decatur will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 6, 2007, at Cullman Heritage Funeral Home Chapel, Fr. Kevin McGrath officiating, with interment in Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Cullman Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Burtis died Thursday, Aug. 2, in Priceville in an automobile accident. He was born on Nov. 18, 1977, in Grayling, Mich., to Robert Burtis Jr. and Carroll Pilon. He was a plumber with the Blocker Company.

Survivors include his wife, Ashley Burtis; two sons, Gavin Burtis and Bryant Osborne; two daughters, Jada Burtis and Alana Osborne; two brothers, Jerry Burtis and Ryan Burtis; a sister, Amie Burtis; his father; his mother; and his grandparents, Roy and Ellen Willett.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.



Margaret Rose Heard

Funeral services for Margaret Rose Heard, 66, of Decatur will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 6, 2007, at Peck Funeral Home Chapel, with burial in Corinth Cemetery in Cullman County.

Peck Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Heard died Thursday, Aug. 2, at her residence.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.



Martha Opal Burks

Funeral services for Martha Opal Burks, 89, of Cullman will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007, at Cullman Funeral Home Chapel, the Rev. Leon Smith officiating, with interment in Center Grove Baptist Cemetery.

Cullman Funeral Home, formerly Williams-McCracken, is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Burks passed away on Thursday, Aug. 2, at her residence. She was born in Alabama to Howard Edward Sims and Mary Vonie Jones Sims. She loved crocheting and quilting. She had a tremendous love for her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Criss A. Burks; three sisters, Ottie Bentley, Myrtle Golden Benefield and Eunice Arrington; and a son-in-law, Harlan Smith.

Survivors include two sons, William E. Burks Sr. and Kenneth E. (Shelia) Burks; two daughters, Martha Ann Smith and Elwanda Burks; two sisters, Mary Creel Burks and Edna Deppen; 11 grandchildren, Wanda (Randy) Wilson, Michael (Susan) Smith, Edward (Trina) Smith, Karen (Dewayne) Moon, Loria Benefield, William (Angie) Burks Jr., Donnia Powers (Daniel) Kelley, Michael Burks, Marty (Teresa) Burks, Tanya (John) Stephenson, Tiffany (Richey) Johnson, and three great-great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Edward Smith, John Stephenson, Richey Johnson, Dewayne Moon, Randy Wilson and Jimmy Golden.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.



Lora ‘Belle’ McKeel

Funeral services for Lora “Belle” McKeel, , 86, of Cullman, formerly Belle Marlar, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007, at Cullman Funeral Home, Alton Bailey officiating. She will be laid to final rest at Chances Cross Roads Church of Christ Cemetery immediately following services.

Cullman Funeral Home, formerly Williams-McCracken, is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. McKeel passed away on Thursday, Aug. 2, at Cullman Regional Medical Center. She was born on March 13 1921, to Grady Lee and Nettie Lee Grady Marlar. She was the wife of the late Kenneth Clyde McKeel. Both were originally from Tiptonville, Tenn.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a brother, William Marlar; and a sister, Eunice Archie.

Survivors include three daughters, Wanda Clark and Sandra (Dennis) Crane of Simcoe, and Linda (Stephen) Scott of Falkville; eight grandchildren, David Clark, Lora Clark, Cara Crane, Alicia Clark, Stephen Scott, Kenneth Scott, Candy Gagnon and Clinton Crane; and 10 great-grandchildren.

To her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and all their friends, she was their “other Mama.”

Pallbearers will be her four grandsons and two of her great-grandsons.

Visitation was Friday.



Carolyn Murphree Latham

Funeral services for Carolyn Murphree Latham, 74, of Birmingham are incomplete and will be announced at a later date by Hartselle Heritage Funeral Home.

Mrs. Latham died Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham.



William ‘Bill’ Gasser

William “Bill” Gasser, 77, of Austin, Texas, beloved husband, dad and pawpaw, passed away on Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, at Round Rock Medical Center in Texas, following a lengthy battle with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

He was born in Cullman, Ala., on Jan. 18, 1930, to Paul and Marie Gasser. After serving in the United States Air Force from 1950 to 1954, he joined Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Ga., for four years, where he received his private pilot’s license. In Feb. 1964, he married his wife in Atlanta, Ga. They moved to Decatur where he began his career with IBM. In July 1977, the family was transferred to Austin, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, C.L. Gasser.

Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Carol “Corky” Gasser of Austin; a daughter and her fiancé, Lori L. Norman and Michael G. Moran; a grandson, Conner R. Norman, all of St. Louis, Mo.; a brother and his wife, Bud and Patsy Gasser; three sisters; Polly Morgan, Helen Handley and Jody Buxton and her husband, Butch, all of Alabama; along with many loving nieces and nephews.

A recitation of the Holy Rosary will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, with a vigil service, followed by a visitation until 6 p.m. at Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home in Texas. Funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 6, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church on Highway 620.

The family would like to express a special appreciation to Drs. Jason Bowling and Laura Gilby; and the nursing staff of St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center; as well as Hospice Austin who helped to make his last days comfortable.

Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home in Austin, Texas, (512) 335-1155, is in charge of arrangements.

Please join us in honoring Bill by visiting our Memorial at www.MeM.com.



Marie Woods

Funeral services for Marie Woods, 81, of Elgin, Texas, will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 6, 2007, at Rogersville Funeral Home in Rogersville, Ala., Chaplain John McDonnel officiating, with burial in Bell Springs Cemetery in Cullman.

Rogersville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Ms. Woods died Thursday, Aug. 2, at her residence.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Leon Woods; a son, Billy Leon Woods; and a daughter, Helen Marie Barker.

Survivors include two sons, Edgar Woods and Johnny (Emma Jean) Woods; three daughters, Mary (Jackie) Risner, Martha (Wayne) Durham and Connie (Robert) Mack; 15 grandchildren; and numerous great- and great-great-grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Idois Cook.

Pallbearers will be Greg Manley, Billy Ray Woods, Roy Lee Battles, Roger Woods, David Trent, Connelly Ross and Kenneth Hallmark.

Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.



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