Pigg, Curvin, Benefield, Grissom, Brown, Salter, Manuel, Watson

Avis Veron Pigg

Funeral services for Avis Veron Pigg, 92, of Addison will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, 2005, at Sardis No. 2 Baptist Church, David Miller officiating, with burial in the adjoining cemetery. The body will lie in state one hour prior to the service.

Cullman Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Pigg died Tuesday, Dec. 20 at Cullman Regional Medical Center. She as born in Winston County on April 15, 1913, to George J. and Idella McDonald Meigs. She was a homemaker.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, George Pigg; and a daughter, Gale Griffin.

Survivors include two sons, Gordon “Billy” (Kay) Pigg of Addison, Byron “Joe” (Sharon) Pigg of Fultondale; brother, Homer H. Meigs of Cullman; 13 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. today.



Clara Anna ‘Irene’ Curvin

Funeral services for Clara Anna “Irene” Curvin. 72, of Vinemont will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, 2005, at Cullman Heritage Funeral Chapel, Michael Freeman officiating, with burial in Fairview First Baptist cemetery.

Cullman Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Curvin died Tuesday, Dec. 20 at Cullman Regional Medical Center.



Eula Louise Roberson Benefield

Funeral services for Eula Louise Roberson Benefield, 81, of Hanceville will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, 2005, at Moss-Service Chapel, Cleutus Nesmith and Bradley McDonald officiating, with burial in Vinemont Baptist Cemetery.

Moss-Service Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Benefield died Monday, Dec. 19 at Hanceville Nursing Home. She was born April 18, 1924, to Bert and Lillie Monk Bates. She was a homemaker.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Hobert Roberson; two sons, Roger Allen Roberson and David Richard Roberson; and her parents.

Survivors include four sons, Bobby R. Roberson of Guys, Tenn., Jerry D. (Lynne) Roberson of Birmingham, Lowell C. Roberson of Mechanicsville, Md., and John W. (Amanda) Benefield of Blountsville; three daughters, Wanda Sue Jones of Douglas, Texas, Shirley Davis (James) Cox of Cullman and Patricia Ann (Joe) Foster of Lincoln; a brother, Frederick Bates of Nashville, Tenn.; a sister, Sue Terry of Decatur; 14 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today.



Linda Elane Manning Grissom

Funeral services for Linda Elane Manning Grissom, 59, of Vinemont will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, 2005, at Moss-Service Chapel, the Revs. Charles Irwin and John Richter officiating, with burial in Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery.

Moss-Service Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Grissom died Dec. 18 of a heart attack at her home in Vinemont. She was born on Nov. 24, 1946, in Cullman to James Arlander and Fannie Roberta Bradford Manning. She was a 1964 graduate of Cullman High School, where she was elected “most talented” every year. She also attended Calhoun Community College in Decatur. While working in California, she also studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse. After high school, she entered the entertainment business, with her own television program, “The Linda Manning Show” on WLW-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio. She also appeared on other shows as a musical guest, including the Steve Allen, Joey Bishop, Gene Autry and Donald O’Connor shows filmed in Hollywood, Calif. Linda was also a regular at the Palomino Club in Hollywood, and performed at numerous music festivals, including both international venues, such as the World’s Fair in Montreal, Toronto and Regina, the International Red Cross Festival in Tijuana, Mexico; and also at home in the states, at Panther Hall in Fort Worth, Texas, the American Swingaround in Chicago, the Starlight Jubilee in Des Moines, Iowa, and of course, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn. During her entertainment career, she was managed by Jimmy Keys of NewKeys Music in Nashville, Tenn.

Linda recorded for several record labels, including Mercury, Monument, Roulette and Fraternity. Her single, “Shade Tree Mechanic,” written by frequent collaborator Tom T. Hall, was certified as a “gold record.” She also shared tour billing with many of the top acts in classic country music, including Roger Miller, Bobby Bare, Jimmy C. Newman, Andy Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty, Sonny James, Willie Nelson, Dave Dudley, Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner, Jerry Wallace, Ray Stevens, Faron Young, Glen Campbell, Buck Owens, Lee Hazelwood, Red Foley, Tex Ritter, Ernest Tubb, Flatt and Scruggs, and John Hartford. Linda was also nominated by the Academy of Country Music Awards for the “Most Promising Female Vocalist Award” three times. After her entertainment career, Linda returned to Cullman and opened a jewelry store with her husband, David. Together they owned and operated Wholesale Jewelers International for 25 years in Cullman. After retiring from the jewelry business in 2003, Linda managed her commercial business space rental company, Diamond Plaza Properties, until her death.

She was preceded in death by her father, James Arlander Manning.

Survivors include her husband, David William Grissom; and her daughter, Candace Ursula Grissom; and her mother, Fannie Roberta Bradford Manning, all of Vinemont.

Visitation will be from 5:30 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.



Clarence ‘Bo’ Brown

Funeral services for Clarence “Bo” Brown, 74, of Brushy Pond will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, 2005, at Hanceville Funeral Chapel, the Rev. Avel Swann officiating, with burial in Johnson Grove Cemetery in Bremen. Military services will be conducted graveside.

Hanceville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Brown died Sunday, Dec. 18 in Birmingham. He was born on Sept. 8, 1931, in Bay, Ark., to Clyde Henry and Ruth Long Brown.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Jim and Olvin Brown; two sisters, Emmar Brown Brewer and Faye Brown Parrish; and one great-grandchild, Olivia Nikole Meyers.

Survivors include his wife, Myrvlene Campbell Brown; a daughter, Rita (Wallace) Napier; five sons, Larry Brown, Roger (Patsy) Brown, Gary (Donna) Brown, Byron (Janet) Brown, Darwin (Mona) Brown; three brothers, Lawrence, Frank and Clyde Brown; five sisters, Louise Nelson, Dot Holloway, Frances Wall, Shirley Brown and Mildred Turner; 18 grandchildren, Kevin, Steven, Jeffrey, Stephanie, Danielle, Heather, Matthew, Allen, Abigail, Jason, Jeramy, Justin, Jill, Andrew, Emily, Ashley, Christina and Kipp; and 7 great-grandchildren, Kelsi, Gaige, Jackson, Alyssa, Lillian, Zane and Austin.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Good Samaritan Clinic in Cullman.

Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.



Obera Gail Salter

Funeral services for Obera Gail Salter, 54, of Garden City will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2005, at Addison Church of God, with burial in Fairview Cemetery in Addison. The body will lie in state one hour prior to services.

Nichols Funeral Home of Addison is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Salter died Monday, Dec. 19.



Wilma J. Manuel

Wilma J. Manuel, 74, of Butler, Pa., died at 12:32 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2005, at Butler Memorial Hospital.

Born in Vinemont on May 11, 1931, she was the daughter of James J. and Velma Sinyard England. She was an assistant manager at Eiben and Irr until it closed. She later worked at Bon-Ton. She was an active member of the North Main Street Church of God. She was also active in the lives of her grandchildren.

Surviving are her husband, Jack L. Manuel, whom she married on Nov. 21, 1953; a daughter and son and their spouses, Jody and Dennis Crouse and James G. and Carol Manuel, all of Butler; and seven grandchildren, Joshua, Jeremy and Jenna Manuel and Tyler, Spencer, Fletcher and Caitlin Crouse; a sister, Celia (Thomas) Caudle of Vinemont; a brother, Huey D. England of Cullman; and a number of nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her brother, Larry England.

Thompson-Miller Funeral Home in Butler, Pa., was in charge of local arrangements. Burial was in Butler County Memorial Park.

Information is also available at www.thompson-miller.com. The guest book may be viewed/signed at www.butlereagle.com.



Wanda Darlene Chandler Watson

Graveside services for Wanda Darlene Chandler Watson, 58, of Centerville, Texas, will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, 2005, at Tubb Cemetery in Texas.

Walters Funeral Home of Centerville, Texas, is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Watson died Monday, Dec. 19 in Crockett, Texas. She was born June 22, 1947, in Cullman. She lived in Leon County about 20 years, moving from Baytown. For 15 years she worked for Exxon in Baytown as a shipping coordinator. Her hobbies were quilting, flower gardens and music.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Watson; her parents, Arrie Chandler and Lois Chandler Gentry; and a sister, Betty Brown.

She was survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Melvin L. Moore Jr. of Baytown and Marcus and Jill Moore of Centerville; her stepmother, Kathy Chandler of Cullman; a brother, Herschel Chandler of Sipsey; as sister, Becky Chandler of Rye, Texas; and a grandson, Tyler A. Moor of Channelview, Texas.