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PAULINE GRACE THORNTON
Birmingham resident
Pauline Grace Thornton, 85, of Birmingham died Feb. 9, 2003. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim Thornton.
She is survived by her son, Jim (Cindy) Thornton of Alabaster; one daughter, Janice (Art) Thompson of Overland Park, Kan.; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a sister, Barbara Rusk of Des Moines, Iowa.
Service was Feb. 13 at New Hope Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Pelham, pastor Danny Acton presiding and Charter Funeral Home directing.
ELSIE TRUETT
Helena resident
Elsie Truett of Helena died Feb. 16, 2003. She was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Helena.
She is survived by her husband, Eugene Truett of Helena; her son, Martin (Stacy) Truett of Helena; two grandchildren, Alan Truett and Kimberly Truett, both of Helena; two brothers, Allison Sharpe and Wyman Sharpe, both of Savannah, Ga.; and one sister, Mary Bannister of Elk Grove, Calif.
Service was Feb. 19 at Southern Heritage Funeral Home, J.D. Davis presiding.
ALVIN S. "AL" VOLKER SR.
Florida reporter
Alvin S. "Al" Volker Sr., 84, died Feb. 12, 2003.
He covered some of the most exciting events in south Florida history for the Miami News. He reported on every mission in the manned Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs in a dramatic style that simplified the advanced science of space flight. When Hurricane Donna ripped through south Florida and the Keys in 1961, he wrote a special section, "Thirteen Days with Dora," that traced the hurricane's life hour by hour and sold 250,000 copies. He followed in the mid-1960s with sections on Cleo and Betsy.
Switching to medical writing, Volker had exclusive stories on the first heart transplant performed in Miami. He reported a number of "firsts" scored by local physicians and researchers. He moved to the University of Miami Office of Research Coordination and later to the School of Medicine, where he wrote a number of articles for medical journals on activities at thhe UM-Jackson Memorial Medical Center, edited internal magazines and newsletters and became a source of accurate information for the news media. He also edited Museum Magazine for the Museum of Science.
Educated at West Virginia University where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, he began his newspaper career in Logan and Morgantown, W.V. He and his wife, Mary Frances, were widely traveled, following their interests in pre-Columbian cultures to Mexico, Yucatan, Quintana, Rio and Guatemala. They also traveled to the Far East and were among the first tourists admitted to China. They completed 21 Caribbean cruises. In 1998, Volker moved to Alabaster to be near family.
He is survived by his son, Alvin S. Volker Jr., a TV news executive producer in Birmingham; his daughter, Melissa Wood, an attorney in Springfield, Va.; and three grandchildren.
Charter Funeral Home directed the service.
SHIRLEY ANN WILLIS
Mother of six
Shirley Ann Willis, 66, died Feb. 14, 2003. She was born in 1936 in Shelby and was preceded in death by two children, Brenda Bass and Randy Willis.
She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Raymond Willis; one daughter, Darlene Jones; five sons, Roger Willis, Charles Willis, Howard Willis, Rodney Willis and Scotty Willis; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Service was Feb. 17 at Shelby Church of God, the Revs. Howard Brasher and Stephen Statum presiding. Burial followed at New Shelby Cemetery, Bolton Brown Service Funeral Home directing.
Betty "Blondie" Armstrong VanOrden
Grandmother of 10
Betty "Blondie" Armstrong VanOrden, 55, of Columbiana died March 29, 2002, at her residence.
She is survived by her husband, Vincent VanOrden of Columbiana; three daughters, Melessa Rood and Leanne Snider, both of Columbiana, and Angela VanOrden of Montgomery; three sons, Darryl Snider of Shelby and Michael VanOrden and Gaige Roberson, both of Columbiana; six sisters, Rose Byrd of Gardendale, Ann Isbell of Trafford, Martha Campo of Nashville, Tenn., Bobby Peele and Polly Collins, both of Birmingham, and Elois Caddell of Centerpoint; five brothers, Jimmy Armstrong of Altoona, Billy Armstrong of Moody, Glen Armstrong of Bradford, Buddy Campbell of Sneed and Billy Godwin of Alabaster; and 10 grandchildren, Christina Snider, Darryl Snider Jr., Jack Alan Mixon, Jonathan Mixon, Phillip Mixon, John Michael VanOrden, Josh VanOrden, Jamie VanOrden, Miranda Carson and Danielle Snider.
Service was April 2 at Bethsaida Baptist Church, the Revs. Johnny Allred and Ray Oden presiding. Burial followed in Wynville Cemetery in Wynville, Bolton Brown Funeral Service directing.
George Ellis Terrell Sr.
Montevallo resident
George Ellis Terrell Sr., 85, of Montevallo died April 2, 2002, in Alabaster. He was a retired auto salesman, a member of First Baptist Church in Jackson and a member of the VFW of Jackson.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth Davis of Montevallo; one daughter, Peggy Lynn Terrell (Tommy) Walls of Montevallo; three sons, George Ellis (Patricia) Terrell, Jr. of Atlanta, Ga., Robert Lee (Faith) Terrell of Luray, Va., and Don Edwin (Sandra) Terrell of Jackson; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Service was April 4 at Rockco's Funeral Home Chapel in Montevallo, the Revs. Keith Pugh and George Phalen presiding. Burial followed at Montevallo Cemetery in Montevallo, Rockco's Funeral Home directing.
Dr. Worth Lanier DVM
Veterinarian
Dr. Worth Lanier DVM, 86, of Birmingham died April 3, 2002. He was retired from the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service at Auburn University. He taught at the School of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn following a 10-year stint in private veterinary practice in York, S.C. He received a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University and a doctorate from Auburn University. While at Auburn, he was named to the honorary fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Who's Who. He served with the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II.
He was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Blanche Bethea Lanier; children, Lynn and Dan Kinney of Atlanta and Larke and Mike Lanier of Birmingham; three grandsons, Brent Kinney and Todd and Cole Lanier; and three sisters of Gulfport, Miss.
Thelma Garrett
Harpersville resident
Thelma Garrett, 79, of Harpersville died April 2, 2002, at her home. She was born April 8, 1922, in Talladega County. She was a member of Klein Baptist Church.
She is survived by four sons, Tommy (Belvin) Garrett of Sterrett, Gary (Connie) Garrett of Frostproof, Fla., Danny (Ann) Garrett and Harold (Sue) Garrett, both of Harpersville; nine grandchildren, Greg Garrett, Kellie Merritt, Kevin Garrett, Pat Garrett, Vince Garrett, Kim Davis, Dana Vick, Amy Martin and Chris Garrett; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Service was April 4 at Harpersville Baptist Church, the Revs. William Rayfield, Zane Smith and Travis Trimble presiding. Burial will follow at Harpersville Cemetery, Bolton Brown Service Funeral Home directing.
Virginia Hawkins
Grandmother of 29
Virginia Hawkins, 77, of Alabaster died March 27, 2002.
She is survived by three daughters, Juliette Montgomery and Virginia Wooley, both of Alabaster, and Gwendolyn Hawkins of Raleigh, N.C.; two sons, Jewel Hawkins and Calvester Hawkins of Alabaster; 29 grandchildren; and a number of other relatives.
Service was April 6 at Freewill Baptist Church with burial following in Longview Cemetery, The Good Shepherd Funeral Home in Montevallo directing.
Colin Jones
Infant
Infant Colin Jones of Montevallo died April 4, 2002.
He is survived by his parents, Jimmy Jones and Brandi Hayes; one sister, Jalynn Jones; and other relatives.
Graveside service was April 6 at Montevallo City Cemetery, The Good Shepherd Funeral Home in Montevallo directing.
