Obituaries for Fri., Aug. 20, 2010

Published 12:00 am Friday, August 20, 2010

DEACON LONZELL BRYANT

Early Saturday morning on Aug. 14, 2010, Deacon Lonzell Bryant joined hands with his Lord and Savoir.

A home going celebration will be held Sat., Aug. 21, at 1 p.m. at the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Gantt, with the Rev. Matthew Coleman officiating. Kirk’s Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Bryant was born on Oct. 5, 1944, to the late Oneal Ruston and Henrietta Bryant of Andalusia.

He was united in holy matrimony to Willia L. Ware for 42 years, and this union was blessed with five beautiful and loving daughters.

Bryant accepted Christ as his Savior at an early age and became a member of the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church family.

He was drafted into the United States Army in 1965 and is a Vietnam veteran. He served dutifully in the Army for 28 years; after which, he returned home to reunite with Mt. Sinai with his wife by his side.

He served as a deacon, trustee, superintendent of Sunday school and president of the usher board.

He was also a member of the New Idea Masonic Lodge 315, where he served as treasurer.

He was a devoted and loving husband, father and a very special grandfather to his grandchildren and a devoted friend to all who knew him.

He leaves to cherish his memories and life, a loving and devoted wife: Willia L. Bryant of Gantt; five daughters, Regina M. Bryant, Vanessa L. (James) Snider, Renee E. Bryant of Andalusia, Rita E. (Jonathan Stevens) Bryant and Christine Bryant of Gantt; seven grandchildren, Jasmine and Lonzell Parks, Chelsea, Haley and Joseph Snider, Jolee Stevens and Sayra Chaffin; three brothers, Ejeleah (Nadine) Bryant of Niagara Falls, N.Y., Ronald Rushton of McKeesport, Pa., and Jeffrey Rushton of Georgia; two sisters: Pam (Lacy) Wheeler of Philadelphia and Denise Smith of Maryland; five aunts, Luretha Barnes of Birmingham, Ernestine Perkins of Buffalo, N.Y., Ruby Nell Barnes (Christopher) of Ashland, Ky., the Rev. Mary Robinson (Otis) of Rochester, N.Y., and Rose Coleman of Andalusia; two uncles, Hispanola Bryant of Buffalo, N.Y., and the Rev. Huey (Donna) Coleman of West Haven, Conn.; three brothers-in-law, Willie (Ann) Ware of Niagara Falls, N.Y., Joseph (Wanda) Ware of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Timothy Lockwood of Niagara Falls, N.Y.; four sisters-in-law, Rosie Lee (Jack) Works, Lealer Ann Parker and Gail Lockwood, all of Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Gezelle Lockwood of Greenville, S.C.; a very special stepmother, Lorraine Rushton; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

JIMMY LEON GRAY

Jimmy Leon Gray, 59, of Dozier, died Thurs., Aug. 19, 2010, in a Dothan hospital. Funeral services will be 10 a.m., Sat., Aug. 21, at Foreman Brown-Service Funeral Home with the Rev. Jay driver officiating. Visitation will be tonight after 5:30 p.m. at Foreman’s.

He was preceded in death by his father, Arthur (Mack) King; brother, Donnie Lynn Gray; and nephew, Michael L. Gray.

He is survived by his wife, Adonis Gray of Dozier; sons, Jeff (Christina) Gray of Dozier, Ivan (Ressie) Gray of Andalusia and Brian (Rachael) Goodson of Birmingham; daughter, Tonya (Kenny) Crutchfield of Birmingham and Maggie Gray of Dozier; three grandchildren, Lea Crutchfield, Sara Crutchfield and Dylan Bradley; mother, Reda Butler of Andalusia; sister, Caylea (Barry) Bonds of Andalusia; brother, Bruce (Mellissa) King of Gantt; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Barry Bonds, Daniel Bonds, Eben King, Dustin King, Douglas Worley and Cecil Worley.

JOHN PERRETT

John Perrett, 77, passed away Mon., Aug. 16, 2010.

Born to John Reaford Perrett and Sarah Edith Bradshaw Perrett on Dec. 10, 1932 in Andalusia, he was the owner of Perrett’s Food Store in Logansport, La., following in the footsteps of his grandfather, C. Herbert Perrett, proprietor of Perrett’s Grocery in Andalusia.

Later Mr. Perrett established Perrett’s Insurance in Logansport, operating until his retirement in 1989, when he moved back to Andalusia.

A member of First Baptist Church of Logansport, he was a 33rd Degree Master Mason, a Shriner and member of the El Karuba Lodge. His many interests included membership in Alabama Gun Club and the National Rifle Association. He was the original organizer of the Black Bart Gang, a wild West reenactment group in Logansport.

He is survived by his children, Sarah Perrett-Hunter of Pensacola, Fla., Liz Lee of Richardson, Texas, and Will Perrett and wife Beth of Benton, La.; his brother, Bill Perrett and wife Sally of Colorado Springs, Colo.; step-sister, Louise Norsworthy and husband Bobby of Andalusia; grandchildren, Chelsey Hunter of Logansport, La., Joseph and Jack Perrett of Benton, La., Matthew and Caroline Lee of Richardson, Texas; nephews, Lee Perrett and wife Jan and Joe Perrett and wife Kari, all of Atlanta.

One of his favorite things was taking his dogs Prissy and Sport to Sherwin-Williams for morning coffee with his close group of friends. His grandchildren remember him for his love of baking homemade cookies, Alabama pride and occasional cannon firings.