Obituaries for Fri., Jan. 15, 2016

Published 12:00 am Friday, January 15, 2016

Diane McCoy

Mrs. Diane McCoy, 63, of Andalusia, passed away Wed., Jan. 13, 2016, at her residence.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Fri., Jan. 15, from Foreman Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Greg Cotter officiating. Interment will follow in Enon Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at Foreman Funeral Home.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Jessie Walter “DeeBoy” and Amber Ramer, Jr. of Andalusia; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law, Randall and Lorene McCart of Andalusia; and a sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Ray Bennett of Andalusia.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim McCoy; son, Stacey Bradford Ramer; grandson, Colby Lane Ramer; and her parents, Pat and Geraldine McCart.

Pallbearers will include Gregory Ramer, Corey Brooks, Tim Hudson, Ray Bennett, Chris Bennett, and Michael Floyd.

Those unable to attend the services may sign the guest registry online at www.foremanfuneralhome.com.

Margaret Lois Smitherman Tunnell

Margaret Lois Smitherman Tunnell of Montgomery passed away Fri., Jan. 8, 2016, in a Birmingham hospital after a brief illness.

The daughter of Grover and Clara Scollick Smitherman, she was born Oct. 7, 1924, in Mobile. She lived in Andalusia for 60 years before moving to Montgomery.

Preceding her in death was her husband of 56 years, William Newton Tunnell, her sister, Evelyn Smitherman, and her brothers, Ross, Dennis, and Sherrard (Bootsie) Smitherman. Survivors include children, Beth and Jon Deal of Montgomery, and Cynthia and Bill Tunnell of Gulf Shores; grandchildren Holly and Shawn Alves, Ginny and Trey Tunnell, Leigh and Sean Batchelor, Megan and Grayson Deal, Jordie Deal, and Tallie and Chris Merritt; and seven great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held at 10 a.m., Sat., Jan. 16, 2016, at Christ The King Catholic Church at 508 Sanford Road in Andalusia, where she was the oldest and longest serving member of the church. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m.

Father Tony Pullukattu Xavier will conduct the service. Interment will be at 3:30 p.m. that afternoon at Pinecrest Cemetery, 1939 Dauphin Island Parkway in Mobile.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in Margaret Tunnell’s name at Christ The King Catholic Church in Andalusia or the Palliative & Comfort Care Unit at UAB Hospital, 1713 6th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233.

Merline Bracewell Barnes

Mrs. Merline Bracewell Barnes, 91, of Andalusia, passed away Tues., Jan. 12, 2016, in the Opp Nursing Home.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sat., Jan. 16, from Foreman Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Ray Miles officiating. Interment will follow in Andalusia Memorial Cemetery. Family visitation will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Foreman Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from noon until the funeral begins at 2 p.m.

She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Billy and Wanda Barnes of Andalusia and Steve and Patricia Barnes of Conyers, Ga.; her grandchildren, Phillip and Cheryl Barnes of Argo, Ala., Brad and Bethany Barnes of Opelika, and Delton Barnes of Conyers, Ga; two great-granddaughters, Mary Katherine Barnes and Hannah Barnes; and a host of nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Billie G. Barnes, and eight brothers and sisters.

Pallbearers will be Phillip Barnes, Brad Barnes, Delton Barnes, David Bracewell, Mac Bracewell, and Bernie Bracewell

Those unable to attend the services may sign the guest registry online at www.foremanfuneralhome.com.

Ruby Driskill

Ruby Driskill left this earth for her final resting place on Jan. 11, 2015.

She was preceded in death by her husband, R. Ervin Driskill; her parents; brothers Lester Denton and Arthur Lee; sister, Pearl Doris Hooper; and a daughter, Deborah Lynn Pruitt, of Indianapolis, In.

She is survived by two daughters, Mary Marlene Boring and husband Ron of Andalusia, and Lurlene Leach Ford and husband, Lindy, of Las Cruces, N.M. She also leaves eight grandchildren, Shane Leach, Mark Boring, Debbie Boring Tucker, Julie Boring Birch, Stacie Leach Wingfield, Kim Boring Norris, Becky Ford Shults and Ben Ford; 15 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great grandchildren.

Ruby Elma Driskill was born on Sept. 26, 1920, in Gillette, Wyo. Her parents, Austin Otto and Edna Ina Collins Matheny, were farmers/ranchers living in Recluse, Wyo., which was 37 miles from Gillette. Baby Ruby and her mother were required to stay in Gillette for a full month, due to the fact that their home was a two-room log house, far from civilization. Ruby lived in that house until she was nine years old, and her father moved them into a new one.

Ruby attended a one-room schoolhouse, completing grades 1 – 10. She walked with her brothers three miles there, and three miles home. She had to move into Sheridan, Wyo., for her junior year of school. She lived with a family, and helped with the housework and ironing to pay for her room and board. Her senior year was in Gillette, where she had the same arrangement. She rarely had the opportunity to go home, although it was only 37 miles. On the rare occasion, she rode with the mail carrier, and it usually took about three hours to make the trip. Ruby’s parents encouraged her to attend Abilene Christian College in Abilene, Texas

In 1940, she married R. Ervin Driskill in San Antonio, Texas. Ervin was a minister for the Church of Christ, and this took them to many parts of the country, which Ruby says she enjoyed.

She had been baptized at the age of 14, in a neighbor’s spring-fed lake. Thus living a Christian life was always a large part of her character.

Ronald Malvin Rice

Mr. Ronald Malvin Rice, Sr., 82, of Andalusia, passed away Sun., Jan. 10, 2016, in Pensacola.

Funeral services were held Thurs., Jan. 14, from Foreman Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Paul Luecke and Pastor Harold Rhodes officiating. Interment followed in Andalusia Memorial Cemetery. Visitation was Wednesday at Foreman Funeral Home.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Joan Rice of Andalusia; his daughters and son-in-law, Ronda Lynn and Paul Luecke of Wichita, Kansas, and Charlotte Ingram of Andalusia; his son and daughter-in-law, Ron and Sonya Rice of Greenville, Ala.; grandchildren, Ryan (Caroline) Luecke, Rachel Luecke, Sara Jo Luecke, Cody Ingram, Kyle Ingram, Katie Ingram, Chad Ingram, Tyler Rice, Jessica (Grant) Lowe, Cory Rice, and Courtney Rice; a great-grandchild, Jameson Lowe; sister and brother-in-law, Peggy and Vick Whited; sister-in-law, Mattie Rice; and nieces and nephews, Stephen, Vicki Jo, Vanita, Julie, and Donnie.

He was preceded in death by his twin brother, Donald Rice.

Those unable to attend the services may sign the guest registry online at www.foremanfuneralhome.com.