Funeral service for Clayton Russell Bennett, 76, of Piedmont will be Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 11 a.m. at Thompson Funeral Home and Crematory with the Rev. Hayward Clark and the Rev. Royce Bennett officiating. Burial will follow at Piedmont Memory Gardens. Mr. Bennett died Sunday, December 27, 2009 at Riverview Regional Medical Center in Gadsden.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Jean Bennett; two children, Royce Bennett (Lisa) of Albertville and Lora Spivey (Joey) of Piedmont; four grandchildren, Brad Bennett of Albertville and Allyson Spivey, Madison Spivey and Carson Spivey all of Piedmont; one sister, Lillie Parrish of Anniston; one brother, Raymond Bennett (Tina) of Jacksonville; and a host of nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Terry Maze, David Pankey, Art Ingram, Don Johnson, Thomas Roberts and Billy White. Honorary Pallbearers will be employees of the City of Piedmont Water and Gas Department.
Mr. Bennett was a native and lifelong resident of Calhoun County. He worked for Bennett-Knight Furniture for 29 years and retired from the City of Piedmont Water and Gas Department after 19 years of service. He attended the Hughes Street Congregational Holiness Church and enjoyed gardening, fishing and spending time with his grandchildren. Mr. Bennett was preceded in death by his parents, John Russell and Bessie Bennett and six brothers and sisters.
William Lee Alvin Cromer
Funeral services for Mr. William Lee Alvin Cromer, 70, of Spring Garden were Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Thompson Funeral Home and Crematory. Burial followed at Mt. Zion Cemetery. Mr. Cromer died Monday, December 21, 2009 at Gadsden Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include his wife, Bonnie Highfield Cromer of Spring Garden; three children, William Cromer, Michelle Cromer and Sissy Cromer; four step-children, Steve Rowland (Kaye) of Piedmont, Tracy Rowland (Debra) and Bruce Rowland (Dawn) all of Temple, Georgia, and Randall Rowland of Los Angeles, California; four grandchildren; two brothers, Ronald Cromer (Barbara) of Nances Creek and Jerry Cromer (Cathy) of Jacksonville; four sisters, Peggy Eden (Wayne) of Munford, Faye Jones (Aubrey) of Piedmont, Sue Stalnaker (Bill) or Rome, Georgia and Mary Nelson of Jacksonville; and several nieces and nephews. Pallbearers were family and friends. Mr. Cromer was a resident of Cherokee County most of his life.
Ronald L. "Ronnie" Tierce
Funeral services for Ronald L. "Ronnie" Tierce, 61, was at 3 p.m. Saturday, December 26, 2009 at Faith Temple Christian Center with the Rev. T. R. Harper officiating, K. L. Brown Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jacksonville directing services. Military honors were given by the U. S. Army. Ronnie died Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at UAB Hospital.
He is survived by his wife, Karen Barnwell Tierce of Jacksonville; two daughters, Julie Tierce Maddox and her husband, Michael of Piedmont and Pam Tompkins Mason and her husband, Eric of Anniston; two sons, Brandon Tierce and his wife, Sheryl of Anniston and Raymond Tompkins and his wife, Brenda of Moraine, Ohio; a sister, Tonya Tierce Pike and her husband, David of Piedmont; a brother, Gene Tierce and his wife, Elizabeth of Piedmont; his mother-in-law, Alice Barnwell of Jacksonville; 11 grandchildren, Noah Cole, Carter, Anna and Ellie Maddox, Dillon and Isabel Mason, Gavin and Olivia Tierce, Paige Adams, and Jordan and Alyssa Makowski.
A native of Spring Garden, Ronnie had resided in Jacksonville for the past 25 years. He most recently attended Faith Temple and retired from Anniston Army Depot in 1997 and from Jacksonville State University in 2008. He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and served as a civilian employee in 1990 in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm. He was preceded in death by his parents, Osmond K. and Flora Mae Tierce; a son, Jesse Angel and a sister, Mauna Tierce Reynolds.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jacksonville Christian Academy, 831 Alexandria Road, S.W., Jacksonville, Ala. 36265. Ronnie will be remembered for his kind and gentle nature, his eagerness to help those in need, his great love of the beach, and his tremendous patriotic spirit and love of his country. Online condolences to the family at: www.klbrownfuneralhome.com.
Judy Ellon Albea Tompkins
Judy Ellon Albea Tompkins 09/24/1942 — 12/24/2009. There are certain people who enter our lives and even before they are gone from our midst, we know they were very special people. Such was Judy Ellon Albea Tompkins. She died December 24, quiet, peacefully, and at her own pace — very much the way she lived her life. Judy was born the youngest daughter to Havis and Pearl Albea in Piedmont. She became known as a "musician's musician" because of her vast skill of playing by music or by ear almost any song in any key. Her mother said that even as a very young girl that if Judy wasn't playing the piano, then she must be taking a nap. As a gifted musician, she became the pianist at age 9 of her home church, the Piedmont Congregational Holiness Church. Her dad, Bro. Havis, often led the singing and together, they were a blessing to many. She had "perfect pitch" and she demonstrated that throughout her life. She could pick up on a tune in any key within a bar or two. She recorded with her family, "The Tompkins Family" and several other Southern gospel singing groups. She also had one of the most peaceful, angelic voices which blessed all of those who were privileged to hear her. Because of her peaceful demeanor, when she sang "The Peace of the Lord" you knew that she knew WHO she was singing about. Her nice, gentle, sweet spirit under-girded her musicianship.
She was dearly beloved by her husband of 51 years, James Franklin Tompkins; and her children and grandchildren, June Eileen Tompkins, of Jacksonville, The Rev. Jimmy (Melea), Nathan and Aria, of Clanton, Jonathan (Lori), Jared, Mason, and Olivia, of Jacksonville and Dr. Jennifer Tompkins Davis (Charles), Samuel, Victoria, and Elliana, of Jacksonville.
The grandchildren always had a special resting place in grandmother's arms and she always made each visit with all of her grandchildren special. She loved buying them gifts on special occasions and surprises "just because." At the Mama Tompkins Singing, her grandchildren would just dance around her piano, wanting to be close to her.
She was a very special sister to her brothers and sister, Jewell Tarnow and Norris, of Piedmont and Melvin Albea (Pat), of Port Vincent, La. She was an important sister-in-law and aunt to the Tompkins family, Dorothy Butler, Ruby Laughead (Bill), Minnie Murray, all of Jacksonville, Allie Tompkins (sister-in-law), of Kennesaw, Ga., and Ernest Wayne Tompkins (Nickol), of Winston-Salem, N.C. Surviving also are many special nieces and nephews who loved her dearly. She is also survived by a very special childhood friend, Sandy Fitzpatrick Ford, who showed Judy until the very end the true meaning of being a "best friend for life."
Sandy's many acts of love and kindness will not be forgotten. In addition to her mom and dad, Judy was predeceased by a brother Gerald Albea and sister Mary Alice; by her mother and father-in-law, Samuel Patterson and Mattie Bell Tompkins.
Pallbearers were Jared Tompkins, Nathan Tompkins, Samuel Tompkins, Mason Tompkins, Mike Clopton and Robert Laughead. Funeral services were Sunday, December 27, 2009, at the Faith Temple Christian Center at 2 p.m. with the Revs. Ken Ballard and Jimmy Tompkins officiating. Burial was in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.klbrownfuneralhome.com.
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