Betty Abercrombie, 85, of Springhill died Friday, Nov. 16, 2001 at Flowers Hospital in Dothan.

Services will be at noon, Sunday, Nov. 18 at Dillard Funeral Home Chapel in Troy with the Rev. Martha Baxter officiating. Burial will be at Springhill Cemetery in Springhill with Dillard Funeral Home of Troy directing.

Survivors include daughter, Glenda A. Gunter of Troy; son, Thomas Wayne (Judy) Abercrombie of Enterprise; four grandchildren, Dawn Abercrombie, Dana Copeland, Rene Gunter, all of Montgomery, and Rhonda Moll of Pembroke Pines, Fla.; great-grandchildren, Joshua M. Folmar, Fred Moll IV and Kailey Moll; sister, Velma Baxley of Mobile.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Johnny E. Abercrombie, and sister, Mildred Clark.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.

Les Orourke

Les Orourke, 76, of Troy died Friday, Nov. 16, 2001 at Pike Manor Health Care Center. Arrangements will be announced later by Dillard Funeral Home, Inc. of Troy.

Dr. William Petry Stewart

Dr. William Petry Stewart, 93, died Nov. 13, 2001 at his home in Atlanta, Ga.

Dr. Stewart was born Feb. 19, 1908 in Eufaula. He graduated from the University of Alabama and Tulane University Medical School. After completing his medical residency at Shreveport Charity Hospital in 1935, Dr. Stewart moved to Troy and opened his practice in an office above McLeod’s Drug Store. Dr. Jack Brantley practiced there with him for several years. In 1947, Dr. Stewart and Dr. J.O Colley jointly acquired and subsequently operated Beard Memorial Hospital, located at the intersection of Walnut Street, where he continued to practice until his retirement. In 1969, Edge Hospital was constructed under the Hill-Burton Federal Grant system and, so after 22 years of service to the community, Dr. Stewart and Dr. Colley closed the hospital and donated it to the Troy State University Foundation. In 1987, after 51 years of tireless service to the community, Dr. Stewart retired from active practice.

Dr. Stewart, in addition to his prowess as a gifted physician, was also recognized as a skilled businessman. He served on the Board of Trustees of Troy Bank and Trust Company for many years and held the position of Chairman of the Board from 1983 until 1989. During this period, Troy Bank and Trust Company became one of the largest and strongest independent banks in the state of Alabama.

During his medical practice and service to the community, Dr. Stewart earned the reputation of being a highly competent physician, exceptional surgeon and a forward-thinking professional. He was the first in Pike County to acquire and use a skin grafting machine and was the first physician in Pike County to be certified by the prestigious American College of Surgeons. During the course of his career, he delivered over 2,000 babies and he endeared himself to all for the unselfish, caring and personal way he practiced medicine.

Dr. Stewart was a member of Troy Presbyterian Church and served as an Elder and, in later years, as an "Elder Emeritus."

After Dr. Stewart lost his wife of 55 years, Elizabeth White Stewart, he married Lucy McLeod White. They moved to Atlanta after living in the Stewart home on College Street for several years.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 18, 2001 at First Presbyterian Church of Troy with the Rev. Tim McQuitty officiating. Burial will follow at Green Hills Memorial Park in Troy with Dillard Funeral Home of Troy directing. Visitation will be 1-2 p.m., Sunday at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 105 George Wallace Drive, Troy, AL 36081 or to a favorite charity.

Pallbearers will be Burton Martin Jr., Stewart Trogdon, Thomas Bopp, Kevin Stanley, Drew Arnberg, David Wells, William Thames, Jeffrey Downing and Herbert Cottle.

Survivors include wife, Lucy White Stewart of Atlanta; three daughters and sons-in-law, Elizabeth Stewart and William Huffcut of Tallahassee, Fla., Carolyn Stewart and Burton W. Martin of Montgomery, Mary Stewart and Robert Trogdon of Atlanta; sister, Natalie Stewart Honan of Eufaula and Macon, Ga.; seven grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; two step daughters, Lucinda White and Douglas Lewis and Evelyn White Thames, all of Atlanta.