Vernon "Dad" Blair

Vernon "Dad" Blair, 92, of Troy died Saturday, Jan. 5, 2002 at Baptist Medical Center in Montgomery.

Services were at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12 at Springfield Baptist Church in Ansley with the Rev. Pierre Harvey officiating. Burial was in the churchyard with Harrison Funeral Home directing.

Mr. Blair was born March 20, 1909 in Pike County to John and Henrietta Townsend Blair. He worked in the farming and construction industries. He was a member of Springfield Baptist Church in Ansley.

Mr. Blair was married to the late Mary E. Harimon Blair and was also preceded in death by one son, Leroy Franklin Blair.

He leaves to cherish his memories, two children, Dorothy A. (Willie) McBride of Montgomery and Eunice M. (Charlie L.) Dunn of Troy; one sister, Eunice White of Birmingham; eight grandchildren, Crawford (Jackie) Blair, USMC in Temecula, Calif., Raycharles (Mattie) Blair of Troy, Joann (Michael) Brown of Montgomery, Lillie (Elijah) Clarks of St. Petersburg, Fla., Gregory Dunn, USN in Norfolk, Va., Charles (Erika) Dunn, USA at Fort Gordon, Ga., Charlie (Delisa) Dunn Jr. of Fredrick, Md., and Yolanda K. Dunn of Troy; 14 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Pallbearers will be members of Charlie’s Angels Retired Military Association and Alpine Lodge No. 91, which will be in charge of the graveside service.

 

Ardell Behrens Johnston

Ardell Behrens Johnston of Destin, Fla., died Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002, in her daughter’s home in Troy.

A memorial service was held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at First Methodist Church of Troy with the Rev. Dr. John Brannon officiating, Dillard Funeral Home directing. Ardell’s remains will be placed with her husband, Capt. Fox. H. Johnston, USN, in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., at 2 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 18, 2002, during an immediate family only graveside service. There will be no reception for family and friends following the service.

Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Beth and Paul Watkins of Troy; one son and daughter-in-law, Fox and Jarmin Johnston Jr. of Chattanooga, Tenn.; six grandchildren, Elizabeth Ardell "Beppy" Watkins, Helen Lawson Johnston, Johnston Sims Watkins, Fox Helms Johnston III, Behrens Bryan Watkins and James Nelson Johnston; two sisters, Esther Behrens (Walter) Baker of Ohio and Helen Behrens (Charles) Gustafson of North Carolina; mother-in-law, Sue Helms Johnston; dear friend, Henry "Pete" Nickerson of Destin, Fla.;and extended family, Julie R. Watkins, Jeffrey Paul Watkins and Lessie Griffin.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Fox Helms Johnston.

She was a devoted sister, wife and mother and accomplished all her primary objectives she established early in her life. She traveled the world with her family, raised and educated her two children and met and adored her six grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Ardell Johnston Breast Cancer Research Fund, C/O UAB Cancer Research Center, 2001 Third Avenue South, Suite 1001 LNB, Birmingham, Ala., 35233.

Margaret Cordell Stephens

Services for Margaret Cordell Stephens, 79, of Troy, who died Friday, Jan. 11, 2002, will be at

p.m. today in the chapel of Dillard Funeral Home with the Rev. W. O. Sanders officiating.

Burial will be at Antioch cemetery in Shellhorn under the direction of the funeral home.

Visitation was from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday.

She is survived by four daughters and three sons-in-law, Patricia and Thomas White of Oak Grove, Bonnie F. Stephens of Troy, Wanda and Jim Adams of Shellhorn and Peggy and Patrick Nonnenmann of Troy; five sons and three daughters-in-law, Wayne Stephens of Shellhorn, Tommy and Peggy Stephens of Shellhorn, A.B. Stephens Jr. of Shadygrove, Doug and Sara Stephens of Shadygrove and Mike and Patricia Stephens of Troy; a son-in-law, Chalker Wayne Brandon of Springhill; 24 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, A.B. Stephens Jr.; a daughter. Shirley Jean Brandon; and a son, Charles Kenneth Stephens.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, James Tillery, Jeffery Stephens, Johnny Stephens, David Stephens, Kris Stephens, Kenneth Stephens and Ronnie Minor.

Lura Belle Taylor

Services for Lura Belle Taylor, 88, of Gardner Bassett Road in Troy, who died Thursday,

Jan. 10, 2002, at her home, will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Skeen Funeral Home Chapel with Chaplain Rick Harden officiating.

Burial will follow in the Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of the funeral home.

Visitation was from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home; she will lie in sate from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday.

Survivors include five daughters, Betty Sunday, Billie gibson, Clyde O’Steen, Dorothy cobb and Francis Adamson, all of Troy; two sons, John Taylor Jr. of Bessemer and Jimmy Taylor of Troy; 20 grandchilren; several great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces, nephews relatives and friends.