July 2026 E-Edition

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Alabama Ledger www.AlabamaLedger.com

PAGE 4 July 2026 E-Edition

The following Death Notices are published as a courtesy of the Alabama Ledger and local funeral homes. To include more info, or a photo of your loved one, in a future edition of the Alabama Ledger contact us at 256-506-7368. Extended obits start at .20 cents per word and $10 per photo. D eath Notices Adams Brown Service Funeral Home Truman Lee McBrayer, passed away at age 86 Robin Lynne Willingham, age 71, of Boaz Syble Duckett Allen, passed away at age 87 Mary Jane Smith Ladd, age 71, of Albertville Freda Ann Jester Duskin, age 75, of Horton Violet Marie Kelley Mahan, age 82, of Sims Community Billie June Denney-Finlay, age 88, of Albertville Adams-Buggs Funeral Home in Gadsden Evelyn Maurine Mitchell Parker, age 80, of Attalla Verbice Wood, age 88, of Lineville Mya Bell Christopher, age 12, of Gadsden Wendell King, age 57, of Gadsden Albertville Memorial Chapel Carr Funeral Home in Guntersville Robert Timothy Belue passed away at age 67 David George Henderson, Jr., age 100, of Guntersville John R. Biddle, age passed away at age 83 Timothy Ray Beason, age 56, of Guntersville Billy Jay Cain, age 100, of Guntersville Cherokee Memorial Funeral Home Imogene "Jean" Anthony, age 87, of Collinsville Charles Eugene Wheeler, age 91, of Centre Collier-Butler Funeral Home Bradford Allen Phillips, age 65, of Rainbow City Louis Wayne Epperson, age 76, of Boaz Thomas Mack Kilgore, age 80, of Altoona Billy Guy Crocker, passed away at age 98 Peggy Duane Varnon, age 89, of Gadsden Martha Rogers, age 72, of Miami, Florida Barbara Louise Strickland, age 77, of Gadsden Dennis Lane Moore, age 75, of Gadsden Robert Michael Jones, age 57, of Gadsden Martha Jean Proffitt Petty, age 79, of Southside Cornerstone Funeral Chapel in Ider Katherine Hicks Parham, age 88, of Henagar LaDonna Moore Greeson, age 69, of Ider April Leann McDowell, age 46, of Higdon Tim Bearden, age 61, of Dutton Robert Alton Emory, Jr., age 57, of Henagar James "Jimmy" Harcrow Jr., age 63, of Flat Rock Betty Joan Swords, age 76, of Gadsden Billy Ray Hubbard, age 70, of Albertville David Iraheta Lopez, age 25, of Albertville

"Elevate DeKalb" The DeKalb County Economic Development Authority (DCEDA) recently announced the adoption of Elevate DeKalb: The Countywide Strategy to Prepare for and Pursue Economic Prosperity, a long-range economic development strategy designed to guide growth, competitiveness, workforce readiness, and community prosperity efforts across DeKalb County. Developed through more than a year of research, analysis, and stakeholder engagement, Elevate DeKalb establishes a unified countywide framework focused on preparing DeKalb County’s communities, infrastructure, workforce, and industry assets for future opportunities while pursuing strategic economic growth initiatives that strengthen the county’s long-term competitiveness. The strategy was informed by input from residents, business leaders, educators, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, students, industry representatives, and regional partners from across DeKalb County. Third- party economic development consultants Bryan Parker and Neal Wade advised the DeKalb County Economic Development Authority throughout the strategic planning process. “This plan represents a shared vision for the future of DeKalb County,” said Dr. Brett Johnson, executive director of the DeKalb County Economic Development Authority. “Elevate DeKalb is designed to help our communities prepare for the evolving economy, pursue new opportunities for investment and job creation, and position DeKalb County for long-term economic prosperity through strategic partnerships and countywide coordination.” The plan is aligned with the State of Alabama’s recently adopted CatALyst Plan and organized around two central strategic pillars: Prepare for Economic Prosperity and Pursue Economic Prosperity. Key focus areas include talent development, industrial and site readiness, infrastructure and broadband connectivity, business climate competitiveness, targeted sector recruitment, existing industry expansion, entrepreneurship growth, regional partnerships, and strategic growth and land use readiness. Elevate DeKalb also identifies DeKalb County’s primary and secondary target industry sectors aligned with the area’s competitive strengths. Primary target sectors include metal and advanced materials, mobility, chemical manufacturing, agriculture and food, forestry and wood products, and logistics and distribution. Secondary targets include defense, technology, bioscience, and business services. According to the DCEDA, the strategy is intended to guide policy decisions, investment priorities, and collaborative economic development efforts across DeKalb County. In addition to target industry sectors, the plan identifies community development priorities that include strengthening retail, housing, tourism, arts, childcare, and talent development throughout the region. “The future prosperity of DeKalb County depends on the choices we make today,” Johnson said. “This strategy provides our leaders with a clear and aligned direction for how we can prepare our communities, maximize our assets and natural resources, and pursue growth opportunities that will benefit current and future generations.” The DeKalb County Economic Development Authority will begin implementation of the strategy immediately in coordination with local governments, education partners, industry leaders, and community stakeholders. Following its unanimous adoption by the DCEDA Board of Directors, the strategy was subsequently endorsed by both the DeKalb County Commission and the DeKalb County Mayors Association, further strengthening the unified voice of local leadership throughout the county. For more information about Elevate DeKalb, contact the DeKalb County Economic Development Authority at 256-845-7957 or visit dekalbeda.com. Executive summaries and strategic highlights from the plan are publicly available through the DCEDA, while certain competitive and proprietary economic development components remain limited to implementation partners. Dog Fighting Carlton Lenard Adams, of Bessemer and Adger, has been sentenced last month to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of possessing dogs for fighting purposes and two counts of possessing firearms subsequent to a felony conviction. In addition to the prison sentence, the court also imposed a restitution of $548,449 for the costs of care of 78 pit bull-type dogs rescued in this investigation. At time of rescue, 78 dogs was the second-greatest number rescued from a single defendant in any federal case. “This case demonstrates that the cruelty of dog fighting is not limited to the brutal injuries inflicted in the fighting pit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “These animals suffer before, during, and after the fights. We will continue to vigorously pursue Congress’s mandate to snuff out this illegal industry.” According to court documents, Adams maintained a stock of 78 fighting dogs at three properties — two in Bessemer, and one in Adgera (Ala). When they were rescued, some of the dogs bore scars and other injuries, and some were living in conditions of extreme neglect. Adams was also found to possess two pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun known colloquially as a “Street Sweeper.” Under federal law, a street sweeper is considered a destructive device. In addition to the dogs, guns, and destructive device, law enforcement personnel also recovered from Adam’s residences tools and supplies used in the training and keeping of dogs used for fighting. These items included modified treadmills to hold dogs in place for conditioning, injectable veterinary steroids, suture materials and syringes, skin staplers, intravenous bags and lines, a homemade breeding stand, and a break stick device used to break the bite hold of a dog.

Joseph "Pete" Golden, passed away at age 84 Brad Crosby, age 45, of Altoona Charles "Tommy" Jackson, age 78, of Gallant Geraldine Funeral Home Marty Smith, age 50, of Guntersville Jessica Lynn Shankles, age 46, of Collinsville Gober Funeral Chapel in Arab Steven Quinn Buckelew, age 56, of Arab Zachary Elijah Blocker, age 40, of Arab Brady Dale Hyatt, age 52, of Arab Melanie Kay Fleming, age 74, of Arab Dennis Windell Eubanks, age 78, of Joppa Kerby Funeral Home Major Clomer "CJ" Holloway, age 87, of Section

Joseph V. Horner, age 70, of Henagar Labron Higdon, age 73, of Higdon

Marshall Memorial Funeral Home Roger Isbill, age 85, of Union Grove Christopher Quinn, age 33, of Glencoe Patricia Smith, passed away at age 89 Wendell Wesley Bennett, age 64, of Albertville McRae Funeral Home Edna Mae Fowler, age 61, of Boaz Betty Jacobs Smith, age 87, of Gadsden Morgan Funeral Chapel and Crematory Kevin McDonald, passed away at age 57 Juanita Bearden Battles, age 71, of Attalla Peter Valjean "Greg" Gregerson Jr., passed away at age 73 Perry Funeral Home In Centre Elizabeth Louise "Beth" Price, age 83, of Nocatee, Florida Terry Lynn Lawson, age 71, of Gaylesville Samuel Napoleon Alexander, age 87, of Centre Jonathon Glen Leonard, age 43, of Cedar Bluff Rainsville Funeral Home Roy Michael Swack, age 68, of Rainsville Infant Ollin Breck Willingham, age 5 days, of Rainsville Rayford Morton, age 66, of Grove Oak Billy Clyde Sizemore, age 77, of Rainsville James William Pearcy, age 91, of Rainsville Shelia Guffey, age 82, of Rainsville Davy Willingham, age 60, of Rainsville Debra Lynn Taylor, age 64, of Fyffe Marie Gray, age 77, of Powell Section Funeral Home Rev. Dorsey Howle Walker, age 82, of Dutton Marcia Anne Gordon, age 74, of Fort Payne Rivers Dewayne Evatt, passed away at age 15 Manuel Cruz-Olvera, age 81, of Fort Payne Frances Pat Holt, age 84, of Gadsden Jean Camp, age 79, of Dogtown Margie Whitley Colvard, age 87, of Fort Payne Rita Lynn Machen Crowe, age 65, of Fort Payne W.T. Wilson Funeral Home Jerri Ann McClendon, age 88, of Pell City Jan Renae Morgan, age 63, of Scottsboro Larry Don Phillips, passed away at age 75 Bobby Gene Hastings, age 77, of Albertville Carol June Shirey, age 85, of Fort Payne DeeAnna Elizabeth Williams, age 55, of Boaz Bettye Frost, age 95, of Pleasant Hill Community Mary Catherine Jamison, age 82, of Geraldine Wilson Funeral Home in Fort Payne

Billy Charles Shelton, age 80, of Scottsboro Cathy Smith Ferguson, age 74, of Flat Rock

Charles Ray Adams, age 81, of Fyffe Myra Kay Bryant, age 70, of Grove Oak Ruby Jo Frasier, age 94, of Grove Oak

Crestwood Funeral Home in Gadsden

Mary Lucile Pendergraft, age 73, of Albertville Gregory Miller Stephenson, age 63, of Flat Rock Johnny Stewart, age 77, Langston Elsie Ruth Wilbanks, passed away at age 96 Angela Marie Ramos, age 53, of Fort Payne Samuel L. McKinney, age 74, of Collinsville Christopher Don Hurley, age 28, of Fort Payne

Ronald Clark Blackmon, age 66, of Gadsden Timothy Joseph Burgess, age 69, of Gadsden Essie Ruth Fite, passed away at age 93 Etowah Memorial Chapel Christy Lynn Busha, age 56, of Attalla Jo Anne Humphries Ellis, age 91, of Rockledge

Submitted Photo

K9 Toby has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Toby is a 2-year-old Dutch Shepherd assigned to ALEA's SWAT Team. He is trained in apprehension and tracking.

8563 US Highway 431 Albertville, AL

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