DELBERT E. DASCHNER
TALLADEGA — Services are set for Delbert E. Daschner, 79, who was called by his Creator on November 26, 2008, at his home in Talladega. Visitation will be held at Usrey Funeral Home in Pell City, Ala. on November 29 from 6-9 p.m. Church services will be held at Hepzibah Baptist Church on November 30, 2008, at 3 p.m., with a viewing one hour before the service. Viewing is one hour before the service. Interment will follow at Hepzibah Cemetery.
Mr. Daschner was born at his grandfather Torbet’s farm home in Iroquois County, Ill. On April 29, 1929. His parents, Cloyd and Frances Daschner farmed near Watseka, Ill.; Kentland, Ind.; then to a farm near East Lynn, Ill. Where “Del” attended and graduated as Salutatorian from East Lynn High School.
During the Korean War, he joined the Army and served as administrative specialist on the Island of Eta Jema, in the South Pacific.
Del married Roberta Jane Atkins, daughter of Ray (deceased) and Alta Atkins of Elkville, Ill. on February 28, 1954 at the United Methodist Church in East Lynn. The Daschners were blessed with six children; Arla (Mrs. Howard Albers, Fairfax, Va.), Dennis (Mazon, Ill.), Barbara (Mrs. Jeremy Simpson, Talladega, Ala.), Laurie (Mrs. Curt Simmons, Portage, Mich.), Kenneth (Mrs. Jane Daschner, Folsom, Ala.), and Lisa (Mrs. Fred DeLeon, Birmingham, Ala.). He leaves grandchildren: Christine Albers, Faith Albers, Mike Daschner, Mrs. Heather Brian, Megan Daschner, Erick Daschner, Andy Simmons, Frederick DeLeon, Genevieve DeLeon; and one great-grandson, Sean Daschner.
Mr. Daschner was a member of the Masonic Lodge and served as Worshipful Master of Clifton Lodge No. 688 in 1961. He was commissioned as Grand Lecturer in May 1963. He attained the 32nd degree at the Consistory in Danville, Ill.
Mr. Daschner farmed for many years in Northern Illinois. During the winter month, he built custom homes and drove a semi gasoline truck for the Meier Oil Company in Ashkum, Ill. When the farm he rented sold, he became the manager of Production Credit Association in Ottawa, Ill.; in the ‘60s, he held the position of construction manager at Curt Weaver Harvestore Company in Sycamore, Ill. He returned to the PCA as vice president in Morris, Ill. And was called in 1976 to New Orleans, La. as a credit examiner for the Federal Intermediate Credit Bank covering the states of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. Later he became vice president of the Northwest PCA in Arcadia, La. Before Daschner’s retirement in 2001, he was employed by the FICB of St. Louis, Mo., working in Texarkana, and Russellville, Ark.
For 11 years, the Daschners traveled via RV to the Rio Grande Valley to be winter Texans. While living at Park Place Estates in Harlingen, Tex., Del became a wood carver and the joy of his carving has been shown in many art shows in Texas and Alabama where he has won many blue ribbons.
Religion has always played a major part of his life. Del attended the Methodist church as a child and accepted the Lord Jesus as his Savior. For many years, he was a Sunday school teacher and church officer. While in Arcadia, La., he became a lay speaker preaching in area churches when needed. He joined the mission team to the Island of Carriacou where volunteers built the foundation for a new church. He and his wife served as Gideons in Alexander City, Ala. He joined volunteers in the state of Missouri following the devastating floods. Del has also been a faithful volunteer at Camp ASCCA (Alabama’s Special Camp for Children and Adults) in Jackson’s Gap, Ala.
After moving to Alabama, the Daschners joined the Old Rocky Mountain Baptist Church and was baptized in Lake Martin. Moving to Talladega, the Daschners joined Hepzibah Baptist Church where he has served as president of Mack’s Sunday school class and was appointed deacon in 2008. He was also a member of the church choir.
Daschner’s final service will be one of praise to the Lord and celebration of his life with music and song.
Mr. Daschner was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Barbara Jeanne, and two brothers, Dwayne and William.
Memorials may be made to Hepzibah’s Men’s Mission Group, or UAB’s TKC Comprehensive Cancer Center at Acton Road, Birmingham, Ala.
Usrey Funeral Home, Pell City, Ala. directing.
MILDRED COOK
TALLADEGA — Mrs. Mildred Cook, 76, of 918 Cruickshank Street, died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008, at Citizens Baptist Medical Center.
Funeral arrangements will be announced by Terry’s Metropolitan Mortuary.
JUEL L. GARRETT
ALPINE — Mr. Juel L. Garrett, 83, died Friday, Nov. 28, 2008, at his residence at 151 Katie Lane.
Funeral arrangements will be announced by Terry’s Metropolitan Mortuary.
LILLIAN BEATRICE HOWARD
VANDIVER — Funeral service for Mrs. Lillian Beatrice Howard, 90, will be Sunday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m. at Kilgroe Chapel in Pell City with the Rev. Charles Shaw and the Rev. Randy Keef officiating. Interment will follow in Lawleys Chapel Cemetery.
Mrs. Howard died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008.
She is survived by her husband, the Rev. Eugene Howard of Vandiver; daughters, Joyce (Ron) Stancil of Pell City, Jean (Pete) Howard of Georgia and Wendell (Bobby) Andrews of Sterrett; son, Dendell Howard of Vandiver; sister, Mary Helen Windsor of Pell City; brothers, Floyd Adams Jr. of Branchville and Charles Adams of Birmingham; seven grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Saturday, Nov. 29, from 5:30-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Special thanks to New Beacon Hospice, Jennifer Towery, Joyce Cooper and a host of friends.
Kilgroe Funeral Home in Pell City will direct the service.
VIOLET HIGGINS McNEAL
PRATTVILLE — Violet Higgins McNeal went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008, at Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, William Clyde McNeal Sr., and infant daughter Shirley Jean McNeal.
She is survived by her children, William and Janelle McNeal, Thomas and Marie McNeal, Ross and Joyce Minor of Prattville, Mack and Melody McNeal of Montgomery, John and Opal Allman of Gautier, Miss., Doug and Debbie McNeal of Prattville, William Clyde and Betty McNeal Jr., David McNeal and Joe and Ann McNeal, all of Deatsville, Ala.; sister, Alma Wright; brother, James Higgins of Clanton; 20 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren, and 18 great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. from Camellia Baptist Church with Brother Mark Stokes officiating. Burial will follow in Prattville Memorial Gardens with Brother Glenn Brock officiating.
Visitation will be Saturday, Nov. 29, 2008, from 3 to 5 p.m. from Ridout’s Prattville Chapel.
Mrs. McNeal will lie in state one hour prior to service time.
Pallbearers will be grandsons Andy McNeal, Tommy McNeal, Glenn Minor, James Clyde Allman, Michael McNeal, Heath McNeal, Kenneth McNeal, Scott McNeal, John Allman Jr., Jeffrey Allman and Stephen McNeal.
THOMAS ROBERTSON
CHILDERSBURG — Mr. Thomas Robertson, 55, died Friday, Nov. 28, 2008, at Brookwood Medical Center.
Funeral arrangements will be announced by Radney-Smith Funeral Home in Sylacauga.
