Leonard Monroe Purvis
October 16, 2021
Leonard Monroe Purvis, age 68, of Atmore, AL passed away on October 4, 2021 in Atmore, AL. He was born on April 12, 1953 in Mobile, AL to the late Kellum Monroe and Helen Lorine Chandler Monroe. He retired from the Alabama Department of Corrections and also served with the Atmore Police Department. He was a member of Masonic Lodge, an airplane pilot and a gunsmith.
He is preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Miriam White Purvis; his son, Michael (Amy) Purvis of Pensacola, FL; his daughter, Amanda (Josh) Quinley of Atmore, AL; his brothers, Donald (Debbie) Purvis of Mobile, AL and Doug (Charlotte) Purvis of Atmore, AL; his sister, Shelia (James) Helton of Perdido, AL; his grandchildren, Bradley (Brandy), Allison (Bradley), Dylan, Elizabeth, Emma, McKenzie, Gage, and Sarah Kate; and great
grandchildren, Conner and River, along with many nieces, nephews, family, and friends.
Funeral services were held Friday, October 8, 2021, at 12 p.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel in Atmore, AL with Bro. Josh Long officiating.
Interment was at Serenity Gardens in Atmore, AL.
Active pallbearers were Michael Purvis, Dylan Purvis, Doug Purvis, Bradley Crenshaw, Bradley Homan, Josh Quinley, Aaron Purvis, Heath Fillmore, and Jeremy Lisenby.
Honorary pallbearers were Wallace Byrd, Freddie McCall, Dan Lambeth, and Steve Jernigan.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pilot’s For Christ, P.O. Box 707, Monroeville, AL 36461.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Calvin Raymond McCall
October 16, 2021
Calvin Raymond McCall, known to most as C.R. entered his eternal heavenly home on Monday, October 4, 2021, at the age of 95. He was born on August 4, 1926, in Atmore, AL to Thomas Joseph and Lucille Walker McCall. He was an avid outdoorsman. He loved hunting and shooting. He was a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church in Oak Grove, Florida where he lived. He served in the United States Navy during World War II.
He is preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Edward McCall and Wayne McCall.
His memory will be cherished and kept alive by his loving wife of nearly 70 years, Ann Graham McCall, his children, Eric (Donna) McCall, Lisa (Mike) McCall; two sisters, Erlene Pugh and Norma Taylor, his special grandchildren, Erin (Jeremi) Pritchett, Jessie McCall and Reid McCall, and two great grandsons, Jase and Tucker Pritchett.
Graveside services were held Thursday, October 7, 2021, at Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Oak Grove, FL with Bro. Larry Gilley officiating.
Interment was at Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Steve Pugh, Jerry Sheppard, Sam Walker, John McCall, Mitch McCall and Joey McCall.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Dorothy Daniels Lister
October 14, 2021
Illustrious dancer and teacher Ms. Dorothy Daniels Lister, age 87, was lifted into the Lord’s embrace on Monday October 11, 2021, to dance with the angels.
Ms. Lister, a native Pensacolian and Pensacola High 1952 alumni, was head majorette in the PHS Marching Band. She developed her love of dance at age 4 from mentor Elvie DeMarko. After graduation she left home to study ballet in New York, where in 1954 she became a member and then soloist of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo appearing in ballets such as Swan Lake, Scheherazade, and Firebird. She traveled by bus with the company until 1958 when she married William W. Lister, a French Horn player with the orchestra. Making their home in NYC, she continued to dance with the Radio City Music Hall’s Corps de ballet, home of the famed Rockettes. She briefly returned home to Pensacola for the birth of daughter Cynthia in 1961.
Embarking on what was to become a six-decade long career in teaching dance, Miss Dorothy as she is so fondly referred to by her students, began at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Kingsboro College of the Performing Arts in 1965. She then progressed on to being head of the children’s department at the Joffrey Ballet School where she spent over 25 years. With her return to Pensacola in 1996 she instructed at Kaleidoscope (Pensacola Ballet). In 1998, she became Ballet Mistress with Northwest Florida Ballet staging ballets such as Giselle, Les Sylphides, Paquita, Swan Lake, and Coppelia, rehearsing the children for Nutcracker, teaching class, and sewing costumes. With her love of musical theatre and marching bands, she enjoyed choreographing musicals and rehearsing color guard for Tate High School with her sister as assistant. Her musical theater credits, just to name a few, include “George M,” “Here’s Where I Belong”, “Sweet Charity,” “Pajama Game”, “Dames at Sea”, South Pacific”, Fiddler on the Roof”, “Carousel” and “The King and I”. At the age of 44, she performed one final encore on Broadway in “Ballroom” by Michael Bennett.
Dorothy was also an author penning Conversations with Choreographers co-written with Svetlana McLee Grody. They interviewed well-known choreographers such as Michael Bennett, Tommy Tune, and Hermes Pan. She recorded her own ballet instruction videos featuring her children’s dance syllabus and appeared in the children’s book Going To My Ballet Class. She is also featured in numerous publications including Dance Teacher Now, Backstage, Emerald Coast, and the Pensacola News Journal. In 2004, she pursued another lifelong dream of hers by starting Dorothy’s Dance Plus, LLC. which she operated for 10 years having the slogan “Ballet for Those Who Try”. Upon closing her studio above Elebash’s in downtown Pensacola, she joined Emerald Coast Dance Conservatory in 2015, teaching her last classes this summer for NWFB and ECDC.
Miss Dorothy believed that everyone possessed the gift of dance within them, and steadfastly expressed her philosophy. “For each child, Dance belongs to them…no one can do it for them. They gain a respect for learning, and a respect for discipline, they develop better coordination and a confidence that will serve them no matter what they do later in life”. Just ask the hundreds of students whose lives have been changed for the better because of dancing.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Dr. James Palace and MaeBelle Gray Daniels, and husband, William W. Lister.
She is survived by her only daughter, Dr. Cynthia M. Dobek (Donald); sister, Beverly D. Reinschmidt; granddaughter, Deanna M. Sikorski (Jason); grandson, Michael G. Dobek (Andrea); and great granddaughters, Maybelle J. M. Sikorski, and Madalynn W. Dobek; nephew, Dr. Todd Stalnaker (Jocquilyn) and niece, Diane Stalnaker Charles (John).
Please join us to share your love, memories, and express condolences for Ms. Dorothy D. Lister at her visitation from 6:00pm-8:00pm Friday, October 15, 2021, at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel, 2276 Airport Blvd., Pensacola, FL 32504. Masks are mandatory.
Please join us in a Celebration of Life memorializing the legendary Ms. Dorothy D. Lister at 1:30pm Saturday, October 16, 2021, at Gadsden Street United Methodist Church, 901 E. Gadsden St., Pensacola, FL 32501.
Reginald Kenneth Lockridge
October 14, 2021
Reginald Kenneth Lockridge, departed this world on October 12,2021 after a long illness. He was born February 26,I930 to the late Marcus and Edith Lockridge of Croghan, New York.
Over his 91 years he became a soldier, a husband and a father to five children. ln his spare time he was a Boy Scout Leader, a volunteer fire fighter, a volunteer with the Escambia County Sheriff Dept. and a 4th degree Knight with the Knight’s of Columbus. He worked for St. Regis Paper Company (later to become Champion Paper Co.) for thirty-three years and then as a Security Guard for Harvester’s Federal Credit Union for over ten years.
Reginald was preceded in death by his son, Kim Michael and his wife Naureen of 67 years.
He is survived by four children, Cheryl Pilling, Mark Lockridge, Regina Ratliff (Kenny) and Craig Lockridge (Jenny); ten grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren.
Funeral Mass will be held at 11AM on Saturday, October 16, 2021 at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church with Father George Thekku officiating. Burial will follow in Spruell Cemetery. The family will recieve friends at 10AM prior to services.
Willie Ray Thomas
October 9, 2021
Mr. Willie Ray Thomas, age 74, passed away, Wednesday October 6, 2021 in Mobile, AL. He was a lifelong resident of Century, FL. He was a member of the Century First Baptist Church, Century Masonic Lodge #213 and Scottish Rite. He served in the United States Army from 1964 until 1967. He was retired with the Escambia County Florida Sheriff’s Department, with thirty-two years of service.
Mr. Thomas loved Dirt Track and Snowball Derby Racing. He loved spending time at the camp, Hubbard’s Landing and fishing with his friends. He loved the grand dogs, Partner Toby, Tory, Bama, and Bailey
He is preceded in death by his parents, Verbie Thomas and Irene Hollingshead.
He is survived by his loving wife of fifty-one years, Gail Thomas, of Century, FL; two sons, Chris (Angie) Thomas, of Bay Minette, AL; Samuel Thomas, of Pensacola, FL; one daughter, Allyson (Brandon) Sharpless, of Mobile, AL; one brother, Benjamin C. (Mack) Hollingshead, of Foley, AL; three sisters, Lula Graves, of Flomaton, AL; Lorraine (Richard) Stuckey, of Atmore, AL; Hazel (Speedy) Brantley, of Flomaton, AL; two grandchildren, Cody Thomas, and Zachary Thomas, numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held Monday, October 11, 2021 at 2:00 PM at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home LLC with Rev. David Boyette officiating.
Burial will follow at Lambeth-Boutwell Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Sunday, October 10, 2021 from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home LLC.
Pallbearers will be Steve Turner, Coy Campbell, Ed Hudson, Dusty Carnley, Josh Lambeth, and Aaron Sharpless.
Honorary pallbearers will be Art Gunn, Larry Gee, Louis Tharpe, and Vincent Milstead.
Dorothy Marie Watts
October 7, 2021
Mrs. Dorothy Marie Watts, age 64, passed away, on Sunday, October 3, 2021 in Brewton, AL. She was born in Atmore, AL; and resided most of her life in Pollard, AL. She was a proud member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
Mrs. Watts valued her time spent with her children and family. She enjoyed fishing, cooking, going to the creek swimming. She was a loving wife, sister, and a friend to all.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John o. (Lillie Mae Colbert) Kelley Sr. and one sister, Barbara Gene Nowling
She is survived by her husband of forty- three years, Larry watts, of Pollard, AL; two sons, Owen Casey Watts, of Pollard, AL; Larry Watts Jr; of Pensacola, FL; three daughters, Meagan Marie watts, of Opelika, AL; Tabitha Moreland, of Brewton, Al; Mandi Manning, of McCall, AL; three brothers, John Oliver (Donna) Kelley Jr; of Brewton, AL; Douglas Edward Kelley, of Poarch, AL; Tony (Teresa) Rolin, of McCall, AL; four grandchildren, Hayley watts, Dustin Watts, Braxton Manning, CJ, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held Friday, October 8, 2021 at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home LLC with Rev. Ray Ward officiating.
Burial was at Pollard Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Chris Rolin, Lane Rolin, Trace Bullard, Dalton Smith, and Tristan Simpson.
Honorary pallbearers were Don Bondurant, Adam Gassner, Douglas MacArthur Kelley.
Petty- Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Emma Nell Phillips
October 7, 2021
Mrs. Emma Nell Phillips, age 73, passed away, Monday, October 4, 2021, in Brewton, AL. She was born in Eliska, AL; but resided most of her life in the Huxford, AL with her husband and children.
Mrs. Phillips valued the time she spent with her family especially her grandchildren. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother who enjoyed fishing, word-find puzzles and her dog Shorty.
She is preceded in death by her parents Mr. and Mrs. Bruce (Emmie Reed) Etheridge, husband, Charles W. Phillips, five brothers, Wayne Etheridge, Jody Etheridge, Jerry Etheridge, Billy Charles Etheridge, Thomas Etheridge, and one sister, Shirley Etheridge Lane.
She is survived by her two sons, Charles Darryl (Marie) Phillips, of TN; James Thomas Phillips, of TN; one daughter, Sherry Posten, of MS; one sister, Mary Bouillion, of LA; six grandchildren, Austin, Alyssa, Jonna, Joseph, Rebecca, Emily, and several great- grandchildren, nieces, nephews’ other relatives.
Funeral services were held Friday, October 8, 2021, at the Petty- Eastside Chapel Funeral Home LLC with Bro. Chris Pruitt officiating.
Burial was at Phillips Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Austin Phillips, Alyssa Phillips, Dewayne Johnson, Randy Milner, Jake Milner, and Darryl Phillips.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Thurza Harris
October 7, 2021
Mrs. Thurza Harris, age 93, passed away, on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 in Uriah, AL. She was born in Atmore, AL; and has resided most of her life in Uriah, AL. She retired with Vanity Fair Mills Company with twenty plus years with the company. She was a member of Mineola United Methodist Church.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Calvin (Laura Boone) Godwin, husband, Marshall B. Harris, sister, Iris Peavy, two half-sisters, Vivian McCormick, Margaret Davis, two brothers, Charlie Godwin, and Jake Godwin.
She is survived by her two sons, Larry (Cathy) Harris, of Uriah, AL; Joe Dale (Diane) Harris, of Killen, AL; two daughters, Laura Jean (Charles) Baggett, of Uriah, AL; Karen (Gene) Arnold, of Mobile, AL; eight grandchildren, thirteen great- grandchildren other relatives and friends.
Graveside services were held Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at Weatherford Cemetery with Rev. Lester Peavy and Bro. Anthony Norris officiating.
Petty- Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Louis Earl Bowab
October 6, 2021
Louis Earl Bowab, 72, a native of Atmore, Ala., and a longtime resident of Hoover,
Ala., unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at his home in
Hoover. He was the eldest child of Betty (Manning) Bowab and George Edward “Bubba”
Bowab. Spending his formative years in Atmore, he grew up in the Catholic Church,
serving as an altar boy at St Robert Bellarmine. In high school he focused
his exuberance for life - and the Blue Devils - playing drums with great abandon as a
member of the ECHS Marching Band. The Class of 1966 will fondly remember
Mr. Bowab as one of Atmore’s dwindling number of prolific water tower artists.
Mr. Bowab attended the University of South Alabama in Mobile, where he was well-
known for his dry sense of humor and self-effacing wit.
In 1970 Mr Bowab enlisted in the United States Air Force. After basic training at
Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, Airman Bowab was sent to Vandenberg AFB,
Calif., before serving two tours in Thailand. During his first tour he enjoyed teaching
English two to three times per week to local Thai students. His second tour to Thailand
in 1972 included clerical support to the Wing Commander during Operation Linebacker
II, America’s big push to end the war with North Vietnam. He
also had occasional temporary duty assignments to Vietnam. Sergeant Bowab was
honorably discharged upon completing his volunteer enlistment in 1974.
In more recent times, Mr Bowab often regaled his friends both in Atmore and at the El
Gringo Restaurant in Hoover with tales of his adventures as a part time entrepreneur in
Southeast Asia.
Mr. Bowab retired in 2015 after 42 years, first with Bell South and later AT&T.
His career in the Birmingham-Hoover (Ala) Metropolitan area spanned from being a
lineman to management and engineer.
In a unique 2015 Facebook post to a friend, Mr. Bowab described a trip he had made
to Heaven, where he was surprised to learn that everyone has a job. He had been given
a large rag and a bucket of Clorox, which was appropriate for his new job, which was to
be a cloud cleaner. He advised his friend not to miss him too much. If he got lonely, he
should just search the sky for the whitest, cleanest cloud. His friend would know
that Louis was up there, just behind the edges of cloud fluff, waving down at him and
hollering “Heeey!”
Mr. Bowab was preceded in death by his parents; his nephew, Joseph (Joe) Bowab;
his cousin, Julie Anderson; and his canine nephew "Bear" Bowab.
Mr. Bowab is survived by his only sibling, Eddie (Cherie) Bowab, two special nieces,
Mary Bowab and Sarah Bowab (Matt) Wagner, and two great nieces, Amber and Jolina,
all of Huntsville, Ala.
He is also survived by his cousins (and their families): Mary Helen Bowab Graham of
Atmore; Alex Bowab of Fairhope, Ala.; Christine Bowab Dill of Flowood, Miss., a suburb
of Jackson; A.J. Bowab of Mobile, Ala., Carl Anderson of Atmore; Lynn Anderson Jetton
of Holly Pond, Ala.; Janet Anderson of Jackson, Miss.; Tommy Elzen of Jackson, Miss.;
plus lifelong family friends: Susan Albert Moorhead, Toni Albert McMurphy, both of
Atmore, and Rita Albert Peterson of Murfreesboro, Tenn. A host of friends from the
Garden District of New Orleans, La. to Orange Beach, Atmore, and the Hoover-
Birmingham, Ala. area, will cherish their memories of Mr. Bowab even as they mourn
his loss.
On Friday, October 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. there will be a private family
visitation at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in Atmore. The family will receive friends
from 9 a.m to 10 a.m. At 10:30 a.m.,there will be a graveside service at Oak Hill
Cemetery in Atmore. Father Gordon Milsted of Atmore will officiate.
Pall bearers will be Carl Anderson, A.J. Bowab, Alex Bowab, Fritz Currie, and Doug
Rogers. Members of the ECHS Class of 1966 will be honorary pall bearers.
Mr. Bowab’s headstone, which he designed and had installed at Oak Hill several
years ago, will stand as a perpetual legacy to his fulsome appreciation of the absurd.
Francis Elaine (Smith) Rodgers
October 5, 2021
Francis Elaine (Smith) Rodgers, age 52, passed away peacefully September 20, 2021, due to complications from COVID at Atmore Community Hospital. She was surrounded by her husband and sons. She was born on November 1, 1968, in Butler Springs, AL, to the late James and Kathryn Smith.
She married the love of her life, Kenneth Wayne Rodgers, on November 7, 1985, in Butler County, AL. Her last job was as a caregiver at The Meadows in Atmore, AL. She was a member of Unity Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Kathryn (Walker) Smith; mother-in-law, Donnie Lane (Kennedy) Rodgers; her brother, Jimmy Smith and one child.
She is survived by her husband, Kenneth Rodgers; her two sons, Jonathan (Danielle) Rodgers and Joshua Rodgers; her four grandchildren, Ryver, Blakeleigh, Jaxon and Hayden; her father-in-law, Herman Rodgers; three sisters, Peggy (Hill) Wood, Diane, Pat (Milton) Luckie; one sister through love, Ellen (Smith) Garrett; one brother-in-law, Richard (Sandy) Rodgers; many nieces and nephews and many more great and great-great nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Thursday, September 23, 2021, at Antioch East Baptist Church in Greenville, AL.
Donations can be made at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home or Dunklin Funeral Home to help with burial expenses.