Obituaries 8/19

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, August 18, 2007

The News Courier will publish, free of charge, death notices including the name, age and city of residence of the deceased, date and place of death, and time and place of funeral service and visitation. Family members may express themselves in a eulogy, list survivors and give a detailed obituary. The News Courier will accept these paid items from the family, funeral directors or other individuals. Paid obituaries may include a photo at no extra charge. For information, call Vanessa Byars at The News Courier, 232-2720.



Clara O. Elders

Funeral arrangements for Clara O. Elders, 86, of Athens, who died Saturday, Aug. 18, 2007, at Athens Convalescent Center, will be announced by Spry Funeral Home.



Florence Elar Meredith

Graveside service for Florence Elar Meredith, 82, of Athens will be at 2 p.m. today at Sunnyhill Church of Christ Cemetery with Randy Carter officiating and Limestone Chapel Funeral Home directing.

Mrs. Meredith died Friday, Aug. 17, 2007, at Limestone Convalescent Center.



Eloise Mae Phillips

Funeral arrangements for Eloise Mae Phillips, 69, of Athens, who died Friday, Aug. 17, 2007, at Athens-Limestone Hospital, will be announced by Limestone Chapel Funeral Home.



Martha Elaine Smith Sims

Martha Elaine Smith Sims passed away Friday, Aug. 17, 2007, at her home in Athens after a long illness. She was 64.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007, at the chapel of Spry Funeral Home in Athens with Spry Funeral Home conducting. A graveside service will follow at Roselawn Cemetery in Athens.

Steve Croomes will conduct the funeral.

The family will receive friends at Spry Funeral Home for one hour prior to the service.

Mrs. Sims was born Aug. 21, 1942, in Limestone County to Mr. and Mrs. Roswell Houston “Cotton” Smith and was raised in the Coxey community. She was a graduate of Clements High School and married Marion Douglas Sims on June 23, 1962. Her faith was of the Church of Christ.

She worked many years for the Department of the Army at Redstone Arsenal. After leaving Redstone Arsenal she was a homemaker for several years and involved herself in such activities as Girl Scouts as a leader and Athens Band Parents, as well as other activities as a stay-at-home mother. She purchased Hyatt and Sims Paint Store in 1979 and ran it until her recent medical retirement.

Mrs. Sims was affectionately known throughout her life as “Mot.” The Sims home was for many years know as a gathering place for friends and family. Mrs. Sims was known as a doting grandmother to her grandson, Mitchell. Mrs. Sims will be remembered as a kind, generous and loving confidante to her wide and far-flung circle of friends. She enjoyed cooking, gardening and hosting large gatherings with her family. She also loved to travel, particularly with her close friend Mary Alice Blackburn, who also recently passed away.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Doug Sims; their son, Monte Douglas Sims; her father “Cotton” Smith; and one sister, Dorothy Smith Hudson.

She is survived by her daughter, Dana Blair Sims Henry, and her husband, Michael Scott Henry, and their son, Mitchell Sims Henry, all of Athens; her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Smith of Athens; brothers Ross Smith, Tommy Smith and Johnny Smith, all of Athens; sisters Linda Shields, Anita Collier and Susan Tucker, all of Athens; uncles Paul Smith Sr., Marvin Smith and Ralph Smith, all of Athens; and aunt Mrs. Edward Wilbanks of Athens; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; and many friends whom she considered family.

Pallbearers will be Tim Holt, Wendell Hudson, Coogan Preston, John Rundles, Jerry Shields, Donny Smith and Ty Smith.

For those who might wish to make a gift in memory of Mot Sims, the family suggests Hospice of Limestone County, P.O. Box 626, Athens, Ala., 35612.