Chapter Eternal

Matthew W. Bowden

BOWDEN, MATTHEW WAYNE, age 52, of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, passed away on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. Matt was a remarkable man who loved his family and the outdoors, and was a faithful friend beyond all measure. His family, friends and coworkers have valued his personal strength and wisdom, and will miss the insight, wry humor, and selflessness that led to enduring friendships and an outstanding career that reached the highest levels. His loving survivors include his wife of 26 years, Toni Wallace Bowden; his sons, Curtis Bowden and Clayton Bowden; his parents, Travis and Dena Bowden, his sister, Andrea Bowden Parker (Craig), and nieces and nephews, Drew Parker, Anna Cathryn Parker, Caroline Parker, Elizabeth Parker, Emily Parker, Clyde Wallace, Will Wallace, Dickson Buchanan and Kathryn Reyes. Matt was preceded in death by his dear grandparents, Curtis and Ruth Bowden, and William and Elizabeth Fortenberry, and by his beloved uncle, Gary Fortenberry.

Matt Bowden was a gift from God – to his parents, to his wife and children, to his sister, his extended family, and to all who got to know him. He always used his personal steadiness, keen intellect, common sense, discernment and judgment to help others, and his advice, support and guidance have made a difference in the lives of countless friends and colleagues. At work, Matt used his exceptional talents to tackle all situations with grace, care and thoughtfulness, and he earned the utmost respect and admiration from his colleagues. Matt’s pursuit of excellence and his determination helped propel him to partnership in the Balch & Bingham law firm, and later all the way to General Counsel of Alabama Power. An avid outdoorsman and devoted supporter of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and Forever Wild, Matt never missed an opportunity to fellowship with family and friends with nature as the backdrop. He simply loved being outside, whether in a deer stand, on a fishing lake, in a duck blind or sitting around a campfire. Matt brought joy to every outdoor adventure with family and friends, and in the outdoors, just as he did in the rest of his life, Matt created a legacy defined by stewardship, fellowship, love and compassion.

A visitation for friends will be held Sunday, October 15, 2017 at Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home in Hoover, AL from 2:00 – 5:00 P.M. The family thereafter will conduct a private memorial service in Spring Creek, AL. In lieu of flowers or other memorials, please send donations to the Alabama Wildlife Federation (www.alabamawildlife.org).

Richard E. Lee

Richard Eu­gene Lee, a life­long res­i­dent of Dothan, passed away on Fri­day, Sep­tem­ber 15, 2017 as a re­sult of in­juries he sus­tained in a mo­tor­cy­cle ac­ci­dent. He was 46.

A Mass of Chris­t­ian Bur­ial will be held at 10 am on Mon­day, Sep­tem­ber 18, 2017 at St. Columba Catholic Church with Mon­signor Patrick Gal­lagher of­fi­ci­at­ing. Bur­ial will fol­low in Gar­dens of Mem­ory Ceme­tery with Robert Byrd di­rect­ing. The fam­ily will re­ceive friends at Sun­set Memo­r­ial Park on Sun­day evening from 5-7 pm. In lieu of flow­ers the fam­ily re­quests that memo­r­ial con­tri­bu­tions be made to Ft. Rucker Wounded War­rior Recre­ation, c/​o The Sol­dier Ser­vice Cen­ter, Build­ing 5700, Room 390, Ft. Rucker, AL 36362.

Richard was born on March 18, 1971 in Dothan and has lived here most his life. He was a 1989 grad­u­ate of Northview High School and grad­u­ated from the Uni­ver­sity of Al­abama with a de­gree in Restau­rant and Hos­pi­tal­ity Man­age­ment. Richard has been with Out­back Restau­rant for over 20 years and was the Pro­pri­etor of the Dothan Out­back for the past 14 years. He loved the out­doors and re­ally en­joyed wind ther­apy, rid­ing in his Jeep Wran­gler, white wa­ter raft­ing, and most re­cently mo­tor­cy­cle rid­ing. Above all else, Richard’s life re­volved around his beloved son, Char­lie. Along with be­ing in the out­doors, they went fish­ing, watched wrestling on tele­vi­sion and at­tended many WWE events to­gether.

Richard was pre­ceded in death by his fa­ther, Robert Eu­gene Lee in 1984.

Sur­vivors in­clude his son, Robert Charles Lee; his mother, Myrna Lee and Bob Nel­son; his brother, Robert Ed­ward Lee; his sis­ter, Kather­ine Lee; his 3 nieces, Claire Brad­shaw, Ivie Kate Lee, and Rainy Lee; his 2 nephews, Kirk­land Brad­shaw and Rob Brad­shaw; many cousins, aunts, and un­cles, here and abroad.

Pall­bear­ers will be Ash­ley Matthews, Keith Page, Keith Den­ton, Will Dowl­ing, Kirk­land Brad­shaw, and Rob Brad­shaw.

David Garrett Hooper

Aug. 18, 1970 – Jan. 13, 2015 – David Garrett Hooper, 44, a native of Montgomery and Prattville, died Tuesday January 13, in Huntsville. After graduating from All Saints Episcopal School in Vicksburg, Miss., he attended both Auburn University and the University of Alabama, where he was a member of Sigma Nu social fraternity. Garrett earned a Juris Doctor from the University Of Alabama School Of Law but after September 2001, he felt called to serve his country. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and joined the Ranger, 1st Battalion.

After training at Hunter Army Air Field, Savannah, Ga., he embarked on his first of multiple tours of duty and assignments as part of the Special Operations Forces. Among other places, he saw action in Iraq, Afghanistan and North Africa. During active duty, Garrett received numerous medals, commendations and awards for his service, none of which he was inclined to talk about. After leaving Special Ops, he joined the Judge Advocate General Corps and continued serving our country with his law degree.

Garrett is survived by his son, Walker Hooper; his mother, Mary Susan Garrett Seier and her husband, Dr. George F. Seier Jr., and a sister, Laura Susan Hooper Thornton and her husband Joe, all of Prattville; a brother, Dallas James Hooper of Hope Hull; his grandmother, Margaret Jones Garrett of Montgomery; two nephews, Dalton Hooper and Joseph Thornton and a niece, Mary George Thornton, and by a large contingent of loving aunts, uncles and cousins, including special friend Jennifer Dothard and her family of Huntsville. Garrett was preceded in death by his father, Fred W. Hooper Jr., and by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Hooper Sr. and grandfather, James W. Garrett Sr.

A memorial service will be conducted Saturday January 17, at 3 p.m. at St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Prattville by the Rev. Scott Arnold. The family will receive friends one half hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials in Garrett’s name to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758541, Topeka, KS 66675, or to St Mark’s Episcopal Church, 178 East Fourth Street, Prattville, AL 36067.

Scott Thomas Cobb

Scott Thomas Cobb, age 57, of Birmingham, Ala., died Nov. 23, 2014, at home. Services will be 1 p.m. today, November 26, 2014, at Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Tuscaloosa Memorial Park with Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing. Visitation with the family will begin at noon before the service.

Scott was an enthusiast. When he loved, it was with his whole heart, whether it be classic rock ‘n’ roll; Crimson Tide football and Braves baseball; friends, both within and without Sigma Nu, where he was Best Pledge in 1976; co-workers and those he mentored in the insurance industry, where he was voted Alabama Young Agent of the Year early in his career; or family.

He enjoyed living loud, at times, with Magic City-based band The Hurricanes, singing and playing bass on “Play That Funky Music” atop the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, but he also could find contentment dropping a line to fish, even when he caught nothing. As a young man, he insisted on mounting a largemouth bass landed at a lake near Dothan. This monster wasn’t typical trophy size, about 3 1/2 pounds, but it hung proudly on walls of his various homes, and during college years, often suffered an empty beer can shoved in its frozen, gaping mouth.

An athlete until knee injuries forced him to slow down, Scott was a lifelong Crimson Tide football fan, attending as many games as possible, both home and on the road. Daniel Moore prints, including Johnny Musso rambling in the 1971 Iron Bowl, took place of pride on hallway walls, alongside honors from years in the insurance industry.

As a child, he studied piano, then taught himself guitar and bass, which he played in The Hurricanes. Much as he loved The Beatles and The Beach Boys, Scott’s tastes were diverse, encompassing showmen such as Alice Cooper and James Brown; crooners such as Nat King Cole, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald and Johnny Mathis; New Orleans funkmeisters such as Allen Toussaint and Dr. John; guitar wizards such as Ry Cooder, Les Paul, Duane Allman, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Brian May (of Queen); rockabilly legends such as Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley, and more. He loved to read and watch movies in downtime; his book and DVD shelves were as wide-ranging as his musical tastes.

But as avidly as he once collected baseball cards, and later guitars, he gathered friends. One of his oldest and dearest pals, Chan Cox, said Scott was “a true friend, someone you could always call on. He was universally liked and respected by everyone here in the industry….He was a very brilliant man, but he didn’t wear it on his shirtsleeve….the consummate conversationalist and Southern gentleman.”

Some of the biggest names in the business, including Charlie Garrison, Bob Meshad and Leon Dean, took the young agent under their wing, Cox said, inviting him to the beach to play cards and shoot the breeze. “And as Scott got older, he began to mentor people in his turn,” Cox said.

One of those he hired was Joyce Kent. “He was one of the best managers I worked with. The producers at insurance agencies are A-type and tend to have big egos. He knew to let them have the spotlight while he held firm on what he knew was how to do his job,” Kent said. “He was fierce in protecting his people, but in his gentlemanly way. He did not like gossip or mean people….He did his job with integrity and class. He was so smart but had no need to prove it.”

Another co-worker, Linda Bean, said “Scott was never judgmental, was always supportive and possessed the unique ability to make anyone he met feel good about their life and their future…. He never got rattled, always had a smile on his face and a kind word.”

Co-worker Anna Gaylor recalled a “quirky” sense of humor, and how in telling his own jokes, he’d often laugh until he cried.

“I was usually laughing more at how tickled he would get telling a joke than at the joke itself,” Gaylor said. “He was a kind soul with a gentle servant’s heart, which made him very special, but also very vulnerable.”

Another Sigma Nu friend, Kenny Hartley said “May we all learn to love one another as naturally as Scott Cobb always did.”

He was preceded in death by his father, Troy John Cobb, stepfather Herbert W. Peterson, brother John Randall “Randy” Cobb, grandparents Fred and Odell Hughes and John Greenwood and Evie Graves Woods Cobb.

He is survived by his mother, Anne H. Peterson of Tuscaloosa; three brothers, Mark Hughes Cobb, David Greenwood Cobb and James William “Jimbo” Cobb of Tuscaloosa; a daughter, Elizabeth-Anne Ronk of Birmingham; and numerous uncles, aunts, cousins and other family.

Pallbearers will be Lindy Davis, Jim Sasser, Bill Fisher, Chan Cox, Kenny Hartley and Steve Shaw.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice.

Charles Evans Humphries

Charles Evans Humphries, age 86, died July 2, 2014, from complications from an aneurism. He was born July 18, 1927. Charles was preceded in death by his wife, May Langham Humphries, and his daughter, Sally Humphries Frietag, sister, Julia Coleman Todd, and brother, William W. Humphries. He is survived by his daughters, Ellen Gray Arnoldy (Michael), Lil Conoly (Steven), and Fran Hershey (Chris), as well as six grandchildren Rachel Ryan, Cyle Conoly (Joanie), Nate Conoly, Davis Ryan (Karina), Cory Hershey, and Parker Hershey, and two great grandchildren, Eleanor Conoly and Charles Conoly.

Charles grew up in Eutaw, Alabama. He served in the U. S. Navy during WWII. He attended the University of Alabama, where he joined Sigma Nu fraternity. He then entered Auburn University, where he earned his architectural degree and graduated Phi Kappa Phi.

Upon graduation, Charles moved to Montgomery and made his home there for more than 60 years, loving its history, fabric, and downtown. He was a founding principal of PH&J Architects, where he served as Project Manager for hundreds of building across the south and the United States, including Auburn University’s Haley Center, the Montgomery County Courthouse, and the first five Retirement Systems of Alabama “greentop” office buildings, as well as 55 Water Street in New York City. Charles served as a mentor to many practicing architects.

Charles was a charter member and elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church and later an elder in emeritus at First Presbyterian Church of Montgomery. He served 16 years as a property chairman on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Montgomery, an active member of the Montgomery Jaycees, and a member of the Montgomery Rotary Club for 25 years. He finally retired in 2007 and devoted the rest of his life to his church, his daughters, and research into his genealogy and the history of Montgomery.

For all of his accomplishments, Charles was most proud of his family, raising four daughters and providing paternal guidance to family and extended friends. He was revered for his wit, organization, and impeccable memory.

The family will receive visitors Saturday, July 5, 2014 at Southern Memorial Funeral Home from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held Sunday, July 6, 2 p.m. at St. James United Methodist Church with Allen Newton and Ed Langham officiating.

Memorials can be given to First Presbyterian Church, Montgomery, Alabama; the Montgomery Boys and Girls Club; and Palmer House for Children.

William Scott “Scotty” Foster

William Scott Foster, 64, of Mary Esther, Fla., passed away unexpectedly at his cabin that he loved in Florala, Ala., on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014. He was born Jan. 25, 1950, in Opp, Ala.
Mr. Foster (Scotty) graduated from Opp High School, The University of Alabama in 1971, where he was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 1975, and received his L.L.M. in tax and estate planning from the New York University School of Law in 1976. He established his practice with Armbrecht, Jackson and Demouy, in Mobile, Ala., in 1976, before moving home with his family to Mary Esther in 1983, where he joined the law firm of Estergren, Fleet, Fortune and Anchors. He later formed the firm, Anchors, Foster, McInnis and Keefe, which later merged into Anchors, Smith and Grimsley.

Scotty was a member of St. Simon’s Episcopal Church, and served as Captain Billy Bowlegs XL in 1995 for the Krewe of Bowlegs. He also served as President of the Fort Walton Beach Rotary Club in 2005-2006, was a Paul Harris Fellow, Rotarian of the Year and was heavily involved with the Rotary charity Golf Tournament for many years. Scotty was an avid scratch golfer while in Mobile, but this passion was supplanted by his true love of the water. He loved boating on Santa Rosa Sound, was a tried and true Bama football fan, and his love of hunting was passed onto his two sons. His devotion and the sacrifices he made for his family were an inspiration, as were his southern charm and gentlemanly nature. Scotty and wife, Carlee, were always entertaining family and friends at their home and were gracious hosts with their “more the merrier” attitude. In his eyes, new acquaintances held the same stature and were made to feel as welcome as family members or close friends. He would gladly give the shirt off his back or the keys to his car to a stranger in need. All who were fortunate enough to know him will sorely miss his warm smile, firm handshake, jovial laugh and entertaining nature.

Scotty’s parents, John Clifford Foster and Celeste Gresham Foster of Opp and Mary Esther, preceded him in death. He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Carlee Foster; two sons, Scott Foster and Gresham Foster; his sister, Lynne Foster Mathews and husband Charlie; his brother, John Clifford Foster III; brother-in-law, Nick Cheriogotis; father-in-law, Spiro Cheriogotis; and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in the name Scotty Foster to Horizons, 123 Truxton Ave., Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547 or the Fort Walton Beach Rotary Club Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 892, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549.

Charles Bradshaw ’85

Charles Austin Bradshaw, 49, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama, passed away on January 4, 2014. He is survived by his wife, Kathryn Broach Bradshaw (Katie), his son, Charles Austin Bradshaw, Jr. and daughter, Beverly Carlisle Bradshaw. His mother, Martha Austin Gibbs; his sister, Leigh Bradshaw Denson (Dee) of Birmingham. His nephews, Joe Larkin Denson (Julia); Douglas Austin Denson (Lauren); Charles Dee Denson (Lura), all of Birmingham, AL. His mother and father-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. C. Robert Broach, Jr.; brother-in-law, C. Robert Broach, III and nieces, Conner Caroline Broach and Emma Grace Broach all of Montgomery.

Charles was preceded in death by his father, Charles Idus Bradshaw; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. James Larkin Austin; Mrs. Sadie B. Bradshaw. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at First United Methodist Church at 2:00pm with Dr. Lawson Bryan officiating. Visitation will be held at 1:00pm in Fellowship Hall. Honorary Pallbearers are C. Robert Broach, III, Daniel Riley Carter, Alan Craig Chapman, Stephen Lee Davidson, David Jordan Dennis, Dee Roderick Denson, Ralph Milton Garrard, Wesley O Neal Gaylard, Barrie Holt Harmon, William Hunter McDonald, Jr., William Mark Pierce, William James Rice, Jr., Hunter Allen Scott, Christopher Scott Simmons, Alex Whaley, II, Ron Porter Williamson and the University of Alabama Sigma Nu Pledge Class of 1985.

Charles was born on September 11, 1964 in Lexington, Kentucky. He attended Charles Henderson High School in Troy, Alabama and then went on to earn his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama. He served our country in the Army Reserves until 1992. He was a partner with Harmon Dennis Bradshaw, Inc., a property & casualty insurance firm. In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 2416 West Cloverdale Park, Montgomery, AL 36106; Magic Moments, 2112 11th Avenue South, Suite 219, Birmingham, AL 35205; or The Jefferson Foundation-Uveal Melanoma Research Fund, Kimmel Cancer Center, 130 South 9th Street, Floor 17, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

Ben Kelley Strain ’36 – θ654

Mr. Ben Kelley Strain, 95, died Wednesday, August 28, 2013 at his residence after an extended illness. He attended Brewton City Schools and The University of Alabama. He played on the Freshman baseball team and was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, where he was commander of the chapter. He served the U.S. Army during World War II and he was a member of Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church. He was a wholesale lumber dealer and in the oil business for many years. He co-founded the Brewton Little League pr! ogram and was honored by the Brewton Chamber of Commerce as “Man of the Year.”

He served two terms on the Brewton City Council and was a charter member of the Brewton Country Club Association. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lenora Kelley Strain and Robert Hill Strain; his wife of 45 years, Margaret McQueen Strain; a daughter, Margaret Strain Green; a brother, Robert Hill Strain; his sisters, Willa S. Lovelace, Clair S. O’Neal and Laura S. Sanford; and his nephew, Edward McKenzie Lovelace.

He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Joann Rye Strain; his son, William Dudley (Barbara) Strain of Scottsboro; his daughter, Patricia Strain (Bill) Ringland of Birmingham; his grandchildren, Amy Strain (Steve) Creech, Lean Strain (Drew) Brambach and Kelley McQueen Strain, all of Huntsville, Andrew Calhoun (Carrie) Robinson Jr. of Nashville, Tenn., Kelley Ringland (William) Caine, Hill Ringland (Dan) Weathers, William Spencer Ringland Jr., all of Birmingham; stepchildren, Jerry Stallworth (Larry) Jarrett of New Albany, Miss. and Mary Stallworth (Michael) Higginbotham of Scottsville, N.Y.; three step grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren

Philip Banks ’46

Mr. Banks entered Chapter Eternal on September 2, 2012.  When he was 18, Philip enlisted in the Army’s 15th Air Corps’ 198th bomber group and flew 50 missions before the age of 20.  After graduating, Philip joined the family business, Banks & Co., as a partner.

Retiring at the age of 70, he dedicated his time to his church.  Philip was a resident of Eutaw, AL, and is survived by his wife of 58 years, Kathleen, their two children and two grandchildren.

Joe “Al” McCluney Jr. ’78

Mr. McCluney of Nashville, TN, entered Chapter Eternal on July 10, 2012 after a battle with cancer.  Al loved spending time with his family and friends, cooking and volunteering on various church committees.

He also served as a JV basketball coach at St. Edward School and was proud to carry the Father Ryan High School Relay for Life Survivors’ banner for three years.  Al is survived by his wife of more than 25 years, Laura and their three children.