Keenan was a tall, handsome African-American from Beaumont, Texas, who happened to be at the Microtel Inn in Saraland, Ala., while we were there on a tragic mission. Our daughter, Cherie Tardy of Mobile, had taken her own life, and Miss Peggy was shattered by the loss.  We were there for final arrangements, along with…

I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but the month of June will soon be at an end. Football season is drawing ever closer. This month is sneaking by and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The summer months are notoriously tough for me for a lot of reasons. I hate the dreaded heat that…

A few weeks ago I got an e-mail from a guy named Eric Spitznagel who said he was “working on a feature story for Bloomberg Businessweek about the rising popularity of Southern genteel culture.” He wanted to interview me. I was flattered. Spitznagel wrote that he was out to examine how “the more sophisticated aspects…

Weather-wise, this year has been unbelievable. In the cold of snow in January there were cracks about global warming. Then after a cool period there was no spring. Day after day of heat felt more like August than June. June 21 was the first day of summer–a date dear to my heart. I know many…

It has been whirlwind two years for Auburn coach Gene Chizik. Consider that just two short years ago he was the head coach at Iowa State saddled with a less than impressive 5-19 record. Yet Auburn came calling with a job offer, and Chizik couldn’t say goodbye to Ames, Iowa fast enough. He was on…

(GOLDRIDGE) The funeral for Jessie Gladys Walls Harden, 105, of the Goldridge community will be at 1 p.m., Tuesday, June 28, 2011, at Goldridge Baptist Church with the Revs. T. J. Morgan and Bobby Garner officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining church cemetery. Mrs. Harden died Sunday, June 26, at Roanoke Healthcare. Mrs. Harden…

(NEWELL) Funeral services for John Lovvorn Daniel, 92, of Newell will be at 2 p.m., Tuesday, June 28, 2011, at Benefield Funeral Chapel with the Revs. Stanley Owen and Gabe Robinson officiating. Burial will follow in Smyrna Baptist Church Cemetery. Mr. Daniel died Saturday, June 25, at Wedowee Hospital. Mr. Daniel was born Dec. 31,…

(ANNISTON) The funeral for Arthur Clellan Dodson, 80, of Anniston will be at 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at Harvest Church of God with the Revs. Jerry Irwin, Don Maddox and W.H. Ford officiating. Burial will follow at 10 a.m., Thursday morning at Anniston Memorial Gardens. Mr. Dodson died Saturday night, June 25, at…

(WADLEY) Charles E. Battle, 64, of Wadley died Wednesday, June 22, 2011, at his residence. The funeral will be at First Baptist Church, Wadley, on Monday, June 27, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. W.H. Trammell officiating. The remains will lie in state at the church one hour before the service. Burial will be in…

(DOUGLASVILLE, Ga.) Sallie Mae Bedingfield of Douglasville, Ga., died Friday, June 24, 2011. She was preceded in death by her husband William Robert “Boll Weevil” Bedingfield Sr. and is survived by her daughters, Martha “Cricket” Ransom and her husband, Steve, of Palmetto, Ga., and Cookie Rainwater and her husband, Terry, of Hogansville, Ga.; sons, James…

(DELTA) Funeral services for Opaline Rollins Childs, 75, of Delta will be Saturday, June 25, 2011, at 1 p.m. at Benefield Funeral Home in Lineville with the Rev. Zenus Windsor officiating. Burial will follow in the New Hope (West) Baptist Church Cemetery. Mrs. Childs died Thursday, June 23, at Clay County Hospital. A native of…

(WADLEY) Mr. Cozell Swint Jr., 62, of Wadley died Tuesday, June 21, 2011, at Palliative Care Unit in Birmingham. The funeral will be at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Wadley, on Saturday, June 25, at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Cornelius Reese Jr. officiating. The remains will lie in state one hour before the service. Burial…

(BOWDON, Ga.) George Prothro Sr., 49, of Bowdon, Ga., died Sunday, June 19, 2011. The funeral will be Saturday, June 25, at Oak Grove Worship Center in Newell, Ala., at 2 p.m. EDT. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Walker Funeral Home, Carrollton, Ga.    

(LINEVILLE) Memorial services for Marilyn Roberts, 42, of Lineville will be Saturday, June 25, 2011, at 6 p.m. at Mt. Gilead Community Church with the Revs. Jimmy Brand and Kevin Whaley officiating. Ms. Roberts died Friday, June 17, at her residence. A Tallapoosa County native, she had also lived in Randolph County before moving to…

(ROANOKE) The Rev. Charlie H. Carlisle, 60, of Roanoke died Tuesday, June 21, 2011, at his home. He was born June 22, 1950, to the late Lucious and Mattie Kate Carlisle Sr. in Chambers County. He was educated in the Chambers County School System and was employed with Roanoke City Schools. He was a member…

(LANETT) Funeral services for James Thomas “Buddy” Burke, 69, of Lanett will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 25, 2011, at Quattlebaum Funeral Chapel with the Revs. Mike Brewer, Sam Wood and Mark Dickinson officiating. Burial will follow in Rock Mills Cemetery. Mr. Burke died Thursday, June 23, at his home. Mr. Burke was…

(LITHONIA, Ga.) Laurie D. Hatcher, 49, of Lithonia, Ga., died Monday, June 20, 2011, at her residence. The funeral will be Friday, June 24, at 1 p.m. at Woods Memorial Missionary Baptist Church in College Park, Ga., with pastor Tony Mosely officiating. Burial will follow at Rehope Baptist Church Cemetery in the Doublehead community of…