Shirley Bishop Allred

Shirley Bishop Allred died Friday, August 20, 1999, at Medical Center East.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m., Monday, August 23, 1999, at the Chapel of Jefferson Memorial in Trussville, Ala. Burial followed at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Trussville with Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home of Trussville directing. Dillard Funeral Home in Brundidge was in charge of local arrangements.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry Arless and Ina Verdie Bishop of Cleveland, Ala.

She was a faithful member of Dewey Heights Baptist Church and was a loyal employee of Amerex Corp. in Trussville, Ala. for 21 years.

Survivors include her devoted husband, Eugene Allred of Pinson, Ala.; daughter and son-in-law, Donna & Chris Valentine of Knoxville, Tenn.; son and daughter-in-law, Rev. Cliff and Debbie Allred of Brundidge, Ala.; daughter and son-in-law, Deborah and Shane Hobson and grandchildren, Kimberly, Alex and Shayna of Remlap, Ala.; sister, Reba Tidwell of Cleveland, Ala.; and a host of extended family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the seminary scholarship fund at Salem Baptist Church in Brundidge, Ala.

Visitation was held Sunday, August 22, 1999, at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home in Trussville, Ala.

Vannie Lillian McLure

Vannie Lillian McLure, 77, of Andalusia died Sunday, August 22, 1999, at Baptist Medical Center, Montgomery.

Graveside services were held at 3 p.m., Monday, August 23, 1999, at Bethel Cemetery in Banks, Alabama, with Dillard Funeral Home of Troy directing.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel E. McLure.

Survivors include brothers, Dr. William P. McLure of Iowa City, Iowa; Ralph E. McLure of Marianna, Fla.; Frank H. McLure of Troy; sisters, Helen Park of Macon, Ga.; Betty Drew of Macon, Ga.; Mary Alice Jump of Dalton, Ga.; and sister-in-law, Louise McLure of Macon, Ga.

Visitation was held between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., Monday, August 23, 1999, at Dillard Funeral Home of Troy.

Thomas William Parish Sr.

Thomas William Parish Sr., 91, of Clayton died Friday, August 20, 1999, at Wiregrass Medical Center in Geneva.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Sunday, August 22, 1999, at the Clayton United Methodist Church with Rev. Ben Bradley, former minister, officiating. Masonic rites and burial followed in Clayton City Cemetery with Kent Funeral Home of Clayton directing. Born March 28, 1908 in Clayton, he was the son of the late Joseph Edward Parish and Lucy Walker Parish of Clayton.

He was a member of the Clayton Rotary Club, Royal White Hart Lodge #10 in Clayton, the Barbour County Democratic Executive Committee of which he had been a member since 1952, and the Clayton United Methodist Church. He was a charter member of the Clayton Rotary Club when it was chartered in 1946 and served as the club president for three terms . He was pinned as a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International on August 20, 1979. 20 years to the date of his death. He was a former worshipful master of the Royal White Hart Lodge and a former past chairman of the county Democratic Executive Committee. He also was a member of the Alcazar Shrine Temple in Montgomery.

He served some 30 years on the Town of Clayton council having been elected when he was 24 years of age making him the youngest person to be elected to the town council. He served as president of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce in 1979.

A retired Clayton businessman, Parish operated J.E. Parish mercantile business in Clayton until he opened the John Deere dealership in Clayton in 1939. He served as a past president and former director of the Alabama Farm and Power Equipment Association and received the Association’s Dedication Award in 1988.

After retiring from the farm equipment business, he joined his wife, the late Bertie Gammell Parish, who was editor and publisher of The Clayton Record, to assist with the newspaper business. He remained active in the business as long as his health permitted.

Mr. Parish was a veteran of World War II having served in the United States Army during which time he was at Ft. Belvoir. He also served as chairman of the Barbour County OPA. He is a 1928 graduate of Auburn University and became a member of the Auburn University Alumni Association’s Golden Eagle Club in 1987. He also served as a scout master with the Boy Scouts of America in Clayton for a number of years.

In April 1999, his son-in-law, Rep. William Martin Beasley, sponsored a resolution in the Alabama House of Representatives commending Mr. Parish for his "outstanding community service."

He is survived by one daughter, Rebecca Parish Beasley, mayor of Clayton; two sons, Joseph Edward Parish, also of Clayton, and Dr. Thomas William Parish Sr. of Geneva; six grandchildren, Edna Elane Parish Gulledge of Jacksonville, Fla.; Joseph Edward Parish Jr. of Montgomery; Lucile Martin Parish of Columbus, Ga.; Thomas Frank Kelly Jr. of Pike Road; Rebecca Parish Kelly Folmar of Clayton and Thomas William Parish III of Geneva; and three great-grandchildren, Paul and Angela Gulledge of Jacksonville, Fla. and Lauren Meadows Parish of Montgomery.

Active pallbearers were his grandsons, Joseph Edward Parish Jr., Thomas Frank Kelly Jr., and Thomas William Parish III, his son-in-law, Rep. William Martin Beasley, Paul Gulledge and Sam Davis Folmar III, husbands of his granddaughters.

Honorary pallbearers were members of the Clayton Rotary Club, Royal White Hart Lodge #10 and the Barbour County Democratic Executive Committee.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to be made to the Clayton Rotary Club, Clayton Rescue Squad, Royal White Hart Lodge #10, or the Clayton United Methodist Church Chime Fund.