Tuesday, March 31, 2009

MILDRED COBB JERNIGAN

AUGUST 11, 1921
MARCH 28, 2009

Mildred Cobb Jernigan passed away peacefully March 28, 2009. Mildred was born August 11, 1921 in Fountain, but lived most of her life in Bagdad, where she was a beloved care-giver for pretty much anybody who needed her. Mildred cared for her husband and children, her sister and mother, her nieces and nephews, her grandchildren, her great grandchildren, her church family and the elderly residents in the community. A fragile little woman with a will of iron, she was born to teach and spent her life modeling the values she believed in. She began teaching at Chumuckla school as soon as she graduated from Milton High and taught Sunday School lessons to generations of Bagdad children, directed Vacation Bible School, Easter Egg Hunts, and many Christmas programs featuring little shepherd boys in their daddy's bathrobes and little girls with tinsel halos. Every year, Mildred said, "Never again!" but she always fell in love all over again with those little angels and the story they would tell beneath the Bagdad version of the Star of the East, crafted by her husband Sike. Mildred was a loyal member of the Bagdad United Methodist Church where she sang in the choir, presided over the UMW, and dramatized the church's history so that no one could forget its legacy. Recognized as Volunteer of the Year and an Angel in Our Midst, Mildred was a loving, guiding presence who enriched all our lives.
Mildred was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Silas K. Jernigan, and her parents Mary Serena Olsen and Charles Lane Cobb.
Mildred is survived by special sister Anice Scott; her daughters Gayle (Mike) Cowley, of Bagdad, and Joy (Carl) Campbell who have just returned from Malawi, Africa; grandsons, Todd (Kim) Mooneyham of Milton, Brian (Madison) Mooneyham, of Charlotte, NC; Jeff Campbell, of Marietta, GA., Jeremy (Jenny) Campbell, of Brevard, NC., and Andrew Campbell, of Marietta, GA; granddaughter, Candice McCurdy, of Lawrenceville, GA; great-grandchildren, Samantha Jarman, Kaitlyn Mooneyham, Clayton Mooneyham, Destiny McCurdy, Zachary McCurdy, and Keaton Campbell; special nieces, Mary Ann Scott and Carol (Paul) Cash; brother-in-law, J.R. (Ruth) Jernigan; and sisters-in-law, Ruth Jernigan and Bonnie Jernigan.
Pallbearers will be Mildred's five grandsons and Lamar Whitaker.
The Reverends Harold Bordages, Gary Jones, and George McClure will officiate at services at 3 PM on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at the Bagdad United Methodist Church. Visitation will take place from 1 to 3 PM prior to services at the church. Friends may prefer to make contributions in Mildred's memory at the Bagdad United Methodist Church in lieu of sending flowers.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

RALPH M. LOCKETT

Ralph M. Lockett, age 71 of Pensacola, FL, died March 10, 2009 in Pensacola, FL.
He was a born and lived in Jay, FL for 53 years, and member of Pine Level Baptist Church. He was one of a kind whom everyone loved. Before his illness he was always helpful to his neighbors, and he loved his family. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Nellie and Ottis Lockett.
He is survived by loving wife of almost 50 years, Louise (Taylor) Lockett; and wonderful children, Theresa (Frank) Randall and Bobby Lockett; three grandchildren, Frank Randall, Jr. (Skip), Brittney (Nick) Malley, Brandon Lockett and three great-grandchildren, Frank Randall III, Alexis Malley, and Nick Malley, Jr.; four brothers, Glenn (Friend Linda), Randall (Sue), Gary (Wanda), and Doyce (Ann); three sisters, Wynell (Jimmy) Nelson, Christine (Robert) Hatfield, and Francis (Merlin) Edwards.
Funeral service will be held 2PM Friday at Pine Level Baptist Church with Rev. LaDon Hall officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. A visitation will be 1 hour prior to service.
Pallbearers are Joey Alan, Alan Edwards, Roger Lockett, Vince Hatfield, Ricky Nelson and Randy Lockett. Honorary Pallbearers are Roy Barnes, Dooley Cooper, Dicky Hual, Barky Kaiser, Mack Jones, Doyle Jones and Ferron Lunsford.
Jay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The Mom Song. [Lyrics on Screen+Download]

I just KNOW this mom is from Chumuckla!

country music legend and Grand Ole Opry star Hank Locklin has died he was 91 years old


Hank Locklin
HANK LOCKLIN

International country music legend and Grand Ole Opry star Hank Locklin, who soared to stardom with the mega country/pop hit Please Help Me I'm Falling and wrote the country classic Send Me The Pillow You Dream On passed away on Sunday March 8th. He was 91 years old.
Locklin had been a Brewton, Alabama resident since 1984 and was well known among the locals as a friend and were never a stranger after meeting the cordial performer.
One of country's greatest tenors, Locklin scored one of the biggest hits of the music's golden era with "Please Help Me, I'm Falling," which spent a remarkable 14 weeks at No. 1 and 30 weeks in the Top 10 in 1960. With that hit came membership into the Opry, an honor he maintained for the rest of his life. Locklin's other big hits included Geisha Girl, Let Me Be The One, Country Hall of Fame and Danny Boy. For nearly two decades Locklin recorded for RCA Records (1955-1974). Locklin helped usher in the famous 1950s-60s Nashville Sound, which also featured the likes of fellow performers Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline and The Browns. His legacy grew overseas helping to spread country music popularity to Japan, Germany and especially to Ireland, where fans took to his clear, crisp tenor voice and claimed Locklin as an adopted son.
He was born Lawrence Hankins Locklin in the piney northwest Florida community of McLellan. In later years, after gaining international popularity, he was nicknamed the Mayor of McLellan by television/radio personality Ralph Emery. The name stuck as Locklin maintained residence there on his 350-plus acre Singing L Ranch until moving to Brewton 25 years ago.
While he was born into a family that reared doctors and educators, Locklin discovered very early he was to be a performer. Hank was picking guitar for amateur contests in nearby Milton, Florida, by age 10. In his teens he was a featured performer on Pensacola radio station WCOA. For the next several years, he played with a variety of groups through the South and worked at various jobs in Florida, including farmer, ribbon mill hanker, and shipyard worker.
After World War II ended, his career started taking off, and he appeared on Shreveport's Louisiana Hayride and the Big D Jamboree in Dallas, Texas. He recorded briefly for Decca, and after meeting producer Bill McCall, Hank recorded for McCall's Four Star Records for five years. Hank scored his first Top 10 song in 1949 with "The Same Sweet Girls." Four years later, he had a No. 1 with "Let Me Be the One," and a recording contract with RCA Victor followed.
The next year started a string of hit singles, with "Send Me the Pillow You Dream On," which he wrote, "It's a Little More Like Heaven," "Geisha Girl," "Fraulein," "Why, Baby Why," and "Blue Grass Skirt." In 1960, the remarkable success of "Please Help Me, I'm Falling"—the song not only dominated the country chart that year, but crossed over into the Top 10 pop charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom—earned him membership in the Grand Ole Opry. It also introduced the slip-note piano style to country music through legendary pianist Floyd Cramer and was a major factor in creating the "Nashville Sound." Locklin remembers, "Chet played me the demo and Don Robertson (one of the co-writers) was playing that slip-note on the piano…I told Chet if we could get Cramer to copy that style, we'd have us a hit, and we did." The slip-note piano style was synonymous with Hank's recordings from20that point forward and considered his signature sound.
Many hits followed throughout the '60s, including "We're Gonna Go Fishin'," "Happy Birthday To Me," "Happy Journey," "Followed Closely by My Teardrops," "The Country Hall of Fame," "Danny Boy" and "Where The Blue Of The Night, Meets The Gold Of The Day." During this time, Hank pioneered the creation of concept albums in country music with releases such as Foreign Love and Irish Songs, Country Style. Hank is also credited with taking country music to unprecedented heights of popularity with International audiences throughout the 50's, 60's and 70's. In all, Hank has sold more than 15 million albums and received numerous industry awards from The Grand Ole Opry, BMI, ASCAP, Cashbox, Billboard and NARAS.
Long a favorite with Opry audiences, Hank returned to the studio in 2001 to record Generations in Song. Featuring long-time colleagues such as Dolly Parton and Jeannie Seely, newer friends and admirers like Vince Gill (who cites Hank as an influence) and Jett Williams. Recently, Hank recorded his 65th album, a gospel album, with an award winning cast of artists such as The Oak Ridge Boys, The Jordanaires, Gold City and Jeff & Sheri Easter.
Locklin is survived by his loving wife of thirty-nine years, Anita Locklin, his children Margaret Kent, Maurice Locklin, Beth Padgett, Nina Hendricks, Amy Alford, and Hank Adam Locklin, along with his beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Locklin was a member of Red Rock Lodge F. & A.M. in Munson, Florida, The Scottish Rite Bodies of Nashville, Tennessee and Hadji Shrine Temple in Pensacola, Florida.
Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, March 12th from 4:00pm-8:00pm at The First Baptist Church in Brewton, Alabama. Arrangements are being handled by Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Brewton, Alabama, (251) 867-4304. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Covenant Hospice 1023 Douglas Ave, #204, Brewton, Alabama 36426, (251) 867-6993, or The Opry Trust Fund, 2804 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN, 37214, (615) 871-5812.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Former Pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church

REV. JOE DIGMON
1934-2009
Joe was a retired minister of 42 years who loved God's word, his family and nature. He served in the United States Army and retired from Monsanto with 35 years of service.
Preceding Joe in death were his parents, Jimmie and Maude Digmon, a brother, James Digmon, 2 sisters, Lillian Houston and Gertie Ahern.
Survivors include his wife of 22 years, Gail Digmon, his sons, Mark Digmon (Tina) and Mike Digmon (Beverly), his stepchildren, Donnie Bell (Marisa), David Bell (Ramona) and Beverly Lincke (Shane), his grandchildren, Ashley, Morgan, Holly and Kelly Digmon, Brittany, Zac, Reid and Reagan Bell, Kaily and Kason Lincke, 1 brother, Ray Digmon, 2 sisters, Eula White and Dot Cooper and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, March 8, 2009 at Highland Baptist Church in Molino, Florida with Rev. Brian Calhoun and Rev. Nathan Brown officiating. Interment will follow at Serenity Gardens Cemetery in Atmore, Alabama.
The family will receive friends at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North-Cantonment on Saturday, March 7, 2009 from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm
In lieu of flowers the family has requested that memorials be made to Gideon?s International, P.O. Box 8190, Lakeland, Florida 33802 or The Florida Baptist Children?s Home.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North North 1000 Highway 29 South, Cantonment is in charge of arrangements.