Newell, Herbert M., Jr., age 75, of Fayette, Alabama,
died October 9, 2000,
at a Medical Center in Tuscaloosa. Services will be at
Fayette First Baptist
Church on Thursday, October 12, at 11 a.m., with Dr.
Glen Weekly and Rev. Jim
Ham officiating. Burial will follow in the Fayette City
Cemetery. The body
will lie in state at the church from 10:30 to 11 a.m.
Survivors include his
wife, Jeanie (Patterson) Newell; a son, Herbert M. Newell,
III and
daughter-in-"love", Susan Goins Newell of Tuscaloosa;
a grandson, Herbert M.
Newell, IV of Tuscaloosa, who attends Samford University
in Birmingham; three
sisters, Wanda Gernhofer of Hedgeville, West Virginia,
Edith Woodson of
Knoxville, Tennessee, and Nita (Mrs. Roy) Hayes of Bradenton,
Florida; a
step-sister, Jo (Woodson) Faulk; a step-brother, Bill
Woodson, of Alexander
City; and several nieces and nephews. Born June 20, 1925
in Evergreen,
Conecuh County, Alabama, to Herbert M. Newell, Sr. and
Mabel Fallin Newell,
he received his education in Clanton, Alabama. In December
1942 at the age of
17 he joined the U. S. Navy during World War II to serve
in the South Pacific
until June 1946, continuing to serve in the Naval Reserve
for several years
thereafter. After being honorably discharged he graduated
from the Birmingham
Business College with a major in accounting. On May 28,
1949, he married his
first and only love, Jeanie Patterson of Fayette. He
joined the Fayette First
Baptist Church in October 1949, later to be ordained
deacon on September 10,
1952. His last term as deacon ended just before his death
in September 2000.
He also served the church and Christ in many other capacities.
He was a
member of the Alabama Baptist Historical Commission for
many years, serving
as president for one two-year term. At the time of his
death he was serving
as the vice president for District IX of the Alabama
Baptist Historical
Society. He worked at Golden Eagle Syrup Manufacturing
Co., Inc., serving as
the secretary and treasurer until July 1986. For a long
period he worked part
time for the Fayette Gas and Water Boards as bookkeeper
and various other
business. He was responsible for renumbering city streets
and establishing
911 emergency addresses for the City of Fayette. In 1972,
he was elected as a
councilman of the City of Fayette, an office which he
held until he retired
from service in 1992. He served as a member of the West
Alabama Planning and
Development Council until 1996, serving as chairman for
one term. In 1984 he
received the David Cochran Award from the council in
recognition of his many
years of service to Fayette County and West Alabama.
He was active in many
state and regional genealogical societies. He co-authored
eight books with
his wife, including the large volume "History of Fayette
County, Alabama". He
was a husband, father, grandfather, public servant and
great friend, but
first and foremost he was a devoted follower of Jesus
Christ. He leaves a
remarkable legacy for his family--but all he would want
to be known about his
life is that "Jesus is Lord." Pallbearers are Stewart
Greene, Jimmy Trice,
Mike Freeman, Barry Eads, Ed Bartholomew, and Johnny
Fulmer. Honorary
pallbearers are the Deacons of Fayette First Baptist
Church, and the police
and fire departments of the City of Fayette. Nelson Funeral
Home directing.