Wilbur Clemmer “Clem” Matlock, 72, Born May 2, 1945, a long-time resident of Clay, Alabama and member of Clay United Methodist Church went to be with our Lord on Tuesday, January 23, 2018. He grew up in Palmerdale, AL and graduated from Tarrant High School in 1963. He was preceded in death by his wife Joan, his parents, Wilbur and Irene Matlock and his sister Myra Lee Adams. He is survived by his children, Jane (Derek), Jimmy (Janet), and Jennifer (David), his grandchildren Kyle (Whitney), Nicole, Ryan, Noah, Daniel, Rachel, and great-granddaughter Madison. He is also survived by his sister Ruth (Milton) and a host of nieces and nephews. Clem loved his family, his church family and his work family. Next to his family and friends, work was his passion. He truly loved his job. He worked for Southern Company Services as a Mechanical Design Engineer from the time he was married in 1965 until he retired in 1999. After 2 years of retirement, he went back as a contract worker. He was loved and respected by all he worked with, as a person and for his amazing knowledge and ability for his job. When he was finally unable to work in 2016, he greatly missed being able to do the job he loved so much. Services will be held on Friday, January 26, 2018 at 12 PM at Clay United Methodist Church, visitation will be from 10 AM to 12 PM with services to follow. Graveside service will be immediately following the service in the adjoining cemetery. In Lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Clay United Methodist church in his memory.

Check out our new Gallery Page now included on the web page menu. In it you will find some fascinating old departmental photographs from the past.

Select the Gallery menu option above or click here to view the Gallery.

Thanks to John Brandt for scanning these old photographs!

Robert Harold Jackson Sr., 77, died Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 at his home in Oneonta, Alabama. Bob was born on August 2, 1940, to John L. and Ona (Maxwell) Jackson in Iuka, Mississippi. He graduated from Sheffield High School in Sheffield, Alabama, and attended Florence State College (UNA) on a football scholarship. He later earned an MA in Education from the University of Oklahoma and an MBA from the University of West Florida. Bob was a decorated Army officer, an airborne ranger who earned a silver star, six bronze stars (two for valor), a purple heart, and many other military awards. Bob served three combat tours, first in the Dominican Republic, where he helped start a church that exists to this day, and then twice in Vietnam. Because of Bob’s exceptional leadership and his company’s outstanding combat record, journalist John Lawrence was embedded with him during his second Vietnam tour, filming the 1970 CBS Emmy Award Winning Documentary, The World of Charlie Company. Eight years later, reporter Bruce Morton followed up with a sequel, Charlie Company at Home. Bob was also featured in John Lawrence’s 2002 bestselling memoir, The Cat from Hue.

Bob medically retired from the Army in 1976. After treatment and convalescence, he began a second career with Southern Company at Gulf Power in Pensacola, Florida. He moved to Birmingham in 1995 and provided executive leadership in the Human Resources area for 15,000 Southern Company employees. A life-long faithful Christian, he was a member at Lester Memorial Methodist Church, where he taught Sunday School and served terms both as a trustee and chairman of the trustees. Bob is survived by his wife Betty (Grissom) Jackson, son Robert Harold Jackson Jr. and Julie (Webb), daughter Joshilyn (Jackson) Winn and Scott, and grandchildren John Daniel Jackson and Claire (Hovater) Jackson, Erin Virginia Jackson, Samuel Jackson Winn, and Maisy Jane Winn. He was preceded in death by his brother, John Michael.

A memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 20th, at 3 PM, at Ridout’s Valley Chapel, 1800 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, AL. The family will receive visitors there from 2 PM until the time of service. Bob will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Army Emergency Relief Fund and Scholarship America

Our next meeting will be on Monday January 8, 2018. Our speaker will be Coach Jack Crowe, currently working with UAB and former coach at Jacksonville State, Arkansas, and Auburn.  

TOPIC:   What makes a Winning Program/Character, with UAB Football update.   He will emphasize how we retirees can influence the younger generations to be winners with good character.

MEETING DETAILS:
When: Monday, January 8, 2017
Where: Inverness Building 42, Room 130

Board Meeting: 11 a.m.
Lunch in the Cafeteria at Noon
General Meeting and Presentation: 1 p.m.

See you there!

We are sorry to announce that Ed Williamson passed away on Dec. 24, 2017. Ed was given the gift of life in 1924 – May 17, in Baker, Florida, and on Christmas Eve 2017, he had to give it back. But he was an extraordinary man who led a charmed existence, and for this he was grateful. He decided to be joyful about having had a full life, rather than sad he had to die. His faith in God and love of family helped him accept what he could not change. He died at peace. And on that upbeat note, he took his leave of apartment 91 at Azalea Trace Retirement-Life Community in Pensacola, Florida, our revolving world, our sun, the moon, that weekly breakfast at Waffle House, and the memory of his daughter’s hand in his.

Ed graduated from Baker High School in 1943, and promptly joined the Army Air Corps – all 128 pounds of him. That was his first Pullman car ride. His second Pullman car ride took him to flight school and America’s Flying Fortress, the B-17 – the pivotal event in his life.

America’s G.I. Bill opened the door to further education and a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Tennessee (Martin) in 1949, the very year he secured employment with Gulf Power Company in Pensacola. Following a transfer to Birmingham in 1965, Ed experienced a meteoric rise with Southern Company Services (Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, and Mississippi Power) culminating with his appointment as Senior Executive Vice-President. Early retirement in 1988 gave him time to backpack in the Smoky Mountains, ski in Colorado, fly his Piper Comanche, and travel to 29 foreign countries.

Ed authored three books: My Autobiography, Wild Tales of the Blue Yonder, and Essays, Odds and Ends. In his own words: “To my country, to my family, to my business associates, to my service time associates, and to my many other friends and acquaintances, I will be eternally grateful for all the help you gave me – you made it all possible – and enjoyable.”

Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Esther; siblings, Roland and Charles, and an infant brother; and his wives, Mary Agnes Jones and Betty Jo Bradley Givens. He is survived by brothers, Jack (Janet) Williamson of Clinton, Utah, and Frank Williamson of Crestview, Florida; and his daughter, Rebecca Ann (Dr. Tino) Ballesteros, Jr., of Celebration, Florida.

A Celebration of his Life will be held at Whitehurst-Powell Funeral Home Chapel in Crestview, Florida, on Thursday, 1/4/18, at 11a. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to “Ed Williamson Scholarship Endowment” online through University of Tennessee at Martin www.utm.edu/giving or 731-881-7626.

Arrangements are entrusted to Whitehurst Powell Funeral Home in Crestview. Guest book and condolences are available online at www.whitehurstpowellfuneralhome.com