Mr. Richard ‘Dick’ Quinn of Birmingham, AL went to be with the Lord on Friday, February 2nd, 2024, surrounded by his loving family.
He was born in Springfield, VT on December 30th, 1937. After his family moved to Birmingham, he graduated high school from Riverside Military Academy in Florida. He went on to earn a Business degree from Auburn University. After graduation, he served in the Alabama Air National Guard. He earned the Real Property Administrator and Facilities Management Administrator certifications from the Building Owner and Managers Association. He worked for Southern Company, and later retired from Vulcan Materials.

After finding the Lord, Dick became an active member of Valleydale Church. He was also actively involved with the American Cancer Society, and Oak Mountain Ministries.

Dick is preceded in death by his parents, Lemmie and Audrey Quinn. He is survived by his loving wife, Diane Quinn. He is also survived by his children, Rusty, Zandi, Terri, and Samantha; 2 brothers, Donald and Larry; and 10 grandchildren, Jordan, Erika, Joshua, Emily, Elyse, Jack, Justin, Cade, Izzy, and Arlington.

Funeral services to be held at Valleydale Church on 2324 Valleydale Road in Birmingham, AL on February 8th, 2024. Visitation 10:00 – 11:30. Funeral 11:30 – 12:30.

Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Click here to link to the funeral home obituary.

Its that time of year where we need all members to update their membership information and pay their yearly dues. You will soon or should have already received your 2024 membership renewal form in the mail.  Please fill in that form and mail it with your payment to Dora Brandt at the address shown – or if you prefer, you may make your payment on-line by clicking the Payments link here or above in the menu.

If you pay on-line, we still need your membership information, so please Email a copy of your completed form to Dora Brandt at [email protected]. You can either fill in the form by hand and mail it, scan and Email it, or edit the .pdf file using your Adobe .pdf editor, save it to your computer and attach it to an Email to Dora.

Here is a link to a copy of the 2024 membership renewal form.

Membership renewals and payments are due by March 29, 2024.

Note that there are several catagories of membership as discussed on the form and repeated below. Please pay the amount approriate for your level of membership. Most members should pay the regular member $20.00 rate (inside the Birmingham area):

2024 SCS/SNC Retirees Membership Qualifications & Dues:
(Note: Employees retiring after September 2023, the 2024 dues are NOT required.)

1. Regular Members –
   • Employees retired with pension or long-term disability – Dues $20.00
   • Employees retired with pension or long-term disability living outside (more than 50-mile radius) of the Birmingham area. – Dues $10.00

2. Associate Members:
   • Spouse of a dues paying Regular Member No dues required
   • Surviving spouse of a deceased Regular Member – Dues $10.00

3. Honorary Members: Employees retired with a pension or long-term disability who are physically unable to participate. – No dues required

Thank you!

Dennis Spencer Read, USN (Ret.) 86 was born February 17, 1937 in Everett, Washington, and died January 25, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Dennis lived in Alaska, Washington, and California before moving to Hawaii, where he graduated from Hilo High School in 1955. He received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy through the enlisted Naval Reserve Program. At USNA he earned his varsity letter in fencing and sailing, graduating with the class of 1959. He was further trained as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer and attended the Naval Postgraduate School, where he earned his MS in Operations Analysis.

One year after graduation, returning from his first deployment in the Pacific, he hurried east to marry Donna Josephine Blair on June 25,1960. Throughout their marriage, Donna was his supportive and loving life-mate.

During the next 25 years Dennis served on a series of ships: a destroyer, the USS Enterprise twice, a cruiser, 2 fast frigates, commanding the USS Ouellet and as the commissioning Commanding Officer of the USS Arkansas. It was during that command that he entered into a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and became a born-again Christian

After retiring from the Navy in 1984, he worked in Georgia Power’s nuclear division, Atlanta, Georgia, later relocating to Vidalia, Georgia, where he served on the management staff of their nuclear-powered generating station. Next, as a General Manager he went to Southern Nuclear Corporate headquarters, Birmingham, Alabama.

In 2000 he retired from Southern Nuclear and moved with Donna to Nairobi, Kenya, to serve with Rafiki Foundation and Bible Study Fellowship International (BSF). There he was the construction manager and first director of a Rafiki Orphanage. In 2005, he began to work full-time with BSF serving in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Retiring from BSF in 2012, and returning to Birmingham, he remained active in the church, BSF, local Bible Studies and other charitable organizations. Through it all God continued to teach Dennis the importance of gratitude. He was truly grateful for all God had given him: a caring wife, children, grandchildren, friends, and a deep appreciation for God, His Word, His creation and short -term opportunities to help Rafiki in Uganda and Malawi.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 63 years, Donna Blair Read. His children: Holly (Read) and Mick Larrabee; Le Dung and Thi Truong; Drew and Michelyn (McClure) Read: Joseph Mbabu. His grandchildren: Tyler, Ryan, and Dylan Larrabee; Tate Truong; Tristan and Sutton Read.

Services will be held on Sunday, 4 February at 4 pm at Saint Peter’s Anglican Church, (3207 Montevallo Rd., Birmingham, Alabama) with interment at Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dennis’s memory may be made to St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Bible Study Fellowship International, Rafik Foundation, or Paul Anderson Youth Home.

Click here to link to the AL.COM obituary.

Jim Garner, of Birmingham, Alabama, passed away at the age of 73 on January 20, 2024. He was born on January 8, 1951, in Lipscomb, Alabama. He attended Jones Valley High School, Class of 1969. He was a proud Eagle Scout of Troop 55, Boy Scouts of America. He worked at Southern Company for 41 years.

Jim graduated from the University of Alabama in Mechanical Engineering. He received his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Jim was loved by many and will be dearly missed.

Jim was predeceased by Malcolm B. Garner Sr. and Thelma D. Garner. He is survived by his best friend, Carol Garner, and his two sons: Greg Garner and Wesley Garner. He is also survived by his two brothers: Malcolm Garner Jr. and William Garner.

Visitation will be January 30, 2024, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Jefferson Memorial Gardens South.

Published by AL.com (Birmingham) from Jan. 26 to Jan. 27, 2024.

Click here to link to the AL.COM obituary.

Anthony Joseph Niemzak, age 99, passed onto his heavenly father on January 18, 2024. He was born in Philadelphia PA in 1924, the youngest of 9 children and the son of Antoni and Victoria Niemczak. He grew up working on the family farm, but as he said, one of his great blessings was getting a scholarship to a community trade school. After graduation he served in the Navy as a Machinist First Class during WWII. He then enrolled at the University of Alabama thanks to the GI Bill. It was at the University that he met Ollie Lee Cornelius who later became his wife and the love of his life. After graduation, he worked at the Tennessee Valley Authority and Southern Company as a civil engineer and structural designer for nuclear electrical generation plants.

Tony loved his family and went above and beyond to help and encourage them, whether it was hanging pictures or supporting educational advancement. He was a man that did not like being still, even to his last day. He introduced his children to the joy and adventure of traveling and seeing the world beyond their own front door. He encouraged his children and grandchildren to take advantage of every opportunity provided by our great educational system. Due to his encouragement, his children have experienced great satisfaction in their chosen careers. His family will sorely miss his loving, strong, and caring presence.
Tony was preceded in death by his wife Ollie Lee Cornelius, son Kenneth Edward Niemzak, granddaughter Tiffany Lee Niemzakm and all his siblings. He is survived by his son Michael Anthony Niemzak (Beverly), daughter Janice Niemzak Cotton (Jim); grandchildren Nicole Janice Grigsby (Tim), Mallory Niemzak Johnson (Brett), Anthony Kenneth Niemzak, and Kathryn Lee Cotton; great grandchildren Ellie Jade Grigsby, Ember Storm Grigsby , Curren Birch Johnson, Lucy Kate Beasley, William Brooks Spencer, and Bethany Lynn.

Family and friends visitation will be held at Ridouts Trussville Chapel Saturday January 20 from 1:00-2:00 PM with a service following. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to Lawson State Community College Established Scholarship Fund. Special thanks is extended to staff at St. Martins in the Pines, Affinity Hospice, Always Best Care and UAB Palliative Care for the loving care they extended to Tony.

Click here to link to the AL.COM funeral home obituary.