The family of Raymond Martin Garnem of Mountain Brook, Alabama, is saddened to announce his passing on August 22, 2021 at the age of 76. He was preceded in death by his parents, Elias and Josephine Garnem, and his brother Joseph Elias Garnem. He is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, Sonia Garnem; his daughters Claudette Garnem Aboujaoude (Paul) and Rania Garnem; his grandchildren, Michael Aboujaoude, Gabriella Aboujaoude, and Pascale Boackle (Leon); his brother Antwan Garnem (Zmorrod) and nieces Theresa Garnem, Lilian Anthony (Emil), and Jacqueline Semaan (Rami); his Aunt Juliette Zaidan (Joe); his in-laws, Samia Michael, Joseph Aboujaoude (Ziza), Nadia Aboujaoude, Bernadette Atieh, and Jacques Aboujaoude (Sylvia), and many great nieces and nephews, cousins, and extended family. He was also known as Gido (which means Grandfather in Lebanese).

Raymond came from Lebanon to the United States as a college student and attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). It was UAB where he obtained a Civil Engineering Degree. After obtaining his degree, he worked at Southern Company in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. He helped solve the problem that caused the Three Mile Island accident. He was one of the first founding members of the UAB soccer team. He was a Lifetime Member of the American Member of Civil Engineers. He received multiple awards for Outstanding Achievement from Gulf Power and Southern Company. He was a very talented and extraordinary Civil Engineer. Not only was he talented, but Civil Engineering was his passion. He worked until the day he was hospitalized.

He was very active in his church, St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church. He was on several committees at his church, a member of the choir, and helped with the Food Festival since it started 23 years ago. He was a member of the Order of St. Sharbel and a member of the Phoenician and Cedars Club of Birmingham, where he served in many office positions over the years. His hobby was gardening. In his younger years, he was a great soccer and tennis player and played on numerous teams. He was always ready to welcome and help people no matter what. He never met a stranger. He loved his family, his church, and his Alabama football team, Roll Tide Raymond. The Funeral arrangement shall be on Thursday, August 26, 2021 at St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church at 836 8th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205. Due to COVID concerns, there will be a Rosary at 10:00 am for family with a Funeral Liturgy Mass for family and friends at 10:30 am, followed by a Burial Service at Elmwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, family is requesting donations to St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church, St. Elias Sponsor of a Lebanese Family, or St. Jude.

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Larry Eugene Blythe, 67, of Clay, Alabama passed away on Aug 12, 2021.
Larry graduated from Hewett Trussville High School and retired from Southern Company as an Electrical Designer. He was a 32nd degree Mason, loved reading and studying history and the Bible. He also loved his home and the peace and quiet he found there.

Larry was known to his many friends as a scholar, an honest, kind and gentle man. He loved playing his guitars and talking about them with his close friend Joe Kenwright. He loved all animals, especially dogs.

Larry’s quick wit and delightful storytelling ability was well known to friends and neighbors. He was a good neighbor and a friend who could be depended on, to help, when help was needed.

He is predeceased by his father and mother Woodrow and Wilma Blythe and wife Paula. He leaves behind his brother, Stan Blythe and his wife Alma, his nephews Jeremy and Bobby Blythe and their mother Linda. Also, he will be dearly missed by long-time close friend LaVon Fabian.

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Randall Earl Rush, 73, of Guntersville, Alabama, died on August 12, 2021, after a courageous battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

He was born to George Earl and Clarice McKenzie Rush on January 14, 1948, in Scottsboro, Alabama. He played basketball on the Section High School team where he served as captain on the 1966 team and was all-county, all-area, and all tri-state. Randall attended Auburn University where he graduated with a degree in chemical engineering. He later obtained a law degree from the Birmingham School of Law.

Randall retired in 2015 from Southern Company, where his legacy of technical ingenuity and leadership excellence lives on across the utility industry. Known as a trailblazer who challenged himself and those around him, he was committed to achieving outstanding results and motivated his teams to do the same. Randall joined Southern Company in 1973 as was one of the research and development organization’s first chemical engineers. In the early days of the Clean Air Act, Randall pioneered the company’s scrubber program. His research directly led to a critical Southern Company “Big Bet” – to build scrubbers from plastic. His research on other environmental control technologies, such as selective catalytic reduction, also formed a foundation for the entire industry. Randall guided Southern Company’s early development of liquid solvent-refined coal in Wilsonville, Alabama, under the Department of Energy’s Clean Coal Technology Program. This led to the establishment of the Power Systems Development Facility in 1990– the precursor of the National Carbon Capture Center, in Wilsonville, Alabama. Randall’s unique vision was instrumental in the development and pilot demonstration of the first-of-a-kind Transport Integrated Gasification technology.

Randall is remembered for his booming voice, his magnetic presence, and his drive to discover solutions. He cared deeply for his team, was devoted to his family, and loved hunting and fishing.

He is survived by his wife Carreen Webb Rush; his children Katherine Rush Weitzman (Tedd Weitzman), Anna Elizabeth Ciaccio, Amanda Gibson (Sarah Fricke), Bradley Gibson (Diane Lee Williams King), and Caitlyn Jones (Daniel Payne). He also leaves behind his siblings, Reverend Ricky Max Rush (Pat Kirby Rush) and Cheryl Rush Rhodes; his grandchildren, Ava Stuart Ciaccio, Jackson Oliver Ciaccio, Asher Violet Weitzman, Elizabeth Shook Weitzman, and Arthur Edward Weitzman. He is predeceased by his parents, George and Clarice Rush; his brother, Barry Rush, and his son, Michael Stuart Rush.

Services will be held Monday, August 16,at 11 a.m., at Union Grove Number One Missionary Baptist Church in Albertville, Alabama. Visitation will be 9:30-10 a.m. for family, 10-11 a.m. for friends at the church. The church is located at 1189 Rice Mill-Chavers Rd, Albertville, Alabama 35951. Friends are invited to attend the internment service at 2 p.m.at the Dutton United Methodist Church, 136 Church Circle, Dutton, Alabama 35744.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alabama Wildlife Federation in memory of Randall Rush for the Outdoor Education Center, www.alabamawildlife.org.
Out of an abundance of caution, masks are encouraged and will be available for use at both venue locations.

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John Michael Paganelli died at his home on August 6, 2021 in Trussville, Alabama surrounded by family, following a 2 year fight with pancreatic cancer. John was born January 6th, 1947 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the eldest child of Mike and Irene Paganelli. He was raised in Cincinnati, and graduated from Purcell High School. During those early years of being the oldest 8 siblings, John developed his hard working, loving, competitive, and childish spirit. John served in the United States Air Force from 1966-1970, then completed his Masters degree in Mathematics from Auburn University. He moved to Birmingham and had a 26 year career with Alabama Power (Southern Company Services), where he forged lifelong relationships with co-workers. He could be seen running down fly balls for the company softball team, grabbing a select few coworkers for a conference room meeting to watch Young Frankenstein, or even performing as the “Church Lady” at work functions. John cherished his family, friends, golf, and reading.
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Kevin Fredrick White, age 64, of Shelby, Alabama, but formerly Alabaster, passed away on Friday, July 30, 2021 surrounded by his family.

He was born in Minnesota on June 30, 1957 to Kenneth and Zelma White. Kevin is preceded by his father, Kenneth.

Kevin is survived by his wife of 40 years, Sue; daughters, Jennifer White Cottingham (Kess), Sarah White Kendrick (Jonathan) and Jaime White; grandchildren, Lacey Kate and Beau Lathan Cottingham; mother, Zelma; siblings, Steve White (Barb), Sue White Orvis, Jeri White.

Kevin loved Jesus with his whole heart and valued scripture. He loved his family and friends and was also a lover of dogs. He just wanted everyone to be happy and is known as “the peacemaker.”  His hobbies include all things nature (the weather, bird watching and the night sky), sports (Roll Tide!), science and how the world works and working with his hands and remodeling various aspects of his home. He was in the process of fulfilling two life dreams—reconstructing his own home on the lake for Sue.

On Saturday, August 7, we will gather for a Celebration of Kevin’s Life at 2:00 p.m. with the visitation starting at 1:00 p.m. at Charter Funeral Home.

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