Samuel Robert Hart Jr. (Bob) age 90 of Vestavia Hills Alabama passed away on July 12, 2017. Bob was a native of Birmingham graduating from Ensley High School in 1944 and he served in the Army during WWII. Bob graduated from the University of Alabama in 1949 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and began a 38 year career with the Southern Company until he retired in 1986. He held positions such as Assistant to the President of Alabama Power and retired as Vice President of Research and Environmental Affairs for Southern Company Services. He was married for 65 years to the former Corinne Donnelly Hart who preceded him in death in 2014. Bob is survived by a son Gary (Marcia) and a daughter Lisa Reynolds (Preston) as well as three granddaughters Leigh Hart Lehman (Gordon), Ashley Reynolds Nail (Cliff) and Lesley Reynolds and a great granddaughter Carson Nail.

Throughout his life Bob was a faithful Alumnus of the University of Alabama. He helped start the Capstone Engineering Society at the University and was its first Chairman. Bob was recognized as an Outstanding Alumni by the UA College of Engineering in 1979 and as a Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 1981. He was a huge fan of Alabama football. Bob was very involved in the community where he was President of the Birmingham Jaycees in 1959 and received the Vulcan Medal for his work with the Boy Scouts in 1966. Bob was a long time substitute Adult Sunday School teacher at Shades Mountain Baptist Church and a member of the Vestavia Historical Society.

The family will receive visitors on Sunday July 16, 2017 at Ridout’s Elmwood Chapel from 1:00 p.m. till 2:00 p.m. followed by a Chapel Service at 2:00 p.m. Mr. Hart established an endowed scholarship at the Big Oak Ranch and requests that in lieu of flowers any donations be made to the Big Oak Ranch, PO Box 507 Springville Alabama 35146 and that your donation be added to the Hart Family Scholarship

Larry Delano McNair passed away the Sunday morning on June 11th. Born in Georgia on the 21st of June, 1934, raised in Macon where he attended Lanier High, graduating from the Darlington School in Rome, Ga. After graduation from Georgia Tech, he enjoyed a successful career as a Chemical Engineer with Combustion Engineering, Alabama Power and the Southern Company. He is survived by his four children, Jennifer, Shannan, Jeff and Andrew. Many thanks to Georgia Hospice for their care and the Neptune Society for the aftercare services.

Mr. William Larry Orr of Birmingham, AL passed away on June 18, 2017. He graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School and the University of Alabama. He earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering and went to work at Boeing Aircraft in Huntsville, AL. He later went to work as a Civil Engineer at Southern Company Services in Birmingham, where he worked until his retirement. Mr. Orr was a devoted Christian man and was a member of Clearbranch United Methodist Church in Argo, AL. He was preceded in death by his parents, William J. Orr and Beatrice Barnett Orr, and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Marvin Funderburke and Mary Ellen Cain Funderburke. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Patricia Funderburke Orr, and his three sons Brian Orr (Sherry), Jonathan Orr (Sharon), and David Orr. He is also survived by his two grandchildren, Michael Orr and Heather Orr-Talbot (Sean). Other survivors include his sisters, Martha Orr Massey (Edwin) and Rita Orr Bishop; sisters-in-law, Cecelia Funderburke Brown (Micky) and Donna Funderburke McKinley (David) and brother-in-law Nathan Funderburke (Linda). Other family members who mourn his loss include many nieces, nephews, cousins, and his sweet dog, Callie.

Visitation was at Clearbranch United Methodist Church in Argo, AL at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 24, 2017. The funeral service followed at 11:00 am. where Mr. Orr was laid to rest at Jefferson Memorial Gardens East in Trussville, AL following the service. Larry was a kind and loving man who will be greatly missed by loved ones and friends. He was devoted to his family, and we all look forward to the day when we will be reunited in Heaven for eternity.

Published in The Birmingham News on June 23, 201

Lincoln – Memorial Service for Gerald Grainger, age 75, will be held Monday, June 19 at 1:00 p.m. at Pell City First United Methodist Church. Mr. Grainger passed away Friday, June 16, 2017. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Robia Malam. He is survived by his wife, Judy Grainger; daughters, Melissa (Russell) Krautheim, Amy (Harold Sr.) Shader; brother, Mark (Julie) Grainger; sisters, Marilyn White, Teresa (Fred) Fields; grandchildren, Harold Jr, Warren, Sierra, Joshua, Isabelle, Gabrielle. Gerald passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family. Gerald was a loving and devoted Husband, Father, Brother, Grandfather and Uncle. He was a faithful follower of God and was a member of Pell City First United Methodist Church. He was a Navy veteran and served his country well. Gerald was a friend to many and a steward of the community. He loved to travel and spend time with family and friends. We will love and miss him forever. Kilgroe Funeral Home – Pell City will direct the service 2219 2nd Avenue North Pell City, Al, 35125 205-338-3341.

Click here to view and sign his guest book.

We have a very interesting program scheduled for our next meeting on July 10, 2017. The presentation will be made by James Lowery about The Historic Birmingham Mineral Railroad — Past and Present. Here is a summary of the planned presentation:

People drive, walk, and bicycle every day in areas where the historic Birmingham Mineral Railroad (BMRR) ran throughout the Birmingham and surrounding areas without ever being aware that the BMRR was located in those places. Birmingham’s iron industry history is an important part of its overall history, and the BMRR was a significant part of that iron industry history. The network of rail lines that constituted the BMRR and its various branches transported the raw materials from the mines and quarries to the furnaces, coke from the coke ovens to the furnaces, and products from the various facilities to major rail lines that connected to points across the Birmingham area and beyond. In addition to the BMRR’s primary purpose as a Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company industrial railroad, L&N also provided regular passenger service on several of the major BMRR branches.

If the lengths of all 31 branches of the BMRR are added together, the BMRR was 253 miles long, which is the distance from Birmingham to Mobile! If the many sidings and spurs to the mines and facilities are added to that, the length would be well over 300 miles. This was a major railroad!

This presentation will describe the Birmingham Mineral Railroad (BMRR), will show maps and photographs from its steam engine era, will describe where it ran in the Birmingham area and where the former roadbed can still be seen, and will describe the BMRR Signs Project that is installing historic signs showing where the BMRR was located.

MEETING DETAILS:

When: Monday, July 10, 2017
Where: Inverness 42, Room 130
Board meeting: 11 a.m.
Dutch Lunch: 12:00 noon
General Meeting: 1 p.m.

We hope to see you all at the July meeting!