By Staff
July 21, 2005
Funeral for William Grady Christian, 89, of Neel was Saturday, July 23 at 2 p.m. at Walden Chapel Baptist Church with the Revs. Donald Crumpton and Wayne Voss officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing.
Burial was in Johnson Chapel Cemetery.
Mr. Christian died Thursday, July 21, 2005. He was born July 29, 1915, in Lawrence County to John Wesley Christian and Haughty Howell Christian. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Moore Christian, five sisters, Minnie Hill, Lily King, Aline Jackson, Annie Corum and Elizabeth Christian; and five brothers, Monroe, Louis, Lonnie, Luther and Leonard Christian. Mr. Christian was employed at Decatur Iron and Steel for 38 years until it closed and then retired at age 70 from Metco in Hartselle after working there for 12 years.
He was a faithful lifelong member of Walden Chapel Baptist Church where he was the oldest surviving member. He was a Sunday School teacher for 16 years and helped out in many other ways, from cutting grass to arranging his vacation so he could help with Vacation Bible School.
Mr. Christian was a hard worker and a generous person. He loved God, family, friends and gardening in that order. He enjoyed life but most of all he enjoyed sharing Jesus with other people.
He would often tell people he was a double-barreled Christian. "My name is Christian and I am a Christian," he would say. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Gladys McCormick Christian; a son, David Christian of Neel; a daughter, Joyce Christian Walker and husband Buddy of Neel; a sister, Clara Walden of Neel; two granddaughters, Kelly Walker Holladay of Neel and Kimberly Walker Young and husband Michael of Simpsonville, S.C.; four great- grandsons, Christian and Carson Holladay and Walker and Peyton Young; and a number of nieces and nephews and friends.
Pallbearers were Ronald (Bubba) McCormick, Delane McCormick, Michael Young, Steve Schrimsher, Windle Holbert and Hershel Clemons.
Honorary pallbearers were Bo McCormick, Tom Campbell, J.W. Franklin, Clinton Simmons, Nathan Hill and Clydis Christian.