John “Johnny” Shaffer 
Hartselle 
A private family gathering for John “Johnny” Shaffer, 81, was held Tuesday, 
August 23, 2022 at 3 p.m. at Hartselle First United Methodist Church with 
Peck Funeral Home directing. Mr. Shaffer died Friday, August 19, 2022 at his residence. He was born May 1, 1941, in Maryland, to Edwin Paul Shaffer and Isabel Sereno Shaffer. 
He was employed by IBM, for 25 years, as a system analyst and his passion 
for sports inspired him to found the National Fantasy Sports League in 
1990, which he continued to operate until his death. He dearly loved his 
family and friends, he was loved and will be missed by all that knew him. 
He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include wife, Kathi Armstrong Shaffer; sons, James Keith Shaffer, Mark Shaffer, and Steve Shaffer; daughters, Laurie Stebbins and Liana Shaffer Whelan; sister, Marcia Bridgford (Steve); cousin, Barre Sereno (Carol) and thirteen precious grandchildren.  

Billy Gene Childers
Eva
Funeral service for Billy Gene Childers, 85, was held Wednesday, August 24,
2022 at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Phillip Robinson and
Bro. Brandon Berry officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Burial was
in Macedonia Cemetery. Visitation was Wednesday, August 24, 2022
from 1-3p.m. at Peck Funeral Home. Mr. Childers died Sunday, August 21, 2022 at Cullman Regional Medical Center. He was born September 4, 1936 in Morgan County, to Monk Oliver (M.O) Childers and Vera Bernice Drinkard Childers. Billy and his wife, Sarah, were the owners of Childers Grocery for many years. He loved serving the Oden Ridge Community, farming and spreading the word of God to all that he met. Preceding him in death were his wife, Sarah Louise Phillips Childers, his parents, a son-in-law: Jeffrey Allen Webb, brothers: Laco Childers, Birlen Childers and O.Q. Childers and sisters, Ruby Childers Bailey, Susie Childers, Lizzie Childers Holmes and Bernice Childers Chesser. Survivors include son, Ricky Gene Childers (Lisa); daughters, Melinda Turrentine (Brad)
and Kathy Diane Childers Webb; sister, Angie Childers Veal; grandchildren, Kayla Caleah Webb Howse (Justin), Hunter Blaine Jordan, Olivia Noelle Turrentine and Brandon Lee Turrentine (Sara); great grandchildren, Landon Cole Howse and Preston Issac Turrentine. Pallbearers were Michael Childers, Benny Childers, Jimmy Holmes, Arvil
Bailey, Jackie Childers and Ricky Childers.

Sarah Sue (Brenner) Wigginton

Eva

Sarah Sue (Brenner) Wigginton, 72, of Eva, died Wednesday, August 17, 2022, at her residence. No services were scheduled at this time. Parkway Funeral Home is assisting her family. Guestbook available at www.parkwayfunerals.com.

Eddie Mango
Hartselle
Mr. Eddie Mango died Monday, August 22, 2022 at his residence. He was
born March 21, 1962, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, to Michael A. Mango
and Florence Snider Mango. He was employed by Max’s Transmission Shop,
doing auto body work. He loved his job, loved his family with all his heart,
enjoyed motorcycles and adored his pit bull “Blue.” He was preceded in
death by his parents. Survivors include sister, Lucy A. Watkins (Robert), Hartselle;
brother, Michael A. Mango, Jr. No services were scheduled at this time.

Elaine Veronica Hopper

Florence

Elaine Veronica Hopper died Aug. 25, 2022 in Florence at the home of her beloved niece, after a courageous life marked by generosity and eccentricity. Born the third of four sisters in Hamilton County, Ohio, on August 17, 1940, Ms. Hopper gave her life in service to those around her. The defining moments of her life occurred in her difficult childhood marked by illness and the stress of the Depression and war years. But she remembered to her last days the kindness of her beloved kindergarten teacher Mrs. Preston, finishing just weeks before she died a fictionalized account of the joy she had in Mrs. Preston’s classroom, titled “Have You Ever Whispered in a Giraffe’s Ear?” After kindergarten, Ms. Hopper attended various schools in and around Cincinnati, testing into the prestigious Walnut Hills High School before a family move required her to finish her K-12 education in the Miami-Dade County, Florida, school system. After high school, she joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Unfortunately, the residual effects of a childhood bout with polio necessitated an early honorable discharge from the Corps. Then at her mother, Veronica Rogers Hopper’s encouragement, Ms. Hopper attended LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia, where she trained to be a history teacher. She spent the first years of her professional life at Jordan High School in Columbus, Georgia, where she nurtured her students and encouraged them in their post-high school lives. During the Vietnam War, she corresponded with several former students who had been drafted into service, mailing them Playboy magazines. She figured if you had to go overseas to die for your country you should be able to look at scantily clad women if you wanted. When civil unrest in Cincinnati required her father to return to Ohio to maintain property, leaving her mother and younger sister alone at home, Ms. Hopper returned to Miami and finished her teaching career in the Miami-Dade system. She remained in Miami after retirement, volunteering at Shenandoah Elementary School, enjoying Friday night dinners with family, fellowshipping with her friends at the Silver Club of the First United Methodist Church, and knowing her dear neighbor Yvonne. In 2018, Ms. Hopper moved to north Alabama to be near her remaining sister in her sister’s final illness. After her move, Alabama relatives got the fun of joining “Aunt Laney” for Parcheesi games and jigsaw puzzles.

Throughout her life, Ms. Hopper was generous with her finances. A minimalist herself, she sponsored an orphan when she was in college and paid for her younger sister’s car. As she earned money through her teaching career, she bought cars for other family members as well and paid tuition for several nieces and nephews. These are just a few examples of her generosity. There would not be room, nor would Ms. Hopper want, for all her kindnesses to be listed. Suffice to say, if she had it, she was willing to give it away.

If she hadn’t been a teacher, Ms. Hopper easily could have been a novelist. She never met a story she couldn’t embellish and make better in the telling. There was nothing she liked better than hearing stories of other peoples’ lives, especially if they included an underdog overcoming adversity.
Though she struggled with forgiveness for those who cavalierly hurt others, she had a deep and abiding belief in God’s sovereignty over the earth and that He will prevail in His plan for humankind. She often quoted Longfellow, saying, “The wrong shall fail, the right prevail”—then in characteristic Laney fashion added a line of her own— “For God is ruler yet.” She liked to help God out by treating the discouraged to vacations and new school clothes, money for housing repairs, and fudge from the Punta Clara Kitchen in Point Clear, Alabama.

Ms. Hopper was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters, Carita Hopper Swanson Vonk, Effie Lou Hopper Lee and Merlene Charla Hopper; and one grandnephew, Aaron Blaine Lee. She is survived by her brother-in-law the Rev. A. Ray Lee of Hartselle, Alabama, nieces Laura Lee Myer of Hartselle, Alabama, Dr. Jennifer Lee Morris and her husband Scott of Florence, Alabama, nephews Clint (Deidra) Lee of Hartselle, Alabama, Mark Swanson and Paul Swanson of Miami, Florida, and John (Michelle) Swanson of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 16 grandnieces and grandnephews, and 1 great-niece and 4 great-nephews. The family wishes to thank Hospice of North Alabama, particularly Matt, Lisa and Michelle, for bringing joy into Ms. Hopper’s life in her final months.

The funeral was held Saturday, Aug. 27, at 10a.m. at Lebanon Baptist Church, Falkville, Alabama, where Ms. Hopper was interred in the church cemetery next to her sister Effie. Visitation with the family in the church fellowship hall followed the interment. Peck Funeral Home assisted with the directing. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Memorial Fund of Lebanon Baptist Church, 1255 Hwy 55 West, Falkville, AL 35622.

Dr. Larry Wayne Raper

Somerville
A graveside funeral service and interment, for Dr. Larry Wayne Raper, 73,
was held Saturday, August 27, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. at Roselawn Cemetery with Bro.
Jessie Banks officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Visitation was
Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 12p.m. to 2:30p.m. at Peck Funeral Home.
Dr. Raper died Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at Huntsville Hospital. He was
born June 11, 1949, in Morgan County, to John Franklin Raper and Luvercy
Francis Raper. He was employed by the Morgan County School System, as an Inclusion Teacher for SPE working primarily at A.P. Brewer High School, prior to his retirement. He was Baptist in his faith. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, John Jr., Ruby Raper and Irene Staggs. Survivors include wife of 52 years, Sandra Day Raper; sons, Shawn Raper (Kelley), Shane Raper (Julie) and John Raper (Alaina); five grandchildren, Jessie Banks (Jessica), Christopher Raper (McKayla), Kobe Raper, Maggie Raper and Carter Raper; one great granddaughter, Millie Banks; brother, Garry Raper (Linda)
Pallbearers were Gary Dobbs, Kenny Duke, Chris Raper, Kobe Raper, Carter
Raper and Keith Slater. Honorary pallbearers were Garry Raper, Ronnie Williams, Royce Turney, Jay Patterson, Tony Morgan, Joel Gurley and Gerrald Couey.

Ronnie G. Milligan
Decatur
A graveside funeral service and interment for Ronnie G. Milligan, 55, was
held Friday, August 26, 2022 at 3 p.m. at Forest Hill Cemetery with Bro.
Don Smith officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. No public visitation
was held. Mr. Milligan died Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at his residence. He was
born October 3, 1966, in Heidlelberg, Germany, to Derwood Milligan and Mary
Milligan Mason. He was employed in the construction industry, prior to his
passing. He was preceded in death by his father and a brother, Paul Heaps.
Survivors include daughter, Amory Milligan Freeman (Forrest); mother,
Mary Milligan Mason; brothers, Zachary Milligan and Merrel Mason (Serena);
niece and nephews, Danny Mason, Ronnie Mason, Sierra Binkley, Matthew Mason, Nicholas Heaps, Dylan Heaps, Zack Milligan and Josh Wilson. Family members served as pallbearers.

Lillian Shedd Hancock
Hartselle
Funeral service for Lillian Shedd Hancock, 93, was held Sunday, August 28,
2022 at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Walter Blackman
officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Burial was in Evergreen
Cemetery. Visitation was Sunday, August 28, 2022 from 2-3p.m. at Peck Funeral Home. Mrs. Hancock died Thursday, August 25, 2022 at Columbia Cottage. She was born March 24, 1929, in Franklin County, to Charles Shedd and Mary H. Williams Shedd. She was a member of East Highland Baptist Church in Hartselle. She was a cosmetologist for 47 years and was very devoted to her husband, her children and her grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her husband, William M. (Bill) Hancock, her parents, a daughter, Threasa Hancock Hogan Sandlin and several other brothers and sisters. Survivors include daughter, Suzanne Freeman (Robert); son, William Michael Hancock (Jean); six grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren. Pallbearers were Jackson Locklear, Noah Hogan, Parker Hogan, Kane Hogan, Austin Clemons, Coltrane Hancock and Zach Berry. Family wishes to express special thanks to Columbia Cottage for their wonderful care. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Brenda Brack

Decatur

Funeral service for Brenda Brack, 71 of Decatur was held Tuesday, August 30, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Brad Killough officiating with Peck Funeral Home directing. Burial was in Hartselle City Cemetery. Visitation was held Monday from 6-8p.m. at the funeral home. She was born April 2, 1951 in Morgan County to Roy B. Denson and Dona Robinson Denson. Brenda passed away August 26, 2022 at her residence. She was a member of Rural Grove Baptist Church. Brenda was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Donald Brock, two brothers, Royce Denson and Allen Denson. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend and she will be greatly missed. Survivors include two daughters, Brenda Lee Clay and Melissa Brack; brother, Billy Denson; sister, Sue Lindley; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren. Pallbearers were Lee Cook, Dalton Eskew and Audie McCollum.

Mavis Lelderine Lacey

Danville

Funeral service for Mavis Lelderine Lacey, 90 of Danville was held Monday, August 29, 2022 at 3 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Tom Campbell officiating with burial in Johnson Chapel Cemetery. The visitation was Monday held from 1-3p.m. at the funeral home. Mrs. Lacey was born April 17, 1932 in Morgan County to Leonard Leldon Long and Ruby McAbee Long. She passed away Friday, August 26, 2022 at Decatur-Morgan Hospital. She was a member of Johnson Chapel United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Odis Junior Lacey; daughter, Pat Hudgins; and son, Joe Lacey. She is also preceded in death by several brothers and sisters. Survivors include five sons, Buddy Lacey (Ruby), Jerry Lacey (Gloria), Tim Lacey, Mike Lacey (Ann), and Alex Lacey; 23 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Pallbearers were Buddy Lacey, Jerry Lacey, Tim Lacey, Mike Lacey, Alex Lacey and Jerry Betterton.

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