Category: 1970s

Edward Laurance Womack, 73, passed away on August 7, 2026.

Ed was the son of Edward McCormick Womack and Laura Frances McArthur Womack and grew up with his sisters, Lynda, Jenny, and Susan. His father’s career took the family through Georgia, Alabama, and Florida before they eventually settled in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Athletics were an important part of Ed’s early life. He was a talented high school athlete and went on to play football at Davidson College, where he was a defensive back for the Wildcats. In 1972, he was named Southern Conference Player of the Week, and by his senior season he was recognized as one of the leaders of Davidson’s defense.

Football was part of his story, but the better measure of Ed was the way he lived the rest of his life.

Ed could be stoic. He could be stern. He usually wasn’t the person who needed to say a lot. But when something mattered, he showed up.

His Christian faith was also an important part of who he was. It gave him a foundation for how he approached his life, his family, and the people around him. He believed in caring for others, being generous with what he had, and doing what was right, often without needing recognition for it.

For 43 years, he and his wife, Lynn, built a life and family together. They raised two sons, Matthew married to Caty, and Kyle married to Jenny.

Ed loved his family in a way that was often more visible through his actions than his words. He was dependable, loyal, and generous. If you needed help, he was there. If something needed to be done, he did it.

His idea of family also extended far beyond the people who shared his last name.

If you were Ed’s friend, you were treated like family. If you were a friend of Matt or Kyle, the same rule applied. People were welcomed into his home and into his life without much ceremony. Over the years, more than a few people who started out simply as friends of his boys became part of the family in every way that mattered.

Later in life came a role that suited him particularly well: grandfather.

To Matt and Caty’s children, Hunter, Olivia, and Hayden, he was GrandEd.

To Kyle and Jenny’s daughters, Kinsley and Hayley, he was Old Man.

The names were different, but the relationship underneath them was the same. He loved his grandchildren, and they knew exactly who their grandfather was.

Ed is survived by his wife, Lynn; his sons, Matt and Kyle, and their wives, Caty and Jenny; his grandchildren, Hunter, Olivia, Hayden, Kinsley, and Hayley; and his sisters, Lynda Kenney and her husband Bob, Jenny, and Susan and her husband Tom.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward McCormick Womack and Laura Frances McArthur Womack.

Those who knew Ed will remember a man who was steady, sometimes stubborn, often quiet, and always willing to take care of the people he loved.

He taught his family something important without ever needing to make a speech about it: be there for your people.

Show up when it matters. Help when you can. Be generous. Make room for people. Treat your children’s friends as if they are your own.

That is how Ed lived, and it is a legacy his family will carry forward. His family also finds comfort in the Christian faith that was part of his life and in the promise that this goodbye is not the end.

We love you, Dad.

And we are going to miss you more than we know how to say.

John Earl Brandon, MD, of Gordo, Alabama, died on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at the age of 74. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, August 5th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Skelton Funeral Home in Reform, AL. A private burial service will be held at a later date.

John is survived by his son, Walker Daniel Brandon of Gordo; his daughters, Brooke Lindsey Brandon of Denver, CO and Hannah Claire Brandon of Tracy, CA; his sister, Lynn Brandon Johnson and brother-in-law, Charles Eugene “Chuck” Johnson, Jr. of Lookout Mountain, GA; and his niece, Elizabeth Johnson Haley and her husband, Heath Haley, and their children, Harrison and Mary Brandon Haley. John was preceded in death by his parents, Earl Brandon, Jr and Marion Powell Brandon.

John grew up in Tuscaloosa, AL, graduating from Tuscaloosa High School in 1970. In 1974, he graduated from Davidson College, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity. After graduating from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1978, John completed his internship and residency in Family Medicine at the University of Alabama’s College of Community Health Sciences. John began his practice of family medicine in 1981 in Gordo, Alabama, and continued his medical career there for over 40 years.

John loved his career as a primary care physician in a small, rural community. He inspired countless other young medical residents through his teaching and leadership as the medical director of The Rural Medical Scholars Program at the University of Alabama. In 2026, the Rural Medical Scholars’ Sage Award, which is an annual honor that recognizes significant contributions to rural health, was renamed the Dr. John Brandon Award.

John joined the American Medical Association in 1979, and in 2023 he was awarded the Samual Buford Word Award, the highest honor given by the AMA in recognition of service to humanity. In addition, John was a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians throughout his career.

John was instrumental in the implementation of the SMART Clinics in Pickens County, where he served as Physician Preceptor. The SMART clinics offer a full health clinic for students as well as faculty and staff in Pickens County schools. The Gordo Elementary School SMART Clinic was dedicated in honor of “Doc” in 2023.

John had a lifelong passion for Gordo Athletics and Alabama sports. He served as the team physician for Gordo High School athletics. His commitment to the Greenwave was unwavering for 45 consecutive football seasons, from 1981 to 2025. John has never missed a single Gordo High School football game, home or away, attending 548 consecutive games throughout his career as Team physician. John also served his beloved Pickens County as a member of the board of trustees of the Pickens County Medical Center, as well as 3 years as interim representative on the Pickens County Board of Education.

Davidson College honored John at his 50th class reunion in 2024, with the John W. Kuykendall Award for Community Service. This award recognizes alumni who have provided extraordinary service to their community.

For over 70 years, John was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Tuscaloosa. Most recently, he attended the Current Issues Sunday School Class and was a member of the Perry County Mission Committee, an outreach program benefitting Perry County residents.

Honorary Pallbearers are the Chapman Family, the Herring Family, the Payne Family, Ryan Lolley, Jonathan Pate, Jim and Nancy Richardson, Bob Cunningham, Dan Thorne, Duncan Moore, Dennis Whit, John Wheat, Drake Lavender, Robert Shepherd, Ray Stewart, Gordo High School Football and Baseball Coaching Staff, Pickens County Board of Education Faculty and Staff, and Pickens County Smart Clinic Staff.

The Family extends heartfelt appreciation to Glenda Driver, and the staff of Morning Pointe of Tuscaloosa, Capstone Village Traditions Way, and Hospice of West Alabama for their loving care of John.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to: Gordo SMART Clinic, Attn: Amanda Newman, 535 4th Street NW, Gordo, AL 35466 or to Gordo High School Athletic Department, 630 4th Street NW, Gordo, AL 35466 or to First Presbyterian Church – Perry County Fund, 900 Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 or Hospice of West Alabama, 3851 Loop Road, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404.

Byron Keith Bowen passed on July 11, 2026, at the age of 72, having been born on October 25, 1953, in Greensboro, North Carolina.

William W. Telford, Jr., 77, of Cary, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on July 6, 2026.

Bill was born on October 23, 1948, in Moriah, NY to William and Susie Telford. He graduated from Davidson College and enjoyed a successful 32-year career in wastewater management for the City of Durham. He was an avid traveler and friend to all.

Bill is survived by his wife of 54 years, Marcia Telford; children John (Beverly) and Cliff; and two beloved granddaughters. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Kendrick Telford.

Bill will be remembered for his kindness, quick wit, unwavering integrity, and deep devotion to his family, friends and church. He never met a stranger and always found time to help others.

A celebration of life service will take place on Saturday, July 25, at 10:00am at Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church of Durham.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to The The Parkinson’s Foundation or Transitions HospiceCare.

Tom Bersuder died on July 2nd after a hard-fought battle with cancer. He was born to John Edward and Virginia Patterson Bersuder in Dayton, Ohio in 1948 and when he was a child, his family moved to Texas City, Texas. On the recommendation of his minister, an alumnus of Davidson College, Tom attended Davidson where he developed lifelong friendships and became an active alumnus and ambassador of the “Great Class of 1970.” He was honored to receive the Alumni Service Award from Davidson in 2025.

After graduating and working for his Texas congressman in Washington, D.C., Tom returned to North Carolina and lived with several other Davidson alumni as they attended graduate and professional schools. After receiving a master’s degree from UNC-Chapel Hill, Tom moved to Raleigh and began a career of more than 30 years in state government. He retired in 2010 from what is now the NC Department of Information Technology and he was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

Tom also actively supported his wife, Hope Williams, in her work with NC Independent Colleges and Universities. Together, they took great joy in raising their two sons, Jonathan and Edward, and in welcoming Edward’s wife, Gabby, and their darling granddaughter, Marcella, to the family. In addition, Tom was proud to be the big brother to his sister, Suzi, and brother-in-law to her husband, Dick Grbac.

Other relatives include his uncle, Ron Bersuder, and wife Cindy, of Ohio, and many cousins, including Jeannette Albert and her husband, Danny, of New Orleans.

A Celebration of Life Service, followed by a reception, will be held on Saturday, August 15th at 2pm at First Baptist Church of Raleigh on Salisbury Street.

In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome donations to the Tom Bersuder ’70 Fund, Davidson College, PO Box 5000, Davidson, NC 28035 (or Office of Donor Relations – tel:704-894-2077) or in memory of Tom to the Independent College Fund of North Carolina, 530 N Blount St, Raleigh, 27604 (919-832-5817).