Brenda Lovelady Spahn, who founded The Lovelady Center in Birmingham 20 years ago, died Dec. 18. She was 75. More than 19,600 women have come through the program she started in 2004.
Lee Allen, who served as a history professor at Samford University for 40 years, died Dec. 16. During his time at Samford, he was a prolific writer, particularly of Baptist history. He was also named Life Deacon at Mountain Brook Baptist.
Chette Williams, a longtime Auburn University football chaplain, died Dec. 15 after falling into the water at Lake Martin while getting off his pontoon boat.
Jack Kinley, who served more than 64 years as a pastor, died Nov. 24. Later in life after losing most of his sight, Kinley started Vision Tape Ministry, which distributed Christian materials to visually impaired people around the world.
Elwood Sims — who served in pastoral ministry for 70 years, including 40 years at New Bethel Baptist Church in Braggs — died Oct. 15. He was 92.
Ron Butler – who died Oct. 29 – retired in May after 44 years of serving churches in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. He served as pastor of Pine Level Baptist in Chatom and Spice Pond Baptist in Eight Mile.
Ladell Blanton, who served as director of missions for Bethlehem and Pine Barren Baptist associations from 1999 to 2003, died Oct. 3. He also served for years as a pastor in Mississippi.
Earnest Ted Elrod Sr., a minister for 52 years, died Oct. 1 at Cherokee Floyd Medical Center. He was 85.
