Posted on: Sumter County Alabama Obituaries Board URL: http://genconnect.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Al/SumterObits?read=18 Surname: Hall, Scarbrough, McMillan, Gillespie, Blackshear ------------------------- The following was in program form and handed out to those attending the funeral of: Annie Maude (Annette) Scarbrough Hall Born January 14, 1914 in Alexandria, Alabama to William Alva Scarbrough & Mamie Sabra Scarbrough. Passed from this life on Saturday, December 19, 1998 at the Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster, Alabama. Graveside services held on Wednesday, December 23, 1998, at the Brewersville Cemetery, in the Brewersville community on Highway 28 southwest of Livingston, AL. She resided last at Shelton County Homeland, a domiciliary located at 149 First Avenue, Jemson, Alabama. Sister Hall was married to Joe McMillan (Joe Mac) Hall, for over 45 years; until his death in November of 1980. She is survived by one son, Joe McMillan Hall II,of Helena, Alabama, and his wife, Charlotte; five grandchildren - Joe McMillan Hall III and his wife Mary, of Birmingham, Alabama; William Michael Hall and his wife Carla, of Dallas, Texas; Tabitha Annette Burnham and her husband Vaughn, and Rachel Elizabeth Law and husband Jeffrey, of Jennings, Florida; and Sonja Renée Cumberland and husband Michael, of Lauderdale, Mississippi. Her nine great-grandchildren are: Nancy Kingston Hall, Phoebe Michelle Hall, Monica Layne McMahon, Joseph Blake McMahon, Jason Tanner Law, Olivia Rachel Law, Jeffrey William Law, Jr., Ashley Brooke Cumberland, and Ana Lisa Cumberland. Sister Hall had four sisters and two brothers, of which is still living and resides in Coral Gables, Florida, Emma Frances Scarbrough Keppler. She has surviving, numerous neices and nephews for whom she was extremely fond. Sister Hall was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Mac Hall, in April, 1980, as well as her youngest son, William Arthur Hall, in December, 1996, and his wife Sonja Faye Roberson Hall who passed from this life in August of 1994. After the closing of the family-owned general store, which has long been torn down and out of so many people’s memories, Sister Hall worked as a bookkeeper for several businesses in Sumter and Marengo Counties. She left Coatopa after her husband’s death and lived at intervals with one or the other of her son’s, or at least close by. She stayed in touch with family and friends who meant so very much to her. Annette Hall was baptized by her son, Bill, not far from where we are today, in a shallow creek, Foscue Creek, I believe it was, in the mid to late 1960’s. Witnessing this precious event were her daughter-in-law Sonja, and three granddaughters, Tabitha, Renée and Rachel. Renée recalls them singing, as Sister Hall came up out of the water, “Oh Happy Day!” And oh what a happy day it must have been to see one so loved, as Sister Hall was by her family, making that step to eternal salvation and a home in Heaven with the Lord. The granddaughters tell that Sister Hall loved her Lord, praying diligently. They recall seeing tears in their grandmother’s eyes as she spoke of her saviour. Rachel remembers a time, not long after the passing of her mother, Sonja, that Sister Hall spoke of the fear of dying; that it would be so dark. She could not understand why Sonja showed no signs of being afraid of dying. Rachel explained that her mother new that Heaven awaited those that loved the Lord and obeyed Him. “Mother”, Rachel said, “was looking forward to the day when she’d leave this temporary life and go home to be with her Lord.” Rachel reassured her grandmother that there was nothing to fear; that God would take care of her, and ease her through it. Sister Hall was a loving grandmother, as her grandchildren will attest. When asked of them for some memories of their grandmother, most of them recall how she taught them the art of canning, jelly making, and the like; and also, not only teaching them to play the came of Canasta, but giving them very good competition in their games. They also talked about the multitude of afghans their grandmother crocheted over the years. She wanted to make certain that each child, grandchild, great-grandchild, and niece and nephew received one. Everyone was proud to have an "Annette afghan." Tabitha, the eldest grandchild, also remembers playing dress-up in Granny Hall’s old clothes, which looked anything but “old”. Renée still, to this day, has one of the hats they played with. Rachel recalls how her grandmother loved flowers and how the two of them would plant the seeds, tend the beds, and eventually gather and arrange the flowers. Joe III recalls Granny as a very caring and giving person; how she took extra measure in welcoming his wife, Mary into the family. Joe also recalls the fudge and divinity his grandmother made, especially at Christmastime. In addition to the other memories of his grandmother, Michael stated that she always made him feel special, just because he was Michael. She not only taught him to make fig preserves and plum jelly from the fruit in her yard, but also made certain he took some home to have for himself. Renée remembers, especially at this holiday season, that one of the girls (and it was special to be “the one”) would be allowed to spend the night with Granny Hall and in order to help prepare Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Mixing the dressing was the highlight of the evening. Renée attributes her love of cooking to her grandmother’s patience and encouragement. Sister Hall’s son Joe II, relates that he cannot begin to tell what his mother meant to him, but said that she instilled in his life the concept of right and wrong, and that she made sure he and his brother, Bill, felt secure with food and shelter as well as a normal interaction with their peers. Joe II wants to share with you one memory he has of his mother’s love. On the night of his sixth grade graduation, his mother drove him to a party in Epes in the pouring rain in the dark. She did it because she knew it was very important to him. In those days that was a long way to travel at night, and in the rain. Joe al