Mobile, Baldwin obituaries for March 1: Dyana Dean "Dyner" Miniard remembered for her love of teaching

Dyana Dean "Dyner" Miniard

One of Mobile County Public School's best teachers was celebrated Saturday in her hometown of Montgomery. Dyana Dean Miniard died on Friday, Feb. 20 surrounded by her family.

Miniard spent 30 years teaching with the Mobile County Public Schools. In 2008, she was named teacher of the year at Hankins Middle School.

According to her obituary Miniard focused on finding fun and whimsical ways of teaching both her family and students.

Dyana was preceeded in death by her husband, Harold Dwight Miniard, Sr.; her parents, John William Dean, Sr. and Theresa Wells Dean, and her brother John William Dean, Jr. (Butch).

She is survived by her children, Harold Dwight Miniard, Jr. (Hal) and Jina Clark, Troy and Mynde Kelly, her Granddaughter, Isobel (Izzy) Kelly, and her sister Ricky and Denise D. Smith.

No formal funeral service was held for Miniard as her love for science led to her whole body being donated to MedCure.

See below for other Mobile-area obituaries for March 1. Complete obituaries can be obtained by clicking the link in each listing.

Baldwin County:

William Jerome Roberts, Jr., 62, died Feb. 13. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 8 at Cornerstone Church in Stapleton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Daniel Watts, of Foley, died on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Services will be held on Tuesday, March 3 at Little Rock Missionary Baptist Church in Foley with viewing from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. and services held at 1 p.m.

James C. York died Sunday, Feb. 22. Viewing will be on Monday, March 2 from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Small's in Fairhope. Graveside services will be on Tuesday, March 3 at 11:30 a.m. in Robinson Cemetery in Stockton.

Mobile County:

James "J.W." Barber, 90 of Dauphin Island, died Saturday, Feb. 28. Funeral Services will be held 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 with visitation from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Dauphin Island United Methodist Church with interment in church cemetery.

Franklin "Frank" Dean Broadus, 42 of Wilmer died Friday, Feb. 27. Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 4 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Valhalla Memorial Funeral Home. Chapel services will follow at 1 p.m.

Virginia Louise "Lulu" Dawson, lifelong resident of Mobile County, died Friday, Feb. 27. Visitation will be Monday, March 2 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Serenity Funeral Home in Theodore. Services will be Tuesday, March 3 at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with interment to follow at Serenity Memorial Gardens.

Rosa Edna Fears, 92 of Mobile, died Feb. 19. Memorials may be made to The Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC, 20090-6011 or 1-800-272-3900.

Robert Ray "Bobby" Ford, 71 of Mobile, died on Thursday, Feb. 26. Visitation will be held at Radney Funeral Home in Saraland on Monday, March 2 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Family graveside services will be held on Tuesday, March 3 at Forest Lawn Cemetery at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to Kushla-Bethany Baptist Church or St. Jude's Children Hospital.

Efford Wayne Greer, 93 of Mobile, died Thursday, Feb. 26. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 3 at 12 p.m. from the Chapel of Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home. The family will receive friends Tuesday morning at the funeral home from 11 a.m. until service time. Interment will be in Mobile Memorial Gardens.

Horace Havens, of Semmes, died Saturday, Feb. 28. Services will be held at Valhalla Funeral Home in Semmes on Tuesday, March 3. Visitation is from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. with graveside services at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made in Mr. Havens name to the American Cancer Society.

Antoinette Doumit Kalifeh, 71, died on Saturday, Feb. 28. Visitation is Monday, March 2 St. Ignatius Marian Center 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 a.m. at St. Ignatius Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Carmelite Monastery. Interment will be in Pine Crest Cemetery.

Elbert McCants died Thursday, Feb. 26. Visitation will be 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral hour on Wednesday, March 4 at Trinity Chapel AME Zion Church in Bay Minette. Interment will follow at Little River.

Dottie Belle Blevins McCord, of Mobile, died Friday, Feb. 27. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 3 at 11 a.m. at Luke 4:18 Fellowship. The family will receive friends at the church Tuesday morning from 10 a.m. until service time. Interment will be in Mobile Memorial Gardens.

Billie Reed, 59 of Semmes, died Thursday, Feb. 26. Visitation for Billie will be on Sunday, March 1 at Valhalla Memorial Funeral Home from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Chapel services will be on Monday, March 2 at Valhalla Memorial Funeral Home at 11 a.m. Interment will be in New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Lucedale.

Roy D. (R.D.) Spiller died on Feb. 26. A service of thanksgiving and celebration will be held on Tuesday, March 3 at Christ UMC. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the worship service at 11 a.m. Burial is in Spanish Fort Veterans' Cemetery at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made in Roy's name to the Organ Fund c/o Christ UMC, 6101 Grelot Rd. Mobile, AL 36609.

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