Hortance Sowell Bedsole

Hortance Sowell Bedsole of 101 Gordon Drive in Abbeville died Tuesday morning, April 3, 2007, at Dogwood Manor Assisted Living in Abbeville. She was 82.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church of Abbeville with the Rev. Michael Whitt officiating. Burial will follow in the Abbeville Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday in the First Baptist Church Family Life Building.

Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 606, Abbeville, AL 36310.

Mrs. Bedsole was born and reared in the Sardis community of Henry County, daughter of the late James David Sowell and Mattie Ella Johnson Sowell. She lived most of her adult lifetime in Abbeville and had been a resident of Dogwood Manor Assisted Living since Sept. 2006. Mrs. Bedsole was an active member of First Baptist Church where she was also a member of the Mary Martha/Lydia Sunday School Class and the W.M.U. Group I. She was a former member of the Adoniram Baptist Church. Mrs. Bedsole was retired as a clerk typist from the Henry County Department of Human Resources after 41 years employment.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Hubert Warren Bedsole; three sisters, Kate Clements, Alma Nelms and Frances Bush; and two brothers, Olton Sowell and Hugh Sowell.

Surviving relatives include a brother, George Sowell and wife, Wilma Sowell of Abbeville; two sisters-in-law, Barbara Sowell of Abbeville and Willena Bedsole of Headland; a brother-in-law, Floyd Bedsole of Abbeville; several nieces and nephews including, Henrietta Bush Burns and husband, Jim Burns of Headland, Billy Wayne Bedsole and wife, Vicki Bedsole, Hershel Bedsole and wife, Ann Bedsole, all of Abbeville; several great-nieces and great-nephews.

Serving as active pallbearers will be David Sowell, Bruce Bedsole, Billy Wayne Bedsole, Will Burns, Bryan Dalton and Ricky Sowell.

Holman-Abbeville Mortuary, (334) 585-5261, is in charge of arrangements. Sign the guest book at www.dothaneagle.com.