Donald E. Kist

Donald E. Kist, a resident of Avon, Ala., died early Sunday morning, July 8, 2007, at his home. He was 69. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 10, 2007, in the Holman-Headland Mortuary Chapel with the Rev. Joseph Richardson and the Rev. Rex Kornegay officiating. Graveside services with military rites will follow in Gardens of Memory, between Headland and Dothan. The family will receive friends from 10 until 11 a.m. Tuesday at the mortuary in Headland. At other times, the family will be at the residence, 7147 U. S. Highway 84 East in Avon. Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Wiregrass Hospice Inc., P.O. Drawer 2127, Dothan, Ala. 36302. Mr. Kist was born in Danville, Ill., but was reared in Abbeville. He served his country in the U.S. Army in the Vietnam Conflict. Mr. Kist formerly lived in Cottonwood and Abbeville before moving to Avon in 1998. He was retired as a truck driver with the Houston County Sanitation Department. In earlier years, Mr. Kist was employed by Purolator as a courier and also by White-Ryals Ford in Abbeville. He was preceded in death by his mother, Julia Kist Whitehead; his step-father, Woodrow W. Whitehead; a sister, Beverly Jean Gillespie; two brothers, David Whitehead and Larry Gillespie; and his grandparents, Opal E. Jackson, Vassie Whitehead and Orville Otis Kist. Surviving relatives include his wife, Dorothy Richardson Kist, Avon; two daughters, Cindy Spivey and husband, Sam Spivey, Avon; Melissa Kist, Mt. Vernon, Ala.; a son, Dennis Hayes and wife, Debbie Hayes, Ashford; a grandson, Dustin Spivey; three sisters, Marjorie Turner and husband, Robert Turner, Abbeville, Shirley Money and husband, Russell Money, Abbeville, Della Searcy and husband, Tommy Searcy, Shorterville; three brothers, Randall Whitehead and wife, Shirley Whitehead, Newville; William Whitehead and wife, Nora Whitehead, Headland; Tim Whitehead and wife, Yvonne Whitehead, Newville; a sister-in-law, Ann Gillespie, Enterprise; an aunt, Molly Whitehead Commander, Abbeville. Serving as active pallbearers will be Randy Whitehead, Daniel Mathis, Rocky Egger, Russell Money, Tommy Searcy and Wesley Cook. Holman-Headland Mortuary, (334) 693-3371, is in charge of arrangements.