Carl Winston Honea

Carl Winston Honea was born to Essie and Ethia Honea on February 4, 1938, at their home place in New Market, Alabama. He grew up attending Walnut Grove School and working on his family’s farm where he learned the value of hard work. As a young man, he loved playing baseball and basketball and dreamed of becoming a major league baseball player. He graduated from New Market High School in May of 1956.

In 1961, Carl was drafted into the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Gordon, where he served in the Postal Service. After his discharge in 1963, he began his career as a Packaging Specialist with Civil Service at Redstone Arsenal. Through dedication, integrity, and steady leadership, he earned several promotions and retired in 1993 as Chief Packaging Specialist. He was known professionally as dependable, genuine, and a man of exceptional work ethic.

On September 15, 1962, Carl married the love of his life, Lynda Faye Bates. Together they built a life grounded in faith and family. One of Carl’s greatest joys was being a father to Chris and Marla, and a Papa to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His love for his family was evident in everything he did.

Carl was a founding member of Union Grove Baptist Church. He faithfully served as a deacon, stewarded the church’s finances as Treasurer for 25 years, chaired the Building Committee, sang in the choir, and taught Sunday School to 11-year-old boys. Even when his health made it difficult, you could still find him in the third row pew on Sunday mornings - a reflection of the steady faith that guided his life. His dedication extended beyond the church walls as he also acted as Treasurer of Taylor’s Cemetery.

Above all, Carl cherished his family. Many know him as “a man of few words,” but his actions spoke loudly. He showed his love through action - planting flowers with his wife every spring, working in the garden to provide food for the family, teaching his granddaughter how to do math, riding grandchildren around on his tractor, cracking jokes to make the family laugh, coaching his children’s basketball teams, building a dirt track for his son and grandson to practice riding motorcycles, and praying beautiful prayers over every meal when the family gathered.

To sum up 88 years of a profound life is impossible, and so much more could be said. Many simply describe him as “a good man,” and the weight of that statement is unfathomable. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered as a devoted husband, loving father, proud Papa, faithful servant, and a truly good man.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Lynda Honea; his children, Chris (Janie) Honea and Marla Brady; his brother, Nolan (Naomi) Honea; his grandchildren, Rilea (Will) Howard, Dallas (Sarahjane) Honea, and Carly (Nelson) Hames; and his great-grandchildren, Emerson, Caroline, Colt, Chloe, and Brady.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Essie and Ethia (Wright) Honea; his siblings, Raymond Honea, Madillon Swafford, Edith Harris, Loy Morris, and Joyce Thompson; son-in-law, Mike Brady; and grandson, Kyle Brady.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday evening from 6pm until 8pm at Hazel Green Funeral Home. Funeral services will be Wednesday at 1pm at Union Grove Baptist Church on Butler Road in New Market. The family will be at the church an hour before the service time. Following the church service, burial will be in Taylor Cemetery.

Hazel Green Funeral Home is honored to serve the family.