Bethel (Lauderdale County, AL)

Notable Births & Deaths for Bethel ...

Below is our list of notable people who were born, died or were buried in the area surrounding Bethel. Please note that while we are collecting data on an ongoing basis, it's a big task and it's unlikely that our list will ever be more than a sample.

Keyes Beech (Journalist)
- He was born in Pulaski (TN) on August 13, 1913 (a Wednesday) and died in Washington, DC on February 15, 1990 (a Thursday).
- Pulaski is located in Giles County and is 18 miles [29 km] to the northeast of Bethel (which is located in Lauderdale County).
- At the time of his death, he was 76.
- He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, which is located in Arlington County, Virginia.
- Additional References
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Keyes Beech<1>
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Arlington National Cemetery
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Arlington National Cemetery (VA) (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Bethel to Arlington National Cemetery
Donna Jean Godchaux (Singer)
- Born: Donna Jean Thatcher
- She was born in Florence (AL) on August 22, 1947 (a Friday) and died in Nashville (TN) on November 2, 2025 (a Sunday).
- Florence is located 28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest of Bethel. Both communities are located in Lauderdale County.
- Nashville is located in Davidson County, Tennessee.
- At the time of her death, she was 78.
- The body was cremated.
- Additional References
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Donna Jean Godchaux<1>
W.C. Handy (Musician, composer)
- Full name: William Christopher Handy
- He was born in Florence (AL) on November 16, 1873 (a Sunday) and died in New York (NY) on March 28, 1958 (a Friday).
- Florence is located 28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest of Bethel. Both communities are located in Lauderdale County.
- New York is located in Kings County, New York.
- At the time of his death, he was 84.
- He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, which is located in Bronx County, New York.
- Additional References
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for W.C. Handy<1>
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Woodlawn Cemetery
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Woodlawn Cemetery (NY) (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Bethel to Woodlawn Cemetery
William Bruce 'Billy' Hardwick (Professional bowler)
- He was born in Florence (AL) on July 25, 1941 (a Friday) and died in Bradenton (FL) on November 16, 2013 (a Saturday).
- Florence is located 28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest of Bethel. Both communities are located in Lauderdale County.
- Bradenton is located in Manatee County, Florida.
- At the time of his death, he was 72.
- He is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, which is located in Shelby County, Tennessee.
- Additional References
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for William Bruce 'Billy' Hardwick<1>
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Memorial Park Cemetery
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Memorial Park Cemetery (TN) (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Bethel to Memorial Park Cemetery
Willard Mack Vickery (Songwriter, muiscian)
- He was born in Town Creek (AL) on June 8, 1938 (a Wednesday) and died in Nashville (TN) on December 21, 2004 (a Tuesday).
- Town Creek is located in Lawrence County and is 22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest of Bethel (which is located in Lauderdale County).
- Nashville is located in Davidson County, Tennessee.
- At the time of his death, he was 66.
- He is buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park, which is located in Davidson County, Tennessee.
- Additional References
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Willard Mack Vickery<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Woodlawn Memorial Park (TN) (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Bethel to Woodlawn Memorial Park

Footnotes ...

<1>	The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.