LeVerne Samuel “Sonny” Gantt Jr.

Published 7:55 pm Monday, January 9, 2017

LeVerne Samuel “Sonny” Gantt Jr. died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Moore Gantt; daughters, Adelle Gantt Johnston (Robert) of Palmer, Alaska, and Eleanor Anne Gantt of Birmingham; sister, Peggy Poteet (Jim) of Fairhope; grandchildren, Robert Johnston (Season), Ann Johnston and Eleanor Johnston of Anchorage, Alaska, Carter Taunton (Jason) of Eclectic, Benson Mulvaney and Sarah Drew Mulvaney of Birmingham; five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was born in Selma on Feb. 8, 1930, to the late LeVerne Samuel Gantt Sr. and Anne Ruth Carter Gantt.

Sonny was a member of the Parish High School Class of 1949. He graduated from Marion Military Institute and attended the University of Alabama. He was self-employed in the Dallas County area and after retirement, he achieved his life-long dream of candy making with Gantt Candies.

He was an active member of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, where he served as an elder, taught Sunday School, was a youth leader and active with the Men’s Prayer Breakfast. His hobbies included golf, experimenting with different candies, reading, Alabama football and visiting with family and friends.

Funeral services will be on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017, at 2 p.m. at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Steve Burton officiating and Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home directing. Private burial will follow. Visitation will be held in the Warren Room of Cornerstone Presbyterian from 1–1:45 p.m. before the service.

Pallbearers will be Pete Carter, Greg Collett, John Effinger, Joe Hagood III, Dan Lane, Jason Taunton, and DeShan Walker. Honorary Pallbearers will be Elton Birch, Lane Bracken, Tommy Burns, Roger Butler, Dr. Park Chittom, Roy Cummings, Dr. Caldwell Debardeleben, Dr. Joe Hagood Jr., Scott Hereford, Charles Kerridge, Danny Lane, Jack Mooney, Ted Moore, Jere Peak, Charles Pollack, Dr. Donnie Russell, Charlie Sims, Jim Sims, John Stringer and Jeffrey Tomlinson.