Kathryn Tucker Windham

Published 9:54 pm Saturday, June 18, 2011

A memorial service for Kathryn Tucker Windham of Selma, who died June 12 at age 93 at her home, will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 26, at the Church Street United Methodist Church in Selma. The Rev. Fred Zeigler will officiate and Donald Davis, Mrs. Windham’s friend and fellow professional storyteller, will deliver the eulogy.

Survivors include a daughter, Dilcy Windham Hilley of Birmingham; a son, Ben Windham (Susan) of Tuscaloosa; and two grandsons, Ben Hilley of Birmingham and David Windham of Tuscaloosa.

She was predeceased by her husband, Amasa Windham; and a daughter, Kitti Windham.

Mrs. Windham was a pioneering newspaper woman; author of more than 20 books, including “13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey,” a perennial favorite; playwright; radio commentator; and photographer.

But it was as a storyteller that Mrs. Windham was most widely known. On one occasion, she was the speaker at a men’s civic club. It welcomed her with a big banner behind the podium. As she launched into her talk about ghosts and the spirit world of Alabama, a big wind blew through the hall, the banner fell and all the lights went out. Mrs. Windham didn’t miss a beat.

“That’s just Jeffrey,” she explained, and went right ahead with her talk.

Almost everyone, it seems, has a story about Kathryn Tucker Windham. That’s what she was all about – a good story.

Memorials may be made in the form of donations to the Selma-Dallas County Public Library, 1103 Selma Ave., Selma, AL 36701; or by planting a tree in downtown Selma.