Eric Obie Cates Jr. of Searcy died April 7. He was 99.

Cates was active in the Butler County Farmers Federation, and his Persimmon Ridge Farm was named the state’s first Alabama Bicentennial Farm in 2017.

He was preceded in death by wife Louise Braswell Cates. He is survived by three daughters, Linda C. Roquemore (Ted), Jean C. Blackmon (Larry) and Ann C. Boutwell (John); son Eric Obie Cates III (Anne); 11 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren.

Tyler McClendon of Jasper died May 2. He was 30.

He was involved in Walker County Young Farmers and was Walker County Cattlemen’s Association president.

He is survived by fiancee Kalissa Gann; parents Billy and Jennifer McClendon; and grandmother Wilene Sherer.

Orval Pounders of Phil Campbell died May 16. He was 92.

Pounders served on the Franklin County Farmers Federation board.

He is survived by wife Marge Hutcheson Pounders; children Barry Pounders (Joyce), Sherry Oden (Joey) and Belinda Wimberley (Joey); stepdaughter JoAnn Sparks; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.