Earl Danner

ARITON…Mr. Earl Danner (Sergeant First Class, Alabama Army National Guard, Retired), a resident of Ariton, died early Saturday morning, December 27, 2025, in Dale Medical Center. He was 86.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 A.M. Tuesday, December 30, 2025, in the Ariton Baptist Church with Reverend Dave Walsh and his grandson, Mr. Zachary J. Sexton officiating. Burial will follow in Ariton Cemetery. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends from 9:30 until 11:30 A.M. Tuesday at the church.

Mr. Danner, son of the late Reginald Danner and Mildred N. Paulk Danner, was a native of Ariton, the community he loved and adored. He was a 1958 graduate of Ariton High School, where he was the Valedictorian. Mr. Danner was a only member of the men’s basketball team to reach the final four to this date. He also was a member of the baseball team and played the snare drum in the band. Mr. Earl was voted most athletic, but he married the class clown, Mrs. Jackie. They have been married sixty-four years.

Mr. Earl has worn many hats in Ariton, starting with being a history teacher, P.E. teacher, varsity boys’ basketball coach, assistant football coach, retired as the lunchroom manager in 2011, but still holds his current position of twenty plus years as the Lady Cats softball bookkeeper. This is where we know him as Papa Earl. You can find Papa Earl under the Friday Night Lights cheering for the Purple Cats. Come early spring, you would find him in the dugout with his book and chair rooting for the softball team. Papa Earl has a special place in girls’ athletics, after all, he helped coach his own daughter, and watched his granddaughters play while sitting in the dugout.

He was member of the Ariton Baptist Church, where he served as Deacon, taught the Young Adult Sunday school class for many years. He was a member of the Senior Adult Class and served faithfully with the Wednesday night benevolence suppers, doing what he loved to do, cooking.

Mr. Danner served in the Alabama Army National Gurd Units in Ozark, Ariton, and Clayton. He retired after thirty-nine years with the Clayton Unit #1128 Transportation Company with the rank of Sergeant First Class. He served as Mess Sergeant for many years and earned awards as Best Mess at Camp Shelby, Mississippi and Fort Stewart, Georgia.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Jimmy Danner and his sister, Caroline Danner.

Surviving relatives include his wife of sixty-four years, Jacqueline “Jackie” Danner; two daughters, Sheila Dunn and Starla Cherry, all of Ariton; grandchildren, Zachary “Zach” Sexton (Jordan), Calen Lowery (Andrew), Claire Ivey (Seth), Hollis Cherry, and Lexie Ritchie (Jonah); great-grandchildren, Lilly-James Sexton, Parker Sexton, Griz Ivey, Ellis Ivey, and Eva Blake Lowery; nephew, Greg Danner; several cousins.

Serving as active pallbearers will be William Knox, Terry Goodson, Jerry Goodson, Ben Baker, Chris Carroll, and Jeff Sexton.