Don Avant

Don William Avant, age 85, a lifelong resident of Pike County, Alabama, passed away Monday, April 5, 2021. A funeral service will be held Sunday, April 11, 2021, at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Green Hills Funeral Home with Ray W. Floyd officiating. Burial will follow in Green Hills Memorial Cemetery with Greg Avant, Chris Avant, Chase Avant, Chandler Avant, Jimmy LeCroy, and Frank Reddoch serving as pallbearers. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Don was born and raised in the Tarentum Community and a graduate of Pike County High School. His rural roots fostered a genuine hankering for outdoor recreation and a zealous curiosity for the social scene in the big, neighboring city of Troy. He and his buddies often found promising interests at the local dairy bar, and it was there, over the slurp of a cold milkshake, that Don fell smitten with the likes of Martha Ann Floyd. A few years of courtship secured a long-lasting marriage and launched their life together in Troy. Don had a hand in building his community through his business, Avant Construction, and was a visionary in developing unlikely land tracts into rising commercial properties. Even though he kept a busy pace with his work schedule, Don found the time to enjoy some simple pleasures. He loved the long yowl from a coon dog treed, the swoosh of a flushed covey from the bush, the adrenaline of a rhythmed shot and call out for bird down, and the slow-pace and nostalgia of a good shrimp trawl. He was a seasoned dominos player, a staple around the Ingram’s and Julia’s coffee clubs tables, and an expert aviator with a “self-appointed” operator’s license. Don was a model man and a great steward of family, friendships, and community.

Mr. Avant is survived by his wife of 62 years, Martha Floyd Avant; sons, Greg Avant (Mendy) and Chris Avant (Susan); grandchildren, Chase Avant (Spencer), Chandler Avant, Hastings Avant, and Sarah Jessie Avant; great-grandchildren, Nash and Greer Avant; brothers, Murray Avant (Ruth) and Jackie Avant; and longtime friend, Jimmy LeCroy. He was preceded in death by his parents, Knowles and Maulene Avant.

The family wishes to extend many thanks for the compassionate and attentive care from his dedicated caregivers Lisa Orum, Annie Siler, Patricia Morris, Sharon Thompson, and Ocie Burden. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105). Friends and family can sign the guestbook online at www.greenhillsfuneralhome.net. The staff of Green Hills Funeral Home is honored to serve the Avant family.