Edgar H. Battle, Sr. was born in Barbour County, Alabama, on October 15, 1909, as the child of Lewis and Annie Maude Battle. Together with his wife Bertha, he raised three children: Edgar Jr., Rufus, and Ruthie. Edgar Sr. was an active member of Nichols Chapel A.M.E. Church, serving as a Trustee and Steward. He was also part of both the Alabama Funeral Directors and Morticians Association and the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association. Additionally, he served as President of the Progressive Funeral Directors of Alabama, Inc.
In 1933, Edgar Sr., together with Willis C. Battle, Sr., established Battle & Battle Funeral Home, which continues to serve the community to this day. Over the years, the Battle family has been a significant pillar of support for the residents of Phenix City and its neighboring areas in their times of loss.
On July 5, 1950, the partnership between Willis and Edgar ended, with Willis maintaining control of Battle & Battle Funeral Home. Soon after, Edgar H. Battle Funeral Home was opened in a nearby location. Both of Edgar Sr.’s sons, Edgar Jr. and Rufus, joined the family’s funeral business, supporting their father. Rufus Battle, before joining the family enterprise, served in the U.S. Army in the early 1960s, where he was part of the 48th Infantry based in Germany.
After the death of Edgar Sr. in 1992 at the ripe age of 82, his sons carried on the family business. In the 1990s, Rufus Battle took on the role of treasurer for both the East Alabama Funeral Directors’ Association and the National Funeral Directors’ Association. Later, the funeral home underwent a name change, becoming known as Phenix City Mortuary, and it remained operational until 2019. A renovation project for the funeral home began after its closure, but was unfortunately never finished. In 2022, the property was sold and is currently undergoing remodeling with plans to reopen as a new funeral home.
