Nearly a quarter-century has passed since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, but the loss is still deeply felt in Alabama.

Among the nearly 3,000 Americans killed that day were men and women with ties to communities across our state — students and professionals, soldiers and civil servants, neighbors and friends.

Their lives ended in New York, at the Pentagon, and aboard the hijacked airplanes, but their names and stories remain part of Alabama’s memory.

World Trade Center

• Alok Kumar Mehta: Mehta was a 1996 graduate of Huntsville High School. He worked for Cantor-Fitzgerald and died in the World Trade Center’s north tower.
• Dorothy Pearl Temple: A native of Montgomery, Temple worked for the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. She died in the World Trade Center’s south tower.
• James D. Cleere: A native of Birmingham, Cleere worked for Marsh & McLennan in the World Trade Center’s north tower.

The Pentagon

• Jimmie Ira Holley: A U.S. Army civilian worker and Vietnam veteran, Holley was an accountant working at the Pentagon. He was originally from Alexander City.
• Operations Specialist 2nd Class Nehamon “Nick” Lyons IV: A Navy operations specialist from Mobile, Lyons was killed in the attack on the Pentagon.
• Information Systems Technician 1st Class Marsha Dianah Ratchford: From Prichard, Ratchford worked in the Pentagon for the Navy.
• Sgt. Tamara C. Thurman: A native of Brewton, Thurman, 25, was working for the Army in the Pentagon.
• Major Dwayne Williams: A native of Jacksonville, Alabama and a decorated Army Major, Williams was the Joint Officer Distribution Manager at the Pentagon.
• Terry Lynch: A native of Youngstown, Ohio, worked as senior legislative aid to Alabama Congress member and later U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby for 15 years, starting in 1982. In that capacity, Lynch, 49, was a leader in moving the Aviation and Troop Command from St. Louis, Missouri to Huntsville during the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Report. Lynch, later a consultant who worked for Booz-Allen & Hamilton in New York, was at work in the Pentagon for a meeting when the airplane hit the building.

Aboard hijacked airplanes

• Mary Lynn Edwards Angell: A former resident of Mountain Brook and an Auburn University graduate, Angell, 52, and her husband, David Angell, 55, were passengers on American Airlines Flight 11 which struck the north tower.  The Angells had created a foundation in 1996 to award grants in Alabama supporting the arts, education, spirituality and youth efforts. They set up the foundation so the grants would continue after their deaths. It continues.
• Carl Max Hammond, Jr.: A native of Huntsville, Hammond was on United Airlines Flight 175, which hit the World Trade Center’s south tower.
• Eddie A. Dillard: A native of Hurtsboro, Dillard was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 77, which struck the Pentagon.

All Alabama 9/11 victims have now been gone 24 years – almost a quarter-century.

Let us never forget.

Jim Zig Zeigler is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. His beat includes the positive and colorful about Alabama – her people, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is former State Auditor and Public Service Commissioner. You can reach him at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com