Obituaries

WHITEVILLE -- Harold Lee Taylor, 75, died Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, at his home after a long battle with illness. He was born Nov. 27, 1931, the son of Don and Para Lee Taylor.

Taylor retired from the Whiteville Post Office after many years of service to the community. He was a member of the Lions Club until his health declined. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Whiteville. He served in the Korean Conflict and was an Air Force veteran.

Final rites were held Wednesday, Feb. 21, at McKenzie Mortuary Chapel with the Reverends L. Kendell Cameron Jr. and Ronald Campbell officiating. Burial followed in the Whiteville Memorial Cemetery. McKenzie Mortuary of Whiteville handled the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Rachel Benton Taylor; a daughter, Deborah Taylor Lee and husband Ronnie Lee; two granddaughters, Mary Robin Lee and Elizabeth Hayden Ward; three great-grandsons, Alan and Seth Ward and Garrett Stancil; three brothers, Don Jr., Charles and Ray Taylor; and a sister, Virginia T. Ballard.

Pallbearers were Philip Benton, Randy Stephens, Walter Glover, Scot Dunlap, Brad Ward and Jerry Benton.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Advantage Hospice or First Baptist Church Youth Ministry.

WHITEVILLE -- Letha Ward Smith, 80, died Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, in Columbus Regional Healthcare. She was born in Columbus County, the daughter of the late Simmon and Mary Eliza W. Ward. She was the widow of David Smith Sr.

Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Tabor City with David Kelly officiating. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include a son, Ottis Hathway Jr. of Oklahoma City, Okla.; two daughters, Shirley Coleman of Chadbourn; Deborah Spaulding of Tacoma, Wash.; a brother, Corbett Ward of Nakina; three sisters, Gertrude Hathway and Lillian Cribb, both of Nakina, Aldie Singletary of Pembroke; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

BLADENBORO -- Jewel Lennon Sessoms, 80, died Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007, at Duke University Medical Center.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Oscar Barr and Lonnie A. Sessoms; a son, Gene Barr; a brother, Carlton Lennon; and two sisters, Melba Elkins and Margaret Bennett.

Final rites were held Thursday, Feb. 22, at Galeed Baptist Church with Dr. Mack Roberts officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery. Bladen Funeral Home of Elizabethtown handled the arrangements.

Survivors include two brothers, Bobby Lennon of Bladenboro and Lloyd Lennon of Winston-Salem; three sisters, Linda Brisson of Dublin, Evelyn Pait and Nona Bass, both of Winston-Salem.

CLARKTON -- Watkin Graham, 61, formerly of Chadbourn, died Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007.

Final rites will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at Mt. Tabor Baptist Church, Cerro Gordo with the Rev. Kevin Bellamy officiating. Burial will follow in Mt. Tabor Memorial Gardens Cemetery. D&A Funeral Home of Chadbourn is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Linda McNair Graham; a son, Wakeen of the home; a daughter, Ebony Smith of Jersey City, N.J.; three stepchildren, Dennis McNair, Shirmora McNair, and Feniela McNair; and two step grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Thursday Feb. 22 from 2-7 p.m. at the funeral home.

DALTON, GA. -- Judy T. Henry, 64, passed away Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, at Erlanger Medical Center. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leroy Henry; a daughter, Delania Henry; her parents, Jesse and Louise Turbeville and a brother, Edwin Turbeville.

Final rites were held Thursday, Feb. 22, at Pleasant Grove Chapel of Julian Peeples Funeral Home with the Rev. Oscar Michael officiating. Burial followed in the Dawn Rest Cemetery Gardens. Julian Peeples Funeral Home of Dalton, Ga. handled the arrangements.

Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Selina and Clay Swaim of Dalton, Ga.; a son and daughter-in-law, Anthony Henry and Wendy Sapp of Cohutta, Ga.; a sister and brother-in-law, Susie and Jack Branch of Chadbourn; six grandchildren, Justin, Megan, and Victoria Henry, Leah, Kaitlyn and Eliot Swaim; nieces and nephews.

WHITEVILLE -- Faith Delores Gamble Lane, 59, died Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, at her residence. She was a secretary.

Final rites will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at First St. Paul Missionary Baptist church with the Rev. Dr. S.E. Bryant officiating. Burial will follow in the Belvue Cemetery, Chadbourn. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include two daughters, Lisa Hervey of Syracuse, N.Y. and Tracey Faulkner of Chadbourn; two sons, Nigel Smith of Whiteville and Rev. Eric Smith of Chadbourn; two sisters, Sylvia Winrich of New York, N.Y. and Debra Swinton of Evergreen.

Viewing will be at the funeral home Thursday (today) from noon until 8 p.m. There will be no viewing on Friday. There will be a wake Thursday from 7-8 p.m. at the funeral home chapel.

Friends may visit the family at the home of Rev. and Mrs. Eric Smith, 125 North Miller Street, Chadbourn.

CERRO GORDO -- Elsie Strickland Worley, 87, died Monday, Feb. 19, 2007 at Premier Living at Lake Waccamaw.

Final rites will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at Worthington Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Cherry Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. Worthington Funeral Home of Chadbourn is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include a daughter, McQueen Worley of Wilmington; a son, Quincey Dean Worley of Cerro Gordo; a sister, Sudie Buffkin of Whiteville; two brothers, Garland Strickland of Whiteville and and Daniel Carl Strickland of Cerro Gordo; and a grandson.

BLADENBORO -- Bessie Lee McKenzie, 52, died Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, at Lower Cape Fear Hospice Care Center, Wilmington. She was a factory worker.

Final rites will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Whiteville with the Elder Dontae’ Wooten. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include her husband, Joseph McKenzie; two sons, Antoine Devone McKenzie and Levone Donnell McKenzie of Bladenboro; her mother, Armather Brown of Chadbourn; five sisters, Grace Aleane Ball of Alabama, Betty Caldwell of Rock Hill, S.C., Letha Williams of Charlotte, Deloris Lea of Durham, and Paula Evans of Chadbourn; four brothers, Oscar Brown of Brooklyn, N.Y., Larry Wayne Brown and Hallie Alban Brown of Chadbourn and Delon Brown of Durham.

Viewing will be at the funeral home on Friday from noon until 7 p.m. Viewing will be at the church Saturday following the service.

Friends may visit the family at the home of Armather Brown, 581 Grist Road, Chadbourn.

CHADBOURN -- Edwin Seymour Frink, 81, died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington. He was the son of the late Walter Sims and Alice Stephens Frink and a retired farmer.

Final rites will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at Worthington Funeral Home with the Reverends Hubert Herring, Roy Walker and Joe Sellers officiating. Burial will follow in Columbus Memorial Park, Whiteville. Worthington Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Renie Elliott Frink; a daughter, Brenda F. Brown and husband, Mac of Chadbourn; a sister, Alice Faye Benton and husband V.J. of Cerro Gordo; brothers, John Frink and his wife, Marilyn of N. Myrtle Beach, S.C. and David Frink and wife, Sara of Chadbourn; a grandson, Mackie and wife, Becky and three great-grandchildren, Sidney, Christopher and Ben. His two dogs, Luke and Dexter.

Memorials may be made to the Baptist Children’s Home of North Carolina, P.O. Box 338, Thomasville, N.C. 27361-0336 or a charity of one’s choice.

Visitation will be held from 10-11 a.m. (one hour) prior to the service at the funeral home.

FAIR BLUFF -- Rose A. Wright, 83, died Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington.

Final rites will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at Sandy Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Fair Bluff with the Reverends Thomas Register and Thomas Nelson officiating. Burial will follow in Butler Branch Community Cemetery, Fair Bluff. S&L Funeral Home of Fair Bluff is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include a daughter, Alice Faye Ford of New York City, N.Y.; a grandson and two great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23 at the funeral home, 810 Conway Road, Fair Bluff.

The family will receive friends at 363 Orange Street, Fair Bluff.

WHITEVILLE -- Layla Caroline Moorhead, five month old daughter of Scott and Heather Smith Moorhead of Whiteville, died Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007, in UNC Memorial Hospital, Chapel Hill. She was born Sept. 2, 2006 in New Hanover County.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by Peacock’s Chapel In The Pines, Whiteville.

Survivors include her parents; her paternal grandparents, Nick and Jan Richardson Moorhead of Whiteville; her maternal grandparents, Herb and Kathy Faulk Smith of Nakina; her maternal great-grandmother, Darlene Faulk of Nakina.

NAKINA -- Theodore Clarida, 79, died Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare. He was a farmer.

Final rites will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at Zion Plain Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Timothy Moss officiating. Burial will follow in the Clarida Family Cemetery. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Annie Clarida; three daughters, Lula Bell Ganus of Nakina, Priscilla Clarida of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Cynthia Piggott of Fayetteville; six sons, Jimmy Clarida of Whiteville, Lenwood Clarida of Hackensack, N.J., Welish Clarida and Billy Joe Clarida, both of Nakina, Larry Clarida of Ash, and Jerome Clarida of Loxley, Ala.; two sisters, Reather Key and Rosa Bell Clarida of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Viewing will be at the funeral home on Thursday (today) from noon until 8 p.m. and Friday from 9-11 a.m. Viewing will be at the church Friday from noon until 1 p.m. and again following the service.

The family will receive friends Thursday (today) from 7-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

WHITEVILLE -- Raymond D. Paul, 77, died Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington. He was born Feb. 4, 1930 in Shawnee, Okla. the son of the late Leslie Tipton Paul and Audrey Langwell Paul.

He was formerly a pilot with the N.C. Forestry Department and was employed with American Airlines. He was a former civil service flight instructor. He was a veteran of the United States Navy having served during the Korean War. He also enjoyed sailing and flying model airplanes.

Final rites with military honors will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at Peacock’s Chapel In The Pines with the Reverends Judy Powell and Worth Gerald. Burial will follow in the Broadridge Baptist Church Cemetery. Peacock’s Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Jo Collins Paul; a son, Randall Scott Paul of Morganton; two daughters, Karla Paul Woody and Cathy Paul Woods, both of Lenoir; two sisters, Geneva Talley of Camp Verde, Ariz. and Florine Spillars of Tecumseh, Okla.; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Freddie Baldwin, 61, formerly of Whiteville, died Friday, Feb. 16, 2007.

Final rites will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at Mill Branch Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. David Jones officiating. Burial will follow in the Cherry Grove Cemetery, Whiteville. Smith Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include three sisters, Lucille Alderman, Minister Nora Smith, both of Whiteville, and Cynthia Shaw of Wilmington.

Viewing will be on Friday from 1-7 p.m. at the funeral home, and also on Saturday one hour prior to the services at the church.

Family and friends may visit at the home of Sherill Bordeaux, 2311 Golf Course Road, Whiteville.

CLARENDON -- Mada Alma Price, 81, died Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007, at Liberty Commons Nursing Home, Whiteville. She was born in Columbus County, the daughter of the late Willie Lee Price and Martha Cora Ray Price.

Final rites will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22 at the Inman Chapel with the Rev. Wayne Faulk officiating. Burial will follow in Bethel Memorial Cemetery, Clarendon. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include two brothers, Ottis Price of Siler City and Billy Price of Roxboro; and a sister, Carrie Bell Stanley of Whiteville.

Visitation will be Thursday (today) from 2-3 p.m. at the funeral home.

BOLTON -- Homer Daniels, 87, died Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, at his residence. He was retired from International Paper Company and a farmer.

Final rites will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at Graham Chapel AME Zion Church, Riegelwood with the Rev. Vincent Meares officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Smith Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include two sons, Bobby Daniels of Clarkton and Wilbert Daniels of Riegelwood; three daughters, Betty Mitchell and Agatha Brown, both of Bolton, and Esther Mills of Washington, D.C.; and a sister, Rosa Belle Freeman of Riegelwood.

There will be a wake on Thursday (today) from 6-7 p.m. at the funeral home in Whiteville. Viewing will begin on Thursday at 1 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to the services on Friday at the church. No viewing after the services.

MARION, S.C. --Brooks G. Graham, 62, died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007, at Marion Medical Center.

Final rites will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at Hickory Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Fair Bluff with the Reverends Ervin Harper and Thomas Nelson officiating. Burial will follow in Hickory Grove Church Cemetery, Fair Bluff. S&L Funeral Home of Fair Bluff is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his mother, Mrs. Jessie Graham of Marion, S.C.; a daughter, Tammy Patterson of Harrisburg; a sister, Jerotha Archie of Jacksonville, Fla.; a brother, John Wayne Graham of Marion, S.C.; and a granddaughter.

Visitation will be from 1-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23 at the funeral home, 810 Conway Road, Fair Bluff.

The family will receive friends at 923-A Jones Avenue, Marion, S.C.