BAILEY L. BLACKBURN

CHADBOURN -- Bailey L. Blackburn, 66, died Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, at his residence. He was the son of the late Elvin and Essie Mae Nealy Blackburn.

Final rites will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, at Worthington Funeral Home with the Rev. Willard McPherson officiating. Burial will follow in the Flynn Cemetery, Whiteville. Worthington Funeral Home of Chadbourn is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Frances Melton Blackburn of the home; two sons, Carl Jones of Statesboro, Ga. and Joel Jones of Whiteville; daughters, Ann Becker of Chadbourn, Sandra Thompson of the home, and Janice Cribbs of Lake City, Fla.; a sister, Sue Itell of Isle of Palms, S.C.; 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 7-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3 at the funeral home.

INELL HOBBS TAYLOR

BRONX, N.Y. -- Inell Hobbs Taylor, formerly of Clarkton, died Thursday, June 14, 2007. She was the daughter of the late Badger and Ida Kelly Hobbs of Clarkton.

Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, at Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Clarkton with the Rev. Grant Martin officiating. A courtesy of Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville.

Survivors include a daughter, Melvenia Morrow Wise of Killeen, Texas.

TARQ SHAMAR CLARIDA

RALEIGH -- Tarq Shamar Clarida, 26, formerly of Nakina, died Sunday, July 29, 2007.

Final rites will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, at Central Baptist Church, Whiteville. Burial will follow in the Clarida Family Cemetery, Nakina. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Brittany Clarida; two daughters, Makayla Keyoona Alexis Clarida and Tyasia Shamiya Clarida, both of Raleigh; a son, Kayshawn Tariq Clarida of Raleigh; his parents, Willie and Dianne Clarida of Nakina; five sisters, Katrina D. Clarida of Raleigh, Tamica A. Shepherd of Japan, Amanda M. Clarida of Whiteville, Sharron V. Clarida and Kimberly D. Clarida, both of Nakina; a brother, Willie L. Clarida Jr. of Raleigh; paternal grandmother, Allane Smith Clarida of Nakina.

Viewing will be at the funeral home on Saturday, Aug. 4 from noon until 8 p.m. Viewing will be at the church Sunday following the service. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Saturday from 5-6 p.m.
Friends may visit the family at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Willie Clarida, 10915 Seven Creeks Highway, Nakina.

FRED F. ATKINSON

CLARKTON -- Fred F. Atkinson, 80, died Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington. Arrangements will be announced by Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville.

EVANGELINE HARRIS

BOLTON -- Evangeline Harris, 64, died Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare. Arrangements will be announced by Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville.

JAMES OSCAR GRAHAM

TABOR CITY -- James Oscar Graham, 84, of the Green Acres community, died Friday, July 27, 2007, at his residence. He was the son of the late Eddie and Daisy Graham.

Final rites will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, at High Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Nichols, S.C. with the Rev. Dr. B. Hercules Davis officiating. Burial will follow in the High Hill Cemetery. Westside Funeral Home of Tabor City is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his son, Wayne A. Graham of Columbia, S.C.; four brothers, Eddie Lee Graham of Bronx, N.Y., Willie, Winford and Jessie Graham, all of Tabor City; two sisters, Doretha Davis and Earie Moore of Hemingway, S.C.

Family visitation will be lheld from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3 at the funeral home.

LAVON RUSS

WHITEVILLE -- Leon Lavon Russ, 68, died Tuesday, July 31, 2007, at Loris Healthcare, Loris, S.C. He was born in Columbus County, the son of the late Levi and Georgia Lanier Russ.

Final rites will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 3, at the Inman Chapel with the Rev. Brooks Sykes officiating. Burial will follow in the Minos Meares Cemetery, Tabor City. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Lula G. Russ of the home; five sons, John W. Russ of Virginia Beach, Va.; Roy E. Russ of Clarendon, Jimmy D. Russ of Chadbourn, Timothy Barnhill and David Barnhill, both of Whiteville; three daughters, Cynthia Auvil and Jennifer Russ, both of Whiteville, and Linda R. Tedder of Tabor City; a brother, Roy R. Russ of Tabor City; 20 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Cindy Russ.

Visitation will be Thursday (tonight), Aug. 2 from 7-9 p.m. at the funeral home.

VERNA MAE DUDNEY

TABOR CITY -- Verna Mae Dudney, 67, died Monday, July 30, 2007, in Loris Healthcare. She was born in Columbus County, the daughter of the late Dewey Ivey Norris and Jettie Pearl Spivey Norris.

Final rites will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3, at the Inman Chapel with the Reverends Kenneth Smith and Sterling Sarvis officiating. Burial will follow in Myrtle Green Cemetery, Tabor City. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include her husband, Honoree Dudney of the home.; two sons, Charles Dudney of Tabor City and Fletcher Dudney of Germanton; three daughters, Janet Marek of Conway, S.C., Jo Ann Gaskins of Sanford, Wendy Stubblefield of Columbia, S.C.; a brother, Winston Norris of Tabor City; two sisters, Eloise Martin of Loris, S.C., Verdie Lee Greiner of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be Thursday (tonight), Aug. 2 from 7-9 p.m. at the funeral home.

SHEILA S. McMILLIAN

WHITEVILLE -- Sheila S. McMillian, 54, died Sunday, July 29, 2007, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
Final rites will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, at Friendship Baptist Church with the Rev. Algernon McKenzie. Burial will follow in the Millican Cemetery. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include her husband, Larry McMillian; a daughter, Shannon McMillian of the home; her mother, Eva Mae McLean of Whiteville; two sisters, Gwen Jones of California and Edith Davis of Whiteville; four brothers, William McLean Jr., Anthony Davis, and Gregory McLean, all of Whiteville, and Vernon McLean of Bladenboro.

Viewing will be at the funeral home on Friday, Aug. 3 from noon until 8 p.m. Viewing will be at the church Saturday following the service.

ANNIE MAE HARDY

CLARENDON -- Annie Mae Hardy, 64, died Monday, July 30, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare. She was born in Brunswick County, the daughter of the late Stacy and Gertrude Martin Leonard.

Final rites will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday (today), Aug. 2, in the Inman Chapel with the Rev. Danny Williams officiating. Burial will follow in John Norris Cemetery, Tabor City. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include her husband, David Hardy Sr. of the home; two sons, David Hardy Jr. and Isaac Hardy, both of Clarendon; five daughters, Hazel Jackson of Hallsboro, Karen Hardy and Cindy Hodge, both of Clarendon, Annie Ruth Gause of Old Dock, Rebecca Gore of the home; a brother, Rudolph Leonard of Holden Beach; a sister, Betty Lou Ward of Holden Beach; five grandchildren, Bridgette, John David, Joseph, Stacy, and Jesse; and three step-grandchildren.

ELEEN WILLIAMS

WHITEVILLE -- Eleen Williams, 83, beloved mother and devoted nurse passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 26, 2007. She was a lifelong resident of Columbus County and for 43 years was a dedicated professional to her life’s only employer ... Columbus Regional Healthcare in Whiteville as Nurse Anesthetist and Operating Room Supervisor.

She began her career in the 1940s as a Nurse Cadet in the United States Army while stationed at Camp Davis near Holly Ridge, and finished her training at James Walker Memorial Hospital’s School of Nursing in Wilmington. Upon graduation she moved to Whiteville and pursued her love and passion for nursing as a Nurse Anesthetist and Operating Room Supervisor until her retirement in 1991. It was her kindness, her warmth, her caring and the special compassion that she always showed to patients who came through the operating room that will always be remembered. She inspired everyone she worked with and her greatest and most special gift in life was the way she made everyone feel ... cared for and significant.

A memorial service was held Monday, July 30, at Peacock’s Chapel In The Pines with the Rev. Kendell Cameron officiating. Burial followed in Peacock’s Columbus Memorial Park. Peacock’s Funeral Home of Whiteville handled the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund, 412 N. Madison Street, Whiteville, N.C. 28472.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 33 years, Lee Roy Williams, two sisters, two brothers and her beloved Irish setter, Divot, her companion for 11 years.

She is survived by her only son, Johnny Williams; a sister, Juanita McLemore of Wilmington and a host of friends, neighbors, relatives and her “adopted nurses” from the operating room at Columbus Regional Healthcare.

Her son would like to extend his gratitude to all those who loved and cared for her during her brief illness; with special thanks going to Dr. John Hodgson, Libby Hampton, Gayle Hedgepath, Billie Jo Stephens, Eva Pope, Doris Norris, Alease Hammond, Leola Engen, and the entire nursing staff at Columbus Regional Healthcare and Liberty Commons and Liberty Nursing in Whiteville.

FLORENCE ELIZABETH
STALLINGS

RALEIGH -- Florence Elizabeth Nance Stallings, 99, passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, July 29, 2007, at Wake Medical Center in Cary. Born on June 24, 1908 in Chadbourn, she was the youngest of nine children of the late William Atkins Nancy and Mary Elizabeth Tart Nance. Florence married Godfrey Charles Stallings on Oct. 19, 1940. They were the last charter members, with their family, of Highland United Methodist Church.

Including her husband of 67 years, she is survived by her daughters, Nancy C. Stallings of Salt Lake City, Utah and Helen S. Snyder and husband Randy of Winston-Salem; by her four grandchildren, Jim Hager, Jeff Hager, Kerry Price and Shelley Carleson; by her five great-grandchildren, Samson Hager, Seragphina Hager, Quinn Castner, Mica Carleson and Drew Hager; and by numerous nieces and nephews extended family and life-long friends.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Glenaire Assisted Living, 4000 Glenaire Circle in Cary. Funeral Services, officiated by Pastor Jim Lee and Assocate Pastor Heather Lear, will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 1, at 11 a.m. at Highland United Methodist Church, with interment to follow at Raleigh Memorial Park. Mitchell Funeral Home at Raleigh Memorial Park of Raleigh is handling the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Highland United Methodist Church, 1901 Ridge Road, Raleigh, N.C. 27607.

ADA VICTORIA BUTLER
LEONARD SINGLETARY

WHITEVILLE-- Ada Victoria Butler Leonard Singletary, 92, died Tuesday, July 24, 2007, at SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation in Elizabethtown. She was the daughter of the late Hugh James and Emma Jane Jones Butler and the widow of Newman Leaward and Danvis Singletary. She was also preceded in death by three daughters, Emma Emma Louise Beck, Hilda Gray Williamson, and Betty Floyd; two sons, Henry Leonard and Harvey Hames Leonard.

Graveside services were held Saturday, July 28, at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Tabor City with Rev. Calvin Smith officiating. Worthington Funeral Home of Chadbourn handled the arrangements.

Survivors include a sister, Lula Hawes of Shallotte; eight grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and several great-great-grandchildren.

DOROTHY W. CURRIE

CLARKTON -- Dorothy M. Currie, 78, died Thursday, July 26, 2007, at Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst.

Final rites will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 31, at Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Clarkton with the Rev. Grant Martin officiating. Burial will follow in the Pleasant View Cemetery in St. Pauls. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include her husband, Willie L. Currie; two daughters, Willa C. Clark of Henderson and Dorothy L. Simpson of Clarkton; two sons, Willie R. Currie of Detroit, Mich. and Barry J. Currie of Jacksonville; a sister, Almeta David of Laurel Hill; two brothers, James H. Malloy of Maxton and Marshall Malloy of Laurinburg.

Viewing will be at the funeral home from noon until 8 p.m. on Monday (today), July 30.

The family will receive friends Monday (today), July 30 from 7-8 p.m. at the funeral home.