HOLLY COX EDGISON

WHITEVILLE -- Holly Cox Edgison passed away on Thursday, June 28, 2007, after battling pancreatic cancer for 15 months with dignity, courage and grace she is now experiencing the “ultimate healing.” She was born in Philadelphia, Pa. on Dec. 13, 1945 to Harold and Betty Cox.

Prior to moving to Whiteville in 2002, she moved extensively across the United States before settling in Charlotte for 30 years. She was employed as an office manager but her passions were her husband, Bob, flower gardening and her love for animals.

A memorial service will be held at Community Innovations Training Center, Wilson Street in Whiteville Saturday, July 7 at 10 a.m.

She is survived by her cherished husband and soul mate, Bob L. Edgison of Whiteville; her brothers, Larry Cox, wife Gail of Marriottsville, Md. and Janson Cox, wife Cleta of Rembert, S.C., her beloved nieces and nephews, Carla, Corine, Debbie, Erik and Yanson, as well as numerous friends, old and new.

The family wishes to thank Advantage Hospice as well as Dr. Martin and his staff for their compassion and care during her illness.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, Pancreatic Section or to any Humane Society or No Kill Animal Shelter of one’s choice.

WILBERT LEE WILLIAMS

SUPPLY -- Wilbert Lee Williams, 79, died June 28, 2007, at Lower Cape Fear Hospice Center, Wilmington.

Final rites will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, July 6, at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Shallotte with Ronald Reaves officiating. Burial will follow in the Southeastern Memorial Garden, North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Smith Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Lucinda Williams of the home; two daughters, Deborah Minott of Supply and Nancy Lake of Hampton, Va.; and six grandchildren.

There will be a wake Thursday (today), July 5 from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Viewing will be at the Kingdom Hall from noon until the service, and there will be no viewing following the service.

PEARL TOMPKINS

TABOR CITY -- Pearl Tompkins, 86, died Wednesday, July 4, 2007, in Premier Living, Lake Waccamaw. She was the widow of William Pouncey Tompkins. Born in Columbus County, she was the daughter of the late Braxton and Beulah Sellers Cartrette.

Final rites will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 6, at the Inman Chapel with the Rev. Bobby Cartrette officiating. Inman Funeral Home of TaLawn Cemetery, Tabor City. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include a son, Billy Tompkins of Tabor City; two daughters, Jeanette Fowler of Whiteville; Mary Sellers of Milwaukee, Wisc.; a sister, Emma Jane Norris of Clarendon; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 7-9 p.m. Thursday (tonight), July 5 at the funeral home.

MINNIE WHITE

CLARKTON -- Minnie White, 84, died Sunday, July 1, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare. She was the daughter of the late Garland Hanes Priest and Lessie Mae McDonald Priest.
White was a member of Western Prong Baptist Church, where she was a Sunday school teacher for many years.

Final rites were held Wednesday, July 4, at Western Prong Baptist Church with the Rev. Warren Hill officiating. Burial followed in the Clarkton Cemetery. McKenzie Mortuary of Whiteville handled the arrangements.

Survivors include three daughters, Glenda H. Phillips of Clarkton, Sandra H. Gore of Whiteville, and Wanda W. Tatum of Clarkton; a son, Milton Hayes of Clarkton; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Western Prong Baptist Church, 167 Peacock Road, Whiteville, N.C. 28472.

ROBERT GENE ‘BOBBY’ BROWN

TABOR CITY -- Robert Gene “Bobby” Brown, 43, died Sunday, July 1, 2007, in Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, Myrtle Beach, S.C., as a result of an automobile accident. He was born in Glen Burnie, Md., the son of Robert Eugene Brown and Nelly Cornejo Brown.

There will be no services in Tabor City. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City is announcing for family.

Survivors are his parents, Robert Eugene Brown and Nelly Cornejo Brown; two sisters, Charlene Stammer Connery of Millersville, Md.; and Jannette Statterfield of Edgewater, Md.

JOHN MURRY POPE

WHTEVILLE -- John Murry Pope, 80, died Wednesday, July 4, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare. He was the son of the late Ed and Bessie Barefoot Pope.

Pope was a member of the Hallsboro Church of God.

Final rites will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, July 6, at McKenzie Mortuary Chapel with the Rev. Danny Williams officiating. Burial will follow in the Flynn Cemetery. McKenzie Mortuary of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife Hilda Tedder Pope of the home.

Visitation will be from 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday (today), July 5 at the funeral home.

ELIZABETH YATES

CHADBOURN -- Elizabeth Yates, 83, died Sunday, July 1, 2007, at Regency Hospital, Florence, S.C.

Final rites will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 7, at St. Mary’s A.M.E. Church with Pastor Charles J. McMillian officiating. Burial will follow in Belvue Cemetery, Chadbourn. Smith Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include a daughter, Donnice Gardner-Bey of Baltimore, Md.; and five grandchildren.

Viewing will be on Friday from noon until 8 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to the services at the church Saturday.

OREE HILL

WHITEVILLE -- Oree Hill, 61, died Tuesday, July 3, 2007.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville.

GLENN JOSEPH ‘SPUNKY’
MANSFIELD SR.

CAROLINA BEACH -- Glenn Joseph “Spunky” Mansfield Sr., 69, died Monday, July 2, 2007, at Moses Cone Hospital, Greensboro. He was a native of Guilford County and the son of Maria Markovich Mansfield of Greensboro and the late Toy Glenn “Captain Tarzan” Mansfield. He was preceded in death by his father and a half brother, Cecil Mansfield.

Mansfield will be remembered as a highly intelligent individual. As a young man, he was an accomplished machinist, State Certified Tool and Die Maker and engineer. After many years in the Metal Working Trade, he decided to move to Carolina Beach, where he earned his Captain’s license and operated a successful Charter Fishing Boat called the Trout King II. After a number of years in the fishing business, he decided to achieve yet another goal in his life. He earned his real estate broker’s license and started his own real estate business, Mansfield American Reality, of which he was involved in until his untimely death.

Mansfield was a member of The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Carolina Beach and an active member of the Rolling Thunder, Inc. Chapter 3 Motorcycle Group, whose mission was to support Vietnam veterans and the search for MIA’s. He will always be remembered as a man who was an ultimate achiever. He will be loved and missed by all who knew him.

Final rites will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 7, at Lowe Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Robert J. Stone C.M. Entombment will follow at Alamance Memorial Park Mausoleum. Lowe Funeral Home and Crematory of Burlington is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his mother, Maria Markovich Mansfield of Greensboro; daughters, Maria Blakey of Pleasant Garden, Carla Rogers of South Carolina, Carmen Muncy of Wilmington, Ashlyn Mansfield of Carolina Beach; sons, Glenn J. Mansfield Jr., Scott Blackmon, Christopher Mansfield, and Gabriel Mansfield, all of Greensboro, Aimsley Mansfield of Currie, Keith Blackmon of Wilmington; sisters, Glenda Moore of Greensboro, Glennette Henderson of Whiteville; half sisters, Juanita Schleicher of Philadelphia, Pa., and Helen Redding of Ramseur; half brother, Richard Mansfield of Oklahoma City, Okla.; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday (tonight) at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Veteran’s Memorial in honor of Glenn Mansfield, c/o Rolling Thunder, Inc. Chapter 3, Pres. Jim Enos, P.O. Box 3726, Wilmington, N.C. 28406; attn: RTSC3 Treasurer or the charity of your choice.

CATHRYNE B. WALTERS

BLADENBORO -- Rev. Cathryne B. Walters, 80, died Friday, June 29, 2007, at Raleigh Rehabilitation Center.

Final rites will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 6, at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Gregory Taylor officiating. Burial will follow in the Brooklyn Memorial Gardens. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include a son, Dempsey Walters Jr. of Raleigh; two sisters, Annie Hines of Bladenboro and Mable Orrell of Wilson; a brother, Clifton Brunson of San Diego, Calif.

Viewing will be at the funeral home Friday from 10-11 a.m. and again following the service.

INEZ MATHIS

CLARKTON -- Inez Mathis, 88, died Friday, June 29, 2007, at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Faytteville.

Final rites will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, July 6, at Pierce Chapel AME Zion Church. Burial will follow in the Jones Cemetery. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include two daughters, Doris D. Johnson of Paterson, N.J. and Linda M. Tanner of Fayetteville; seven sons, Dewitt T. Mathis Jr. of Burlington, N.J., Thomas E. Mathis of Sacramento, Calif., Nathaniel Mathis of Fayetteville, David L. Mathis of Richmond, Va., Raymond L. Mathis of Gibsonville, Carl Mathis of Wilson, and Earl R. Mathis of Durham.

Viewing will be at the funeral home on Thursday (today), July 5 from noon-8 p.m. and Friday, July 6 from 9-11 a.m. Viewing will be at the church Friday from noon until 1 p.m. and again following the service.

VICTORIA ROSE SOLES

CERRO GORDO -- Victoria Rose Soles, infant daughter of Tabitha Smith Gore and Kelly Devon Soles, died Tuesday, June 26, 2007, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington.

A graveside service was held Tuesday, July 3, at the Strickland Cemetery, Cerro Gordo. Worthington Funeral Home of Chadbourn handled the arrangements.

In addition to her parents survivors include a brother, William Casey Smith of the home; a sister, Stacey “C.J.” Smith of the home; paternal grandparents, Larry Ray and Geneva Ruth Soles of Chadbourn; maternal grandparents, W.C. and Shirley Sarvis Smith of Nakina; maternal great-grandparents, Wendell Clyde and Erma Ruth Lee Smith of Nakina.

BARBARA KAYE CLARK

VIRGINIA -- Barbara Kay Clark, 52, formerly of Dublin, died Monday, July 2, 2007. She was the daughter of the late Craven and Lueilla Brisson. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Shirley Woodlief and Iris Robeson.

Clark was a registered nurse at Bladen County Hospital-Elizabethtown, Southeastern Regional Health Care, Lumberton and Cape Fear Valley, Fayetteville.

Final rites will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday (today), July 5, at Elizabethtown Baptist Church with Dr. David Elks officiating. Burial will follow in Bladen Memorial Gardens. Bladen Funeral Home of Elizabethtown is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include her husband, Johnny Dale Clark of the home; a daughter, Michelle Chaney of Whiteville; a brother, James Craven Brisson Jr. of Greenville, S.C.; two sisters, Janie Brisson Grimes of Dublin and Jackie Brisson Parker of Alto, Ga.; and four grandchildren.

EDDIE B. NEALEY JR.

TABOR CITY -- Eddie B. Nealey Jr., 43, died Monday, July 2, 2007, at his residence. He was born in Loris, S.C., the son of Mattie Missouri “Sudie” Walker Nealey and the late Eddie B. Nealey Sr.

Final rites will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday (today), July 5, at the Inman Chapel with the Rev. Patty Cartrette officiating. Burial will follow in the Nealey Cemetery, Tabor City. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Sandra T. Nealey of Tabor City; a daughter, Megan Parker of Tabor City; a son, Jonathan Nealey of Tabor City; his mother, Sudie Nealey of Tabor City; two brothers, Greg Nealey and Jeffrey Nealey, both of Whiteville; a sister, Lorena Graham of Tabor City; and two grandchildren.

GLORIA JEAN BUFFKIN

TABOR CITY -- Gloria Jean Buffkin, 55, died Thursday morning in her home.

Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Sunday in the Inman Chapel with interment to follow in the Forest Lawn Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday night 7 - 9 p.m. in the Inman Funeral Home.

Survivors include her husband, Ronald Buffkin of Tabor City; parents, Mr. and Mrs. Al Watts Jr. of the home; two sons, Charles Wayne Buffkin and Burnie Eugene Buffkin of Tabor City; three brothers, Ronnie, Jerry and Gary Watts all of Tabor City; and three grandchildren.