CALDWELL ROSS

WILMINGTON -- Caldwell Ross, 79, died Wednesday, June 13, 2007, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. He was born Oct. 19, 1927 in Brunswick County, the son of the late Charlie and Jewell Evans Ross.

Ross was a retired chief petty officer with the United States Navy. He was a locksmith with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and formerly employed with Corning Glass.
Graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, June 15, at the Ross Family Cemetery with the Rev. Don Allen officiating. Peacock Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Marveleen Williams Ross of Wilmington; three daughters, Karen Ross Daniels of Wilmington, Angie Ross Perry of Holly Springs and Loris Ross McKoy of Hampstead; a brother, Frank Ross of Wilmington; a sister, Muriel Ross Inman of Wilmington, and five grandchildren.

The family will receive friends prior to the service at 341 Toulon Drive, Wilmington and following the service at the family home in Ash.

ROBERT MEARS

FAIR BLUFF -- Robert Mears, 77, died Friday, June 8, 2007, at his residence.

Final rites will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at Butler Branch Missionary Baptist Church in Fair Bluff with the Reverends Ronald Alford and Dr. Trunian C. Tart officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. S&L Funeral Home of Fair Bluff is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include two daughters, Patricia Candia of Kinsad Queen, Va. and Evangeline Griffin of Fair Bluff; two sons, Richard Mears of Philadelphia, Pa. and Robert Mears Jr. of Fair Bluff; a sister, Dorothy Mears Jackson of Philadelphia, Pa.

Viewing will be held from 1-8 p.m. Friday, June 15 at the funeral home.

Family will receive friends at the home of Robert Mears, 430 Elm St., Fair Bluff.

JOHN DAVID ‘J.D.’ MASON

CHADBOURN -- John David “J.D.” Mason, 75, drowned Monday, June 11, 2007 in a pond in Evergreen.

Final rites will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at Zion Wall Freewill Baptist Church in Chadbourn with the Rev. Ricky Mason officiating. Burial will follow in Belvue Cemetery, Chadbourn. D&A Funeral Home of Chadbourn is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include five sons, David Mason Jr., John B. Mason, Roy Mason, and Terry W. McDougal, all of Chadbourn, and Pete Baker of Buffalo, N.Y.; three daughters, Veronica Nadine Mason and Evelyeen Mason, both of Chadbourn, and Carolyn Mason of Whiteville; five brothers, Glen Mason, Rev. Frank Mason Jr., Robert Lee Mason, Alex Mason, all of Chadbourn, and L.M. Mason of Syracuse, N.Y.; five sisters, Easter Parker, Pansy Mason, Ruby Lloyd and Pauline Dennis, all of Chadbourn, and Carolyn Gregory of Jamaica, N.Y. (See story, page 4 of our printed edition)

KATIE CATHERINE ODOM

WHITEVILLE -- Katie Catherine Odom, 83, died Saturday, June 9, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare.

Final rites will be held at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 17, at Peoples Funeral Chapel in Whiteville with the Bishop Rosa Pittman. Burial will be in the Campground Cemetery. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include three daughters, Katie Bell Odom of Virginia, Sallie McCollum of Whiteville, and Peggy Galespie of Chadbourn; five sons, Willie Odom of Chadbourn, Webster Odom and Frank Odom, both of Whiteville, James Odom of Oklahoma, and Thurman Odom of Tabor City.

Viewing will be at the funeral home Saturday from noon until 8 p.m. and Sunday following the service. There will be a wake Saturday from 7-8 p.m. at the funeral home chapel.

JANICE LEONA BENNETT

GREEN SEA, S.C. -- Janice Leona Bennett, 56, died Thursday, June 7, 2007, at MUSC Hospital in Charleston, S.C. She is the daughter of the late Chandler Newcome.

Final rites were held Wednesday, June 13, at Inman Funeral Home Chapel. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City handled the arrangements.
Survivors include her husband, Richard J. Bennett of Green Sea; her mother, Priscilla Leona Salmon and stepfather, William Ray Salmon of Cantonment, Fla.; five sons, Richard Bennett Jr. of Phillipsburg, N.J., Jonathon Robert Bennett of Keene, N.H., Steven Chandler Bennett, William Jay Bennett, and David Michael Bennett, all of Green Sea; four daughters, Melissa Ann Bennett of Phillipsburg, N.J., Amanda Maria Bennett of Conway, S.C., Tina Maria McGowen and Tammy McGowen, both of Jaffrey, N.H.; two brothers, David Newcome of Warwick, R.I. and Peter Newcome of Ormond Beach, Fla.; and 15 grandchildren.

IRENE MEARES BLACKWELL

CERRO GORDO -- Irene Meares Blackwell, 80, died Monday, June 11, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare. A native of Columbus County, she was the daughter of the late Whitten and Fammie M. Meares and the widow of the late Cornelius “Neil” F. Ammons.

Final rites will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday (today), at Cedar Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. David Richardson officiating. Burial will follow in the Meares Cemetery, Fair Bluff. Worthington Funeral Home of Chadbourn is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include her husband, Aldred “Bob” Blackwell of the home; daughters, Ann M. Hinson of Cerro Gordo, Fran A. Weller of Pilot Mountain, Sue Grainger of Loris, S.C., Barbara B. Green of Conway, S.C., and Shelia B. Godwin of Carolina Beach; a son, Dr. Michael A. Blackwell of North Wilkesboro; sisters, Agnes Richardson of Lumberton and Sadie Herring of Fair Bluff; a brother, C.D. Meares of Fair Bluff; 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

JAMES L. FAULKNER

BLADENBORO -- James L. Faulkner, 76, died Saturday, June 9, 2007, at Bladen County Hospital.

Final rites will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, June 15, at First Baptist Church in Abbottsburg with the Rev. Donald L. Thompson officiating. Burial will follow in Sandhill Cemetery in Bladenboro. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include three daughters, Myrtle Faulkner of Lumberton, Jenette Lewis of Elizabethtown, and Joyce Singletary of Chadbourn; three sons, Jerry Faulkner of Bladenboro, James Faulkner of Lumberton, and Lavern Faulkner of Lake Waccamaw; three sisters, Pam Sheem and Mary Patton of Greensboro, and Janie Wright of Maryland; three brothers, Ben Faulkner of Charlotte, Dexter Faulkner of Newport News, Va., and Eric Faulkner of Bladenboro.

Viewing will be at the funeral home Thursday from noon until 8 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Viewing will be at the church Friday from 2-3 p.m. and again following the service.

MARY FRANCES POWELL COOK

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Mary Frances Powell Cook died March 4, 2007. She was born in Tabor City on Aug. 22, 1929 and had resided in Phoenix for the past 30 years. She was the daughter of Charlie J. Powell and Flauda B. Powell of Whiteville. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Whiteville.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 16, at Whiteville Memorial Cemetery.

Survivors include a sister, Bettie Lou Memory of Whiteville; three chldren, David C. Cook, Mary F. Cook, and Sharyn C. Jensen, all of Phoenix; and six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

JULIAN MARTINEZ CARRASCO

NAKINA -- Julian Martinez Carrasco, 76, died Monday, June 11, 2007.

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Friday, June 15, at the Peoples Funeral Home Chapel. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Magarita Arreola; and a son, Julian Carrasco Arreola of Nakina.

ALBERT LEE GRAHAM

CLARKTON -- Albert Lee Graham, 70, died Monday, June 11, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare. He was a textile worker.

Arrangements will be announced by Union Funeral Home of Whiteville.

Survivors include his wife of the home, Thelma Graham; eight children, Albert Curtis Graham, Joanne Graham, Loretta Graham, Elbert Graham, Virginia Trapp, Gloria Graham, Rev. Michael Graham, and Rev. Franklin Graham; four sisters, Idella Steele, Ruth McClain, Veda McKoy, Alatha Matthias; five brothers, Leo Graham, Herman Graham, James Graham, Larry Joe Graham and Marvin Freeman.

WILLIAM CLINTON “WC” WILLOUGHBY

CERRO GORDO -- William Clinton “WC” Willoughby, died Thursday, June 14, 2007, at his residence.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Worthington Funeral Home, Chadbourn.

He was the son of the late Paul and Lucy Kinlaw Willoughby Sr.

Survivors include a daughter, Katharine W. Greene, of Cerro Gordo; three brothers, Elliott Willoughby of Bladenboro, Jerry Willoughby and Larry Willoughby both of Evergreen; six sisters, Clara Collins of Evergreen, Annis Pully of Charlotte, Berline Hair of Elizabethtown, Marilyn Newell of Monroe, Bobbie Jean McDonald of Hamlet, and Gail Britt of Evergreen; and two grandchildren.