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A tribute to Emma Wright Smith, 99
EMMA WRIGHT SMITH
AUG. 18, 1907 TO JUNE 3, 2007
This celebratory writing of Emma Wright Smith is presented by her children, Allie Maitland Smith, Judith Smith Greene and Jane Smith Patterson.
Emma Wright Smith left this earthly life on June 3, 2007 at age 99 years and 10 months. Emma was born in Scotland County North Carolina on Aug. 18, 1907, the child of Samuel and Esther Wright. Emma went to school in Scotland County and regaled her children above life on the farm and in particular she loved the horses and mules on that farm. Like many parents, she constantly told her children about the walk to school, thereby never failing to make a strong statement to us about the value and importance of education.
Emma went away, as her family members did, to college. She attended the N.C. Normal College for Women, now the University of North Carolina in Greensboro and later graduated from St. Andrews College in Laurinburg. When the depression came, she left the university to move to Tabor City to teach. After six years, in 1933, she married Allie McCoy Smith, whose family had lived in North Carolina for more than 240 years and in Columbus County for more than 140 years. Upon her marriage, the schools, as they did at that time for women, can- celled her contract. Emma hold this to her children, and this may be what made them strong supporters of women’s rights.
In 1951, her beloved husband, AliMac died suddenly. He was more than 20 years her senior but to his family he was a fountain of love and laughter and amazing intelligence and an entrepreneur before the profession was popular. Emma became a single mother with two young daughters at home and a son who was enrolled in the engineering school of N.C. State University. She managed successfully the various enterprises that her husband had been involved with. She introduced her children to the work of tobacco farming, making sure they realized that as much education as you could get would be the best way to differently finance their future livelihood.
Education was a part of AliMac’s family history on his mother’s side. Their family, the Formyduval’s had run the main school in rural Columbus County in the 1800s -- the Formyduval Academy.
All of us were to graduate from college and go on to attend graduate programs. Judy is an educator who has taught in the public schools of North Carolina and in Tennessee. Maitland has been a professor and the Dean of the Engineering School at the University of Mississippi and Jane has worked at three unversities -- University of Pennsylvania, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and served as vice chancellor at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
We had wonderful teachers in Tabor City Schools who, along with our mother and father, gave us a life-long passion for learning.
Emma believed you should be a good citizen and talked about history and government. When called upon to support her children when they sought to talk with the Board of Education about their nonsupport of the fine principal, Charles Pinner, of the Tabor City School, she pitched in and helped to develop the process that ultimately led the Board of Education to talk with the student body whose goal was to keep a good principal. He was kept.
Education, music and gardening and her church were her passions as was her friends. Music was there in the form of a piano, an organ, music lessons, voice lessons, and clarinet and violin lessons. Later in her 70s she traveled the world and loved to tell stories of those trips to China, Israel and other distant lands. You need only to look at her side yard to see the evidence of gardens transplanted from her original Tabor City home.
Our home was always a happy place, filled with laughter and good food, with many friends of Emma always stopping by. In particular, the voices of Fay, Marvella, Adelaide, Cora, Eunice, Edith, Inez, Doris, and Hulda were heard often at Emma’s home. She was an extremely giving individual. No person who came to our door was ever turned away but welcomed. She could cook a fine dinner, along with Aunt Callie (our wonderful friend) who helped Emma raise her family. She loved the Eastern Star and the activities there. Tabor City Baptist Church was also a place where she worshipped and taught an adult Sunday School class for many, many years. She loved her children and friends as well with unconditional love. Upon the marriage of her children, she welcomed her children’s spouses into her family circle.
After we finished our first four years of university, our mother went back to teaching. She glowed when she talked to us about her students. We never knew which children she would be working late with and if we interrupted her work with a young student, she would say,
“Call me back later, please.”
We owe a great deal to Tabor City, the town that we grew up and in particular our friends the Bells, the Williams, the Garrells, the Baxters, the Dormans, the Edwards and the Soles. These families surrounded Emma when our dad died (as did her sister Aunt Charlotte’s family and our father’s sisters Aunt Gola and Aunt Gaddis and his Aunt Cameola’s families) with their love and assistance. Our cousins Weldon, Hugh and Sylvia Gore and their mother Mazie along with Kay Smith Canady and Kay Pierce and her niece Emmalee Campbell enriched our lives. We would not have been able to be successful in our lives without the friendship and support of folks in our town and our families above. Our mother could not have stayed in her home without the help of Hazel, Ruby, Eloise, Rosie and Letha who were her companions the last years of her life. The day Emma broke her hip she was out visiting the elderly -- at 91.
Adversity was always a challenge to overcome. There was always humor to drive you forward. One day, our friend came over and walked into the house at dinner time to see if Emma’s food was better that night than Adelaide’s. That is the way small towns were. Brookise and Joe were particularly frequent visitors. When our friend came in to enquire that night about Emma’s dinner menu, the friend slammed the door and the brand new iced cake sitting on the table flew off into the floor and landed upside down on the tile. Mother said to our friend, ok, let’s pick it up with these spatulas and we will put it back on the table. Smiling, she said, “no one will know the difference.” A cake saved, a wounded ego corrected and none of us where the wiser until many days later.
Emma taught us that monetary accumulation is fleeting and that education is more important -- that it enlightens, invigorates and sustains your life. She taught us that all people are owed respect -- that it is not what station in life you are born into but how you live your life that is important. Her eternal optimism is something that all three of us have tried to copy -- but it is hard to copy Emma. She was a person of strong faith and always strived to make certain that we followed that path.
And, all three of us will remember her saying -- You can do anything you set your mind to ... one step at a time and you will get there! And, remember, children, do not brag and do not gossip!
We have tried to pass on thees attributes to our children, and Emma’s grandchildren Leianne, Holly, Merry, Julia, Pat and Braxton. Emma’s 10 great-grandchildren will hear many stories about Emma from us.
Yes, Emma has left us, but what a legacy she has left this earthly world!
Final rites will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, June 8, at Tabor City Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Myrtle Green Cemetery in Tabor City. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City is handling the arrangements.
Survivors include Dr. Allie Maitland Smith and his wife Sarah. Their children Leianne Taylor and her spouse Tommy Taylor and their four children Jonathan, Lauren, David and Allie of Chatanooga, Tenn.; Hollis DuVal Smith of Atlanta, Ga., Meredith and Bob Vaughn and the three sons, Robert, Christopher and Chase, all of Raleigh; Judith Smith Greene of Lumberton and her daughter Julia Greene Derrow and her daughter Jordan Eller and spouse Greg Derrow of Harrisonburg, Va. Jane Smith Patterson and her spouse Hank Patterson of Chapel Hill and their children Braxton Smith Patterson of Asheville, Henry N. Patterson V (Pat) and wife Jennifer Boreland Patterson and their two daughters Riley and Meredith of Chapel Hill.
Visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m. at the church June 8.
Individuals who would like to honor Emma Wright Smith should give a contribution to the charity of their choice in her honor or contribute to the music program at the Tabor City Baptist Church.
--paid obituary--
KATHERINE MACRAE PERRY HILBURN
WHITEVILLE -- Katherine MacRae Perry Hilburn, 97, died Saturday, June 2, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare. She was born in Council on July 12, 1909, the daughter of the late Gaston Perry and Katherine Meares Perry; youngest of eight children. She was preceded in death by her son, Donald F. Hilburn of Whiteville.
She was a graduate of Clarkton High School, 1928; UNC-Greensboro, 1932, Chaplain Emeritis UDC; member Bladen Star Chapter, DAR; and a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Whiteville.
Hilburn was a teacher in the Columbus County and Whiteville City School systems for more than 30 years and is remembered and loved by her many students.
“Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord, that they may rest from their Labors.”
Final rites will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 8, at First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Josh Bower officiating. Burial will follow in the Whiteville Memorial Cemetery. McKenzie Mortuary is handling the arrangements.
Survivors include her son, Lt. Col. Maurice C. Hilburn (Rosalie) of Tacoma, Wash.; two grandchildren, Katherine Hinkle of Federal Way, Wash., and James C. Hilburn of Auburn, Va.; and four great-grandchildren, Ben, Tom, Emma and Hannah.
Serving as pallbearers will be Dial Gray, Johnny Krahnke, Allen Maxwell, Richard Maxwell, Rick Maxwell, and Mack Thompson.
Memorials may be made to the Whiteville First Presbyterian Church Building Fund.
DAVID WAYNE REGISTER
WHITEVILLE -- David Wayne Register, 47, died Monday, June 4, 2007, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. He was born Oct. 3, 1959, the son of Emma White Register of Nakina and the late Royce T. Register. He was formerly an electrician with Brunswick Electric Membership Corp. He was an avid fisherman.
Final rites were held Thursday, June 7, at Shiloh United Methodist Church, 7750 Hallsboro Road South, Whiteville, with Dr. David Peterson officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Peacocks Funeral Home of Whiteville handled the arrangements.
Survivors include his mother, Emma White Register; two sisters, Deborah Register Smith and Rose Register Ross and husband, Greg, all of Nakina; two brothers, Royce Glenn Register and Norman Carlton Register and wife, Valerie, all of Whiteville; three nieces, Tammy Rhodes, Marianne Peters and Lenora Smith; four nephews, Michael Smith, Spencer Register, David Ross and Joshua Ross, and two great-nephews, Grayson Smith and Henry Taylor Smith.
Serving as pallbearers were Joshua Ross, Spencer Register, Gregory Ross, Frank Coleman, Chris Ganus and Wayne Reaves.
Memorials may be made to Shiloh United Methodist Church, 8135 Hallsboro Road South, Whiteville, N.C. 28472.
BARBARA ELLEN WHITTINGTON JONES
NAKINA -- Barbara Ellen Whittington Jones, 76, died Tuesday, May 5, 2007, at Premier Living and Rehab Center, Lake Waccamaw. She was born in Columbus County the daughter of the late Leon and Annie Cooper Whittington. She was preceded in death by her husband William Harvey Jones.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, June 8, at Gore’s Chapel Church Cemetery with Dr. David Heller officiating. Meares Funeral Home of Fair Bluff is handling the arrangements.
Survivors include two sons, John Harvey Jones of Summerville, S.C. and Glenn Jones of Whiteville; three daughters, Kay Rzoska of the home, Jean Samuelson of Whiteville, and Jennifer Sealey of Summerville, S.C.; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
URSEL GURKIN YATES
CHADBOURN --Ursel Gurkin Yates 85, died Sunday, June 3, 2007, at Highsmith-Rainey Hospital in Fayetteville. She was the widow of Raymond W. Yates Sr. and the daughter of the late Otis Cecil and Thelma Jordan Gurkin.
Yates retired as office manager/bookkeeper from Smith Construction in Whiteville and was an active member of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
Yates served 20 years as State Treasurer of the N.C. Jurisdictional Society Woodmen of the World. She also served as an active member of the WOW Lodge 130 holding several offices through the years
Final rites were held Thursday, June 7, at Piney Forest Baptist church of which she was a member with Reverends Hubert McCleney and Mark Owens officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Worthington Funeral Home of Chadbourn handled the arrangements.
Survivors include two daughters, Nancy Dove and husband, Robert of Chadbourn and Mary H. Yates of Ocean Isle Beach; a son, Raymond W. Yates Jr. and wife, Ruth of Chadbourn; sister, Hope Campbell of Fayetteville; brothers, Clyde Gurkin of San Antonio, Texas, Cecil Gurkin of Whiteville, and Earl “Brownie” Gurkin of Western Prong; grandchildren, Christopher Raymond Yates, Dr. Rae Lynn Yates, Heather Y. Hinson, Wesley Leon Yates, and Robert Carey Dove Jr.; and great-grandchildren, Luke Wesley Dove, Abigail Dove, Ethan Hinson, and Christian Strickland.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Piney Forest Baptist Church, 4509 Andrew Jackson Highway SW, Chadbourn, N.C. 28431.
LESSIE LEE STACKER
BLADENBORO -- Lessie Lee Stacker, 90, died Monday, June 4, 2007, at Sunbridge Nursing Home, Elizabethtown. She was a homemaker.
Final rites will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at St. Luke Church, 211 East, Bladenboro with Pastor Ivan Morton officiating. Burial will follow in the Old Bethel Cemetery, Clarkton. Union Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.
Survivors include three daughters, Thelma Lacey, Mary Brown, and Francine Blue; three sons, John Stacker, James D. Stacker, and Joshua Stacker.
Viewing will be held from 1-8 p.m. Friday, June 8 and on Saturday one hour prior to the services at the church.
JOHN J. WARD III
WHITEVILLE -- John J. Ward III, 59, died Saturday, June 2, 2007, at his home. He was born in Columbus County, the son of the late John J. Ward Jr., and Gola Mae Spivey Ward.
Graveside services were held Wednesday, June 6, at R.J. and Lela Spivey Cemetery, Whiteville. Inman Funeral Home of Tabor City handled the arrangements.
Survivors include two brothers, Jamie Severine of Fairmont, and Daylon Dozier Spivey of Whiteville; two sisters, Lela Dent of Fairmont, and Shirley Soles of Shallotte.
ELNITA ‘SISTER’ STALVEY RICHARDSON
CONWAY, S.C. -- Elnita “Sister” Stavey Richardson, 87, died Friday, June 1, 2007, at Conway Medical Center. She was born Feb. 11, 1920 in Conway, S.C., the daughter of the late Rev. B.S. “Bob” Stalvey and Maude Causey Stalvey.
Richardson was a member of the East Conway Pentecostal Holiness Church. She dedicated her life to God and her family. She was predeceased by three brothers, Malachi Stalvey, Lloyd Stalvey, and Lynwood Stalvey; and one sister, Bonnie S. Hardee.
Final rites were held Monday, June 4, at East Conway Pentecostal Holiness Church with the Reverends Bob Fogner and Jeff Atkinson officiating. Burial followed in Hillcrest Cemetery. Goldfinch Funeral Home of Conway, S.C. handled the arrangements.
Survivors include a daughter, Clara Lee Jordan and husband Clark of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; three grandchildren, Wade Lee, Brad Lee, and Lauren Dougherty, all of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; one step-grandson, Keenan Jordan of St. Pauls; two brothers, Chalmer Stalvey and Bobby Stalvey, both of Conway, S.C.; five sisters, Margie S. Foxworth of Conway, S.C., Pearl S. Williams of Silver Springs, Md., Doris S. Martin of Whiteville, Sybil S. Thompson of Conway, S.C., and Sylvia S. Clark of Kiln, Miss.
Memorials may be made to United Way of Horry County, P.O. Box 673, Conway, S.C. 29528.
Sign a guestbook at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com.
EARVIN LEO GAMBLE
CHADBOURN -- Earvin Leo Gamble, 46, died Tuesday, June 5, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare.
Final rites will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, June 8, at Zion Wall Freewill Baptist Church with Elder Allen Livingston officiating. Burial will follow in the Belvue Cemetery. Smith Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Gwendolyn Gamble of the home; two sons, Earvin Bullock of Fair Bluff, and Bryan Scott of Chadbourn; five daughters, Adrian Bullock of Fair Bluff, Terrase Bullock of Clarkton, Shakever Worley and Latasha Barr, both of Whiteville, and Shadava Moore of Chadbourn; four brothers, Ricky Bradford of Chadbourn, Steve Bradford of Southport, Clarence Bradford of Raleigh, and Sammy Davis of Mullins, S.C.; two sisters, Mattie Kelly of Florida, and Erica Gamble of Chadbourn.
Friends may visit the family at the home of Nora Lee Yates at 509 Clark Street, Chadbourn.
Viewing will be on Thursday, June 7 (today) from 1-8 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to services on Friday at the church. There will be no viewing following the service.
LONNIE EARL BOONE
HALLSBORO -- Lonnie Earl Boone, 66, died Wednesday, June 6, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare.
Arrangements will be announced by Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville.
DOROTHY CLAIRE PERRY
STEPHENSON
WHITEVILLE -- Dorothy Claire Perry Stephenson, 80, formerly of Pascoag, R.I., died Friday, June 1, 2007, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington.
She was the widow of Raymond Thomas Stephenson and the daughter of the late Arthur Eli and Eva Mary Chausee’ Perry. Stephenson taught in the Rhode Island and Florida schools for 30 years and during World War II served in the Cadet Nurse Corps.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at Mishop Springs United Methodist Church, Whiteville with the Rev. Robert Rattz officiating. Worthington Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.
Survivorsi nclude three daughters, Deborah S. Carter of Whiteville, Bonnie S. Bailey of Pascoag, R.I., and Ann Marie S. Dubey of Clover, S.C.; a sister, Constance B. Pratt of Coventry, R.I.; five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at their home at 3243 Pine Log Road, Whiteville.
LOSSIE GERTRUDE WHITTED CAMPBELL
WHITEVILLE -- Lossie Gertrude Whitted Campbell, 92, died Tuesday, May 5, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare.
Final rites will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at St. Mark AME Zion Church with Rev. Henry Gregory III officiating. Burial will follow in Dove Chapel AME Zion Church Cemetery, Ammons. Smith Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.
Survivors include her children, Robert Benson of Fayetteville, Tenn., Glenda Little and Elaine Harris, both of Whiteville.
Viewing will begin at 1 p.m. at the funeral home on Friday, June 8. There will be a wake on Friday at the funeral home from 7-8 p.m.
Friends may visit at the home of Rev. and Mrs. Robert Little at 381 Campground Road, Whiteville.
GLENWOOD WARREN ROBINSON
CHADBOURN -- Glenwood Warren Robinson, 65, died Monday, June 4, 2007, at Premier Living at Lake Waccamaw. He was the son of the late William B. and Susie Newman Robinson. He was a retired long distance truck driver.
Final rites will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, June 8, at Worthington Funeral Home with Rev. Jerry Spivey officiating. Interment will follow in the Chadbourn Memorial Cemetery. Worthington Funeral Home of Chadbourn is handling the arrangements.
Survivors include daughters, Glenda Thomas of Hallsboro, Hope Robinson and Christy McDaniel, both of Bladenboro; sons, Danny Joe Robinson of Whiteville, Kevin Glenn Robinson, Jason D. Robinson, and Timmy King, all of Bladenboro; brothers, Charles Robinson and Robert Robinson, both of Chadbourn, Edward Robinson of Shallotte; sisters, Betty Lou Spivey of Whiteville, and Louise R. Greene of Cerro Gordo; and nine grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 7-9 Thursday (tonight) at the funeral home.
