Marjorie McKeel

POWELLSVILLE – Marjorie Pierce McKeel, 68, a native of Bertie County, died January 30, 2004, at her home.

A funeral was conducted Monday at Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, by the Rev. Darrel Davis and the Rev. Wallace Phillips. Burial was in Highland Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations may be made to the Colerain Rescue Squad or to Powellsville Baptist Church.

Mrs. McKeel was retired as a scale operator at Easco Aluminum and also taught quilting at Roanoke Chowan Community College. She was a member of Powellsville Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband, William McKeel; children, John Isaac Futrell of Murfreesboro, Judy Futrell Godwin of Raleigh and Robert Wayne Futrell of Powellsville; sisters and brothers, Mary Callis of Harrellsville, Joseph Oliver Pierce of Ahoskie, Fannie P. Bazemore of Harrellsville, Toma Grey Young of Woodland, John Llewellyn Pierce of Windsor, Robert David Pierce of Eure and Nancy Currin of Fayetteville; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Joyce Sawyer

WOODLAND – Joyce Ann West Sawyer, 58, a native of Bertie County, died January 31, 2004, at her home.

A funeral was conducted Monday at Massey Funeral Home, Jackson, by the Rev. Heath Lloyd. Burial was in Woodland Cemetery.

Survivors include her husband, Ronald Seaton Sawyer Sr.; her mother, Lillie Mae West of Woodland; her sons, Ronald Seaton Sawyer Jr. and Steannier Sawyer, both of East Lake; two daughters, Lyseaton Blaine and Ada Sawyer, both of Woodland; and nine grandchildren.

William Wise Sr.

NORFOLK, Va. – William Smith Wise Sr., a native of Murfreesboro, died January 30, 2004.

A celebration of his life was conducted Monday in First Baptist Church of Norfolk by the Rev. Dick Baker. Burial was private in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Cox Funeral Home was in charge. Condolences may be offered to the family through www.dmvobits.com/cox .

Wise worked for the Norfolk Naval Shipyard prior to going into the U.S. Army during World War II, where he served in the Philippines. Following that, he served as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps reserves for 33 years and retired as a master gunnery sergeant. He also retired from the Naval Air Rework Facility after 30 years. He attended Mahern Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tabernacle Church of Norfolk.

Survivors include his wife, Ocie; three children, Brenda Wise, Marilyn Lipieko and William S. Wise Jr., all of Norfolk; and his five grandchildren.

Lena E. Edwards

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Lena Estelle Edwards, a native of Windsor, NC, 78, died Sunday, Feb. 1, 2004 in her residence.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd. Chapel, by the Rev. Gene V. Primm. Burial will be in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home and will be at her residence at other times. Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2730 Ellsmere Ave., Norfolk, VA 23513.

Mrs. Edwards member of Port Norfolk Baptist Church and later joined the Emmaus Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband, Erick B. Edwards; a daughter, Marsha Edwards Coder of Bethesda, Md.; two sons, Erick B. Edwards Jr. of Midlothian and Jeffrey B. Edwards of Portsmouth; three sisters, Rhae Breakfield of Chesapeake, Virginia Smithwick of Portsmouth and Bunny Carasiti of Virginia Beach; and three grandchildren.

Patrick H. Pierce

COLERAIN – Patrick H. Pierce, 95, died January 28, 2004.

A funeral was conducted Monday at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, Harrellsville. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, was in charge.

Gloria A. Ricks

HAMPTON, Va. – Gloria Evangeline Anderson Ricks, 68, a native of Hertford County, died January 14, 2004.

A funeral was conducted January 19, 2004 at Cooke Bros. Funeral Chapel, Newport News, by the Rev. James Brown. Interment was in Hampton Memorial Gardens.

Mrs. Ricks was a homemaker, employee at Rices & Nachman’s and UPS. She was an active member of Riverview Baptist Church, Hampton and currently attended Mercy Seat Baptist Church for the past year.

Survivors include her husband, DuPratt A. Ricks; two daughters, Doris Altemia Ricks and Vicki Denise Ricks Keyes; two sisters, her mother, Doris Anderson of Ahoskie; two sisters, Shirley Pridgen and Yvonne Brown; and three grandchildren.

Willie S. Fennell

CAMBRIA HEIGHTS, N.Y. – Willie Sam Fennell, 73, a native of St. Johns, died January 29, 2004, at Long Island Jewish Hospital.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at Menola First Baptist Church by the Rev. Eddie Lee Jr. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Fennell occupation was private sanitation and a member of Deliverance Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth Fennell; a brother, Louis Fennell; two sons, Ronnie E. Vann and Anthony Saunders; and six grandchildren.

James Holley Sr.

AHOSKIE – James Holley &uot;Woodman&uot; Sr., 77, a native of Bertie County, died January 29, 2004, at CMC University Hospital, Charlotte.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Elm Grove Missionary Baptist Church by the Rev. Anthony Ward. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Holley was a member of Elm Grove Missionary Baptist Church where he was a deacon, superintendent of Sunday school, past chairman of the deacon board, co-chairman of deacon board. He was also president of International Wood Workers Association, local president of AFL-CIO, member and past Worship Master of Tuscarora Lodge 215 Rich Square.

Survivors include his wife, Bernice Hoggard Holley of Aulander; three sons, James M. Holley Jr. of Aulander, Leonard Earl Holley of Edgemore, S.C., and Christopher B. Holley of Charlotte; two daughters, Freda H. Robinson and Kimberly H. Hunter, both of Charlotte; a brother, David Askew of Aulander; four sisters, Mary E. Hines of New York, N.Y., Thelma Holley of Ahoskie, Gloria Hoggard of Hampton, Va., and Marva Hall of Powellsville; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Edward Speller

WINDSOR – Edward Speller, died January 19, 2004.

A funeral was conducted Saturday at Cedar Landing Baptist Church, Windsor, by the Rev. Shelton Barnes. Burial was in Hillcrest Cemetery. Gilliam Funeral Home was in charge.

Speller was employed as a postal clerk and worked in both the Transit System and the Department of Sanitation in New York. He was also a veteran of the United States Army.

Survivors include his wife, Beatrice Cooper Speller; his sisters, Lee Alma Watson of Windsor and Sarah S. Williams of Lewiston; and brothers, Daniel B. Speller and James &uot;Sonny&uot; Speller, both of Windsor.

Willie M. Lowery

WINDSOR – Willie Mae Hyman Lowery, died January 25, 2004 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie. She was the widow of Eddie Lowery.

A funeral was conducted Thursday at Gilliam Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Elbert Lee. Interment was in Hillcrest Cemetery, Windsor.

Survivors include a sister; a grandchild; and a great-grandchild.

Essie Perry

COLERAIN – Essie Perry, died January 31, 2004, at Guardian Care Nursing Home, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Zion Hill Baptist Church by the Rev. Nathaniel Thompson. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Reynolds Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Survivors include three sons, Willie Rufus Perry and Gene Otis Perry, both of Colerain, Alex Jasper Perry of Hampton, Va.; four daughters, Myrtisphene Askew of Colerain, Shirley Farrar of Harrellsville, Georgia Lewis of Emporia and Della Leary of Ahoskie; 40 grandchildren; 75 great-grandchildren; and 18 great-great-grandchildren.

Betty O. Dunlow

WINDSOR – Betty Overton Dunlow, 57, died February 1, 2004. She was the widow of Elbert Dunlow.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Walker Funeral Chapel by the Rev. R.O. Denton Jr. and the Rev. Cheryl Denton. Burial will be in Edgewood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorial gifts may be made to the University Hospital Hospice, P.O. Box 272, Ahoskie, NC 27910.

Mrs. Dunlow was a cosmetologist and a homemaker.

Survivors include a son, Anthony &uot;Tony&uot; Dunlow of Durham; two daughters, Beverly Williams of Henderson and Wendy Bazemore of Askewville; three brothers, James Overton and Melvin Overton, both of Windsor and Richard Overton of Macclesfield; and seven grandchildren.