Amaza Ward

RICH SQUARE – Amaza Ward, 87, a native of Northampton County, died February 10, 2004, at Guardian Care Nursing Home, Scotland Neck.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at Cumbo Chapel Baptist Church by the Rev. Floyd Grant. Burial will be in the Boone family cemetery. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

She was a retired hairdresser and a member of Cumbo Chapel Baptist Church.

Survivors include a daughter, Willie Mae Majette of Rich Square; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Georgia M. Laine

ROCKY MOUNT – Georgia Mae Laine, 59, died February 6, 2004, at Duke Hospital, Durham.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at the Church of God of Deliverance, Rocky Mount, by Bishop Michael Deloatch. Interment is incomplete at this time. A visitation will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday in the Rocky Mount Chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home.

Roy W. Darden

CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Roy Wheeler Darden, 77, a native of Port Norfolk, died February 9, 2004.

A funeral was conducted Wednesday in the chapel of Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd., Portsmouth, by Pastor Mark Taylor and Bishop Robert Syme. Burial was in the Darden family cemetery in Mapleton. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Shriners Hospital, to Comfort Care Hospice Chesapeake or the American Cancer Society.

Darden joined the Navy during World War II and served in the Pacific. Roy was the past owner operator of Shore Drive Garage; past president of Independent Garage Owner’s; and was a champion drag racer in the 1950s. He was also active in the Shriners. He was a member of the South Norfolk Masonic Lodge No. 339; the Scottish Rite Norfolk Bodies; was a member of the Khedive Shrine, Legion of Honor commander and was past commander of the Legion of Honor of the South Atlantic Shrine.

Survivors include his, Sue Darden; his two sons, Roy W. Darden Jr. and Richard Darden; four daughters, Dana Brown, Carolyn Carroll, Shirley Johnson and Linda Albertson; a sister, Miriam Syme; 15 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Mary L. Eason

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Mary L. Eason, 87, a native of Sunbury, died February 5, 2004, at Maryview Medical Center.

A funeral was conducted Wednesday in Brighton Rock AME Zion Church by the Rev. Dr. Clifford D. Barnett. Burial was in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Chesapeake. Corprew Funeral Home, Portsmouth chapel, was in charge.

Mrs. Eason was a member of Brighton Rock AME Zion Church, Portsmouth.

Survivors include her husband, the Rev. William A. Eason; four daughters; two sons; a sister; 13 grandchildren; and four great- grandchildren.

Mary E. McLaughlin

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Mary Elizabeth McLaughlin, 95, a native of Gates County, died February

9, 2004. She was the widow of Harvey L. McLaughlin.

A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday in Olive Branch Cemetery by the Rev. Terry Taylor. Loving Funeral Home is in charge.

She was a member of Port Norfolk Baptist Church and worked at Fosters Linoleum and Tile as a store manager She also volunteered at Maryview Hospital and was a member of the Beazley Senior Center.

Survivors include her son, Tom McLauchlin; and four grandchildren.

Fred Robinson

ROANOKE RAPIDS – Fred Robinson, 71, died February 10, 2004 at Halifax Regional Medical Center.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete. H.D. Pope Funeral Home is in charge.

Margaret S. Moore

ROCKY MOUNT – Margaret Stith Moore, 81, died February 10, 2004, at Nash General Hospital.

A visitation will be conducted from 2-7 p.m. Friday and a wake from 6-7 p.m. in the Rocky Mount Chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home by the Rev. Tolokum-Omokunde. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Mt. Pisgah Church by the Rev. Tolokum-Omokunde. Interment will be in Northeastern Cemetery, Rocky Mount. Interment will be in Northeastern Cemetery, Rocky Mount.

Jethro M. Branch Sr.

MURFREESBORO – Jethro Meneleaus Branch Sr., 81, a native of Northampton County, died February 10, 2004.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Nebo Baptist Church by the Rev. Robert Holloman. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.

Survivors include his wife, Beatrice Davis Branch; a son, Jethro M. Branch Jr. of Murfreesboro; foster sons, Randolph Williams of Woodland, Curtis Riddick of Kannapolis and Tony Esena of Nigeria; a brother, Jason Branch; a sister, Marion B. Morris, both of Murfreesboro; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Robert Stephenson

ROXOBEL – Robert Payne &uot;Poodlum&uot; Stephenson, 86, a native of Bertie County, died February 10, 2004, at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at Sandy Run Baptist Church by the Rev. Dave Rimel. Burial will be in Roxobel-Kelford Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Massey Funeral Home, Aulander, from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday and other times at the home.

Stephenson was a WWII Army veteran having obtained the rank of Sergeant. He was a member of Sandy Run Baptist Church and a retired farmer.

Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Jilcott Stephenson; his daughters, Tena Stephenson-Dillon of Tobacconville, Theresa Parker of Roxobel and Effie Vick of Kelford; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

James Putney

ROANOKE RAPIDS – James Edward Putney, 69, died February 7, 2004 at Halifax Regional Medical Center.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Roanoke Rapids, by the Rev. Danny Jones Sr. Interment will be in the Fleming family cemetery. A visitation will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday.

Linwood Bazemore Jr.

KELFORD – Linwood &uot;Junior&uot; Bazemore Jr., 67, a native of Bertie County, died February 7, 2004.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at Luella Baptist Church by the Rev. Vernon Lassiter. Burial will be in the Bazemore family cemetery, Kelford. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

Bazemore retired from Peanut Belt Research Station. He was a member of Woodville Plains Missionary Baptist Church.

Survivors include a son, Ira Lynn Bazemore of Lewiston; a daughter, Angela Lee of Lewiston; brothers, Paul Bazemore, Milton Bazemore, Larry Bazemore and Charlie Bazemore, all of Lewiston and Willie McCoy Bazemore and William Bazemore, both of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and sisters, Thelma Keys, Nellie Tabron and Alice Willis, all of Windsor.