Dennis M. Vann

JACKSONVILLE – Dennis Michael Vann, 57, died April 19, 2004, at his residence.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at Jones Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Chaplain Jack Carver. Burial will be in the Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery. Internet condolesences may be sent to jonesfuneral@cc.rr.com.

Vann was a local taxi driver and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Survivors include his wife, Joyce W. Vann; a daughter, Michelle Vann of Fairfax, Va.; a son, Michael Scott Vann of Fairfax; two stepsons, Carl Hancock Jr. and Michael Hancock, both of Richlands; a brother, Edward Vann of Conway; and two sisters, Mary Jane Phelps of Roxobel and Gail Martin of South Boston, Va.

Sybil R. Ward

HOBBSVILLE – Sybil Rogerson Ward, 83, died April 20, 2004.

A funeral will be conducted at 4 p.m. Thursday at Warwick Baptist Church. Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, is in charge.

Peggy A. Harrell

CORAPEAKE – Peggy Ann Ainsley Harrell, 49, died April 19, 2004.

A memorial service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday in New Hollywood Cemetery. Twiford’s Memorial Chapel, Elizabeth City, is in charge.

Ray J. Bell

COMO – Ray J. Bell, 68, a native of Hertford County, died April 19, 2004, at Southampton Memorial Hospital, Franklin, Va.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 am. Saturday at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church by the Rev. Melvin Winborne. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.

Survivors include his wife, Annie C. Bell; children, Kenny Bell, Steve Bell, Betty Jean Jackson and Shirley Bell, all of Philadelphia, Pa., Ricky Cooper Sr. and Ricky Cooper Jr., both of Como, Christine Bass of Rocky Mount, Shannon Bell of Murfreesboro, Ray Bell of Tennessee and Cathy Nyagwegne of Norristown, Pa.; sisters and brothers, Willie Herman Bell, Curtis Bell, Hannah Tyler and Betty An Bell, all of Philadelphia, Mae Worthington of Como and Bertha Whitaker of Rocky Mount; 19 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Gertrude S. Rankins

AHOSKIE – Gertrude Spruill Rankins, 69, a native of Bertie County, died April 20, 2004, at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Wynn’s Grove Baptist Church by the Rev. Wanda Hall. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

Mrs. Rankins was a member of Wynn’s Grove Baptist Church and a homemaker.

Survivors include her husband, Turner Rankins; her mother, Maggie Spruill of Powellsville; two sons, Willie Rankins of Boston, MA and Shelton Rankins of Colerain; two daughters, Loretta Hyman of Hobgood and Gloria A. Williams of Powellsville; one brother, Joseph Spruill of Boston; three sisters, Maggie Mae Lassiter of Powellsville, Bessie Holley of Boston and Willaminia Moore of Ahoskie; 15 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Melvin E. Outlaw

AHOSKIE – Melvin Eugene &uot;GeneBoy&uot; Outlaw, 71, a native of Hertford County, died April 20, 2004, at his residence.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Wynn’s Grove Baptist Church by the Rev. Wanda Hall. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, Ahoskie. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

Outlaw was a retired machine operator with Lea Lumber Co. He was a member of Wynn’s Grove Baptist Church.

Survivors include three sons, Thomas Outlaw and Leroy Porter, both of Aulander and Linwood Peele of Portsmouth, VA; three daughters, Vickie Mitchell of Ahoskie, Eunice Porter of Portsmouth and Mary Porter of Aulander; one sister, Vennesse Raynor of Ahoskie; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Monica Ward

ROCKY MOUNT – Monica Ward, 36, died April 17, 2004, at UNC Hospital, Chapel Hill.

A visitation will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at 12 noon Friday at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, by Pastor T.L. Walker. Interment will be in the Garden of Gethesame.

Mattie Harris

AHOSKIE – Mrs. Mattie Mayle Harris, age 88, formerly of Garysburg and Roanoke Rapids, died April 20, 2004, at Guardian Care in Ahoskie, N.C.

Mrs. Harris was born April 15, 1916, in Northampton County, the daughter of the late Major M. Mayle and Lelia Birdsong Mayle. She was also predeceased by her husband, Raymond Otto &uot;R.O.&uot; Harris. She was an active member of Elam Baptist Church where she served as a Sunday School teacher, choir member, and was Social Chairman for many years. Mrs. Harris was honored by the church in 1997 for her many contributions to her church and community at a special &uot;Miss Mattie Day.&uot;

She was very active with 4-H and the Home Demonstra-tion Club and active with AARP and the Senior Citizens group.

Survivors include her daughters, Raye Harris Gay and her husband, Merrell Gay of Conway, N.C. and Jean Harris Kirkland and her husband, John Clifton Kirkland of Franklin, Va.; three grandchildren, Derona Lynn Gay of Asheville, N.C., Pamela K. Neave of Ivor, VA and Angela K. Faison of Franklin, VA; and two great-grandchildren, Andrew Faison of Savannah, Ga., and John and Emma Neave of Ivor, VA.

Graveside services will be private.

The family received friends at Massey Funeral Home in Jackson, N.C., from 7 until 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of ones choice.

Marjorie Roberson

AULANDER – Mrs. Marjorie Parker Terry Roberson, age 80, of Aulander, NC, died April 20, 2004 at the Bryan Center in Windsor, NC.

Mrs. Roberson was born Dec. 6, 1923 in Suffolk, Va., the daughter of the late Julian C. Parker and Margaret Batts Parker. She was a member of Aulander Baptist Church and a homemaker.

Survivors include her daughters, Lou Brickhouse of Moyock, NC, Carolyn Wolpert of Lee Summit, MS, and Linda White of Aulander, NC; three sons, David Terry and Anthony Terry, both of Aulander, NC and Michael Terry of Sutton Town, NC; two sisters, Judy Alford and Martha Terry, both of Tarboro, NC; three brothers, J.C. Parker and Pete Parker, both of Asheville, NC and Phillip Parker of Como, NC; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Friday, April 23, 2004 at 2 p.m. at Massey Funeral Home in Aulander, NC with the Rev. Tim Marr officiating. Burial will follow at Aulander Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Massey Funeral Home in Aulander, NC, Thursday from 7 until 8:30 p.m.

Wilson Anderson

COLERAIN – Wilson Eugene Anderson, 82, of the 100 block of Quebec Road, died Monday, April 19, 2004, at his home.

Mr. Anderson was born in Edgecombe County and was a member of Mars Hill Baptist Church. He was retired as a pipe fitter and was a member of Pipe Fitters Local 250. Wilson was a Navy veteran of World War II.

Survivors include his wife, Carrie B. Anderson; two sons, Gene Anderson of Riverside, CA and Charles Anderson of Hemet, CA; a stepdaughter, Patricia Cuci-notta of Palm Harbor, FL; grandchildren, Chris Ander-son, serving in Iraq, Eric Anderson of

California; stepgrandchildren, Leslie Cuci-notta, Ronnie Ward Brown; brothers, Earl Anderson, Woody Anderson, V.B. An-derson; and sisters, Mamie Gray Newsome, Eleanor Silver and Peggy Owens, all of Tarboro, NC.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 22, 2004 at 2:30 p.m. at Mars Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Burke Holland and Laymen Al Hughson officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to University Health Systems Hospice, P.O. Box 272, Ahoskie, NC 27910 or to Mars Hill Baptist Church, Colerain, NC.

Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, is serving the Anderson family.