Betty Porter

BOYKINS, Va. – Betty Ricks Porter, 86, loving mother and grandmother, died Saturday, November 6, 2004.

A native of Conway, N.C., she was a daughter of the late Henry Grady and Bettie Frank Ricks and a member of Boykins Baptist Church. Along with her late husband, Benjamin Robertson Porter, she was former owner and operator of the P & T Market in Boykins for 45 years.

Survivors include one daughter, Linda Woodard and husband Mike of Smithfield; two sons, Henry Porter of Boykins and Ben Porter and wife, Pam of Margarettsville, N.C.; four sisters, Ethlyn Willoughby and Meredith Flythe, both of Conway, N.C., Cleo Overby of Courtland, and Mary Davis of Severn, N.C.; four grandchildren, Kathy Robinson and husband Doug of Smithfield, Lori Jones and husband, Richard of Newsoms, Renee Maddrey and husband Shawn of Severn, N.C.; and Mandy Porter of Margarettsville, N.C.; four great-grandchildren, Rachel Robinson, Madison Jones, Gavin Maddrey and Carlee Blair Maddrey. Mrs. Porter was predeceased by a brother, Grady Ricks.

A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Beechwood Cemetery with the Rev. Kenneth Williams officiating. The family received friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at the Boykins chapel of Wright Funeral Home and suggests memorials be made to Boykins Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 347, Boykins, VA 23827.

Rebecca R. Mathes

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Rebecca &uot;Becky&uot; Virginia Rinker Mathes, 75, a native of Hanover, Pa., died November 3, 2004.

Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in her name to Heartland Foundation (Hospice), 5040 Corporate Woods Drive, No. 150, Virginia Beach, VA 23462 or to a favorite charity.

Mrs. Mathes was a registered nurse.

Mrs. Mathes survivors include her husband, William &uot;Bill&uot; R. Mathes of Virginia Beach; her five children, David W. Mathes of Tyro, Va., Nancy Mathes Newsom of Chesapeake, Daniel R. Mathes of Roduco, Sally Mathes Pepperman of Virginia Beach and Katie M. Mathes of Charlotte; her sisters, Nancy Schultz and Connie Sterner, both of Pennsylvania; her brother, Jim Rinker of Georgia; and 17 grandchildren.

Bessie P. Newsome

COFIELD – Bessie Piland Newsome, 79, a native of Hertford County, died November 5, 2004, in her home.

A graveside service was conducted Sunday in Highland Memorial Gardens, Ahoskie, by the Rev. Dr. Charles Harris. Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, was in charge. Memorial contributions may be made to University Hospice, P.O. Box 272, Ahoskie, NC 27910.

Mrs. Newsome was a homemaker and a member of the Winton United Methodist Church. Survivors include her husband, Robert A. Newsome Sr.; a son, Robert A. &uot;Bob&uot; Newsome Jr. of Cofield; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

John J. Jacobs

RICH SQUARE – John Jasper Jacobs, 81, died October 30, 2004.

A funeral was conducted Friday at Chapel Hill Baptist Church, Rich Square, by the Rev. Rexx Edwards. Burial was in the church cemetery. Smith-Whidbee Funeral Home was in charge.

Rosanna G. Joyner

JACKSON – Rosanna Gary Joyner, 66, died November 4, 2004 at Halifax Regional Medical Center, Roanoke Rapids.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Roanoke Chapel Baptist Church, Jackson, by the Rev. Franklin Williams. Interment will be in the church cemetery.

H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Inc., Roanoke Rapids, is in charge.

Estella L. Freeman

WINDSOR – Estella L. Freeman, 79, was a native of Washington County, died October 31, 2004 at Three Rivers Health and Rehabilitation Center.

A funeral was conducted Friday at Saint Luke Baptist Church by the Rev. Roy Sharpe. Burial was in Hillcrest Cemetery, Windsor. Gilliam Funeral Home was in charge.

Mrs. Freeman was a member of St. Luke Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband, William &uot;Bill&uot; Freeman; three daughters, Minnie Walker of Windsor, Althene F. DeGraffenreid of Chesapeake, Va., and Joyice Bigini of Houston, Texas; two stepdaughters, Mary Freeman and Mable Freeman; five sons, Thomas Bradley of Rocky Mount, George Holley of Norfolk, Frond Freeman, William Wayne Freeman and Windell Keith Freeman, all of New York; 21 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Dicey G. Gilliam

WINDSOR – Dicey G. Gilliam, 81, died November 3, 2004 at Three Rivers Health and Rehabilitation Center.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Gilliam Funeral Home Chapel, Windsor. Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, was in charge.

Mrs. Gilliam was a member of Mt. Ararat Baptist Church.

Survivors include one son, Benjamin Bazemore; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Melvin Jones

NEW YORK CITY, NY – Melvin Jones, 61, formerly of Williamston, died November 1, 2004.

A funeral was conducted Monday at Barnabas Baptist Church, Williamston. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery. Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, was in charge

Eldern Holley

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Eldern Holley, 84, a native of Colerain, died November 5, 2004, at his residence.

A funeral will be conducted at 12 noon Tuesday at Mt. Zion Baptist Church by Dr. Charles Hart. Burial will be at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery. Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home is in charge. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Holley was a retired a Command Sergeant Major from the U.S. Army. He was a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

Survivors include a daughter, Veronica Kornemann of Vienna, Va.; a son, Bruce M. Holley of New York, NY; and one granddaughter.

James E. Vinson

AULANDER – James E. &uot;Jim Ed&uot; Vinson, 87, a native of Hertford County, died November 5, 2004, at Britthaven Nursing Home, Edenton.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at Aulander First Baptist Church by the Rev. Stevie Lawrence. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

Vinson was a member of Zion Grove Baptist Church and an Army veteran. He was a retired custodian from Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.

Survivors include his wife, Alvergia Vinson and Michael Vinson, both of Aulander; five sons, James A. Vinson of Aulander, Clarence Vinson of Upper Marlboro, Md., Rubiant Vinson of Temple Hills and Danny M. Vinson of Colerain; three daughters, Etherine Overton of Silver Springs, Carrie Mont of Wappingers Falls, NY and Diane Vinson of Silver Springs; 10 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Roger Martin

CONWAY – Roger William Martin, 84, a native of Northampton County, died November 7, 2004 at Southampton Memorial Hospital, Franklin, Va.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday at Bethany United Methodist Church, Milwaukee. Interment will be in Milwaukee Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Massey Funeral Home, Jackson, from 7 until 9 p.m. Wednesday and other times at the home. Memorial contributions may be made to Bethany United Methodist Church, Conway, NC 27820.

Martin was a member of Bethany United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Mina Long Martin; daughters, Susan Martin Britton of Coquille, Ore., and Patricia Martin Bryant of Conway; sons, Tony William Martin of Severn, Steve Cola Martin of Conway and Alvin Long Martin of Margarettsville; sisters, Retha Vann of Murfreesboro and Nettie Ruth Futrell of Conway; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Jermaine Williams

WINDSOR – Jermaine Williams, 26, a native of Martin County, died November 5, 2004, at Bertie Memorial Hospital.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Mt. Arie Holiness Church, Windsor, by Bishop James E. Swain. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

Survivors include his parents, James Carl White Sr. and Joyce Bond Williams of Windsor; three sisters, Jaywana Powell of England, Jameese Watson and Jessica Williams, both of Windsor; and his grandmother, Annie Mae Bond of Windsor.

Annie Jennette

RALEIGH – Annie Lawrie Gard Jennette, 67, a native of Elizabeth City, died November 6, 2004 at her home. She was the widow of David Lister Jennette Sr.

A graveside memorial service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Edgewood Cemetery, Windsor, by the Rev. Barbara Chaffee. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Thompson Children’s Home, PO Box 25129, Charlotte, NC 28229, to the National Guard Soldiers and Airmen Assistance Fund, (NCNGSAAG), PO Box 30786, Raleigh, NC 27622-0786, or to the NC Lyme Disease Foundation, 7405 Louisburg Road, Raleigh, NC 27616. The family will receive friends at the home of David Jennette, 305 S. King St., Windsor. Walker Funeral Home, Windsor, is in charge.

Mrs. Jennette was a schoolteacher.

Survivors include a daughter, Lawrie Jennette Barker of Kitty Hawk; a son, David L. Jennette Jr. of Windsor; a brother, Albert W. Gard III of Durham; and three grandchildren.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth Walters

ALISBURY – The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Granger Walters,

53, died October 21, 2004 at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte. Born October 6, 1951, in Nansemond County, Va., the Rev. Dr. Walters was the son of Myrtie Smith Walters of Suffolk and the late Curtis Granger Walters.

A graduate of Forest Glen High School and the University of Richmond in Richmond, Va., he received a master of divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, and a doctor of ministry with a concentrated study in church growth from Southeast-ern Seminary.

He has served in the West Chowan Baptist Association in Ahoskie as Director of Missions (1999-2001); Stony Point Baptist Church, Stony Point; pastor; Union Baptist Church, Shelby, pastor; and Riverview Baptist Church, Washington, pastor. In the Rowan Baptist Association, he was an associational missionary. He also was associational Sunday School director, associational discipleship training director, president, Associational Pastors Confer-ence, Seminary Extension teacher for pastoral care, member of the board of advisors for Hospital Chaplainary Program, steering committee for North Carolina Jesus Video project, acted as Director of Missions of Alexander Baptist association, chairman, evangelist committee of the General Board, fieldd supervisor for students of SEBTS. He was selected Citizen of the Year by Stony Point Ruritan Club.

Survivors in addition to his mother include his wife, Elizabeth B. Walters, whom he married December 28, 1972; daughters, Jennifer A. Walters, Salisbury and Hope Walters Queen, Zebulon; brother, Curtis Randolph Walters, Sebring, Fla.; and one grandchild. Burial was at the family plot in the church cemetery. Memorials may be sent to Trading Ford Baptist Church, Building Fund, 3600 Long Ferry Road, Salisbury, NC 28146 and cards may be sent to: Mrs. Elizabeth Walters, 3315 Dunns Mountain Rd, Salisbury, NC 28416.