Fred A. Downs Sr.

WINTON n Fred Allen Downs Sr., 68, a native of Hertford County, died February 21, 2005 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral was conducted Friday at Winton Baptist Church by the Rev. Charles Harris. Burial was in the Jones family cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Winton Baptist Church, Winton, NC 27986. Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, is in charge.

Downs had been a farmer, served as a fighter pilot in the US Navy, and later retired as a pilot with Pan American Airlines. He was a member of Winton Baptist Church and the Winton Masonic Lodge, he had formerly been with the Winton Volunteer Fire Dept. and Rescue Squad and had served with the Hertford County Jail Ministry Program.

Survivors include his wife, Joan Johns Downs; two sons, Fred Allen Downs Jr. of Pensacola, Fla., and Scott Edward Downs of Kill Devil Hills; a sister, Ellen Downs Barnes of Tucson, Ariz.; a granddaughter; and a great-granddaughter.

Alaric G. Hall

FREEPORT, N.Y. – Alaric Gerard &uot;A.G.&uot; Hall, 42, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., died February 20, 2005, in South Nassau Hospital, Long Island.

Hall worked as a policeman and detective for the New York Housing Authority and as a U.S. Customs special agent for the U.S. government. He was baptized by the Rev. F.M. Foy of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Brooklyn and later joined Bridge Street AME Church. He was a 33rd degree Mason of the Essence Masonic Lodge No. 97 in Brooklyn.

Survivors include his mother, Ora V. Hall; and his father, Dan L. Hall Sr.;

A funeral will be conducted at noon Saturday in Stoney Branch Baptist Church in Gates, by with the Rev. Michael Holloman. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.

Fred R. Lassiter

SUNBURY – Fred Rea Lassiter, 68, a native of Gates County, died February 23, 2005, in Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Greenville. Lassiter was a farmer, and had retired as the dryer operator in the instant tea dept. of Lipton Tea, Suffolk. A former member, treasurer, deacon and Sunday school superintendent at Middle Swamp Baptist Church, he, in recent years, was a member of Damscus Christian Church where he had served as a trustee. An active member of the Sunbury Ruritan Club, he had served in the U.S. Air Force for four years.

Survivors include his wife, Evelyn Rountree Lassiter; a daughter, Donna Lassiter Moses of Greenville; a son, Steven Rea Lassiter of Sunbury; two sisters, Mary Elizabeth Lassiter of Elizabeth City and Dot Carter of Hobbsville; three brothers, W.H. &uot;Billy&uot; Lassiter Jr. and Johnny Lassiter, both of Sunbury and Edward A. Lassiter of Asheville; and three grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday in Damascus Christian Church by the Rev. Forrest Guthrie. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, is in charge. Memorial contributions may be made to the building fund of Middle Swamp Baptist Church, c/o Brenda Umphlett, 275 Middle Swamp Road, Gates, NC 27937.

Rufus T. Long

CONWAY n Rufus T. "Root" Long, a native of Seaboard, died February 18, 2005 at Pitt Memorial Hospital, Greenville.

Long attended schools in Northampton County and was employed by the Town of Murfreesboro. He was a member of Allen Chapel AME Church, Jackson.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. Saturday at Allen Chapel Baptist Church by the Rev. Harold D. Sidbury Sr. Burial will be in the Long family cemetery. Hood Funeral Home, Conway, is in charge.

Survivors include a daughter, Dianne Long; a brother, James Albert Long; three sisters, Doris Rogers, Thelma Long and Fannie Maggett; and three grandchildren.

John B. Newton

CLINTON n John Bunyan Newton, 82, a native of Pitt County, and formerly of Ahoskie, died February 24, 2005.

A graveside service was conducted Friday in Ahoskie by Dr. Bill Hawkins. A memorial service will also be conducted at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church by Dr. Louie Andrews III. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church, 100 Church Street, 100 Church Street, Clinton, NC 28328.

Newton was a veteran of the U.S. Army having served in WWII. He worked as a Tobacconist for Brown and Williamson Company, and as a USDA Tobacco Grader, retiring in 1985. He was also a member of Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth Doughtie Newton; two sons, Warren Newton of Mt. Pleasant, SC and Dr. Tommy Newton of Clinton; and six grandchildren.

Carrie M. Baines

SUFFOLK, Va. – Carrie &uot;Dee&uot; Delores Mathias Baines, 55, a native of Suffolk, died February 24, 2005. She was a member of Eureka Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband, Thomas L. Baines of Corapeake; and sisters, Martha B. Hill and Geraldine B. Speight;

A graveside service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday by the Rev. Cameron Currin. Interment will be in Parker United Methodist Church Cemetery in Corapeake. Friends may join the family other times at 308 Pond Drive, Suffolk, VA 23434. Contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

Harvey K. Slade Sr.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Harvey Kerr Slade Sr., 71, a native of Aulander, died February 22, 2005.

Slade served in the U.S. Air Force. He was in the car business for 26 years and moved to Virginia Beach to semi retire and purchased Pine Tree Inn. In 1978, he sold the restaurant and purchased Seashore Bike Shop where he and his wife were an integral part of the community.

Survivors include his wife of 32 years, Janie D. Slade; five children, Chip Slade, Colleen Messick, Kevin Dugan, Kathleen Plate and Drew Dugan; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at Asbury United Methodist Church, 1871 N. Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach, Va., 23451 by the Rev. C. Eugene Meek. Interment will be in Princess Anne Memorial Park. Altmeyer Funeral Home, Virginia Beach chapel, is in charge. Memorial donations may be made to the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad, Unit 14, 740 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23451. Condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.altmeyer.com.

Martha Pearson

ROANOKE RAPIDS n Martha Norton Pearson, 83, died February 23, 2005 at Halifax Regional Medical Center.

A visitation will be conducted from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday with the family receiving friends from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Roanoke Rapids Chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Gaston Baptist Church by the Rev. Michael Simmons. Interment will be in Gaston Baptist Church cemetery.

Howard G. Bunch

MERRY HILL n Howard Glenn "EL" Bunch, a native of Windsor, died February 9, 2005.

A funeral was conducted Saturday at Peterson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church by the Rev. Percell Whitaker. Interment was in the church cemetery. Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, was in charge.

Bunch was a member of New Canaan Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Tina Dickerson Bunch; his mother, Pearl Bunch; two brothers, Henry Bunch and Reginald Bunch; and one sister, Vernita Holifield.

Willie R. Wilson

COLERAIN n Willie Ray Wilson, a native of Bertie County, died February 12, 2005 at Pitt Memorial Hospital, Greenville.

A funeral was conducted Saturday at Zion Hill Baptist Church by the Rev. Nathaniel J. Thompson. Interment was in the church cemetery. Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, was in charge.

Survivors include his wife, Lonia Winrow-Wilson of Mount Holly, N.J.; two sons, Emannuel Wilson and Willie Wilson Jr., both of Mount Holly; one daughter, Kassandra Wilson of Phoenix, Ariz.; six sisters, Shirley Beacher of Colerain, Emma Jackson of Merry Hill, Thelma Wilson of Portsmouth, Va., Maggie Wilson and Betty Green, both of Bristol, Pa., and Doris Wilson of Levittown; one brother, Danny Eugene Wilson of Middletown, N.Y.; and five grandchildren.

Marvin M. Speller

WINDSOR n Marvin Murray Speller, a native of Bertie County, died February 15, 2005.

A funeral was conducted Saturday at Indian Woods Missionary Baptist Church by the Rev. Ralph D. White. Interment was in the church cemetery. Gilliam Funeral Home was in charge.

Survivors include his mother, Clara L. Speller of Windsor; one daughter, Carshenia Ryan of Windsor; stepson, Jerome Clark of Brooklyn, N.Y.; six sisters, Ophelia Speller and Maxine Kee, both of Brooklyn, Lizzie Moore of Hampton, Va., Joan Hardy and Judy Swain, both of Windsor and Porcia Speller of East Brunswick, N.J.; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Arthur L. Dilday

AHOSKIE n Arthur Lee Dilday, 61, died February 24, 2005 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Highland Memorial Gardens by the Rev. Robert May. Massey Funeral Home, Aulander, is in charge.

Dilday was retired from Glover Construction Company as a heavy equipment operator.

Survivors include his wife, Jeanie Martin Dilday of the home; one daughter, Wanda D. Conner of Aulander; sons, Joseph Lee Dilday of Aulander and Phillip Wade Dilday of Ahoskie; a sister, Ann Taylor of Aulander; a brother, Donald Dilday of Ahoskie; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Teresa Watson

LEWISTON n Teresa Watson, 33, died February 23, 2005 at Bertie Memorial Hospital, Windsor.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Mt. Ararat Baptist Church, Lewiston. Burial will be in the Cherry family cemetery. Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, is in charge.