Melvin D. Harrell

NORFOLK, Va. –

Melvin Davidson "Fat Rat" Harrell, a native of Woodland, died March 30, 2005.

Harrell was employed with Mama Kayer’s Bakery, a subsidiary of Baltimore Bakery.

Survivors include his wife, Anita Smith Harrell; two sons, Jermelle McCoy-Harrell and Marvin D. Harrell; one daughter, Erin J. Harrell; his mother, Mervin Brickhouse; two brothers, Roosevelt Harrell Jr. and George Harrell; a sister, Matilda Harrell; and a granddaughter.

A homegoing service was conducted Monday at Endtime United Church (Apostolic), Norfolk, by Pastor Joyce Washington. Burial was in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Graves Funeral Home Inc. was in charge.

Gloria C. Moore

PORTSMOUTH, Va. –

Gloria LaVonne Coker Moore, 50, a native of Northampton County, died March 29, 2005, in a local hospital.

Gloria was the daughter of Ruben and Blanche Coker.

Mrs. Moore was a member of Zion Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Deaconess Board and faithfully attended the Fidelis Sunday Church School Class. She served in the U.S. Army and Reserves as a nurse in the Army Medical Corps. She was a graduate of I.C. Norcom High School, Class of 1972, Portsmouth School of Nursing and Norfolk State University with a degree in sociology.

Survivors include her parents, Ruben Jr. and Blanche Coker, three sisters, Everline Coker of Portsmouth, the Rev. Dr. Patricia E. Coker-Bell and Jessica M. Coker of Chesapeake.

A funeral was conducted Monday in Zion Baptist Church, Portsmouth, by the Rev. Alexander G. Bell. Burial was in the Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery, Suffolk. Fisher Funeral Home was in charge.

Shane D. Stams

ROCKY MOUNT n Shane Dylan Stams, infant son of Nicole and Nicholas Stams, died April 1, 2005.

A graveside service was conducted Monday at Rocky Mount Memorial Park by the Rev. William Grisham. Memorial contributions may be made to the Shane Dylan Stams Memorial Fund, c/o Southern Bank, PO Box 388, Scotland Neck, NC 27874.

Sykes Funeral Service, Rich Square, was in charge.

Survivors include his paternal great-grandparents, Wilbur and Dorothy Cherne of Rock, Michigan; maternal grandparents, David and Phyllis Peters of Rocky Mount; paternal grandparents, John and Kathleen Stams of Rocky Mount; two sisters, Sarah and Elaine Tyrrell; and one brother, Steve Tyrrell, all of Rocky Mount.

Jessie Sawyer

WINDSOR n Jessie Allene Byrum Sawyer, 85, a native of Bertie County, died April 2, 2005 at her home.

Mrs. Sawyer was a homemaker and a member of Edgewood Baptist Church.

A funeral was conducted Monday at Edgewood Baptist Church by the Rev. Chris Lee and the Rev. Michael Bryant. Burial was in Edgewood Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made to Edgewood Baptist Church. Walker Funeral Home, Windsor, was in charge.

Survivors include her husband, Rommie Lee Sawyer, Windsor; five sons, Buddy Bunting of Wilmington, Lloyd Belch of Edenton, Arnold Belch of Sanford, Pete Belch of Edenton and Randy Sawyer of Windsor; five daughters, Geralene Smith of Meredian, MS, Alice Nixon of Edenton, Christine Williams of Merry Hill, Ann Beckwith of Wilmington and Jessie Hoggard of Windsor; two sisters, Alice Jones and Mary Jones, both of Murfreesboro; a brother, William Buddy Byrum of Murfreesboro; 23 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Christine Edwards

CONWAY n Christine Edwards, 61, died April 2, 2005 at her residence.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Faison's Funeral Home, Seaboard, is in charge.

Faye P. Eure

COLERAIN – Alice Faye Pierce Eure, 59, a native of Bertie County, died March 31, 2005, in Roanoke Chowan Hospital.

Mrs. Eure was a member of Mars Hill Baptist Church and Woodmen of the World.

She was a graduate of Bertie High School and was retired from the binding department at Pierce Printers.

Survivors include her husband, Bobby Eure; a son, John Eure of Murfreesboro; three brothers, Jimmy Pierce and Joe Pierce, both of Macon, GA, Charlie Pierce of Menola; and three granddaughters.

A celebration of life service was conducted Sunday at Mars Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Burke Holland and Rev. Al Hughson.

Burial was in the church cemetery.

Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, was in charge.

The family request memorial donations be made to Mars Hill Baptist Church, 1314 Meadow Road, Colerain, NC, 27924.

Joseph C. &uot;Jay&uot; Holloman

POWELLSVILLE – Joseph Cling &uot;Jay&uot; Holloman, Jr., 55, of Bethlehem Church Road, died Sunday, April 3, 2005, in Pitt County Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Holloman was born in Hertford County, the son of Joseph Cling and Lillian Earl Mizelle Holloman.

He was a member of Powellsville Baptist Church.

Besides his parents, Joseph Cling Holloman, Sr. and Lillian Earl Mizelle Holloman of Powellsville, Jay is survived by a sister, Julie Holloman Terry and husband, Garry, of Powellsville.

He was predeceased by a sister, Vicky Holloman.

A celebration of life service will be held on Wednesday, April 6, 2005, at 2:00 p.m. at Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, with the Rev. Robert May and Rev. Ed Davis, officiating.

Burial will follow in Stoney Creek Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the home.

Memorial donations may be made to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC, 28201, or to Powellsville Baptist Church, P.O. Box 5, Powellsville, NC, 27967.

Mabel H. Dilday

POWELLSVILLE n Mabel Hoggard Dilday, 96, of Dilday Road, died Saturday, April 2, 2005, in Guardian Care of Ahoskie.

Mrs. Dilday was born in Bertie County, a daughter of the late Dorsey and Olia Harris Hoggard, and was a member of Powellsville Baptist Church.

She was a homemaker and the widow of Joseph Fletcher Hoggard.

Survivors include a daughter, Mary Anne Williams and husband, Kendred, of Powellsville; four sons, Jesse Preston Dilday and wife, Velma, of Suffolk, VA, Colbert Lee Dilday and wife, Earle, of Fayetteville, Robert Earl Dilday and wife, Marian, of Powellsville, Joseph McCoy Dilday, and wife, Lona, of Richmond, VA; a brother, C. D. Hoggard of Powellsville; twelve grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.

A funeral service will be conducted on Tuesday, April 5, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. at Powellsville Baptist Church, with the Rev. Ed Davis, officiating.

Burial will follow in Highland Memorial Gardens.

The family received friends at Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, from 7 until 8:30 p.m. on Monday.

Memorial donations may be made to Powellsville Baptist Church, 307 West Main Street, Powellsville, NC, 27967.

Charles H. Edwards

LEWISTON-WOODVILLE n Charles Henry "C.H." Edwards, 81, of 312 Charles St., died Sunday, April 3, 2005 at his home. He was born in Bertie County on November 18, 1923 to the late Charles H. and Annie Johnson Edwards. Mr. Edwards graduated from Lewiston-Woodville High in May of 1940 and entered the Norfolk Naval Apprentice School in June of 1941 and graduated with honors in April, 1944. Upon graduation he entered the Naval Reserve and served during World War II until June, 1946. He married Evelyn Peele in 1949 and celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in July of 2004.

He attended East Carolina College and graduated in August 1951. C.H. worked for four years as a tax accountant in Rocky Mount and returned to Lewiston in 1955 and served 30 years as Secretary and Treasurer of Harrington Mfg. Co. Inc. Beginning in 1961, he served as a Bertie County Commissioner. Of his 40 years serving as a County Commissioner, the last 22 were as Chairman of the Board. He was a member of Lewiston Baptist Church, and a member and officer of the Masonic Lodge in Lewiston.

He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Peele Edwards; a daughter, Belinda Kay Edwards Sellers of Raleigh, NC; two sons, Richard Edwards of Raleigh, NC, and Bob Edwards of Davidson, NC; as well as eight grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at Lewiston Baptist Church on April 7, 2005 at 11 a.m. by the Rev. James Baughn and the Rev. Cecil Harkey. Burial with military honors will follow at Hoggard Memorial Cemetery, Lewiston-Woodville. The family will receive friends Wednesday, April 6, 2005 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home in Windsor, NC. Memorial gifts may be made to Relay for Life, c/o Bobbie Parker, P.O. Box 505, Aulander, NC 27805. Walker Funeral Home, Windsor, is in charge of arrangements.