Goldia Deloatch

JACKSON n Goldia Tyler Deloatch, 96, formerly of Jackson, died April 25, 2005.

Survivors include six children, Sylvia Deloatch Boone, Edith Deloatch Gatling, Marjorie Deloatch Washington, Joyce Deloatch Sauls, Elton Deloatch and Bertrand Deloatch; and one sister, Semmie Tyler Canada.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sandy Branch Baptist Church, Roxobel, by the Rev. Lycurgus Harrell. Smith-Whidbee Funeral Home, Rich Square, is in charge.

William R. Rankins

COLERAIN n William R. Rankins, 67, died April 25, 2005.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Zion Hill Baptist Church, Colerain. Burial will be in Ashland Missionary Baptist Church, Merry Hill. Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, is in charge.

Josie M. Brooks

MURFREESBORO n Josie Mae Brooks, died April 19, 2005 at Guardian Care Nursing Home, Ahoskie. She was the widow of James Brooks.

A funeral was conducted Sunday at First Baptist Church Murfreesboro by the Rev. James Hampton. Hunter's Funeral Home, Inc., Murfreesboro, was in charge.

Survivors include two sisters, Virginia White of Baltimore, Md., and Mildred Hall of Portsmouth, Va.

Bernard N. Harmon

SUNBURY – Bernard Neal Harmon, 62, a native of Yukon, Mo., died April 27, 2005, in his home.

Harmon served in the U.S. Navy from January 1962 until October 1983, he saw duty on three tours in Vietnam. After his military career, he worked at the U.S. Navy Amphibious Base as a crane inspector. A life member of the William Clarence Jackson Post No. 6060, VFW, he was also a member of the Anchor Masonic Lodge No. 182 in Key West, Fla.

Survivors include his wife, Phyllis Metcalf Harmon; one daughter, Susan Harmon of Harrisonburg, Va.; two sons, Bernard Neal Harmon Jr. of Virginia Beach and Justin Keith Harmon of Sunbury; his parents, Howard W. and Ola Mae Barton Harmon of Summerville; and four grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday in Damascus Christian Church, Sunbury, by the Rev. Forrest Guthrie. Burial with full military honors accorded by the U.S. Navy Honor Guard will follow in the church cemetery. Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, is in charge.

Lucy M. Wells

SUFFOLK, Va. – Lucy Manning Wells, 101, a native of Sunbury, died April 25, 2005. She was the widow of John "Jack" Edward Wells.

Mrs. Wells was a former assistant to Dr. Walter Gobbel, DDS. Upon her husband’s death in 1965, she took over as owner and operator of Jack Well’s Brokerage. She was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church where she was a former Sunday school teacher. Ms. Wells was a member of Suffolk’s Women Golf Association and golfed until she was 90.

Survivors include nieces; and great-nieces and nnephews.

A celebration of life service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday at Main Street United Methodist Church by the Rev. Bob Parks. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Main Street United Methodist Church, 202 N. Main St., Suffolk, VA 23434. Parr Funeral Home is in charge.

Joyce L. Milteer

COMO n Joyce L. Milteer, 51, a native of Hertford County, died April 26, 2005 at Pitt Memorial Hospital, Greenville.

A funeral was conducted Friday at Mill Neck Baptist Church by the Rev. Shirley Johnson. Burial was in the church cemetery. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, was in charge.

Survivors include her husband, Robert Milteer; one daughter, Lisa Day of Como; four sisters, Carolyn Cooper and Ernestine Britt, both of Como, Maxine Cooper of Kinston and Phyllis Cooper of Murfreesboro; and two brothers, Clarence Cooper Jr. of Boston, Mass., and Glenwood Cooper of IN.

Lise Lemons Hall

COFIELD n Lise Lemons Hall, 84, a native of New Lberia, LA., died April 27, 2005 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Hertford County Undertakers Chapel, Winton, by Elder Calvin C. Hall. Burial will be in the family cemetery, Saluda Hall Rd., Ahoskie.

Survivors include two sons, Gary Fortier of Cool, Calif., and Arthur D. Hall Jr. of Cofield; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Starkey Cherry Jr.

WINDSOR n Starkey Benjamin "Jr. Bug" Cherry Jr., died April 20, 2005 at his home.

Cherry was employed with Gilliam Bros. Peanut Company.

A funeral was conducted Saturday at Mt. Ararat Missionary Baptist Church by the Rev. Ronald Taylor. Burial was in the Cherry family cemetery. Gilliam Funeral Home, Inc., was in charge.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley Gilliam Cherry; two daughters, Deborah Grisson and Debbie

Cherry, both of Brooklyn; eight sisters, Mary Gunter and Sylvia Townes, both of Hampton, Va., Minnie Hendrix, Maola Wesson, Peggy Watson, Cynthia Cherry, Donna Gilliam and Evelyn Cooper, all of Windsor; and seven grandchildren.

Magdelene V. Benson

CHESAPEAKE, Va. –

Magdelene Vaughn "Madge" Benson, 96, a native of Murfreesboro, died April 27, 2005. She was the widow of Henry Alton Benson.

She was a member of Covenant United Methodist Church, the Beazley Senior Center and she retired from the Naval Exchange as a seamstress.

Survivors include her daughter, Peggy B. Hawkins; three sons, Robert D. Benson, William M. Benson Sr. and John S. Benson; 12 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and five great- great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday in Covenant United Methodist Church by the Rev. Frank Jennings. Burial will be in Olive Branch Cemetery. The family will receive friends in Loving Funeral Home, Churchland Chapel, Sunday from 2 to 3 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to Covenant United Methodist Church, 2004 Dock Landing Road, Chesapeake, VA 23321. Condolences may be made at www.lovingfuneralhome.com .

Nathaniel Smith

PATERSON, N.J. – Nathaniel &uot;Buster&uot; Smith, a native of Hertford County, died April 26, 2005 in Wayne.

A funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in Reynolds Funeral Home Chapel, Ahoskie, by the Rev. Patrick Young. Burial will be in the family cemetery, Powellsville.

Survivors include one son, Thomas Smith of Ahoskie; three daughters, Diane Smith Boone of Hampton, Va., Mary Smith Holley and Marion Smith, both of Ahoskie; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Margaret T. Howard

WALLACE – Margaret Teachey Howard, 79, a native of Duplin County, died April 28, 2005, in Duplin General Hospital. She was the widow of Isaac Harold Howard.

Mrs. Howard was a retired clerk with Sears and she was a member of Cool Spring Baptist Church in Eure.

Survivors include her two sisters, Kathleen Caldwell and Annarie Pierce, both of Wallace; and a brother, Elmo Teachey and Greensboro.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday in Cool Spring Baptist Church by the Rev. Roger Kiker. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, in charge. Friends may join the family in the church social hall following services.

Howard L. Destler Jr.

AHOSKIE – Howard Lewis Destler Jr. 70, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., died April 27, 2005 in Greenville.

Destler was an engineer and worked for Kerr Glass Co., and was a member of the Church at the Crossroads.

Survivors include his wife, Jean Taylor Destler; one daughter, Jean Jarvis of Orlando, Fla.; three sons, Howard L. Destler III and Richard L. Destler. both of Ahoskie,

and Robert T. Destler of Millville, Delaware; and 12 grandchildren.

A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at Church at the Crossroads by the Rev. David Lewis. The family request that flowers be omitted and donations be made to Church at the Crossroads, P.O. Box 9, Ahoskie, N.C. 27910

Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, is in charge.

J. Lamar Baum

ELIZABETH CITY n Mr. J. Lamar Baum, died March 27, 2005 at Hampton Medical Center in Hampton, Virginia.

A memorial service was held on Friday, April 1, 2005 at Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Walson Funeral Home, Inc. of Elizabeth City was in charge.

His parents were the late Willie Baum and Blanche Carter Baum. He attended Catholic School and graduated from P.W. Moore High School in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

Lamar graduated from Elizabeth City State University. Mr. Baum was also a veteran of the United States Army. He was the former organist of the New Ahoskie Baptist Church n senior choir in Ahoskie, North Carolina.

He previously taught in Rocky Mount City Schools, Aulander Elementary School in Aulander, NC and Robert L. Vann Elementary School in Ahoskie.

Survivors include two brothers, Raymond Baum of Riverside, California and Gary Baum of Fayetteville, N.C.; one sister, Mrs. Judy Turner of Elizabeth City, N.C.; one aunt, Mrs. Helen Burke of Elizabeth City; five uncles; William Carter of Fayetteville, Oliver Carter, Lewis Carter, Melvin Carter and Lenten Carter, all of Edenton, N.C. He is also survived by one niece, seven nephews, many cousins and a host of friends.

Wilbur R. Terry

AHOSKIE – Wilbur Russell &uot;Sarge&uot; Terry, 77, of Brinkleyville Road, died Friday, April 29, 2005, in Guardian Care of Ahoskie.

Mr. Terry was born in Hertford County and was a member of Union United Methodist Church.

&uot;Sarge&uot; was a retired Gunnery Sergeant in the U. S. Marine Corps, having served during World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Conflicts, with a total of 30 years of service to his country.

Mr. Terry later retired from the

N.C. Department of Transportation.

He is survived by a daughter, Sandy T. Wiley of Ahoskie; a son, Paul Terry of Nags Head; and three grandchildren, Brian Piland, Amanda Piland and Danielle Wiley.

A graveside service will be held on Sunday, May 1, 2005, at 2 p.m. at Highland Memorial Gardens with Military Honors.

The family will receive friends at Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

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