Ollie Mae Wilkerson

CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Ollie Mae Wilkerson, 80, a native of Creeksville, died November

11, 2005, in her residence. She was the widow of Charlie T. Wilkerson.

Mrs. Wilkerson was a Baptist and retired from General Electric and was working at Lifetouch.

Survivors include five daughters, Shirley Roper, Patricia Hewitt, Dorothy Sherlock, Connie White and Bonnie Allen; one son, Tommy Wilkerson; two sisters, Mildred Woodward and Ruby Baker; 13 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

A funeral was conducted Monday in First Friends Church by the Rev. David Roudabush. Burial was in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens. Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd. chapel, was in charge.

Ernest Parker

NORFOLK, Va. –

Ernest Parker, 88, a native of Corapeake, died November 11, 2005. He was the widower of Ethel Parker.

Parker was a faithful member of Olive Grove Baptist Church and was the founder of the male Usher Board. He retired from Canada Dry Bottling Company after 30 years of service. He was a funeral attendant for the E.A. Hughes Home for several years.

Survivors include two sons, Leroy Parker Sr. and Charlie Parker Sr.; a brother, Sidney Parker of Philadelphia, Pa.; three sisters, Dollie Walker and Vera Goodman of Norfolk and Margaret White of Suffolk; 15 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and 12 great-great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Olive Grove Baptist Church by the Rev. Harry Davis. Burial will be at Roosevelt Memorial Park. Viewing will be Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Tuesday from 6 to 7 p.m. and at other times at 2515 Ballentine Blvd., the home of Charlie and Shelia Parker. Riddick Funeral Service is in charge of. Condolences may be sent to www.riddickfuneralsvc.com.

Mary E. Haste

WINDSOR n Mary Earl Haste, 95, a native of Bertie County, died November 12, 2005 at Three Rivers Nursing home.

She was a member of Cashie Baptist Church and the WMU. She was also a bookkeeper with the Richard Cooper Agency.

A graveside funeral was conducted Monday at Edgewood Cemetery by the Rev. Dennis Conner and the Rev. Jack Byrd. Walker Funeral Home, Windsor, was in charge. Memorial gifts may be made to University Hospice, PO Box 74, Ahoskie, NC 27910.

She is survived by a sister, Margaret Thompson Haste of Windsor.

James T. Davis

WINDSOR n James Thomas Davis, 81, a native of Bertie County, died November 12, 2005 at Bertie Memorial Hospital.

A graveside funeral was conducted Monday at Edgewood Cemetery by the Rev. Dennis Conner. Masonic and military rites were observed. Walker Funeral Home, Windsor, was in charge. Memorial gifts may be made to Charity Lodge #5, King St., Windsor, NC 27983.

Davis was a member of Cashie Baptist Church and Charity Lodge #5. He was retired from Burris Wellcome and was a Coast Guard Veteran of World War II.

Survivors include his wife, Janice Hughes Davis of Windsor; a daughter, Karen D. Fuller of Windsor; a son, Tommy Davis of Edenton; a brother, Aubrey Gilbert Davis Jr. of Chesapeake, Va.; one grandchild; three step-grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Janice Miller

COLERAIN n Janice Bazemore Miller, 65, a native of Hertford County, died November 10, 2005 at her home. She was the widow of Dewey “Butch” Miller.

A graveside funeral was conducted Sunday at Riverside Baptist Church Cemetery by the Rev. Al Jarrell. Memorial gifts may be made to University Home Hospice, PO Box 74, Ahoskie, NC 27910. Walker Funeral Home, Windsor, was in charge.

Mrs. Miller was a member of Riverside Baptist Church and a homemaker.

Survivors include two daughters, Kim Myers of Merry Hill and Stacy Maniaci of Viewland, NJ; one son, Shea Thomas Miller of Merry Hill; a brother, Glennwood Bazemore of Lewiston Woodville; and two grandchildren.

Nellie Ferguson

NEWSOMS, Va. n Nellie Sue Johnson Ferguson, 91, passed away peacefully on November 11, 2005 at the East Pavilion in Franklin. She was a lifelong resident of Newsoms and a member of Newsoms Baptist Church. She was a resident of The Village at Woods Edge for seven years prior to her move to East Pavilion. Her life was devoted to working on the family farm and raising her ten children. She loved flowers and working in the yard.

Born January 10, 1914, Nellie was a daughter of the late Samuel Hugh and Nannie Belle Johnson. She was predeceased by her husband, James Albert Ferguson, her oldest daughter, Elizabeth Ann White, and a grandchild. She was also predeceased by brothers and sisters, Samuel Hugh Johnson, Willie Richard Johnson, Chatta Ann Pope, Annie Mae Vick, Clara Bell Manry, Mary Helen Porter; and half-brothers and half-sisters, Cora Lee Bryant, Minnie Lee Gray, John Story, and Stanley “Jack” Story.

She is survived by her children (and their spouses), James Alton Ferguson (Janie), Carol F. Phillips (Ed), all of Franklin; Dorothy F. Vann (Archie) of Conway, NC; Ronnie B. Ferguson (Johnnie Ellen), Robert S. Ferguson (Veronica), W. Peyton Ferguson (Patsy), Steve M. Ferguson (Pat), all of Newsoms, Evelyn F. Carr, and David R. Ferguson (Betty Sue) of Boykins. She was the proud Grandma of twenty-two grandchildren, twenty nine great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

A funeral service was conducted at 3 p.m. Monday, November 14, at the Newsoms Baptist Church with the Rev. Curtis Faison and the Rev. Kenneth Williams officiating. Burial followed in Hollywood Cemetery. The family received friends from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Wright Funeral Home, Franklin, and suggest that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Newsoms Baptist Church, 29339 South Main Street, Newsoms, Va. 23874.

Lieutenant Thomas N. Brantley

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. n Lieutenant Thomas Nicholas Brantley, age 26, died on Saturday, September 24, 2005. Nick was a native of Hertford County. He was a member of Lakewood United Methodist Church in Jacksonville, Florida and a former member of the First Baptist Church of Ahoskie where he was active in both the youth choir and handbell choir. Nick is a 1997 graduate and valedictorian of the Ridgecroft School. While attending Ridgecroft, Nick played soccer and basketball. He received the MVP award for Varsity basketball his junior and senior years. Following graduation, Nick proudly attended Virginia Tech. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Communications in 2001. At Virginia Tech, Nick served in the Corp of Cadets. He was the 3rd Battalion Cadet Sergeant Major his junior year. His senior year he was selected to command the entire Virginia Tech 3rd Battalion. Nick was a true Virginia Tech Hokie through and through. After graduation, Nick was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy. He immediately began his flight training in Pensacola, FL. He excelled as a pilot and flew both fixed-wing and rotary-winged aircraft.

When Nick received his Wings of Gold, he reported to Mayport, Florida for his initial training in the SH-60B Seahawk. Upon completion of training, he received the Seahawk Award as the top student in the Fleet Replacement Squadron.

Nick reported to HSL-44 the “Swampfoxes,” at Naval Station Mayport in December of 2003. He served as Assistant Operations Officer and Naval Warfare Publications Library Custodian, receiving the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his outstanding performance. He served as the Administration Officer for Detachment TEN “Killaz” in support of Standing Naval Forces Atlantic West aboard the USS Simpson in 2004. After deployment he earned the qualification of Helicopter Aircraft Commander and began workups as the Detachment Maintenance Officer of Detachment TEN, the “Heavy Hitters” in 2005.

Nick has been awarded many honors in his life, but he will be remembered most as a loving and caring husband, son, grandson, and friend. He is preceded in death by his grandfathers, James Hudson and Robert H. Brantley. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ruth Davis Brantley of Bethel, NC; his parents, Keith and Joyce Hudson Brantley of Ahoskie, NC; his grandmothers, Jean Hudson and Geraldine Brantley, both of Ahoskie; and his in-laws, Emery and Carol Davis of Bethel, NC.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, November 19, 2005 at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Ahoskie with the Rev. Tommy Kiker officiating. Interment will follow at the Ahoskie Cemetery. The family will receive friends following the interment.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Ahoskie Youth Group, 312 West Main Street, Ahoskie, NC 27910.

Arrangements are being handled by Sykes Funeral Service in Rich Square, NC.

Mary Mitchell

WINDSOR n Mary W. “Mae Minnie” Mitchell, died November 10, 2005 at Brian Center Health and Rehabilitation Center.

A wake will be held from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday at Gilliam Funeral Home Chapel, Windsor. Burial will be in Hillcrest cemetery at 11 a.m. on Thursday.

Martha Marsh

COLUMBIA n Funeral services for Martha Hollowell Marsh, 78, was held Monday at 11 a.m. at Eastminster Presbyterian Church. Burial will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Aulander Cemetery in Aulander, NC. The family received friends on Sunday from 6-8 p.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 3200 Trenholm Road, Columbia, S.C. 29204 or to the charity of one’s choice.

Mrs. Marsh died Friday, November 11, 2005. Born in Aulander, NC, she was the daughter of the late Roy A. and Blanche Hinshaw Hollowell. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Colonial Dames of the 17th Century, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Forest Lake Club, and the Four Seasons and Dogwood Garden Clubs. Mrs. Marsh was a member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church.

Surviving are her husband, William J. Marsh; sons, William H. Marsh, M.D. and his wife, Pamela of Mt. Pleasant and Stephen S. Marsh, M.D. and his wife, Karen of Zebulon, NC; and grandchildren, Courtney, Hannah, Roy, Samuel and Nathan.

Mary Edwards

HARRELLSVILLE n Mary Magaline Edwards, 89, died November 10, 2005 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral was conducted Monday at Zion Grove Missionary Baptist Church by Bishop J.C. Watford. Interment was in the church cemetery. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, was in charge.

She was a member of Zion Grove Missionary Baptist Church.

Survivors include two sons, Robert Edwards of Cofield and William Leroy Edwards of Ahoskie; three daughters, Bernice Edwards of Ahoskie, Elizabeth Watford of Cofield and Viola Beaupierre of New Jersey; a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren; and great-great-grandchildren.

Leroy Perry

AHOSKIE n Leroy Perry, 57, a native of Bertie County, died November 12, 2005 at his residence.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church by the Rev. Nathaniel Thompson. Cremation will follow services. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Survivors include a daughter, Keisha Taylor of New Jersey; six sisters, Doris Leary of Windsor, Mary Perry, Christine Nixon, Mary Ann Perry, Reva Perry and Carolyn Morris, all of Ahoskie; and one grandchild.

Bernice W. Bussie

MURFREESBORO n Bernice Williams Bussie, died Sunday, November 13, 2005 at her residence.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.