Mary Louise Britton Morgan

Mule carts to moon walks, a member of the greatest generation, born on the 4th of July 1925 in Ahoskie, NC, daughter of the late Grady C. Britton and Elizabeth Vaughan Britton. Her husband of 43 years, J. A. Morgan, and her brother, Randy V. Britton, preceded her in death.

Mary Louise Britton Morgan, 80, of Wilmington, died Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

Mary retired from the North Carolina school system after 33 years of teaching high school English, where she inspired many students to pursue a teaching career. She was an active member of the Wilmington Pilot Club Int’l and Cape Fear Christian Church. She was a woman of great spiritual inner strength who was a quiet inspiration in all endeavors. Mary was known as “Mom” to many for whom she opened heart, hearth and home.

Mary is survived by two sons, David W. Morgan and wife Nora, Bobby B. Morgan and wife Rita, and a daughter, Mary Beth Morgan Carlson and husband Gregg, all of Wilmington;

four grandchildren, Aaron B. Morgan, N. Camille Morgan, Keith D. Morgan and wife Ashley, and Lindsey P. Morgan, all of Wilmington; great-grandchild, Lesly B. Morgan; brother, John P. Britton of Coquille, OR; and many other loving family and friends.

A funeral service will be held at 11 AM Saturday, December 10, 2005 at Cape Fear Christian Church in Wilmington.

The family will receive friends at the church for the hour prior to the service from 10 AM to 11 AM.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. Morgan’s name to the Pilot Club of Wilmington Scholarship Fund, 1222-B Chateau Terrace, Wilmington, NC 28403.

Andrews Mortuary Market Street Chapel

Joel W. Johnson

GREENVILLE n Mr. Joel Watson Johnson, 49, died at his home on Wednesday, December 7, 2005.

A native of Severn, NC, Mr. Johnson had been a resident of Greenville since 1976. He was a graduate of Northampton East High School in Jackson, NC and East Carolina University in Greenville, where he received his BA degree in Business. He also attended the Graduate School of Music at ECU, pursuing his life’s dream of playing the Pipe Organ. Although unable to pursue this venue professionally, he remained a student of the Organ, studying privately with Janette Fishell and Collin Andrews.

Mr. Johnson was retired from the NC Department of Revenue. During his working career he was involved with the Junior Chamber of Commerce and was actively involved with various charitable organizations, including ENCHAC and PICASO.

Joel possessed deep awareness of his family as a loving brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and a dear friend and partner to Carlyle Windley.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Rufus D. Johnson and Margaret Emily Watson Johnson of Severn, NC.

He is survived by a sister, Margaret J. Atkinson and husband, Carl Atkinson of Severn, NC; a brother, Don Johnson and wife, Lynn Johnson of Murfreesboro, NC; a niece, Emily Susan Johnson; and four nephews, Edward Scott Johnson, Ken W. Odom, Richard W. Odom and Jason J. Odom.

A memorial service will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Severn United Methodist Church in Severn, NC.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the East Carolina Musical Arts Foundation (ECMAF) for the C.B. Fisk Organ, P.O. Box 1924, Greenville, NC 27835.

Arrangements are by Wilkerson Funeral Home, Greenville, NC.

Nora Flythe

AULANDER – Nora Flythe, 74, a native of Hertford County, died December 6, 2005 at Guardian Care Nursing Home, Ahoskie.

Mrs. Flythe was a member of Elm Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Aulander.

Survivors include her husband, Clarence E. Flythe of Aulander;

one son, Gregory Flythe of Aulander; one daughter, Shirley Daniels of Greenville;

one brother, Wallace Early of Ahoskie;

six grandchildren; and one great granddaughter.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Elm Grove Missionary Baptist Church by Rev. Anthony Ward.

Interment will be in the church cemetery. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Ahoskie is in charge.

Richard W. Spivey

KELFORD – Richard Wood Spivey, 88, a native of Bertie County, died December 8, 2005. He was the widower of Laura Peel Spivey.

Spivey was a member of St. Marks Episcopal Church, and a retired meat inspector for the N.C. Department of Agriculture.

Survivors include two daughters; Donna Wood Spivey and Rebecca Wood Uzzell, both of Winterville; three sons, John Vernon Spivey Plymouth, MA., Richard W. “Dickey” Spivey, Jr. of Wilmington and the Rev. Doug Spivey of Washington; nine grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. Sunday at Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie. Burial will be in Roxobel-Kelford Cemetery.

Ida D. Wesson

ROCKY MOUNT n Ida Delay Wesson, 63, died December 3, 2005.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. Saturday at Light Of Peace Missionary Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, by the Rev. Lonnie Braswell.

Thomas E. White

MANHATTAN, NY n Thomas Earl “Dooley” White, a native of Bertie County, died December 5, 2005 at St. Luke Hospital, Manhattan.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Ashland Baptist Church, Merry Hill, by the Rev. Nathaniel Thompson. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Reynolds Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Survivors include two sons, Shawn White and Andre White, both of Manhattan; one daughter, Sharease Moore of Brooklyn; his mother, Elsie White of Merry Hill; three brothers, Curtis White of Colerain, Barry White of Merry Hill and Tony White of Windsor; four sisters, Carolyn Harper of Merry Hill, Tersie Jefferson of Windsor, Irish Cherry of Fayetteville and Ethel Leary of Merry Hill; and two grandchildren.

James C. Vinson Sr.

MURFREESBORO n James C. Vinson, Sr. of Murfreesboro, formerly of Conway, North Carolina, passed away on December 6, 2005 at age 94. He was born November 7, 1911, in Northampton County to Cola and Gertie Futrell Vinson.

He was a farmer and a gifted carpenter. He felt that his greatest accomplishment was rebuilding Ashley’s Grove Baptist Church, his home church, after the original building was destroyed by fire in 1968. The new building was dedicated in September, 1970. He was a member of the 1929 Conway High School basketball team. The team was the first championship team for his school. He enjoyed basketball, both scholastic and professional the rest of his life.

He lost his first wife, Lennie Flythe Vinson, in 1970. He married Thelma Chitty Futrell Vinson in 1974.

Along with his devoted wife, he is survived by his two sons and their families: James Jr., and his wife Faye; Lensey and his wife Sue; his grandchildren, Deborah Vinson Britt and her husband, Keith, all of Conway, James Lee Vinson of Baltimore, Maryland; Joel Vinson and his wife, Keri, of Conway and Greenville; Kelly Vinson and his wife Sharon of Rich Square, Michael Vinson of Fountain, Jennifer Vinson Hobbs and her husband, Michael of Wilmington, and Chad Vinson of Conway; his great-grandchildren, Frankie, Ashley, and Meredith Britt; Bill and Cheyenne Vinson, Cole and Jessup Hobbs, Peyton and Garret Vinson, and Katie Lee Vinson.

Visitation was held at Bridgers Funeral Home, Conway, on Friday evening from 7 until 8:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Ashley’s Grove Baptist Church at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by interment in the church cemetery. The Rev. David Ross is officiating.

Flowers will be appreciated or memorials may be made to Ashley’s Grove Baptist Church, c/o Sarah Askew, 9468 U.S. Hwy. 258, Murfreesboro, North Carolina 27855. Bridgers Funeral Home, Conway, is in charge of arrangements.

Mary B. Bullock

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. –

Mary B. &uot;Ma Bullock&uot; Bullock, a native of Jackson, died December 4, 2005.

Mrs. Bullock was a member of New Life Mission Ministry, Virginia Beach.

Survivors include her husband, Booker T. Bullock Sr. of Virginia Beach; a daughter, Betty Dickerson of Richmond; an adopted daughter, Jamika Risper of Virginia Beach; three sons, Bishop Asberry James, James Risper and Booker T. Bullock Jr., all of Virginia Beach; stepmother, Lucille Roscoe of Chesapeake; nine sisters, Dozine Robinson, Rosette Douglas and Annette Lee, all of Garysburg, Marion Waller of Cleveland, Ohio, Maggie Curry of Virginia Beach, Gloria Beamer, Essie Johnson, Dalzaro Wilson and Mittie Mann, all of Chesapeake; three brothers, Allen Lee of Bronx, N.Y., John Roscoe of Chesapeake and Bishop Alexander Person of Pennsylvania; 11 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday in New Hope Baptist Church Virginia Beach by Bishop W.P. Wiggins. Burial will be in Rosewood Memorial Park, Virginia Beach. Community Funeral Home, Virginia Beach Chapel, is in charge.

Elizabeth D. Barnes

CORAPEAKE – Elizabeth Dunn Barnes, 80, a native of Roanoke, Va., died December 6, 2005, in Obici Memorial Hospital, Suffolk.

Mrs. Barnes after graduating in 1947 from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Va., she accepted a position with the Franklin, Va. city school system teaching music. A member of Parker’s United Methodist Church, she had served as the organist for more than 50 years and was president of its United Methodist Women.

Survivors include her husband, Thomas Byrum Barnes; a daughter, Barbara B. Umphlett of Corapeake; and a grandson.

A funeral was conducted Friday in Parker’s United Methodist Church by the Rev. Mike Askew and the Rev. Joe Cockrell. Burial followed in the church cemetery. Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, was in charge. Memorial contributions may be made to Parker’s United Methodist Church or to one’s favorite charity.

Jessie G. Holland

FRANKLIN, Va. – Jessie Griffith Holland, 98, a native of Murfreesboro, died December 6, 2005 at Southampton Memorial Hospital. She was the widow of Clarence Lee Holland.

Mrs. Holland was a lifetime member of New Hope Baptist Church where she was a former organist and active in the church’s business affairs. After New Hope closed, she started attending Sunbeam Baptist Church. She was a former employee of St. Regis Paper Company and a former assistant postmaster at the Como post office.

Survivors include two sisters, Norine Parker of Hampton and Elizabeth Hayes of Como.

A graveside funeral was conducted Thursday in the Holland Family Cemetery with the Rev. Willis Switzer. Wright Funeral Home was in charge.