Irene Newsome

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Irene Newsome, 53, a native of Ahoskie, and of N. Brunswick, N.J., died March 18, 2006, in JFK Medical Center, Edison, N.J.

Ms. Newsome retired in 2001 from Staten Island University Hospital where she worked in medical services. She attended Mount Zion AME Church in New Brunswick, N.J.

Survivors include her son, Chandran Newsome of N. Brunswick; her mother, Hazel Mitchell; four brothers, Randy, Ronnie, Tracy and Barrett Mitchell; and three sisters, Sheila and Jacqueline Mitchell and Lisa Newsome, all of Virginia Beach.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday in the chapel of Metropolitan Funeral Service, 7246 Granby St. Family and friends will assemble at the chapel for the service. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.metropolitanfuneralservice.com.

Benjamin Rascoe Jr.

LEWISTON n Benjamin L. “Ben”

Rascoe Jr., 63, a native of Bertie County, died March 20, 2006 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Spring Hill Baptist Church by the Rev. Harry Hayes. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

Survivors include a son, Carl Rascoe of Connecticut; a daughter, Elnora Cherry of Windsor; his mother, Alfredia Butler and stepfather, Monroe Butler of Bridgeport; brothers, John Rascoe of Lewiston, Joseph Rascoe, Louis Rascoe, Joseph Rascoe, Monroe Butler Jr. and James Saunders, all of Bridgeport, Conn., and Horace Duncan of PA; sisters, Jannie Williams and Mollie Hayes, both of Lewiston and Angela Butler of Bridgeport; a stepson, Ike Pugh; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Sherman Leary

COLERAIN n Sherman Lee Leary, 78, a native of Bertie County, died March 20, 2006 at his residence.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at Ashland Missionary Baptist Church by the Rev. W.J. Best. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

Survivors include children, Denise Leary, Stephany Leary, Pheobia Overton, Valorie Lassiter and Catherine Leary, all of Colerain, Bryan L. Basnight of Powellsville and Avis L. Harrell of Harrellsville, James Holley of Hampton, Va., Dana Perry of Carrollton, Venita Walker of Landover, Md., Donald Sumner of Germany, Lashonda Rankins of Colerain, Kevin Leary and Tykella Leary, both of Colerain and Shawn Leary of Georgia; brothers, Samuel Leon Leary, Eddie Leary and Tony L. Leary, all of Windsor, Darryl Perry of Colerain; sisters, Georgia Perry of Askewville, Lillian Walden of Murfreesboro and Pearl Rankins of Colerain; 14 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Barbara B. Veda

GATES n Barbara B. Veda, 53, a native of Hampton, died March 19, 2006 at the home of her daughter.

A memorial service was conducted March 21 at Upper Room Assembly by Pastor Eric Earhart. Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, was in charge.

Mrs. Veda was formerly employed as a detail specialist with the dry cleaning industry. She was a member of Upper Room Assembly in Gatesville.

Survivors include two daughters, Elizabeth Hartbarger and Crystal Veda; two sons, Johnathan Whiting and Nathan Veda; one sister; three brothers; and nine grandchildren.

Clinton Brown

NEW YORK, NY n Clinton Brown, 56, a native of Bertie County, died March 17, 2006 at Calvary Hospital, New York.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at Spring Hill Baptist Church, Lewiston, by the Rev. Leroy Douglas. Burial will be in the Brown family cemetery. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.

Survivors include three daughters, Sandy Kennedy of Queens, Jackie Kennedy of Bronx and Jacquell Kennedy of Columbia, Md.; sisters and brothers, Florence Clark and Brucey Brown of Petersburg, Va., Harlee Messick of Wilmington, Betty Casterlow, and Clifton of New Jersey, Mary Sutton of Wendell, Sylvia Jordan of Aulander, Williothea Powell and Marie Smith, both of Ahoskie, Franklin Brown of Bronx, Andrew Brown of Como, Hosea Brown and James Brown, both of Murfreesboro, Cleveland Brown Jr. of Lewiston, Richard Brown of New Jersey, Roy Brown of Fayetteville, and Willie Brown of Lewiston; and two grandchildren.

Mary Bass

EDENTON n Mary Ruth Lane Bass, 81, a native of Perquimans County, died March 21, 2006 in Britthaven of Edenton. She was the widow of Marcus Franklin Bass Sr.

A funeral was conducted Thursday at Rocky Hock Baptist Church by the Rev. Dr. James Horton. Burial was in Pearce-Bass-Bunch family cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Rocky Hock Baptist Church, 113 Rocky Hock Church Road, Edenton, NC 27932.

Mrs. Bass was a homemaker, she had also retired from Seabrook Blanching Corp. in Edenton. She was a member of Rocky Hock Baptist Church.

Survivors include three daughters, Joyce Lilly of Newport News, Va., Ruth Jordan of Edenton and Peggy Bunch of Elizabeth City; a son, Marcus Franklin Bass Jr. of Edenton; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Doris Retos

FAISON n Mrs. Doris Evelyn Stanley Retos, 84, of 5901 Montrose Rd., in Rockville, Md., formerly of Faison, died at her home Wednesday, March 22, 2006.

Funeral services will be held Monday at 2:00 PM at Poplar Grove Baptist Church with Rev. Gilbert Crawford officiating. Burial will be in the Faison Cemetery.

Born in 1921 in Sampson County, Mrs. Retos was the daughter of the late L.M. and Sallie Creel Stanley. She was retired from The National Academy of Science in Washington, DC as chief bookkeeper after 30 years of service.

She is survived by her husband, Anthony Retos; two sisters, Jean Stanley Crawford and husband, Gilbert of Eure, NC and Virginia Stanley King and husband, Elwood of Ayden, NC; a brother, Leon Stanley of Garner; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by brothers, Leighton Stanley and Lester Stanley.

The family will receive friends at Royal-Hall Funeral Home Sunday night from 7 til 8:30 p.m.

Kurt R. Spain

CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Kurt R. Spain, 45, died March 18, 2006, in Cameron, N.C.

A graveside service was conducted Friday in Edgewood Cemetery, Windsor. Oman Funeral Home & Crematory was in charge.

Sammie L. Britt

MILWAUKEE n Sammie L. Britt, 45, died March 18, 2006.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at Nebo Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, by the Rev. Robert Holloman. Interment will be in Old Nebo Cemetery. Hood Funeral Home, Conway, is in charge.

Walter A. Rogers Jr.

MURFREESBORO n Walter Ardell Rogers Jr., 68, a native of Northampton County, died March 20, 2006 at Rex Hospital, Raleigh.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Hertford County Undertakers Chapel, Winton, by Pastor Dorothy Ruffin. Burial will be in Severn Baptist Church Cemetery.

Survivors include his wife, Mary W. Rogers of Washington, D.C.; one son, Derick Lee Porter Sr. of Murfreesboro; six daughters, Diane Wayne, Brenda Rogers and Linda Rogers, all of Washington, Lisa Porter-King of Murfreesboro, Carolyn Porter of Portsmouth, Va., and Judy Shields of Scotland Neck; two sisters, Minister Darlene Branch and Marie Rogers, both of Norfolk; four brothers, Willie Rogers of Pendleton, Mack Rogers of Murfreesboro, Minister Calvin Rogers of Portsmouth and John Rogers of Norfolk; 23 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Mac C. Joyner

AHOSKIE n Mack Curtis Joyner, died March 23, 2006 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Monday at New Ahoskie Baptist Church, Ahoskie, by the Rev. Patrick Young. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, Ahoskie. Reynolds Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Joyner was a member and trustee of New Ahoskie Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Lela M. Joyner of Ahoskie; one daughter, Maxine J. Thomas of Murfreesboro; one foster brother, Antonio Moore of Ahoskie; and one grandchild.

Jimmy R. Bond

WINDSOR n Jimmy R. Bond, 61, died March 22, 2006 at Bertie Memorial Hospital, Windsor.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Sunday at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery. Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, is in charge.