The R-C News Herald Obituaries for August 12, 2006

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Nettie H. Gurganus

ELIZABETH CITY – Nettie Harris Gurganus, 87, a native of Gates County, died August 9, 2006, at the Albemarle Hospital. She was the widow of Noah Henry Gurganus.

Mrs. Gurganus was a homemaker and a member of The First Baptist Church.

Survivors include a son, Terry Gurganus of Elizabeth City; three granddaughters; and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at Twiford’s Memorial Chapel by the Rev. F. Joe Griffith.

Burial will be in the Gurganus family cemetery, Williamston at 2 p.m.

The family will receive friends at the residence of the son, 1816 Darian Drive, Elizabeth City.

Twiford’s Memorial Chapel, 405 East Church Street, Elizabeth City, is in charge. You may sign the online register at www.twifordfh.com.

Eleaner H. Stallings

HOBBSVILLE – Eleaner Hurdle Stallings, 89, died August 5, 2006.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday in Waltons Grove AME Zion Church. Stallings Funeral Chapel, Gatesville, is in charge.

Maravene M. Taylor

MERRY HILL – Maravene Miller Taylor, 89, died August 8, 2006.

A celebration of her life was conducted Wednesday in Capehart’s Baptist Church Cemetery. Evans Funerals and Cremations, Edenton, was in charge.

Leonard Majette Sr.

NEW YORK, NY n Leonard Majette Sr., 89, a native of Northampton County, died August 5, 2006.

A funeral was conducted Friday at First Baptist Church, Rich Square, by the Rev. William Clark. Smith-Whidbee Funeral Home, Rich Square, was in charge.

Brat Powell

WINTON n Brat Cleveland Powell, 79, a native of Bertie County, died August 6, 2006 at his residence.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. Saturday at New Beginnings in Murfreesboro by Chief Apostle Bishop Percy Cook Skinner. Burial will be in Carver’s Park Cemetery, Murfreesboro. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.

Survivors include one daughter, Vickie Northington of Baltimore, Md.; two brothers, Willie Powell of Ahoskie and Navin “Bud” Powell of Scotland Neck; two sisters, Lucy Spruill of Trenton, NJ and Katherine Knight of Ahoskie; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

James Gray Jr.

GASTON n James Roy “Cousin Slick” Gray Jr., 74, a native of Littleton, died August 9, 2006 at Wake Medical Center.

A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Sunset Hills Cemetery, Littleton, by the Rev. Wayne Keeter. Massey Funeral Home, Roanoke Rapids, is in charge.

Gray for over 50 years entertained radio and television audiences with a unique style.

Survivors include his wife, Linda Lynch Gray; his children, Sharon Gray Bowman of Littleton, Sandra Gray Alston of Charlotte, Jody Lane Gray of Wilson, Jason Gray of Norlina and Eric Sutton of Gaston; a brother, Terry Gray of Littleton; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Benjamin Mann

PENDLETON n Benjamin Irvin Mann, 82, died Wednesday, August 9, at his home in Pendleton. A native of Northampton County, he had been preceded in death by his parents, Irvin and Reva Liverman Mann.

Mr. Mann was an active participant in community service and a person dedicated to helping the area farmers. He was a graduate of North Carolina State University with membership in the Kappa Phi Kappa Educational Fraternity and served as a Petty Officer in the United States Navy in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II.

Following his Navy discharge, he worked as County Extension Agent in Monroe County, then returned to Northampton County to farm in 1949. He was appointed as Northampton County ASCS Executive Director in 1957 from which he retired in 1995, was on the Board of Directors of Meherrin Agricultural & Chemical Company in Severn, was a director of the Kirby Peanut Warehouse in Conway, served on the Northampton County Board of Education and the Northampton County Rural Development Panel, and was very active in areas of service involving North Carolina county office employees including having been President of the North Carolina Association of County Employees. He had been a 4-H leader, a member of the Severn-Pendleton Ruritan Club, served on the Jordan Scholarship Committee, and had worked in all areas of church service at Roberts Chapel Baptist Church in Pendleton including teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, and serving as a Deacon and on the Board of Trustees.

Survivors include his loving and devoted wife of 58 years, Louise Edwards Mann of their home; four children, Larry Mann and his wife, Phyllis, Steve Mann and his wife, Kitty, Nancy M. Beasley and her husband, Tommy, all of Pendleton, and Chris and his wife, Toni of Lubbock, Texas; ten grandchildren, Brent Mann, Doug Mann and wife, Rebekah, Matt Mann, Justin Mann, Mariah M. McKellar and husband, Joe, Leigh Mann, Nathan Beasley, Emily Beasley, Chase Mann, and Jack Mann; two great-grandchildren, Ben Mann and Natalie Mann; and one sister, Genevieve Collier and husband, Vernon of Richmond, VA.

A service celebrating the life of Mr. Mann will be held Saturday, 11 a.m. in Roberts Chapel Baptist Church with Dr. James Crocker officiating.

The family received friends at Bridgers Funeral Home, Inc. in Conway, Friday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and have requested that anyone wishing to share a memorial gift, please do so to Roberts Chapel Baptist Church or to Hospice Care-University Health Systems, P.O. Box 272, Ahoskie, NC 27910.

John McGuire

MURFREESBORO n John H. McGuire, 87, a native of Nassowdox, August 8, 2006 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.

A funeral was conducted Friday at Hertford County Undertakers Chapel, Winton, by the Rev. Shirley Johnson.

Felton L. Porter

MURFREESBORO – Felton L. Porter, 91, a native of Northampton County, died August 9, 2006 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

Porter retired from Chowan College as a food service provider.

Survivors include three sons, Edward Lassiter and Thomas Porter, both of Murfreesboro and John Russell of Chicago, IL;

two daughters, Mervin Powell of Boston, MA and Mary Archer of Murfreesboro; three sisters, Geneva Stiff of Atlanta, GA, Josephine Eastern and Luzenia Ballard, both of Portsmouth, VA;

and a host of grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at New Haven Baptist Church by Rev. Lloyd Gatling. Burial will be in the Porter family cemetery.

Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., Murfreesboro is in charge. Viewing will be held in the Murfreesboro location.

Carlos Davis

WASHINGTON, D.C. n Carlos Jay Davis, 30, died August 6, 2006 at Washington University Hospital.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at New Destiny Outreach Ministries, Rocky Mount. Burial will be in Gardens of Gethsemane. A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Rocky Mount. Condolences may be sent to: www.hdpopefuneralhome.com.