Edward Sessoms

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Edward Sessoms, 91, a native of Ahoskie, died September 14, 2006.

Survivors include his wife, Frances Sessoms of Philadelphia; two daughters, Vanisia Collisons and Denise Sessoms; and three sisters, Ruth Sessoms of Philadelphia, Janie Sessoms Brooks and Hazel Sessoms Privott, both of Ahoskie.

A memorial service will be held in the family cemetery in Ahoskie. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc.,

Ahoskie provided information.

Gaynelle Roscoe

GATES – Gaynelle Roscoe, 80, died September 22, 2006 at Pine Wood Manor, Ahoskie.

Mrs. Roscoe was educated in the public schools of Gates County and later trained as a practical nurse where she was employed Norfolk General Hospital for over 30 years.

Upon retirement, she moved back to Gates.

Survivors include two sons, Alvin Francis Roscoe of Jersey City, N.J. and William Edward Roscoe of Raleigh; and sisters, Wilma Hunter of Petersburg, VA and Jean Avent of Perth Amboy, N.J.

Services were conducted on Tuesday at Stoney Branch Missionary Baptist Church.

Burial was in the Gatling family cemetery. Gates. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, was in charge.

Robert B. Carter

ROCKY MOUNT n Robert B. Carter, 63, died September 20, 2006 at Nash General Hospital.

A funeral was conducted Sunday at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Rocky Mount. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery, Nashville. H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Rocky Mount, was in charge.

Kelly C. Futrell Jr.

LITTLETON – Kelly Clifton Futrell Jr., 69, died September 22, 2006.

A funeral was conducted Sunday in Ashley Grove Baptist Church. Massey Funeral Home, Jackson, was in charge.

Wilson H. Byrd

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Wilson Harrell Byrd, 91, a native of Nansemond County, Va., died September 24, 2006.

Byrd retired from the Naval Air Rework Facility as a planner/estimator and also retired from Hydraulic Service Co., Portsmouth. He had also worked for Columbia Yacht in Chesapeake. He was a member of West End United Methodist Church, Portsmouth, where he twice served as chairman of the Administrative Board and as a teacher of the Graham S. Carlton Sunday School class for 22 years.

Survivors include his wife, Mary E. Spivey Byrd; a son, William H. Byrd of Richmond; and a sister, Bessie L. Harden of Ahoskie.

A funeral was Wednesday in Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd. Chapel, by the Rev. Scott Rimer. Burial was in Olive Branch Cemetery.

Lessie W. Ewell

SUFFOLK, Va. –

Lessie Williams Ewell, 95, a native of Gates County, died September 25, 2006, in Nansemond Pointe Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, Suffolk. She was the widow of Harrison Ewell.

Mrs. Ewell was a retired clerk in the cleaning industry and she was a member of Norview Baptist Church.

Survivors include nieces and nephews.

Graveside services were conducted Wednesday in Cool Spring Baptist Church Cemetery, Eure, by the Rev. Wayne Gardner. Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, was in charge.

April Byrum

CONWAY n April Lynn Byrum, 17, a native of Halifax County, died September 20, 2006. at RHA/Howell’s Child Care Center in New Bern.

A funeral service was conducted Saturday at Potecasi Baptist Church by the Rev. Robert Deacon. Burial was in the church cemetery. Massey Funeral Home, Jackson, was in charge. Memorial contributions may be made to RHA/Howell’s Child Care, 140 Pirates Road, New Bern, NC 28562.

Survivors include her parents, Roy and Debra Byrum of Conway; one brother, James Roy Byrum; a sister, Ashley Michelle Byrum, both of the home; her maternal grandfather, James Arthur Crowder Jr.; and her paternal grandmother, Bobbie Jones Byrum, both of Conway also.

Geneva B. Adkins

SUFFOLK, Va. – Geneva Flynt Byrd Adkins, 91, a native of Danbury, died September 25, 2006, at Sentara Obici Hospital.

Mrs. Adkins was a retired clerk with the former Nansemond Drug and was a member of First Baptist Church of Suffolk.

Survivors include three daughters, Brenda Adkins Anderton of Windsor, Va., Rosa Rainey of Conway and Carolyn Brinkley of Suffolk; two sons, McCoy Byrd of Suffolk and Michael Byrd of Ahoskie; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Sidney F. Harrell Chapel of Harrell and Hill Funeral Home by Dr. John Kimball. Burial will be in Cypress Chapel Christian Church Cemetery. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to American Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058-5216.

Donald L. Keys

COLERAIN n Donald L. Keys, 45, a native of Edenton, died September 21, 2006 in Tarboro.

Keys was a member Greater Wynn’s Grove Baptist Church, a trustee, an usher and the SWAT team. He served six years in US Army and was a sales associate at Sears in Ahoskie.

Survivors include brothers, Joseph Capehart and Calvin Keys, both of Colerain, and Willis Keys Jr. of Norfolk, VA; stepsister, Joyce Leary of Portsmouth; and a stepbrother, Daniel Keys of Norfolk.

A funeral was conducted Sunday at Greater Wynn’s Grove Baptist Church, Colerain, by Bishop Thomas E. Lee. Burial was in the church cemetery. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, was in charge.

Leon Perry

COLERAIN n Leon “Weasel” Perry, 78, a native of Bertie County, died September 22, 2006 at Three Rivers Nursing Home, Windsor.

Perry was a retired cable worker with K&Y Cable Co. in New Jersey

Survivors include his sons, Johnny Louis Perry of Virginia and Randy Perry of Ahoskie;

daughters, Margaret Outlaw of Ahoskie, Sandra K. Perry of Newark, NJ, Hattie M. Perry and Deloris Parker, both of Colerain, Annie Perry Watford of Merry Hill, Irma Perry Askew and Virginia Perry, both of Winton; brothers, Joe Perry of Hampton, VA;

a sister, Lois Vaughan of Powellsville; 30 grandchildren; and 41 great-grandchildren.

A funeral was conducted Tuesday at Mill Branch Baptist Church, Aulander, by the Rev. Carl White. Burial was in the Wilders-Cherry Family Cemetery, Aulander. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, was in charge.

Effie D. Manley

MURFREESBORO n Effie D. Manley, 54, a native of Hertford County, died September 26, 2006 at her residence.

A funeral will be conducted at 12 noon Saturday at Nebo Baptist Church by the Rev. Robert Holloman. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.

Survivors include one daughter, Paula Manley-Council; and three brothers, Donald Deloatch, Howard Vaughan and William Lassiter, all of Murfreesboro.

Alisa Brown

TOANO, VA — Alisa Brown, 40, a native of New York, NY, died September 23, 2006 at Sentara Williamsburg Commu-nity Hospital.

Survivors include her husband, Joseph Brown of Toano; two sons, Avery Jordan Hamlet

and Jaden J. Brown, both of Toano; one daughter, Alexis J. Hamlet of Toano; her father, Claudie Hicks; her mother, Patricia Hicks, both of New York; two brothers, Melvin Hicks of Raleigh and Mark Hicks of New York; and one sister, Tanisha Hicks-Belgrave of New York.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at Parkers Grove Baptist Church, Mapleton, by the Rev. Fernando E. Temple Sr.

Burial will be in the Eley family cemetery, Mapleton. Hert-ford County Undertakers, Win-ton, is in charge.