DyAvus M. Thomas

AHOSKIE n DyAvus Montrell Thompson, three months old, died April 18, 2007 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. Saturday at Wilder’s Funeral Home Chapel, Aulander, by the Rev. Jerome Shoulders. Burial will be in the Wilder’s-Cherry Family Cemetery.

Survivors include his mother, Passion Copeland of Ahoskie; his father, Deon Thomas-Thompson of Aulander; brothers, Sahmeek Thomas and Edris Thomas, both of Ahoskie and Naiquan Thomas of Newark, NJ and Mehki Thomas of Patterson; sisters, Jatasia Cherry of Ahoskie, Destiny Thomas of Long Island, NY and Mariah Butts of Elizabeth City; grandmothers, Donna Outlaw of Ahoskie and Evelyn Thomas of Englewood; grandfathers, James Copeland of Cofield and David Thomas of Englewood; great-grandparents, Clarine Copeland of Cofield and James Copeland of Virginia.

DeAndre Smith

WINDSOR nDeAndre Smith, infant, died April 18, 2007 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.

A graveside service was conducted Friday at Wilder-Cherry Family Cemetery, Aulander. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, was in charge.

Survivors include his mother, Vashekia Ryan of Windsor; Hudson Smith Jr. of Aulander; a sister, Denajae Smith of Windsor; grandmothers, Gwendolyn Craig of Windsor and Annie Smith of Ayden; grandfathers, Hudson Smith Sr. of Roxobel and James Jefferson of Lewiston; step-grandfather, Neil Craig of Windsor; great-grandmothers, Betty Bishop of Kelford and Cleo Ryan of Windsor; great-grandfathers, Ulysses Smith of Patterson, NJ and Curtis Bishop of Rich Square; and great-great-grandmother, Ola Mae Smith of Windsor.

Vivian Bryant

RALEIGH n Vivian Bryant, 53, formerly of Rocky Mount, died April 13, 2007.

A memorial service will be conducted at 3 p.m. Sunday at H.D. Pope Funeral Home Chapel.

Wayne Battle

ROCKY MOUNT n Wayne Battle, 46, died April 16, 2007 at Pitt Memorial Hospital.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at Red Budd Holy Church, Rocky Mount. Interment will be in Gardens of Gethsemane. H.D. Pope Funeral Home is in charge.

David R. Phillips

AHOSKIE – David Ray Phillips, 52, a native of Portsmouth, Va., died April 17, 2007, in Roanoke Chowan Hospital.

Phillips was a retired letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War.

Survivors include his wife, Kathy Rabenstein Phillips; a daughter, Candi Moore; a son David H. Phillips; a stepson, Shane Ray Wallace of Ahoskie; five sisters, Mary Thompson of Suffolk, Faye Harmon of Portsmouth, Debbie Phillips of Chesapeake, Cindi Heath of Clifton Forge and Jenny Williams of Portsmouth; seven brothers, Mike, Robert and Ronnie Phillips, all of Chesapeake and Richard, James, Doug and Joey Phillips, all of Portsmouth; and several grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday in Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd. Chapel, by the Rev. Tom Potter. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.

Essie H. Taylor

NORFOLK, Va. – Essie H. Taylor, 89, a native of Roxobel, died April 17, 2007.

Mrs. Taylor was a very active member of Cornerstone Baptist Church.

Survivors include her son, David C. Taylor; sister, Frances Britton; and three grandchildren.

A service was conducted Friday at Cornerstone Baptist Church by the Rev. Fred Braswell. Smith & Williams Funeral Home, Norfolk chapel, was in charge.

Alexander Barnes Jr.

COURTLAND, Va. – Alexander &uot;Sam&uot; Barnes Jr., 48, a native of Southampton County, died April 16, 2007, in Franklin.

Barnes was a member of New Piney Grove Baptist Church in Newsoms.

Survivors include a daughter, Sharkia R. Seaborn of Franklin; a son, Kareem Smith Barnes of Woodland; and his mother, Otella H. Barnes of Courtland.

A funeral will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in New Piney Grove Baptist Church, Newsoms, by the Rev. George Futrell. Burial will be in Southview Cemetery, Franklin. Wm. M. Johnson & Sons Funeral Home Inc., 224 S. Main St., Franklin, is in charge.

Debbie Vaughan

BROOKLYN, NY n Debbie Vaughan, a native of Hertford County, died April 18, 2007 at Lutheran Medical Center.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Reynolds Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Norman D. Parker

KELFORD n Mr. Norman “J.N.” Dexter Parker, age 65, died April 18, 2007 at his home in Kelford.

Mr. Parker was born June 15, 1941 in Bertie County, NC, the son of the late James Norman Parker and Ruby Dixon Parker. He was a veteran of the US Army, past mayor of Kelford, past member of the Kelford Police Dept., past member of the Kelford Fire Dept. and Rescue Squad. He was also a member of Kelford Baptist Church.

Survivors include his stepsister, Marilyn Ronsco of Shenadoah, Va.; his stepbrother, Dink Vick of Mechanicsville, VA..; and special friends, Landon Bracy and Alston Hathaway.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 21, 2007 at 11 a.m. at Kelford Baptist Church with the Rev. Doug Spivey officiating.

Arrangements are being handled by Massey Funeral Home in Aulander, NC

Julia Williams-Johnson

PENDLETON n Julia Williams-Johnson, 92, died April 16, 2007 at Hampton Woods Health and Rehabilitation Center, Jackson.

A celebration of life will be conducted at 3 p.m. Sunday at Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Jackson, by the Rev. Timothy Edwards. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Faison’s Funeral Home, Seaboard, is in charge. A viewing will be held from 1-7 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Survivors include her husband, Clinton Johnson of the home; her children, Mildred Motley of Jackson, Mary Johnson, Dorothy Johnson and Christine Field, all of Patterson, NJ, Percy Johnson, Rosa Johnson of the home, Ellen Bethea of Pendleton, Rosenell Grant of Boykins, Va., and Dalton Edwards of Pendleton; one sister, Mittie Shoulards of Creeksville; 27 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-great-grandchildren.

Clarence B. “Doc” Lassiter, Sr.

AULANDER n Clarence Benthall “Doc” Lassiter, Sr., 85, of the 300 block of Hollowell Road, died Sunday, April 15, 2007, in Roanoke Chowan Hospital.

Mr. Lassiter was born in Hertford County, a son of the late Carlton and Mettie Outlaw Lassiter.

He was retired as a longshoreman and was a member of the International Longshoreman’s Association.

“Doc” was a US Army Air corps veteran of WWII and the widower of Willie Mae Jenkins Lassiter.

Survivors include a daughter, Linda Lassiter of Aulander; two sons, Clarence B. Lassiter, Jr. of Richmond, VA, and Eddie C. Lassiter of Reno, NV; a sister, Louise Hurdle of Ahoskie; a brother, Owen Lassiter of Aulander; grandchildren, Debbie Arnold, Kathleen Johnson, Christine Keesee, Andrea Cooper, Holly Eunice, and Karma Mathison; and several great grandchildren.

A celebration service of Mr. Lassiter’s life will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25, 2007, at Millennium Pentecostal Holiness Church with the Rev. Paul Edwards officiating.

Burial will follow in Job Cemetery with Military Honors.

The family will receive friends at Garrett Funeral Home from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24, and other times at the home.

Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, is serving the Lassiter family.

Lillie R. Jordan

PENDLETON n Lillie R. Jordan, 96, a native of Northampton County, died April 18, 2007 at her residence.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church Severn. There will be no wake on Saturday. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.

Survivors include one son, Eddie Turner of Pendleton; four daughters, Jessie Turner and Evelyn Jordan, both of Pendleton, Sandra Flythe of Raleigh and Maria Jordan of Murfreesboro; 27 grandchildren; and 49 great-grandchildren.

Mae F. Lee

BROOKLYN, NY n Mae F. “Mae Mae” Lee, a native of Lewiston, died April 17, 2007.

Survivors include a brother, Charlie Watson of Greensboro; a sister, Mary P. McDonald of Ahoskie; and a godmother, Chadwick Watson Adeblyl.

Harvey’s Funeral Home, Inc., Brooklyn, NY, is in charge.