Elizabeth Gilliam

LEWISTON n Elizabeth Gilliam, 89, a native of Bertie County, died April 22, 2007 at Three Rivers Nursing Home, Windsor.

A funeral will be conducted at 12 p.m. Saturday at Weeping Mary Baptist Church, Lewiston, by the Rev. Johnnie Cofield. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

She was a member of Spring Hill Baptist Church.

Survivors include a son, James Gilliam of Lewiston; daughter, Della Staton of Aulander; a sister, Rosetta Pugh of Philadelphia, Pa.; grandchildren, great-grandchildren; and great-great-grandchildren.

Hassan Shoulars

RICH SQUARE n Hassan Shoulars, 31, a native of Newark, NJ, died April 22, 2007 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday at Perry’s Funeral Home, 3444 Mercer Ave., Newark. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Newark. A wake will be held from 7-9 p.m. Friday at Perry’s Funeral Home. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Survivors include his father, John Ford; his mother, Lady Shoulars Wilfed of Newark; children, Annaya Shoulars, Hassan Shoulars Jr. and Ishane Mays, all of Newark; brother, Hakee Alston of Virginia; grandmother, Georgiana Shoulars and Emma Mitchell, both of Newark; and two sisters, Contessa Shoulars of Newark and Tamika Ford of Raleigh.

Mary D. Plyler

GATESVILLE – Mary Katherine Dodson Plyler, 86, of The Fountains at The Albemarle, Tarboro, N.C., and formerly of Gatesville, died Monday, April 23, 2007, in Tarboro. Mrs. Plyler was born in Norfolk and was the daughter of the late James Robert and Lizzie Eleanor Gillette Dodson. Retiring in 1987 as the director of the Gates County Dept. of Social Services, she had been named the Northeastern District Social Service Employee of the Year and was listed in the Who’s Who Among American Women. A member of Gatesville United Methodist Church, she taught Sunday school for 25 years, was a member of the Mayflower Descendants, the Colonial Dames of America, was active in Gates Emergency Ministries (GEMS) and had served on the Gatesville Town Council for 10 years. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Conrad Norfleet Plyler Sr. and a son, Leroy Gillette Plyler.

Surviving are a daughter, Elizabeth Plyler Harper and husband Stephen of Tarboro; two sons, Conrad N. &uot;Fleet&uot; Plyler Jr. and wife Patsy of Hobbsville and Robert Hardy Plyler and wife Pattie of Ocracoke; a sister, Frances D. White of Norfolk; six grandchildren, Daniel, Brian and Kate Plyler, Mary and Margaret Harper and Dean Odham and wife Betty; and a great-granddaughter, Haley Odham.

A graveside service will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. in the Gatesville Cemetery by the Rev. Tracy Clayton. Friends may join the family in the social hall of the Gatesville United Methodist Church immediately following the service. Miller Funeral Home, 304 Main St., Gatesville, is assisting with funeral arrangements. Flowers are to be omitted and contributions in her memory be directed to the Conrad Plyler Music Memorial Fund, c/o Tiffany Duck, 088 Hwy. 158 West, the Gatesville United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 43 or to GEMS, P.O. Box 712, all in Gatesville, NC 27938.

Bruce Steward

WINDSOR – Bruce Steward, 84, died April 22, 2007.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. Thursday in Indian Woods Baptist Church. Gilliam Funeral Home Chapel is in charge.

James Grantum

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – James Grantum, a native of Tillman, S.C., died April 20, 2007.

Grantum retired from the U.S. Navy after 22 years of service and also retired as a chef after 10 years from Portsmouth Naval Hospital. He was a member of Mount Carmel Baptist Church, where he was a deacon and member of the Men’s Fellowship and the Golden Age Fellowship Club.

Survivors include his wife, Eloise Grantum; four sons, Elton Harley of Portsmouth, Randolph of Augusta, Ga., Marvin of Windsor and Larry of Chesapeake; two daughters, Olivia Randolph of Richmond, Va., and Wanda Griffin of Chesapeake; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

A funeral was conducted Wednesday in Mount Carmel Baptist Church by the Rev. E.T. Knight. Burial was in Roosevelt Memorial Park. Rogers Funeral Home was in charge.

Nicole Bynum

AHOSKIE n Nicole L. Bynum, a native of Hertford County, died April 20, 2007 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at Soul Saving Station, Ahoskie, by Rev. Donnie Graham. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, Ahoskie. Reynolds Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Survivors include two sons, Elijah Watson and Jerimiah Watson; her parents, Willie Ray Bynum Sr. and Janice Bynum; two brothers, Willie Bynum Jr. and Keshawn Bynum; and four sisters, Shanta\u00E9 Bishop, Michaela, Kim and Tiffany Bynum, all of Ahoskie.

Paul C. Matthews

GATESVILLE n Paul C. Matthews, 68, a native of Henderson, died April 22, 2007.

A funeral was conducted Wednesday at Sturtevant Funeral Home by Pastor Kenny Matthews. Entombment was in Meadowbrook Mausoleum. Memorial donations may be made to Hidenwood Christian Fellowship.

Matthews was the retired owner of Home Flooring Co. in Portsmouth and attended Hidenwood Christian Fellowship in Newport News. He was in the Army National Guard.

Survivors include his wife, Rachel A. Matthews; four children, Tammy, Kenny, Mark and Sheryl; and nine grandchildren.

Beatrice Vaughan

AHOSKIE n Beatrice C. Vaughan, died April 24, 2007 at Brian Center Health and Rehabilitation, Windsor.

A funeral will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, Ahoskie, by the Rev. H.H. Murrill. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, Ahoskie. Reynolds Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Survivors include one son, Randy Leon Vaughn of Murfreesboro; three brothers, McGrady Cordell of Maryland, Grover C. Cordell and Willard F. Cordell, both of Henderson; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Eva C. Boone

GATES n Eva Cross Boone, 76, a native of Gates County, died April 23, 2007 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Red Oak Grove AME Zion Church, Gates. Burial will be in the Boone family cemetery. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

She was a member of Red Oak Grove AME Zion Church and retired from Reynold’s Uniform Service.

Survivors include one son, Frederick Boone of Gates; three daughters, Margaret Hall of Winton, Barbara Knight and Tabitha Boone, both of Gates; three brothers, James Cross and Fred Cross, both of New York and Howard Cross of Washington; six sisters, Bessie Coston, Fannie Cross-Sullivan, Audrey Cross and Lillian L. Cross of Brooklyn, NY, Mary Cross-Sidky of Washington, D.C., and Sarah Montague of Gates; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Joseph Ferguson

TAMPA, Fla. n Joseph “Foggie” Ferguson, 68, died April 10, 2007.

A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Roanoke Rapids Chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home.

Wilson Robert Jr.

ROANOKE RAPIDS n Wilson “Cheese” Robert Jr., 54, died April 24, 2007 in Roanoke Rapids.

A visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday in the Roanoke Rapids Chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday also in the chapel. Interment will be in London Baptist Church Cemetery, Roanoke Rapids. Condolences may be sent to: www.hdpopefuneralhome.com.