Linwood E. Ward

CONWAY n Linwood Ezelle Ward, 80, passed away Friday, June 22, at Lifecare Hospitals in Rocky Mount.

Linwood was born at Greenhall Farm near Edenton and was the son of the late Ezelle Ward of Edenton and Rosa Ford Ward of Seaboard. He graduated from Edenton High School in 1943, and, he, attended McCally Military School in Chattanooga, TN, Embry Riddle School in Miami, FL, and North Carolina State College in Raleigh. In December of 1945 he was inducted into the United States Army where he served in Germany and Keesler Field, MS.

Linwood has made his home in Conway since 1951 and has been a faithful member of Conway United Methodist Church for over 50 years. He sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, was active in the Methodist Men’s Club and, diligently, served in many other capacities.

Linwood owned and operated Ward’s Grain Service, served as a charter member of the Conway Volunteer Fire Department, and enjoyed a varsity of interesting hobbies such as collecting antique cars and a ham radio operation. In his active retirement, he owned and operated Wesley & Wood Trucking, built electric cars, and loved to fly model airplanes.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Eloise Taylor Ward; three children Roseanne Ashby and her husband, Bobby, Taylor Ward and his wife, Becky, and Robin Hilliard and her husband, Conley; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, June 26, 2:00 P.M. in the Conway United Methodist Church with Rev. Lindsey Green and Rev. John Butson officiating. Burial will follow in the Town of Conway Cemetery.

The family received friends at Bridgers Funeral Home, Inc., in Conway, Monday from 7 to 8:30 P.M. and have requested that anyone wishing to share a memorial gift, please do so to Conway United Methodist Church. Also, they wish to thank the staff of Lifecare Hospitals in Rocky Mount for their loving support and compassion during the past three months.

Detron Burgess

ROANOKE RAPIDS n Detron Zrone Burgess, 21, died June 21, 2007 at Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Greenville.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday in the Roanoke Rapids Chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home. A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 27, 2007 in the Roanoke Rapids Chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home by the Rev. Danny B. Jones. Interment will be in the Putney family Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to: hdpopefuneralhome.com.

Lillian C. Lang

HAMPTON n Lillian Chavis Lang, 88, of the 400 block of Woodland Road, died Friday, June 22, 2007, in Mayfair House, Hampton, VA.

Mrs. Lang was born in Hertford County, a daughter of the late Robert J. and Julia Melton Chavis, and was a member of Pleasant Plains Baptist Church.

She was a graduate of C. S. Brown School in Winton and attended North Carolina Central University.

Mrs. Lang was retired from the Norfolk Naval Base.

She was the widow of Clinton David Lang.

Left to cherish her memory are her sons, Clinton Nathaniel Lang and wife, Joyce of Hampton, VA, and Gerald Dwayne Lang of Evanston, IL; her sisters, Willa Mae George of Washington, DC, Sally Ann Johnston of Winton, NC, and Doris Christine Jones of Detroit, MI; three grandchildren, Lisa Lang, Christopher Lang and wife, Stacy, and Jeremy Lang; and a great-grandchild, Evan Lang.

A celebration of life service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 at Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, with the Rev. Robert May officiating.

Burial will follow in Pleasant Plains Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, prior to services.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 930 B Wellness Drive, Greenville, NC, 27834.

Betty Lou Hopper

CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Betty Lou Hopper, 71, a native of Northampton County, died June 22, 2007.

Mrs. Hopper was a retired cosmetologist.

Survivors include two sons, Raymond Lee Hopper Jr of Timberville, Va., and Jay Hopper of Norfolk; one brother, Southy T. Nottingham of North Carolina; four grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

A funeral will be private. Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. Arrangements are being handled by Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home, Tidewater Drive Chapel. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.hollomon-brown.com.

Ed S. Mizell

CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Ed Spencer Mizell, 66, a native of Colerain, died June 21, 2007, in his residence.

Mizell was a retired captain with the Portsmouth Fire Dept. He was a member of Pinecrest Baptist Church, Churchland Masonic Lodge No. 276, Khedive Shrine Temple and Clown Unit and the Portsmouth Police/Fire Retirement Association.

Survivors include his wife, Joyce Smith Mizell; a daughter, Kim Marie Foster of Portsmouth; a son, E.S. Mizell Jr. of Raleigh; a brother, James C. Mizell of Edmonds, Wash.; three grandsons; and one great-granddaughter.

A funeral was held Monday in Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd. Chapel, by the Rev. Tom Potter. Entombment followed in Meadowbrook Memorial Mausoleum. Memorial donations may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Vernon E. Cross Sr.

SUFFOLK, Va. – Vernon E. Cross Sr., a native of Gates, died June 18, 2007, in Sentara Obici Hospital. He was the widower of Emma W. Cross.

Cross retired from the Norfolk Naval Base after 37 years of employment.

Survivors include two daughters, two daughters, Sharon C. Scott of Suffolk and Mary Riddick of Gatesville; one son, Vernon E. Cross Jr. of Atlanta, Ga.; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

A funeral was conducted Monday in Crocker Funeral Home by Bishop Clarence V. Russell III. Interment was in Carver Memorial Cemetery. Condolences may be extended to the family at www.crockerfuneralhome.com.

Linwood R. Bracy

AHOSKIE n Mr. Linwood R. Bracy, age 79, of Burgaw, NC, and a native of Ahoskie, NC, died Sunday, June 24, 2007 at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC.

Mr. Bracy was born Nov. 7, 1927, the son of the late Luther Bracy and Texaner Parker Bracy. He was also predeceased by a son, Ronnie Lee Bracy. He was retired with United Van Lines.

Survivors includes his wife, Betty L. Bracy; his children, Linwood Earl Bracy, Patricia Ann Saffoury, and Dianna Lin Casimiro; four stepchildren, James T. Shaffer, Steven V. Shaffer, Linda Lee Watson, and Charles C. Shaffer; his brother, James “Jay Bird” Bracy of Aulander, NC; his half sister, Rosa Lee Dixon of Kelford, NC; eight grandchildren; six stepgrandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and two stepgreat-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held, Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 3:00 P.M. at Massey Funeral Home in Aulander, NC with Rev. Robert May officiating. Burial will follow at the Ahoskie Cemetery, Ahoskie, NC.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:00 until 3:00 P.M. on Thursday.

Louise P. Lyon

EURE n Louise Parker Lyon, of Corner High Road, died Wednesday, June 20, 2007 in her home.

Born in Lewiston, Bertie County, NC, she was one of eight children born to the late Elisha T. and Lillie Harrell Parker. She was divorced from the late Robert Arthur Behrends, Sr. and was the widow of Arthur P. Lyon. A retired licensed practical nurse, she had also worked as a sewing instructor with the Singer Corporation and was a member of Eure Baptist Church, the Gates County Historical Society, and the Betsy Dowdy Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by grandsons, David Sheppard and Steven Behrends.

Survivors are her son, Robert A. Behrends, Jr. and wife, Fay of Eure; her daughter, Patricia Behrends Slasinski and husband, Frank of Tuxedo, NY; her sister, Rachel Parker Spivey of Colonial Heights, VA; six grandchildren, Lorraine Johnson of Savannah, GA, Robert Sheppard of Katy, TX, John Behrends of Conway, NC, Dianne Behrends of Hopatcong, NJ, Kevin Francis Slasinski of Tuxedo, and Jill Karuso of Teaneck, NJ; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Saturday at 11:00 a.m. in Eure Baptist Church by the Rev. Dr. Wayne Proctor. Burial followed in the church cemetery with Miller Funeral Home, 304 Main St., Gatesville, handling arrangements. Friends joined the family Friday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the funeral home and all other times at the residence.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Gates County Historical Society or to Eure Baptist Church.

Manor Ward Jr.

SEABOARD n Manor Ward Jr., 79, died June 25, 2007 at Hampton Woods Nursing Home, Jackson.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete. H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Roanoke Rapids, is in charge.

Harvey Hassell Jr.

AHOSKIE n Harvey Lee Hassell Jr., infant son of Tammy Pugh of Ahoskie and Harvey Lee Hassell Sr. of Woodland, died June 22, 2007 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.

A graveside service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Wilder’s-Cherry Cemetery in Aulander by Pastor Jane Vinson Mann. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

Survivors include his grandparents, James and Bernice Pugh of Ahoskie and Laurie Perry, also of Ahoskie; great-grandparents, Carrie Ward of Woodland, Evelyn Jones of Winton and Eunice Pugh of Ahoskie; a brother, Devontae Goodman of Raleigh; and is sisters, Ayana Hassell of Roxobel, Angela Hassell of Roxobel; and Kayla Hassell of Ahoskie.

Rosa Sessoms

AHOSKIE n Rosa Belle Sessoms, died June 22, 2007 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Canaan 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.

She was a member of Canaan Missionary Baptist Church.

Survivors include one son, John T. Sessoms Jr. of Ahoskie; three daughters, Cynthia Hordge of Virginia Beach, Va., Johnnie Sessoms of Norfolk and Rosa Johnson of Ahoskie; one sister, Lucy Sessoms of Ahoskie; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.