Mary L. Britt

NORFOLK, Va. – Mary Lou Britt, a native of Winton, died March 22, 2008, at Sentara Leigh Hospital.

Ms. Britt was faithful employee of The Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters for 20 years before her retirement.

Survivors include her son, Roderick Britt of Chesapeake; three sisters, Ceola Singleton, Joyce Swain and Kay Britt, all of Norfolk; and three brothers, John Britt of Aulander, James Britt of Hampton and Joseph Britt of Odenton, Md

A funeral will be conducted at noon Wednesday in New Calvary Baptist Church by Dr. William Collins Jr. Entombment will be at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Graves Funeral Home is in charge. The family will receive friends and well-wishers at 818 Henry St., Norfolk, VA 23504. www.gravesfuneralhomeinc.com.

Henry A. Howell Sr.

EURE – Henry Albert Howell Sr., 84, a native of Gates County, died March 22, 2008, in the Medical College of Virginia Hospital, Richmond. He was the widower of Charlotte Ann Cole Howell.

Howell was owner and operator of a long-distance truck, he leased it for many years to Old Bull Tank Line in Glen Burnie, Md. and retired in 1974. An Army veteran of World War II, he attended Eure Christian Church and was a member of the Gatesville Ruritan Club and Ray’s Beach Fishing Club.

Survivors include three sons, Henry A. &uot;Hank&uot; Howell Jr. of St. Petersburg, Fla., Charles Brian Howell of Hanover, Md. and Thomas Patrick Howell of Arbutus, Md.; his sister, Rose Ann Rountree of Gates; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the chapel of Miller Funeral Home, 304 Main St., Gatesville. Burial will be in the Howell family cemetery on White Oak Road Memorial contributions may be made to Eure Christian Church, NC Hwy. 137, Eure, NC 27935.

James M. Sorey

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – James M. Sorey, 81, a native of Norfolk, died March 23, 2008.

Sorey was retired from the Virginia Beach School Board and was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.

Survivors include his wife, Cinda Sorey; a son, James M. Sorey Jr. of Moyock; two daughters, Patricia West of Gates and Peggy Roberson of Moyock; seven grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Chester Sorey and Roy Sorey;

A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Rosewood Memorial Park by Pastor Jasper Lupton and Pastor Ray McPhearson. Hollomon- Brown Funeral Home, was in charge. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Sentara Hospice. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.hollomon-brown.com.

Vida G. Vinson

NORFOLK, Va.

– Vida Gertrude &uot;Gertie&uot; Vinson, 82, a native of Creeksville, died March 22, 2008, in Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center, Norfolk. She was the widow of Henry E. Vinson.

Survivors include her sons, Robert M. Williamson Jr., Edward J. Williamson, and William Williamson; sisters, Ola Mae Barrett of Seaboard and Rachel Bryant of Maggie Valley; eight grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.

At Gertie’s request, there will be no viewing, although there will be a memorial service at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Spurgeon Memorial Baptist Church, Norfolk, where she has attended services for several years followed by a meal at the church. There will be a second memorial service held at Creeksville Baptist Church, Creeksville, on April 5, 2008, at 1 p.m. She is to be cremated and her final resting place will be in the cemetery at Creeksville Baptist Church in Creeksville, where she was a member.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Spurgeon Memorial Baptist Church, 5520 Tidewater Drive, Norfolk, VA 23509 or Creeksville Baptist Church, 114 Jenkins Mill Road, Creeksville, NC 27820.

Victor Garner Sr.

LITTLETON n Victor Eugene “Gene” Garner Sr., 74, a native of Wilmington, died March 21, 2008 at his home.

A memorial service will be conducted at a later date in Wilmington. Massey Funeral Home in Roanoke Rapids, is in charge.

Garner was a retired business owner. He served in the Army as well as coast guard. He was also an avid pilot.

Survivors include his wife, Missouri Bateman Garner of Littleton; one son, Victor Eugene Garner Jr. of Richmond, Va.; and one granddaughter.

Deloris Rooks

GASTON n Deloris Rooks, 60, died March 23, 2008 at Halifax Regional Medical Center.

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

Bessie Cox

JACKSON n Miss Bessie “Boo” Lois Cox, 70, a native of Northampton County, died March 22, 2008 at Halifax Medical Center.

Graveside services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Jackson Cemetery by the Rev. Robert Rogers. The family will receive friends at Massey Funeral Home Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Massey Funeral Home, Jackson, is in charge.

Survivors include her brothers, Milton Ray Cox and James Walter Cox, both of Jackson.

Doris Mitchell

BEDFORD, Texas n Doris Phelps Mitchell, 90, a native of Hertford County, died March 21, 2008 in Bedford. She was the widower Rufus Earl Mitchell and Robert Phelps.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Davis-Morris Funeral Home Chpael. Interment will be in Eastlawn Memorial Park. 

She taught primary and elementary school in North Carolina and Missouri before teaching in the Norfolk, Virginia school system for 31 years, from which she retired in 1978. Doris was a member of the Education Association of Norfolk, the Virginia Education Association and the Norfolk Retired Teachers Club. 

She is survived by many nieces and nephews.

Alfred Benton Turner, Sr.

COLERAIN – Alfred Benton Turner, Sr., 75 died Monday March 24, 2008 at his home.

He was the son of the late Raleigh Clarence Turner and Mary Askew Turner and was born in Bertie County on May 24, 1932. He was a member of Ahoskie Freewill Baptist Church, a former member of the Mars Hill Lions Club, Woodman of the World and retired from the Trap Fire Dept.

Left to cherish his memory are two sons; Alfred Benton Turner,Jr. and his wife Amy S. Turner of Charlottesville,Va and Jacques Turner and his wife Melissa D. Turner of Colerain, grandchildren Benton Turner, Caroline Turner and Belle Turner, a sister Murrell Holloman of Ahoskie and a brother Robert C. Turner of Colerain.

He was predeceased by a brother Leroy Turner.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Wednesday at 2 PM at the Ahoskie Freewill Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Highland Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 7 to 8:30 PM at the Garrett Funeral home Ashley Chapel. Flowers are welcome or memorials can be made to the Ahoskie Freewill Baptist Church, 500 Kiwanis Street, Ahoskie, NC 27910

Garrett Funeral Home Ashley Chapel 205 NC Highway 42 West Ahoskie, NC 27910 is serving the Turner family.

Meredith Tyler White

ASKEWVILLE – MEREDITH TYLER WHITE, 93, died March 22, 2008 at his home in Askewville, surrounded by those who loved him most, his wife of fifty years, Betty Rose White, his son, Stephen Tyler White and daughter, Ann Elizabeth White.

Also surviviving are two grandchildren, Dalton Tyler White and Dana Nichole White of Hertford.

Meredith was born Sept. 5, 1924 in Bertie County to Cleveland and Mary White who preceded him in death.

Also, preceding him in death are six brothers; Roosevelt, Grady, Hartwell, Aubrey, Truett and Edwin White and three sisters; Sophie White Mizelle, Mary Deans Cowan, and Gracie White.

Meredith graduated from Chowan College, Carson-Newman College and UNC at Chapel Hill where he received the Masters Degree in Social Work.

His professional career was in the field of Children’s Homes, formally called Orphanages.

He worked

for Connie Maxwell Children’s Home in Greenwood, SC, American Baptist Children’s Home, Lake Villa, Ill, Baruim Springs Children’s Home, Statesville, NC, and lastly as Executive Director of Grandfather Home for Children in Banner Elk, NC.

His career spanned the whole transition of Children’s Homes from old custodial orphanage care to cottages with trained house parents, and finally into group homes with specialized care.

After his retirement, he was involved with other endeavors- adjunct teaching at Roanoke-Cowan Community College, and United Insurance for 8 1/2 years.

He filled the unexpired term of Mayor of Askewville, and

was elected Mayor the next term serving for a period of Ten years.

he was extremely proud of securing grants to install the sewer system for the town of Askewville.

Meredith’s spiritual life was important to him.

He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Ahoskie, NC where he served as Elder, Sunday School teacher, Choir member, Foundatio0n Committee, and volunteer for Food Pantry.

Everyone who knew Meredith considered him a person of honesty, integrity, and compassion for all with whom he had contact.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, March 25th from 7-8:30 PM at Walker Funeral Home, Windsor.

The celebration of his life will be held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at First Presbyterian Church, Ahoskie with dinner for the family at the home in Askewville, following the service.

In Iieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to First Presbyterian Church, Ahoskie, Askewville Community Projects, or University Home Hospice, Ahoskie.