Richard Alexander Urquhart Jr.

RALEIGH- Richard A. (Dick) Urquhart, Jr. died peacefully Sunday afternoon, June 8, 2008, at his home in Raleigh.  He was born in Woodville, Bertie Co., N.C. on October 26, 1918, the son of Richard A. and Kate Fenner Urquhart.

Dick was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the class of 1939.  He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was the commanding officer of a gasoline tanker.  He was a practicing Certified Public Accountant from 1946 to 1979 with Williams, Urquhart & Ficklin and was the original  Managing Partner of Peat Marwick & Mitchell’s Raleigh office (now KPMG).  He was a founding partner of the Carolinas Golf Group, developers of several North Carolina golf courses.

Dick was active in civic affairs and was on the Board of Trustees at Rex Hospital for 30 years and served as Chairman for 18 years; President of the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of the Wake United Fund, Chair of the Tar Heel 100 (now the Board of Visitors of UNC-Chapel Hill); President of the Co-Founders Club of the UNC School of Medicine; Raleigh’s Man of the Year; and active fundraiser for the Lineberger Cancer Center.

Aside from his family, one of Dick’s great pleasures was golf.  He was a founding member of the Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst, where he was President for 31 years.  After making his 5th hole-in-one at the Carolina Country Club following his 89th birthday, he joyfully announced that his middle initial &uot;A&uot; stood for &uot;Ace.&uot;  

Previously he had indicated that the &uot;A&uot; stood for &uot;Arnie&uot; after Arnold Palmer had won his 3rd Masters in 1962.  Dick also enjoyed his garden and the birds and other creatures that gathered there.

Surviving are his wife of 62 years, Barbara S. Urquhart, of the home; son, Richard A. Urquhart, III, and his wife, Cynthia, of Raleigh; son, Albert C. Urquhart, and wife, Celia, of Cary; son, R. Fenner Urquhart, of Washington, D.C.; son, Thomas W. Urquhart, and wife, Katherine White, of Raleigh; daughter, Barbara Urquhart Jordan, and husband, David, of Bethesda, Md.; daughter, Patricia Urquhart Spain, and husband, David, of Raleigh; and son, J. Andrew Urquhart, and wife, Dina, of Chapel Hill.  Grandchildren are Mary Margaret Urquhart Leahy and husband, Kevin, of Cary; Ann Alexander Urquhart of Charleston, S.C.; Celia Urquhart of Arlington, Va.; Mary Urquhart of Cary; Jennifer Patricia and Katie Jordan of Bethesda, Md.; Wayne and Landis Urquhart of Chapel Hill; and great-granddaughter, Mary Pace Leahy, of Cary.  Dick was preceded in death by his sister, Kate Fenner Urquhart, and his brother, William E. Urquhart.

The family will receive visitors Wednesday evening, June 11, from 7-9 in the Parish Hall of Saint Michael’s Episcopal Church, 1520 Canterbury Rd., Raleigh.  There will be a memorial service at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, June 12, at Saint Michael’s after which the family will receive friends.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Rex Hospital Foundation, 4420 Lake Boone Trail, Raleigh, 27607 or the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, CB #7295, Chapel Hill 27599-7295.

Condolences may be sent to www.brownwynne.com

Sarah B. Raynor

AHOSKIE n Sarah Moore Bryant Raynor died peacefully Sunday morning, June 8, 2008, at Roanoke Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie, North Carolina.

Mrs. Raynor was born in Pender County, NC, on December 16, 1919, the only child of the late Reverend Kader Eugene and Annie Laura Lewis Bryant.  She was a direct descendent of Col. James Moore, the namesake of Moore’s Creek National Military Park.

Sarah received her Bachelor of Science degree in music from Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina.  In 1941 she married her childhood sweetheart, the love of her life, William Reed Raynor, and relocated to Ahoskie, NC.  Her loving devotion lasted for 63 years until his death in 2004. 

During her lifetime in Ahoskie, Sarah was active in numerous civic organizations.  She served as president of the Ahoskie Women’s Club, the Garden Club and the PTA.  She was a patron of the arts and was very active in her political party, hosting many of North Carolina’s great senators and governors in her home.

Nothing was more important to Sarah than her family and friends.  She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother; and was always quick to nurture, support, comfort, cure and most importantly, love.  She was grateful to her friends, especially Helen Anderson, Mary Francis Johnson, and Carlabelle Smallwood.

Aside from her great love of family, her greatest pleasure was serving her church.  She was a devoted and influential member of the First Baptist Church of Ahoskie for over 61 years.  Sarah served her church in many capacities, including serving as president of the WMU, serving on the Board of Deacons, and member of the choir.  For her many years as a dedicated, faithful Sunday school teacher, a class was named in her honor.

Mrs. Raynor is survived by her loyal and loving son, William Reed Raynor, Jr. and wife, Leigh of Chapel Hill, NC; her daughter, Sarah Ann Lamm and husband, Riddick of Asheville, NC; grandchildren, Elizabeth Singleton and husband, Lee of Raleigh, William Reed Raynor, III and wife, Millie of Raleigh, Sarah LeGwin Dickson and husband, Christopher of Asheville and Mary Eliza McRay and husband, Charles of Asheville; and great grandchildren, Raynor Leigh Singleton, Thomas Dickson, John Riddick Dickson and Madison McRay.

A memorial celebration of life service will be held at First Baptist Church of Ahoskie on June 22, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. with the Rev. Daniel Glaze and Rev Dr. Jesse J. Croom officiating.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in her memory to the First Baptist Church of Ahoskie, Heritage Fund, P.O. Box 649, Ahoskie, NC, 27910.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the staff and residents of the Ahoskie House for their thoughtfulness, kindness, and care of Mrs. Raynor during her stay there.  We will always be grateful.

Garrett Funeral Home-Ashley Chapel, Ahoskie, is serving the Raynor family.

Mattie Manley

GARYSBURG – Mattie Manley, 60, died Monday, June 9, 2008 at Halifax Regional Medical Center in Roanoke Rapids.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Roanoke Rapids location of H.D. Pope Funeral Home.

Condolences may be sent to www.hdpopefuneralhome.com

Willie Herman Batts

ROCKY MOUNT – Willie Herman Batts, 60, died Monday, June 9, 2008.

Funeral Services are incomplete and will be announced by H. D. Pope Funeral Home, Rocky Mount.

Alice May Parker

KELFORD – Alice May Parker, 72, died Monday, June 9, 2008 at the Roanoke Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie.

She was a member of Sandy Run Baptist Church in Roxobel.

Survivors include four daughters, Carol Tolbott of Louisville, Ky., Cindy Baker of Hepzibah, Ga., Barbara Ann Bristow of Kelford, and Hazel Jean Romans of Louisville, Ky.; one son, Chris Parker of Greenville; and one brother, Paul Parker of Louisville, Ky.; 14 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Memorial services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 12 at Sandy Run Baptist Church in Roxobel by the Rev. Henry Boshen.

The family will receive friends following the memorial service.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Sandy Run Baptist Church, Roxobel, NC 27872.

Sykes Funeral Service in Rich Square is in charge.

Thomas David Tann

AHOSKIE- Thomas David Tann died June 6, 2008 at Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Greenville.

Survivors include his wife, Vernear O. Tann of Ahoskie; one son, David Thomas Tann of Clayton; one daughter, Kim T. Goodman of Ahoskie; two brothers, Robert Tann of Ahoskie and Alfred Tann of Winton; two sisters, Barbara Jarrett and Hannah Wheeler, both of Ahoskie; and five grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, June 13 at the Ahoskie Christian Center in Ahoskie by Dr. Daniel Smith. Burial will be at Pleasant Plains Church Cemetery, Ahoskie.

Reynolds Funeral Home is in charge.

Rose Mary Freeman

WINDSOR- Rose Mary Freeman, 79, died Monday, June 9, 2008 at the Martin General Hospital in Williamston.

A funeral will be conducted on June 14 at the Indian Woods Baptist Church at 2 p.m. Visitation will be held from 7-8 p.m. Friday at Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor. Burial will be at the Indian Woods Baptist Church Cemetery.

Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, is in charge.

Mattie V. Williams

AHOSKIE – Mattie Virginia Williams, 83 of the 200 block of NC Highway 561 East, died Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at Roanoke Chowan Hospital.

A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 13 at Garrett Funeral Home Ashley Chapel, with Rev. Robert May officiating. Burial will follow in Highland Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 12.

John C. Ray

AHOSKIE n John Chesley Ray, 61, of the 200 block of Jernigan Swamp Road, died Wednesday, June 11, 2008 at Roanoke Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

Mr. Ray was born in Durham County, a son of Hazel Mann Ray and the late Chesley Curtis Ray. He was a member of Joliff United Methodist Church in Chesapeake, Va. and was a Navy veteran.

John was retired from Carolina Telephone and Telegraph and was an active member of the Powellsville Volunteer Fire Department since 1974.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Theresa Lassiter Ray; his mother, Hazel Mann Ray of Chesapeake, Va.; his daughters, Melissa R. Harden and husband, Richard, of Askewville, and Cathy Ray of Ahoskie;  a granddaughter, Whitney Harden of Askewville; and a sister, Sue Creecey of South Mills, NC

A graveside celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 13, 2008, at Highland Memorial Gardens in Ahoskie, with the Rev. Tommy Kiker officiating. 

The family will receive friends at the home and will assemble at Garrett Funeral Home-Ashley Chapel at 10:30 a.m. on Friday prior to services. 

Flowers are welcome or memorial donations may be made to Powellsville Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 142, Powellsville, NC, 27967, or to Center Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, 826 Center Grove Road, Ahoskie, NC, 27910.

Garrett Funeral Home-Ashley Chapel is serving the Ray family.

Marie B. Parker

AULANDER n Marie Bazemore Parker, 78, of 110 Sandpiper Square, Aulander, died June 9, 2008 at Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Greenville.

Parker was a native of Bertie County and a member of Conoconary Missionary Baptist Church of Aulander.

Parker was a retired nursing assistant at East Chester Nursing Home in the Bronx, New York.

Survivors include a daughter, Egypt Lawson of New Jersey, and sisters Vera Jennings, Elouise Lucas and Doris Williams, all of Aulander.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 15 at Conoconary Missionary Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the Honeywood-Cherry Family Cemetery, Aulander.

Wilder’s Funeral Home Inc. of Aulander is serving the family.