Stephen E. Eure

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Stephen Early Eure, 86, a native of Eure, died July 6, 2008, in a Suffolk nursing home. He was widowed twice, first to Melba Oden Eure and second to Abbie C. Eure.

Eure retired from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard as a naval architect technician. He was a deacon at Court Street Baptist Church, a charter member of America/Fellowship Masonic Lodge 148 (now Portsmouth Lodge 100), member of Portsmouth Scottish Rite Bodies, Khedive Shrine Temple, Suffolk and Portsmouth Shrine Club, American Legion and a Navy veteran of World War II.

Survivors include two daughters, Alice E. Koziol of Virginia Beach and Sallie E. Redding of Pittsboro; four sisters, Maggie E. Tinkham, Garnett E. Hudgins and Omah E. Harrell, all of Eure and Bobbie E. Cowan of Suffolk; one brother, Andrew Q. Eure of Williamston; four grandsons; and three great-grandchildren.

A funeral was conducted Wednesday in Sturtevant Funeral Home, Bennetts Creek Chapel, Suffolk, by Dr. L. Wilbur Kersey and the Rev. Bill Parker. Burial was in Churchland Baptist Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Court Street Baptist Church Endowment Fund or the Shriners Hospitals for Children. www.SturtevantFuneralHome.com.

Mary Wood

HALIFAX n Mary Ellen Tillery Wood, 66, died July 5, 2008 at her residence.

A funeral was conducted Wednesday at Allen Grove Baptist Church by the Rev. James Barham. Interment was in the church cemetery. H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Roanoke Rapids, is in charge.

Gail Sutton

WINDSOR n Gail Sutton, 49, died July 7, 2008 at Pitt Memorial Hospital.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday at Cedar Landing Baptist Church. A visitation will be held from 7-8 p.m. Thursday at Gilliam Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in the Parker family cemetery.

David G. Futrell

RICH SQUARE n Mr. David Godwin Futrell, age 70, of Rich Square, NC, died Monday, July 7, 2008 at his home.

Mr. Futrell was born Feb. 24, 1938, in Northampton County, NC, the son of the late Wilmer and Edna Martin Futrell. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Rosa F. Cox and two brothers, Earl and Coy Futrell. He retired as Director of Transportation with the NC Dept. of Transportation after thirty years of service.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia Carol Futrell. His son, Warren Futrell and his wife Lori of Rich Square. Two grandsons, Christopher and Michael Futrell. A brother, Glen Futrell of Nashville, NC.

Graveside services will be held, Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 11:00 AM at the Vaughan Family Cemetery, Pin Hook Road, Rich Square, with Rev. Paul Lee officiating.

The family received friends at Massey Funeral Home in Jackson, NC, Wednesday from 7:00 until 8:30 PM and other times at the home.

Memorial contributions may be made to New Hope United Methodist Church, Lasker, NC 27845 or to University Hospice, Ahoskie, NC 27910.

Joseph D. Jenkins, Sr.

WOODLAND – Joseph Dwight ”Billy” Jenkins, Sr., 77, died peacefully surrounded by his family Tuesday morning, July 8, 2008 at Roanoke Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie, North Carolina.

He was born July 11, 1930 in Potecasi in Northampton County. He managed the family farm starting in 1949 until he was drafted into the U. S. Army in 1954 where he served overseas in Germany and Austria during the Korean War. He married his childhood sweetheart, Aileen Autrey Brown on June 23, 1956. Upon returning home from the service, he attended Chowan College and returned to farming retiring in 1996. He was also a part time rural mail carrier for many years.

Billy loved his family, farming, friends, sports and horses. He served his community and fellow man in many different roles. He was a member of the Potecasi Masonic Lodge, served on the Farmers Home Administration Committee, Chairman of Woodland Precinct for Board of Elections and Woodland Baptist Church. He served as President of Woodland Men’s Club and Coastal Plain Horse Show Circuit. He coached Little League Baseball in Woodland for several years and was Varsity Girls Softball Coach for Northeast Academy. He has hosted the Woodland Horse Show for over 30 years. He was an avid supporter of the N. C. State Highway Patrol.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 52 years, Autrey B. Jenkins; daughter, Aileen J. Staples and husband, Jim Staples and their children, Caroline, Alison and Jay of Wake Forest; son Joseph Dwight Jenkins, Jr. and wife Catherine Jenkins and their children Josie Lee and Lilly of Kernersville. He is also survived by two sisters, Marion Bridgers of Conway and Marjorie Younts and husband, Tommy of High Point; and sisters-in-law, Blannie Jenkins of Wilson Mills, Montie Jenkins of Pendleton, Doris Jenkins of Greenville, and Mary Lois Nooney of Roanoke Rapids. In addition, he is survived by ten nieces, seven nephews, their children, many cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Rebecca; his parents, Ernest & Nita Jenkins; sister, Lois Daughtry; brothers, Lenwood, Red, James, Elmer, A.J. and Bobby.

The family wishes to express its deepest gratitude and appreciation to the many wonderful doctors, nurses, and staff members at Roanoke Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie, NC for their kindness, constant care and attentiveness during Billy’s last days.

The family will receive friends from 6:30 – 8:30 pm Thursday, July 10 at Sykes Funeral Service in Rich Square, North Carolina and other times at the family home.

Please join the family for a celebration of his life on Friday, his birthday, July 11 at 2:00 pm at Woodland Baptist Church on Main Street in Woodland. Burial will follow the service at the Quaker Cemetery in Woodland.

Flowers accepted, but memorial contributions may be made to Woodland Baptist Church, PO Box 444, Woodland, NC 27897.

Arrangements are being handled by Sykes Funeral Service, 116 Short Street, Rich Square, NC 27869.

Hazel P. Byrum

BELVIDERE – Hazel Pegram Byrum, 85, formerly of Belvidere, died July 7, 2008. Graveside services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday in Cedar Wood Cemetery. Swindell Funeral and Cremation Services is in charge.

Charlotte C. Cherry

EURE – Charlotte Casper Cherry, 72, Greenwood, S.C., and formerly of Eure, died July 2, 2008.

Mrs. Cherry was a member of Cool Spring Baptist Church in Eure.

Survivors include her husband, Joseph W. Cherry; and three sisters, Florence Wall of Winton, Iona Phelps and Gladys Baugham, both of Ahoskie.

Graveside services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday in Cool Spring Baptist Church Cemetery by the Rev. Steve Wall. The family will assemble in the cemetery at 10:45 a.m. in preparation of services. Miller Funeral Home, 304 Main St., Gatesville, is in charge.

W. Kilby Perry Jr.

EURE – Walter Kilby Perry Jr., 87, a native of Gates County, died July 8, 2008, in his home.

Perry was born was a retired heavy equipment operator with the Virginia Department of Transportation, Rose Brothers Contracting and Portsmouth Paving, he was a member and deacon at Eure Baptist Church. An Army veteran of World War II, he saw action in Ardennes Rhineland of Central Europe.

Survivors include his wife, Fannie Selby Perry; six daughters, Linda Lane of Eure, Ginny Alexander of Nags Head, Sarah Doughtie of Gates, Betty Liles of Sunbury, Vicky Blowe of Woodland and Jeanette Eure of Reidsville; one sister, Myrtle Terry of Ahoskie; one brother, Earl Wayne Perry of Eure; 12 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday in Cool Spring Baptist Church by Dr. Wayne Proctor and the Rev. Roger Kiker. Burial with military honors will be in the Eure Baptist Church Cemetery. Miller Funeral Home, 304 Main St., Gatesville, is in charge. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Eure Baptist Church, c/o Nathan Hollowell, 10 Fort Island Road, Eure, NC 27935.

Thomas L. Watford

POWELLSVILLE n Thomas Lewis Watford, 57, a native of Bertie County, died July 6, 2008.

Watford was last employed as a machinist with Winchester Gun Co. in Bridgeport, Conn. He also served in the US Army from 1971-1973.

Survivors include his father, Horace Holley of New York; his mother, Margaret Watford of Norfolk, Va.; a daughter, Kizzie DeWitt of Bridgeport; a brother, Eugene Benthall of Norfolk; two sisters, Patricia Moring of Norfolk and Alice Perry of Newport News; and two grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ashland Missionary Baptist Church, Merry Hill, by the Rev. W.J. Best. Burial will be in the Watford family cemetery. Wilder’s Funeral Home Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

David A. Byrd

AULANDER n David A. Byrd, age 83, of Aulander, NC, died July 9, 2008 at Bertie Memorial Hospital in Windsor.

Mr. Byrd was a World War II veteran, member and deacon of Holly Grove Baptist Church and a retired employee of Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.

Survivors include his wife of sixty-five years, Evelyn Parker Byrd. His sons, Ronald Byrd and his wife, Anne of Ahoskie, Kenneth Byrd and his wife, Barbara of Aulander, NC and Maynard Byrd and Sally of Ahoskie. A sister, Ruby B. DeBerry of Bentonsville, SC. Three grandchildren, Elaine Vaughan and her husband, Keith of Murfreesboro, NC, Pamela Cale and her husband, Daniel of Aulander and Travis Byrd of Durham, NC. Three great-grandchildren, Thomas Vaughan, Amber and Parker Cale.

Funeral services will be held Friday, July 11, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Massey Funeral Home in Aulander. Burial will follow at Aulander Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Massey Funeral Home in Aulander, Thursday from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. and other times at the home.

Flowers are welcome, however memorial contributions may be made to University Hospice, Ahoskie, NC 27910.