Virgie Branch

SEVERN – Virgie Branch, 73, a native of Northampton County, died December 29, 2004 at Halifax Memorial Hospital.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church Severn by the Rev. Elisha Barnes. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., Murfreesboro, is in charge.

She was a member of First Baptist Church Severn.

Survivors include six daughters, Mary Jones of Brooklyn, N.Y., Pearlie Artis of Rich Square, Susan Gray of Courtland, Va., Lorice Britt, Teressa Johnson and Phyllis Gee, all of Potecasi; two sons, Jerry Branch of Suffolk and Ryan Branch of Severn; three sisters, Beatrice Branch of Conway, Louise Tyner of Rich Square and Catherine Goodman of Suffolk; 20 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

David P. Bittle Sr.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. – David P. Bittle Sr., 89, a native of Portsmouth, died December 29, 2004, in a Portsmouth hospital.

A graveside service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday at Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens by the Rev. Don Mills. Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd. Chapel, is in charge.

Bittle retired from Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth Public Schools and Churchland High School. He was a member of Grace Bible Church and Churchland Masonic Lodge No. 276.

Survivors include his wife, Ida Lucille Bittle; a daughter, Jeanette Livermon of Gates County; a son, David P. Bittle Jr. of Chesapeake; two grandchildren.

Hartwell C. Vaughan

CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Hartwell C. Vaughan, 86, a native of Murfreesboro, died December 29, 2004, in Maryview Medical Center.

A graveside service with military honors will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday in the Albert G. Horton Memorial Veterans Cemetery, Suffolk by the Rev. Wayne Underwood. The family will receive friends from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the Portsmouth Blvd. Chapel of Sturtevant Funeral Home and will be at the residence at all other times.

Vaughan served his country during World War II, where he was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He retired after many years as an auto mechanic.

Survivors include his wife, Sernora E. Vaughan; three daughters, Brenda L. Jordan of Kansas City, Kan., Donna K. Miller of Pensacola, Fla., and Senora L. Chandler of Chesapeake; two sisters, Edna R. Wilkins of Grandy and Virgie Farmer of Pasquotank County; a brother, Gordon Vaughan of Lake Gaston; seven grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

James L. Knight

GATES – James Lionel Knight, 71, died December 26, 2004.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday in Walton Grove AME Zion Church, Hobbsville. Stallings Funeral Home, Gatesville, is in charge.

Billy R. Ward

AHOSKIE – Billy Ray Ward, 46, a native of Portsmouth, died December 29, 2004 at Down East Health and Rehabilitation Center in Gatesville.

A memorial service will be held at Woodland First Full Gospel Church at a

later date. Garrett Funeral Home Ahoskie, is in charge.

Ward was a registered nurse in Michigan.

He is survived by one sister, Lynn Smith, Winton.