Janice W. Doughtie

AHOSKIE – Janice Willoughby Doughtie 74, of the 100 block of West Troy St. died December 17, 2005 at her daughter’s home in Richmond, Va.

She was a native of Hertford County, the daughter of the late John Henry and Ruby Overton Willoughby, a retired secretary for A.W. Myers Building Supply Co., a member of First Baptist Church Ahoskie, and the widow of Samuel “Sammy” L. Doughtie.

Surviving are one daughter; Cindy D. Revercombe, Richmond, Va., one son; Doug Doughtie, Kill Devil Hills, N.C., six grandchildren; Brent Doughtie, Tyler Doughtie, Noah Doughtie, Chapman Revercomb, Blair Revercomb and Wood Revercomb.

A funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Monday, December 19, 2005 at Garrett Funeral Home, with the Rev. Anita Thompson officiating, with burial following in Ahoskie Cemetery.

The family received friends at the residence.

Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, N. C. served the Doughtie family.

Sellioes P. Tatum

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Sellioes &uot;Sell&uot; Peterson Tatum, a native of Lewiston, died Decemer 17, 2005, at Chesapeake Home for Adults.

She was a longtime member and served on the usher board of New Bethel Baptist Church in Portsmouth and was a salesperson for K-Mart.

Survivors include her husband, William Jones Tatum; her son, Larry Jones Williams of Newport News; her two daughters, Shirley C. Williams and Marion A. Gatling, both of Dumfries, Va.; three grandchildren; two brothers, Jonnie Peterson of Baltimore, Md., and James A. Peterson of Hampton; and two sisters, Selesta B. Farrell of Fayetteville, and Lynn Boyd of Portsmouth.

The family will receive friends Tuesday from 6 until 7 p.m. at Woodlawn Funeral Home & Crematory, 6329 E. Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk. A special tribute to Sell’s life will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. James Whitaker. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. Personal condolences may be offered to the family on- line at www.woodlawngroup.com.

Gary E. Bittle

NORFOLK, Va. –

Gary E. Bittle, died December 2, 2005, in Portsmouth.

Bittle graduated from Deep Creek High School.

Survivors include his wife, Jackie Bittle; sister, Judy Walker of Portsmouth; brother, Glynn T. Bittle of Nags Head; his daughters, Cynthia Lynn Bittle and Gwendolynn Anne &uot;Wendy&uot; Stanley, both of the Outer Banks and Susan McCabe Bittle of New Brunswick, N.J.; and one grandchild.

Burial was privately held Dec. 6, 2005, in the cemetery of Buckhorn Baptist Church in Como by Pastor Larry Coleman. Memorial donations would be greatly appreciated by the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Building No. 18, 6325 N. Center Drive, Suite 110, Norfolk, VA 23502.

William “Playboy” Jeffries

MURFREESBORO _ William “Playboy” Jeffries, age 57, died December 15, 2005 at University Specialty Hospital, Baltimore, Md.

Jeffries was an independent truck driver.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, December 23, 2005 at Piney Grove Baptist Church, Jackson, NC, by the Rev. Timothy Edwards. Interment will be in Piney Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Jackson. Cofield Funeral Home, Weldon, NC, is in charge of arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Emma Ramsey Jeffries of the home; children, Sharon Gibbons of Edgewood, MD, Steven Ramsey of Richmond, Va., Jeffrey Ramsey of Murfreesboro, Jennifer Ramsey of Baltimore, MD, and William Ramsey of Murfreesboro; three sisters, Geraldine Spruill of Newport News, VA, Joyce Monk of Jackson, NC and Carolyn Kirby of Fayetteville; three brothers, Charles Jeffries of Springfield, VA, Clifton Jeffries of Washington, DC and Ernest Jeffries of Jackson; 10 grandchildren; and six godchildren, Anthony Ramsey of Murfreesboro, Robbie Ramsey of Haledon, NJ, Thomas Ramsey of Roanoke Rapids, Eric Ramsey of Greenville, Keith Ramsey of Woodland and Jacqueline Jacobs of Rich Square.

Eliza H. Spruill

ROCKY MOUNT n Eliza H. Spruill, 81, died December 12, 2005 at Nash Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, Rocky Mount.

A funeral was conducted Monday at Ivory Hill Baptist, Enfield, by Bishop Ralph Love. Interment was in at Walter’s Chapel UHC, Hollister. H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Rocky Mount, was in charge. Condolences may be sent to www.hdpopefuneralhome.com.

Joseph Jones

ROCKY MOUNT n Joseph Jones, 78, died December 16, 2005 at Pitt Memorial Hospital, Greenville.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Light of Peace Missionary Baptist Church by Dr. Lonnie M. Braswell. Interment will be in Gardens of Gethsemane, Rocky Mount. H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Rocky Mount, is in charge. Condolences may be sent to www.hdpopefuneralhome.com.

Ralph L. Vinson

CONWAY n Mr. Ralph Lowell “Bur” Vinson, age 79, Ashley’s Grove Road, Conway, NC, died Saturday, December 17, 2005 at Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville, NC.

Mr. Vinson was born August 16, 1926, the son of the late Ralph Vinson and Minnie James Futrell Vinson. He was an active lifetime member of Ashley’s Grove Baptist Church. He served his country in the Merchant Marines, the U.S. Army and the National Guard. He was a retired farmer.

Survivors include his wife, Hazel Ricks Vinson; his son, Wayne Vinson and his wife, Sue Staples Vinson of Ahoskie, NC; two grandchildren, John Thomas Long and his wife, Shannon and Allison Gupton and her husband, Carl; his great-grandchildren, Megan Powell and her father, John, Daniel Thomas Long and Billy Long; his brother, Merrill Vinson of Conway, NC; his sisters, Virginia Hair of Virginia Beach, Va., Frances Britt of Milwaukee, NC and Janice Rose of Pendleton, NC; and several nieces and nephews and many cousins.

Funeral services will be held, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. at the Ashley’s Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. David Ross and the Rev. James Ward officiating. Burial will follow at Ashley’s Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.

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

Bennie Barnes Jr.

CONWAY n Bennie Clarence Barnes Jr., 40, a native of Hertford County, died December 15, 2005.

A funeral was conducted Monday at Conway Baptist Church by the Rev. Willie McLawhorn. Burial was in Conway Cemetery. Massey Funeral Home, Jackson, was in charge. Memorial contributions may be made to Bennie Clarence Barnes Jr. Scholarship Fund for the education of his children.

Barnes was a member of Conway Baptist Church and a farmer.

Survivors include his wife, Lori Hutchinson Barnes; children, LeAnn Barnes, Robyne Barnes and L.J. Barnes, all of the home; his sisters, Rachel Bolton and Ina Turner, both of Suffolk, Va.; and his brothers, Jeff Barnes of Courtland, Va., and Bennie E. Barnes of Denbeigh, Va.

Bessie Eley

MURFREESBORO n Bessie Eley, 83, a native of Hertford County, died December 18, 2005 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at Parker’s Grove Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, by the Rev. Fernando Temple Sr. Burial will be in the Bishop family cemetery, Murfreesboro. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.

Survivors include her husband, Paul Dewey Eley; one son, Tony of Raleigh; five daughters, Lina E. Gatling of Murfreesboro, Hattie Marie Hardy of Cleveland, Ohio, Patricia Ann Hicks, Tonya Eley of New York and Annie Eley of Norfolk, Va.; one sister, Estelle Flythe of Murfreesboro; 65 grandchildren; 86 great-grandchildren; and 42 great-great-grandchildren.

Claudie Hyman

WINDSOR n Claudie H. Hyman, 81, died December 17, 2005 at Pitt Memorial Hospital, Greenville.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Indian Woods Missionary Baptist Church. There will be a wake from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Gilliam Funeral Home Chapel, Windsor. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Phillip Hodges

WINDSOR n Phillip Hodges, 76, died December 16, 2005 at Pitt Memorial Hospital, Greenville.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday at Indian Woods Missionary Baptist Church. A wake will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Gilliam Funeral Home Chapel, Windsor. Burial will be in Odd Fellow Cemetery, Williamston.

Earley Parham

COLUMBUS, OH n Funeral services for the Rev. Earley Parham is incomplete.

Hunter’s Funeral Home, Murfreesboro is in charge.

Johnnie Ferguson

AHOSKIE – Johnnie R. Ferguson, 52, a native of Southampton

County, Va., died December 16, 2005.

Ferguson was a member of St. John Second Baptist Church. He joined the US Army where he served duty in Vietnam.

He was also in American Legion Post 102 in Ahoskie, NC.

He employed by Panther II as a driver.

Survivors include his wife, Queenie V. Ferguson of Ahoskie;

his mother, Adell Raines of Gatesville;

three sons, Dexter Walton of Gatesville,Terry Vaughan of Powellsville, and Stacey Vaughan of Ahoskie;

five daughters,

Jennifer Dike, Tawanya Vaughan and Pamela Hardy all of Ahoskie, Tonya Slade and Chrissy Blount of Edenton;

two sisters, Phyllis Baker and Brenda Bailey of Gatesville; 16 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. John Second Baptist Church by the Rev. Stanley Mitchell.

Interment will be in the church cemetery. Hunter’s Funeral Home, Ahoskie is in charge.

Junior Andrews

ROCKY MOUNT n Junior C. “Ray” Andrews, 80, died December 19, 2005 at Nash General Hospital.

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