Rose L. Taylor

GATES – Rose Langston Taylor, 53, a native of Gates County, died November 27, 2006, in Southampton Memorial Hospital, Franklin, Va. She was the widow of Michael Ray Taylor;

Mrs. Taylor was employed with the City of Suffolk, first as a social worker and later in Employment Services. She was a member of the Kittrell’s United Methodist Church, had served as a Cub Scout den mother, was president of the Gates County High School Band Boosters, and had received the Volunteer of the Year Award awarded in Raleigh by the governor for her work with the Band Boosters.

Survivors include a daughter, Rose Marie Taylor; sons, Derrick Taylor and Jeremy Taylor, both of Gates; her sister, Cathy Jernigan of Gates; her brother, David Langston of Tifton, Ga.; and her granddaughters.

A funeral was conducted Wednesday in Kittrell’s United Methodist Church by the Revs. Mike Askew, Terry Williams and Billy Presley. Burial followed in Damascus Christian Church Cemetery in Sunbury. Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, was in charge. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, National Headquarters Donations, 6350 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309-2130.

Laurie A. Hall

SUFFOLK, Va. – Laurie Angela &uot;Ann&uot; Hall, died November 25, 2006, at Sentara Obici Hospital.

Miss Hall was employed by Newport News Public School System as a parent involvement specialist. She was a member of Grove Baptist Church, Portsmouth and also a member of the Suffolk Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

Survivors include a sister, Alison Hall Saunders of Owings Mills, Md.; and two brothers, Alton D. Hall Jr. of Suffolk and Anthony D. Hall Sr. of Portsmouth.

A homegoing celebration was conducted Wednesday at Grove Baptist Church, Portsmouth. Interment was in the Hall Family Cemetery in Gates. T.E. Cooke-Overton Funeral Home, Suffolk and McClenny Funeral Home, Charlottesville, Va., was in charge.

Larry Avent Jr.

HALIFAX n Larry Avent Jr., three-years-old, died November 25, 2006 at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. Thursday at Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Enfield, by the Rev. Kelly Andrews. Interment will be in the church cemetery. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Larry Avent Jr. Fund, P.O. Box 95, Halifax, NC. H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Roanoke Rapids, is in charge. Condolences may be sent to: hdpopefuneralhome.com.

Sybil B. Early

Ahoskie, N. C.: Sybil Britton Early, 95, of the 400 block of Early Station Rd. died November 27, 2006, at Roanoke Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie, N. C.

Mrs. Early was a native of Hertford County, a daughter of the late Charlie Nathan and Lillie Teaster Britton, and was a member of Earlys Baptist Church, where she served as church pianist for over 50 years, was a former youth director, a member of the W.M.U., and a former member of the Roanoke Chowan Hospital Ladies Auxiliary.

Mrs. Early and her late husband James Bertram Early, Sr. donated the land for the construction of Roanoke Chowan Hospital in mid 1940’s.

Surviving are two daughters: Carolyn Early Brinkley and husband, Robert E., Elaine Early Myers and husband, Lawrence Wood

of Ahoskie, N.C., two sons: J. B. Early, Jr. and wife, Linda, Joel David Early and wife, Helen of Ahoskie, N. C., one sister: Nancy Britton Edwards, Ahoskie, N. C., three granddaughters: Paige Myers, Odenton, Md., Ashley Johnson , Ahoskie, N. C., Heather Lane, Rocky Mount, N. C., four grandsons: Robert E. Brinkley, Jr., Raleigh, N. C., Doug Brinkley, of Ahoskie, N.C., Don Brinkley, New Bern, N. C., Joel David Early, Jr., Greenville, N. C., four great granddaughters: Christie Brinkley, Jessica Brinkley, Jenna Brinkley, Elizabeth Brinkley, five great grandsons: Robert E. Brinkley, III, Justin Brinkley, Jared Brinkley, Daniel Lane, and Devin Johnson.

A Celebration Service of Mrs. Early’s life was held at

2:00 P.M. Wednesday, November 29, 2006, at Garrett Funeral Home 205 N. C. Highway 42 West, with Rev. Ronald W. McSwain and Rev. Dr. Jesse J. Croom officiating. Burial was in Highland Memorial Gardens.

The family received friends at the Funeral Home from 7-8:30 PM Tuesday, November 28, 2006, and other times at the home. Memorial Donations may be made to Earlys Baptist Church, 310 South Early Station Rd. Ahoskie, N. C. 27910 or to the J. B. Early, Sr. Scholarship Fund, Chowan University, One University Place, Murfreesboro, N. C. 27855.

Garrett Funeral Home served the Early family.

Shawn A. Futrell

DEWITT, Va. – Shawn Austin Futrell, 6, died November 24, 2006.

Shawn was a first grade honor student at Dinwiddie Elementary School.

Survivors include his mother, Julie Futrell and father, Shawn Ellison Futrell; grandparents are Mary Adams and Ken, Carson Bosher, Sharon

Bush and Doug, and Roger Futrell and Bonnie; and great-grandparents, Charles and June Ellison.

A graveside funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at Southlawn Memorial Park. J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home & Cremation Service is in charge.

Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com

C. Dailey Harrell, Sr.

CHESAPEAKE n Clarence Dailey Harrell, Sr., 84, died Tuesday, November 28, 2006 in Chesapeake. A native of Ahoskie, NC, he was retired from Norfolk Naval Shipyard as a Supervisor in Shop 71. He was a member of Alexander Baptist Church and was a US Navy veteran of World War II serving in the Pacific Campaign.

Survivors include his wife, Cora Lee Harrell; two daughters, Shirrell Currie and her friend Al and Becky Weaver and husband Russ; two sons, Ray Harrell and wife Dianna and Dailey Harrell, Jr. and wife Sharon; two sisters, June Edwards and Sue Parker; a brother, J.S. Harrell; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday, December 1, in the Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd. Chapel. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Thursday from 7-8:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Alexander Baptist Church Building Fund.

A special thanks to Melvina Hanes, Crystal Lawrence and the staff at George Washington Health & Rehab, for their excellent care.

Mary Bonsack

AULANDER n Mary Virginia Porter Bonsack, 64, died November 26, 2006 at Guardian Care of Ahoskie.

A funeral was conducted Wednesday at Massey Funeral Home, Aulander, by the Rev. Curtis Thomas Porter. Also a graveside service was held at Olive Branch Cemetery, Portsmouth, Va.

Survivors include her husband, Harvey Bonsack; daughters, Teresa Manning, Geraldine Maria Westray and Sheryl Lynette Lilly; sisters, Barbara Ann English and Sylvia Vaughan; her brother, Rev. Curtis Thomas Porters; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Ruben Beamon

SUNBURY – Ruben &uot;Mac&uot; Beamon, 59, died November 26, 2006.

A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in St. John AME Zion Church. Stallings Funeral Chapel, Gatesville, is in charge.

Walter Davis

PENDLETON — Walter Davis, 71, a native of Hertford County, died November 29, 2006.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, by the Rev. Elliott Hill. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Davis of Pendleton; one son, Tacoma Davis of Pendle-ton; and one brother, Lewis Davis of Upper Marlboro, MD.

Bessie M. Felton

AHOSKIE n Bessie Mae Felton, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., died November 21, 2006 at Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Greenville.

A funeral was conducted Wednesday at Reynolds Funeral Home Chapel, Ahoskie, by the Rev. Vickie Holley. Burial was in Chelton Hills, Philadelphia.

She was a member of Truth Memorial Baptist Church.

Survivors include one daughter, Stacey Felton of Philadelphia; three brothers, Johnnie and John Thomas Holley, both of Philadelphia and Rufus Holley of Durham; three sisters, Sarah L. Flood of Ahoskie, Eva M. Foreman of Hertford and Daisy Gilbert of Brooklyn, NY; and one grandchild.

Rosa Eaton

KELFORD n Rosa Eaton, died November 27, 2006 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Lewiston, by the Rev. William L. Davis. Burial will be in Weeping Mary Baptist Church Cemetery. Reynolds Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

She was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church.

Survivors include one brother, Melvin Askew of Kelford; and three sisters, Tattie West of Windsor, Bertha Tyler of Lewiston and Leora Cowan of Kelford.

Grady Lewis Martin

CONWAY n Grady Lewis Martin, 87, died Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at his home in Conway. He had been preceded in death by his parents, Burden Richard Martin and Virgie Whitehead Martin, a beloved sister, Ola Martin Davis, and a brother, Harbie Martin.

A native of Northampton County, he was retired as owner and operator of Hedspeth Implement and Truck Company in Conway, he had farmed and was a newspaper carrier for many years. He was a Veteran of World War II serving in the United States Navy, later was elected Mayor of Conway for four terms, and, then served three terms as a Northampton County Commissioner.

Also, he was involved in many county organizations promoting the health and welfare of its residents. He had been active in Creeksville Baptist Church and Conway Baptist Church, serving as Deacon in both as well as many other areas of church service, and he was a Master Mason in Potecasi Masonic Lodge No. 418.

Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Virginia Barnes Martin of their home; one son, Nicky Martin and one daughter, Frances Martin, both of their home; one brother, Perry W. Martin of Ahoskie.

Funeral services will be held Friday, December 1, at 2:00 p.m. in Conway Baptist Church with the Rev. Willie McLawhorn officiating. Burial will follow in the Town of Conway Cemetery.

The family will be receiving friends at Bridgers Funeral Home Inc. in Conway, Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and at other times at the family home.

Melvin Earl Hoggard

WINDSOR n Mr. Melvin Earl Hoggard, age 72, of Windsor, NC, died Nov. 28, 2006 at Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville, NC.

Mr. Hoggard was born March 26, 1934, the son of the late John Gilliam Hoggard and Bernice White Hoggard. He was also preceded in death by his children, Melvin Hoggard, Jr. and Roger Hoggard and two brothers and two sisters. He was a veteran of the US Army.

Survivors include his wife, Nancy Perry Hoggard; his daughter, Judy Bennett and her husband Brian of Price Station, Maryland; his stepchildren, Ann Satterfield and her husband Roger, Diane Curtis and her husband Bobby, John Morris III, Ronnie Layman, Peggy Ann Curtis, Jimmy Layman, and Dorothy Drumm and her husband Donald; his grandchildren, Kelli, Shala, Beau, Gabrielle, Michael, Makyla, Brady and Peyton; his sisters, Grace Lowe, Judy Kunkler, Shirley Shannon and Rosalie Daniels.

Funeral services will be held, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. at Pritchard Road Baptist Church with Rev. David Thompson officiating. Burial will follow at Edgewood Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Massey Funeral Home in Aulander, NC, Friday from 7 until 8:30 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to UAMS, 4301 Jack Stephens Dr., Little Rock, Ark.

Anthony Moore

BROOKLYN, NY n Anthony Davis Moore, died November 22, 2006 in Brooklyn.

A funeral will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday at Soul Saving Station, Ahoskie, by Bishop J.C. Watford. Burial will be in the Newsome family cemetery. Reynolds Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Survivors include one son, Jaden Davis; his parents, Gwendolyn Davis Moore and Lewis Moore Jr.; ten sisters, Stephanie, Nicole, Denise, Jennifer, Crystal, Olivia, Kimberly, Debbie, April and Patricia Moore, all of Brooklyn; four brothers Lewis Moore of Ahoskie, Derrick, Curtis and Tony Moore, all of Brooklyn; and his grandmother, Carrie Mott of Brooklyn.

Mary Sessoms

GREENSBORO n Mary Lee Pope Sessoms, formerly of Murfreesboro, died November 28, 2006 at Moses H. Cone Hospital.

A funeral will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church Murfreesboro by the Rev. Robert Richardson. Burial will be in Carver Park Cemetery, Murfreesboro. Reynolds Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.