Elias Burgess

PENDLETON n Elias John :”E.J.” Burgess, 82, a native of Northampton County, died May 20, 2007 at his home. He was the widower of Anna Laurie Beale Burgess.

A funeral will be conducted at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Roberts Chapel Baptist Church by Dr. James Crocker. Burial with Masonic Rites will be held at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Roberts Chapel Baptist Church. Massey Funeral Home, Jackson, is in charge.

Burgess was a member and deacon of Roberts Chapel Baptist Church and a veteran of the Merchants Marines having served during WWIII. He was an innovator in the agriculture process of harvesting and drying of peanuts. The first bulk peanuts ever bought was right in his own yard. He was past board member of the Northampton County Farm Bureau

He was a member and past member of Pendleton Masonic Lodge #418. He was a 33rd degree Mason with the Scottish Rite, past president of the Hertford County Shrine Club, a former member of the board of the Masonic Home for Children and a member of the Eastern Star, Chapter 13.

Survivors include his daughters, Anna Burgess Craig of New Berry Ports, Mass, Gwen Burgess Bryant of Jackson and Jackie Burgess Howser of Pendleton; his sisters, Mamie

Burgess Bridgers of Landis and Mona Burgess Wright of Kitty Hawk; three grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

Pearl C. Bond

WINDSOR n Pearl Craig Bond, 85, a native of Bertie County, died May 17, 2007 at her home.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday at St. Paul Baptist Church, Windsor, by the Rev. James Wrighton. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Cherry’s Funeral Home, Windsor, is in charge.

Willie Williams

JACKSON n Willie Williams, 84, died May 14, 2007 at Hampton Woods Nursing Complex, Jackson.

A graveside service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Roanoke Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery, Jackson, by the Rev. Franklin D. Williams. H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Roanoke Rapids, is in charge.

Thomas C. Smith

KELFORD n Thomas Carl Smith, 70, died May 19, 2007 at his daughters home in Chesapeake, Va. He was the widower of Patricia Anne Smith.

A funeral will be conducted at 12 noon Tuesday at Massey Funeral Home, Aulander. Burial will be held at Roxobel-Kelford Cemetery with military honors. The family will receive friends after the service in Chesapeake at the home of his daughter “Sam.”

Smith was a veteran of the US Navy and retired from Sears & Roebuck.

Survivors include his daughters, Mary J. “Sam Herman of Chesapeake, Tammy L. Rawls of Gates County and Teresa L. Smith of Bloomington, Il; a sister, Joyce Miller; two brother, Charles Smith and Ray Smith; and six grandchildren.

Bessie A. Powell

ROCKY MOUNT n Bessie Ann Powell, age 69, died May 18, 2007 at Pitt Memorial Hospital.

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

Zalayah Lynch

ROCKY MOUNT n Zalayah Isia Lynch, infant, died May 14, 2007 at Nash General Hospital.

A graveside service was conducted Sunday at Rocky Mount Memorial Park, Rocky Mount. H.D. Pope Funeral Home was in charge.

Jean T. Green

ROCKY MOUNT n Jean T. Green, 66, died May 17, 2007 at Nash General Hospital.

Funeral services were conducted Monday at Gethsemane Holiness Church, Battleboro. H.D. Pope Funeral Home was in charge.

Helen M. Leggett

AULANDER n Helen Morris Leggett, 73, a native of Bertie County, died May 18, 2007 at her home.

A graveside funeral service was conducted Monday at Hoggard Memorial Cemetery in Lewiston-Woodville by the Rev. Wallace Phillips and the Rev. Anthony Cherry. Walker Funeral Home, Windsor, was in charge. Memorial gifts may be made to University Hospital Hospice, P.O. Box 272, Ahoskie, NC 27910.

Mrs. Leggett delivered both the News and Observer and Virginian Pilot for 10 years.

Survivors include her husband, Raymond Leggett of Aulander; a brother, Zobie Morris of Martinez, Ga.; a stepdaughter, Raye Ann Sammon of Colorado Springs, CO; three stepgrandchildren; and six stepgreat-grandchildren.

Zeb T. Chitty, Jr.

AHOSKIE – Zeb Thomas Chitty, 84, of the 800 block of North Colony Ave., died May 19, 2007, at Roanoke Chowan Hospital.

Mr. Chitty was born in Hertford County, a son of the late Zeb Thomas Chitty, Sr. and Dala Britton Chitty.

He was a member of First Baptist Church Ahoskie, a member of the Fellowship Sunday School Class, and a member of the Ahoskie Kiwanis Club. He had retired after 32 years with Belk Company, and was the retired owner and operator of Zeb’s Foot Wear of Ahoskie.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Verdie Francis Chitty; a son, T. Glenn Chitty and wife Linda, of Goldsboro, N.C.; two grandchildren, Sherre Moeller and husband, J.C. of Clayton, N.C., Scott Chitty and wife, Dana of Raleigh, N.C.; three great grandchildren, Jack Austin Moeller, Wyatt Moeller, and Stella Moeller all of Clayton, N. C.; a niece, Joyce Harrell of Greensboro, N. C.; and a nephew, C.C. Rowe of Greenville, N. C.

A celebration of life service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at First Baptist Church Ahoskie, with Rev. Daniel Glaze and Rev. Billy Presley officiating.

Burial will follow in Highland Memorial Gardens.

Flowers are welcome or memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church Radio Ministry, C/O First Baptist Church, 312 West Main St. Ahoskie, N.C. 27910.

Garrett Funeral Home is serving the Chitty family.

Ernest L. Rascoe

WINDSOR n Ernest Lee “Sweet” Rascoe, 53, a native of Windsor, died May 18, 2007 at his residence.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at Indian Woods Baptist Church, Windsor, by the Rev. Ralph White. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Wilder’s Funeral Home, Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

Rascoe was employed with Wall Street Mail in Long Island, NY.

Survivors include a son, Marvin Wilson of Cleveland, OH; two daughters, Tanya Rascoe of Lewiston and Keisha Spain of New York; brothers, Samuel L. Joyner and Turner Rascoe Jr., both of Windsor, and Johnnie L. Rascoe of Ft. Washington, MD; sisters, Lillie P. Friday of Bronx, Quella Rascoe of Baltimore, Hattie Bell of Merry Hill and Cora King of Windsor; and one grandchild.

Houston Miller

SUFFOLK, Va. n Houston Miller, 86, a native of Robeson County, and formerly of Suffolk, died May 17, 2007.

A memorial service with military honors were held Monday in the chapel of Miller Funeral Home, Gatesville, by the Rev. Mike Askew.

Miller retired from traffic control with the City of Suffolk, he was a member of Suffolk Christian Church, the Suffolk T.P.A., Suffolk Masonic Lodge #30, AF&AM and was a veteran of World War II with the United States Marine Corps.

Survivors include three daughters, Kathy Hamilton of Bristol, Pa., Nancy DiBeneditto of Philadelphia and Terry Copeland of Smithfield; two sons, Kirk H. Miller of Milton, Del., and Larry W. Miller of Gates; a sister, Katherine Hearn of Raleigh; two brothers, David Miller of Robeson County and Wade Miller of Johnston County; 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Rudolph Trotman

SUNBURY n Rudolph Trotman, 75, a native of Gates County, died May 19, 2007 in Murfreesboro.

A funeral will be conducted at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at New Piney Grove Baptist Church on Medical Center Rd., Gates. Burial will be at Taylor Cemetery on Willington Rd., Gates County. Hertford County Undertakers is in charge.

Survivors include one brother, John Trotman of Virginia Beach, Va.; and two sisters, Bessie Saunders of Sunbury and Mary Lee Thomas of Miami, Fla.

Russell Knowles Sr.

WINDSOR n Russell Blount Knowles Sr., 87, a native of Bertie County, died May 21, 2007 at Bertie Memorial Hospital.

A graveside funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Edgewood Cemetery by the Rev. David Woolsey. The family will receive friends at Walker Funeral Home from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday and other times from their home. Memorial gifts may be made to either the Windsor United Methodist Church, PO Box 238, Windsor, NC 27983 or to Bertha County Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 74, Windsor, NC 27983.

Knowles was a member of Windsor United Methodist Church and former board member of the Bertie County Commissioners, the Windsor Board of Education and the ASCS.

Survivors include his wife, Sue Williford Knowles of Windsor; two daughters, Linda K. Jorgensen and Patricia K. Schilbe, both of Richmond, Va.; a son, Russell Blount Knowles Jr. of Windsor; and one granddaughter.

William E. Baker

AHOSKIE n William Earl Baker, 82, of the 800 block of North Parker Avenue, died Sunday, May 20, 2007, surrounded by his loving family, in Roanoke Chowan Hospital.

Mr. Baker was born in Southampton County, Virginia, a son of the late Jordan and Ollie Askew Baker.

He was an Army veteran of WWII, serving on the Liberation Front in the Philippines.

Bill was a member of the John F. Earley VFW Post #11226, Aulander, and the American Legion Post #102, and was a member of Ahoskie Free Will Baptist Church.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Ruby Martin Baker; three daughters, Linda B. Meeks and husband, Wayne of Ahoskie, Nancy B. Conner and husband, Ed of Glen St. Mary, FL, and Mary Lou Byrum and husband, Mitch of Ahoskie; a son, Billy Baker and wife, Judy of Ahoskie; six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

A celebration of life service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23, 2007, at Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, with the Rev. Phillip Tipton and Rev. Tommy Kiker officiating.

Burial will follow in Ahoskie Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and other times at the home.

Flowers are welcome, or memorial donations may be made to Ahoskie Free Will Baptist Church Building Fund, 500 Kiwanis Street, Ahoskie, NC, 27910.