Rachel O. Allen

OLD SAYBROOK – Rachel Otelia Allen, 97, a native of Corapeake, died February 8, 2008 at her home. She was the widow of Fulton Allen.

Mrs. Allen owned and operated a stationary store in White Plains N.Y. along with being a seamstress. Moving to CT, she worked for Verplex Inc. and Essex Engineering both in Essex. She retired from Old Saybrook Healthcare where she worked for many years as a kitchen-aid. Mrs. Allen’s church affiliation was strong. She belonged to the Union Branch Baptist Church in N.C. and was a faithful member and Mother at the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Old Saybrook. A member of the Old Saybrook Estuary Council (Sassy Seniors) and a longtime member of the NAACP.

Survivors include daughters, Daphne Hunter of Old Saybrook; Josephine Teart of Middletown; Pat Manning of Old Saybrook and Jennifer Brown of Branford; one sister Hazel Lias of FL ; and 18 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Funeral Home by Rev. James Baker. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may made in lieu of flowers to a donors choice.

Berkley Pierce

WINTON n Berkley Pierce, 79, died Saturday, February 09, 2008, at his son’s home.

Mr. Pierce was born in Gates County, a son of the late Nathan and Sarah Mansfield Pierce.  He was a member of Winton Baptist Church and was the widower of Dorothy Mae Futrell Pierce.  Berkley was a licensed tugboat captain and had retired as a tugboat mate for Union Camp Corporation.

Left to cherish his memory is his son, Carl B. Pierce and his wife, Dee of Ahoskie; a grandson, Nathan Pierce of Ahoskie; three sisters, Dorothy Evans of Ahoskie, Elizabeth Casper of Seaboard, and Marjorie Dozier of Chesapeake, VA; a brother, Thomas Pierce of Aulander; and a special friend, Karen Odom.  Besides his wife, Mr. Pierce was predeceased by a sister, Addie West and a brother Ervin Pierce.

A celebration of life service was conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, February 11, 2008, at Garrett Funeral Home-Ashley Chapel, Ahoskie, with the Rev. Tom Leonard officiating.  Burial followed in Highland Memorial Gardens.  The family received friends at the funeral home from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. on Sunday and other times at the home of Carl and Dee Pierce, 218 Baker Street, Ahoskie.

Virginia Short

GASTON n Virginia Key Short, 82, died February 8, 2008 at University of North Carolina Hospital, Chapel Hill.

A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Roanoke Rapids Chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home. A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday at New Jerusalem Church in Garysburg by Bishop Geanie Perry. Interment will be in Lillie Chapel Church Cemetery.

Reginald Butler

POWELLSVILLE n Reginald Butler, died February 10, 2008 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Missionary Church Powellsville by the Rev. John White. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery. Reynolds Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie, is in charge.

Survivors include two sons, Christopher Jones of Franklin, Va. and Reginald DeQuan Butler of Aulander; three daughters, Sheneka Perry of Japan, Stacey Dempsey of Williamston and Shakira Barnes of Murfreesboro; his mother, Alma Butler of Powellsville; two brothers, Joseph R. Darden of Clarksville, Tenn.., and Alvin B. Butler of Aulander; one sister, Gail Marie Butler of Aulander; and one grandchild.