AHOSKIE – Essie Nora Newsome entered into internal rest on Saturday, May 23, 2015 in her home in Ahoskie, N.C. surrounded by family.  She was 89 at the time of her passing.

Born in Saint John, N.C., she was the ninth of 15 children born to the late Cal and Tempie Liza Holloman. During her childhood she and her siblings worked on a variety of farms in Hertford County. She was raised in a Christian home where worship and participation in church activities was expected. She served in a variety of positions in public schools in Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia, including teacher’s assistant, substitute teacher, food service and facilities worker. She was a loyal and faithful member of New Ahoskie Missionary Baptist Church where she loved serving as a deaconess until her failing health. She was educated in Hertford County Public Schools and graduated from Robert L. Vann High School. She eventually enrolled at Elizabeth City Normal School (now Elizabeth City State University).

On May 1, 1946 she married Henian Edward Newsome, the love of her life. Essie was a devoted wife. She supported her husband’s 22-year military career, living in: Seaside, California; Tokoma, Washington; Enterprise, Alabama; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Lawton, Oklahoma; Waterloo, New York; Pirmasens, Germany; and Fort Benning, Georgia. Post military she lived in Portsmouth, VA before finally settling in Ahoskie, N.C.

Their union produced four children: Edward Newsome, Jr. (Sandra) of Mitchellville, Maryland; Marcus Newsome (Patsy) of Chesterfield, Virginia; Douglas Newsome (Esther) of Chesapeake, Virginia; and Sheila Boyd (Sylvester) of Chesapeake, VA; 10 grandchildren: Kyndness Davis (Michael); Lynnell Randall (T.J.); Henian Boone; Marcus Newsome, Jr.; Douglas Newsome, Jr.; Henian Newsome; Dawn Newsome; Phillip Newsome; Dana Newsome; Jasmine Boyd; and seven great grandsons; Nehemiah; Noah, Jonah, Jayson Randall, Kaleb, Jaden, and Jordan Randall. She leaves behind her husband, Henian Edward Newsome after 68 years of marriage; one brother: Jesse Ray Holloman of Bristol, Pennsylvania; one sister, Alice Louise Sessoms of Ahoskie, N.C., and a host relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Cal and Tempie Liza Holloman, and 12 brothers and sisters, including her twin sister, Lenora Richardson, Cal Holloman, Jr. Turner Linwood Holloman, John Edward Holloman, twins Mary (Mae) Hardy and Martha Tempie Cherry, Fannie Queen Dukes, Walter Raleigh Holloman, William Holloman, Rever Stokes, Herbert Glen Holloman, Nellie Gray Deloatch.

Funeral services will be held at New Ahoskie Missionary Baptist Church, 401 Hayes Street, Ahoskie, N.C. on Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 12:00 noon. An interment will be held at Hillcrest Cemetery located at State Road 1415, Ahoskie, followed by a repass for family and friends at New Ahoskie Baptist Church.

Reynolds Funeral Home of Ahoskie is handling the arrangements.