Bessie W. Jenkins

CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Bessie W. Jenkins, 90, a native of Rich Square, died May 11, 2007, at Chesapeake General Hospital. She was the widow of Thomas H. Jenkins.

Mrs. Jenkins was retired from the City of Chesapeake after 35 years of service. She was a member of Divine Baptist Church, Chesapeake.

Survivors include six daughters, Velma King, Beverly Vann, Mary Anderson, Linda Jenkins of Flint, Mich., Viola Blunt and Cornell Gilchrist; three sons, James Jenkins, Jesse Jenkins and Lloyd Jenkins; a sister, Zelma Bragg of Eastville, Va.; more than 100 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday by the Rev. James A. Simmons in Divine Baptist Church. Burial will be in Roosevelt Memorial Park, Chesapeake. Fisher Funeral Home, 1520 Effingham St., Portsmouth, is in charge. The family will be at the residence. The body will be in church at 10 a.m. Thursday. Condolences may be offered at www.fisherfuneral.com.

William M. Bell

MERRY HILL -William McGregor &uot;Billy&uot; Bell, 90, a native of Bertie County, died May 13, 2007, in Britthaven of Edenton. He was the widower of his first wife, Mary Best Bell.

Bell was a 1938 graduate of North Carolina State University, he was a member of Delta Sigma Pi, an honorary business administration fraternity and was a member and served as president of Kappa Alpha, a social fraternity. A farmer, he, with his wife, were the owners of Black Rock Land Development. Past affiliations include the North Carolina Farm Managers Assn.; Board of Directors, North Carolina Pork Assn.; Board of Directors, Roanoke-Chowan Academy; Board of Directors, First Union Bank Corp.; the Executive Advisory Board of Coastal Resources; and had been chairman of the board of the former Bell Bros. Inc. in Windsor. A member of Windsor United Methodist Church, he was a friend and benefactor to the West Chowan Baptist Association.

Mr. Bell had served his country during World War II as an officer in the U.S. Navy.

Survivors include his wife of 26 years, Wanda Howie Bell; his children, William McGregor Bell Jr. of Ayden, Bond Munroe Bell of Windsor, Hinton McArn Bell of Wilmington, Stephanie Goldberg of Nags Head, Michelle King of Harbinger and Shannon Schwartz of Raleigh; his brother, Holley Mack Bell of Windsor; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Graveside services were held Wednesday in the Old Black Rock Cemetery by the Rev. Brian Medlin. Miller Funeral Home & Crematory, 735 Virginia Road, Edenton, was in charge. Floral tributes will be accepted and appreciated or contributions in his memory may be directed to the Bertie County Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 74, Windsor, NC 27983.

Lula Davis

WINTON n Lula “Lady Elect Davis”, 74, a native of Warrenton, died May 11, 2007 at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at Soul Saving Station Evangelistic Center, Ahoskie, by Bishop Joseph G. Snead. Burial will be in Highland Memorial Gardens, Ahoskie. A service of tribute to the late Lady Elect Davis was held on Wednesday night, May 16 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Soul Saving Station Evangelistic Center. The body will lie in state from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night. Wilder’s Funeral Home Inc., Aulander, is in charge.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Elect Lady Memorial Fund at Southern Bank, P.O. Box 825, Ahoskie, N.C. 27910.

Mrs. Davis was minister of Miracle Temple Church of Deliverance, Ahoskie, for 33 years, gospel DJ for WRCS-Gospel 97 Radio Station in Ahoskie.

Survivors include one son, Robert M. Davis II of Atlanta, Ga.; a daughter, Deborah Morrison of Chattanooga, TN; brothers, Haywood Boyd of Cherry Hill, NJ and Marvin Albert of Philadelphia, PA; sisters, Dorothy Albert of Philadelphia and Mary Boyd of Warrenton; and two grandchildren.

James M. Ward

COLERAIN n James Miley Ward, 79, of the 200 block of Glover Street, died Monday, May 14, 2007, in his home.

Mr. Ward was born in Bertie County, a son of the late Miley and Annie Miller Ward.

He was a member of Colerain Baptist Church and the Colerain Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, and was retired from the Town of Colerain.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Clara Wilson Ward; a son, James L. Ward and wife, Judy of Ahoskie; a sister, Bessie R. Smith of Winton; grandchildren, Amanda Ward, J. W. Ward, and Christy Wester; and two great grandchildren.

James was preceded in death by a son, Johnnie Ward.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 17, 2007, at Colerain Baptist Church with the Rev. Shelby Stephens officiating.

Burial will follow in Hillcrest Cemetery.

The family received friends at Garrett Funeral Home from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, and other times at the home.

Flowers are welcome or memorial donations may be made to University Health Systems Hospice Care, P.O. Box 272, Ahoskie, NC, 27910 or to the Colerain Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 397, Colerain, NC, 27924.

J. Clinton Casper

HOBBSVILLE n Joseph Clinton Casper, 88, a native of Gates County, died May 15, 2007 in Down

East Health & Rehab, Gatesville. He was the widower of Fannie Monds Casper.

Casper was a retired farmer and worked with H.S. Hofler & Sons for over 60 years. He was a member of Gatesville Baptist Church, an honorary member of the VFW, and a former member of the Moose Lodge. An Army veteran of World War II, he served in Okinawa, Japan.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at the chapel of Miller Funeral Home by the Rev. Gene Asbill and the Rev. Dr. Charles Jones. Burial will be in Casper-Greene-Taylor family cemetery, Eure. Friends may join the family Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the funeral home and all other times at the home of his son, 1465 Hwy. 37 S., Gatesville.

Survivors include two daughters, Thelma C. Harrell of Ahoskie and Christine C. Hollowell of Lawton, OK; a son, Wilbur Casper of Gateasville; a sister, Vennie Harrell Russell of Hobbsville; seven grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Richard M. Bundy Sr.

FARMVILLE n Mr. Richard Marvin Bundy, Sr., age 79, of 2420 Kittrell Hill Road, died Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at his home.

Funeral services will be conducted Thursday at 2 p.m. from King’s Cross Roads Free Will Baptist Church by the Rev. Bruce Jones and the Rev. Lee Hendricks. Interment will follow in Hollywood Cemetery in Farmville.

Mr. Bundy was a member of King’s Cross Roads Free Will Baptist Church where he served as choir director for 50 years and was also a former deacon and Sunday School teacher of the church. He was a veteran of the United States Army.

He was the son of the late James Perry and Laura Little Bundy and was also preceded in death by his brothers, James Earl Bundy, J.B. Bundy, Brunell Bundy, and Clarence Bundy; and a sister, Gertrude Krinkey.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Joyce

Clark Bundy of the home; one daughter, Joy Bundy of Ahoskie; two sons, Rick Bundy and wife, Judy of Garner and Jeff Bundy of Durham; two grandsons, Daniel Richard Bundy and Samuel James Bundy.

The family received friends at the Farmville Funeral Home, Wednesday evening from 7 until 9 p.m.

Those desiring to make a memorial may please consider the King’s Cross Roads Free Will Baptist Church Building Fund or Asera Care Hospice.

Alice M. Parker

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Alice M. &uot;Linda&uot; Parker, a native of Gates, died, May 12, 2007, in Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center.

Mrs. Parker was a member of Grove Park Baptist Church, Portsmouth, where she was a member of the food ministry.

Survivors include her husband, Regis Parker Jr.; three daughters, Shirvelle Turner and Sherri Parker, bothof Suffolk and Sonja Brown of Portsmouth; parents, Dorothy and Levertis Wiggins Sr. of Norfolk; two sisters, Tanya Wiggins of Virginia Beach and Dorothea Cheeks of Suffolk; six brothers, Levertis Wiggins Jr., Hollice Wiggins, Carl Wiggins, Patrick Wiggins, Donald Wiggins and Terrence Wiggins; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 10 a.m. Thursday by Pastor J.R. Woodland at Grove Park Baptist Church. Interment will be in Roosevelt Memorial Park, Chesapeake. Corprew Funeral Home, Portsmouth, is in charge. The body will be taken to the church at 9 a.m. Thursday.

John Sessoms

HARRELLSVILLE – John Sessoms died May 16, 2007 at his residence.

Services are incomplete at this time.

Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., n Ahoskie is in charge.

David Sessoms

COLERAIN – David Sessoms, 67, a native of Chowan County, died May 12, 2007 in Colerain.

Survivors include one daughter, Florence H. Cherry of Kelford; his mother, Audrey Holley of Colerain; nine sisters, Hazel Perry, Shirley Mae Dempsey and Maude Cofield, all of Colerain, Odessia Perry of Ahoskie, Annie Gray of Lewiston, Elaine Eakins of NJ, Dinia Jones and Emma Wilson, both of NY and Rev. Ella

Perry of Middletown, Ct.;

four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 12 noon Saturday at Hunter’s Funeral Home Chapel, Ahoskie, by the Rev. Nathaniel Thompson. Burial will be in the Holley family cemetery, Colerain.

Hunter’s Funeral Home, Inc., Ahoskie is in charge.

Kanyia A. Holley

MURFREESBORO – Kanyia Angel Holley, infant daughter of Tracey Beale Eley and Willie Holley, died May 13, 2007 at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Norfolk, Va.

She is also survived by a brother, Curtis Eley Jr.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Hunter’s Funeral Home Inc. Chapel, Murfreesboro, by Rev. Fernando Temple.

Burial will be in Parkers Grove Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, Mapleton.