The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina (2024)

THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER www.charlotte.com SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 2007 5BOBITUARIES Gregory L. Williams, 44, of Char- lotte, died June 20, 2007. Memorial service 11 AM Saturday, Purcell United Methodist, 2141 Weyland Charlotte. Heritage Funeral Cremation Service, Indian in charge. Richard Lee Stone Richard Stone, our loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, went to sleep in his recliner and woke up in heaven on Tuesday, June 19, 2007.

He was born in 1942 in Washington, DC to the late Richard Walter and Hazel Geer Stone. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Betty Furr Stone; son, Rich- ard Jason and wife, Kristin, of Denver, NC; daughter, Erika and husband, Aaron, of Charlotte; brother, Jay and wife, Debra, of Marietta, GA; sisters, Sandra and husband, Dean, of Charlotte, Debra of Charlotte, and Lisa of Green- ville, NC; and five grandchildren, Tyler, Peyton, Lauren, Avery and Kendra. He is preceded in death by his brother, David. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he served God, Family and Country honorably.

He devoted every day of his life to his family and friends, and held the true meaning of life in his heart. He loved with his whole being and lived to give to others. The good- ness of his memory is forever sealed in the hearts of those who knew him. His faith, honesty, good moral character, and the deeds he per- formed for others, truly make him an example for us to follow. He is alive in our family and holds the honorable position of He loved nature, its animals and flowers, and all that God had placed on earth that is good.

Rocky is the ultimate example of a humble servant whose desire in life was to know the people he served appreciated him. We can see him now walking the streets of gold as an Onward Christian Soldier, planting heav- enly gardens while the birds sing joyfully. His earthly job is over. As his family we will continue to honor his wishes by loving God and serving others. We are humbled by the outpour- ing of love that has been given to us by those life he touched by his selfless service.

Memorials may be made to mis- sions at Grace Covenant Church, 17301 Statesville Road, Cornelius, NC 28031. A memorial service to honor and celebrate life will be held at 3 PM on Sunday, June 24, 2007 at Grace Covenant Church in Corne- lius. The family will receive friends at the church following the service. Raymer Funeral Home, Hunters- ville, is serving the family. Elva Ray Inman Smith Ms.

Elva Ray Inman Smith, of Plantation Estates, Matthews, NC, died on Monday, June 18, 2007, at the age of 90. A private family graveside service will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina. Ms. Smith was born on Novem- ber 30, 1916, in Greensboro, and spent most of her adult life there. In the 1950s, she and her husband established a successful business, Mechanical Specialty Company, and later she worked at Wesley Long Hospital in Greensboro.

She moved to Matthews in 1978 to live near her daughter. She was an avid bridge player, and traveled and read extensively. She is survived by her daughter, Martha S. Davis and her husband, Judge Russell R. Sage; six grand- children, Matthew Smith and wife, Meg, Elizabeth Osborne and hus- band, Ronald, Eric Smith and wife, Page, Dr.

Dana Simpson and hus- band, Steve, David Smith and wife, Susan, and Jennifer Davis and husband, Nicholas Harris; 15 great- grandchildren; and her brother, Charles Inman. She was preceded in death by her former husband, Joseph Franklin Smith; her son, Joseph Ronald Smith; and four brothers and a sister. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Habitat for Humanity, Charlotte Office, PO Box 220287, Charlotte, NC 28222. Arrangements are in the care of McEwen Funeral Service Mint Hill Chapel. Mr.

George Nobbs, 80, of Char- lotte, died June 22, 2007. Arrange- ments are incomplete and will be announced by Funeral Cremation Service of Charlotte. Mecklenburg HICKO Bruce Lee Stroud, 32, died June 17, 2007. Memorial service is 2 PM Sunday at Bass-Smith Funeral Home of Hick- ory, with visitation from 12-2 PM. ASTONIA Laura Broome Rus- sell, 69, died June 21, 2007.

Funeral is 4 PM Sunday at Maylo United Methodist Church; visitation 3-4 PM. Interment in Gaston Memorial Park. McLean Funeral Directors of Gastonia in charge. GASTON I A Bertha Ledford Pan- ter, 85, died June 21, 2007. Grave- side service is 4 PM Sunday at Union Presbyterian Church Ceme- tery.

Visitation PM Sun- day at Sisk-Butler Funeral Home, Bessemer City. Ben Haskew Battle FRANKLI Ben Haskew Battle, 83, professor emeritus of education at Western Carolina University, passed away the night of Wednes- day, June 20, 2007, at Angel Medi- cal Center in Franklin after fighting an illness. Battle was born in Sylva on Nov. 24, 1923. After earning a degree from Western Carolina University in 1947, he went on to earn his from Columbia University in 1948 and his doctor- ate from Peabody-Vanderbilt Col- lege in 1963.

Battle also served in the U.S. Navy at Okinawa during World War II and was a member of Cullowhee United Methodist Church. For 21 years, Battle was a profes- sor of education and director of student teaching at Western Caro- lina University and was also the recipient of the WCU Alumni Association Distinguished Alum- nus Award in 1977. He helped to found international stu- dent teaching programs in Central and South America. Also during his teaching career, he held princi- palships at public schools in Cha- pel Hill and in Rowan County.

He served as a consultant to public school systems throughout the state and was a member of the N.C. State Board of Education from 1977 to 1985, where he served on the committee of teacher education. Battle is survived by his wife of 57 years, Merriel Horne Battle; his son Ben H. Battle M.D., of Franklin; a sister, Maude Battle Johnson of Rochester, and several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hugh Edmond and Ann Worley Battle; a brother, Hugh Edmond Battle, and a sister, Gay Battle White.

The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 23, at Cullowhee United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends before the service at 12:30 p.m. and following the service in the fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to the Western Carolina University Foundation for scholar- ships for education students, or, to the Building Fund of the Cullo- whee United Methodist Church.

Moody funeral home and Cre- matorium, 714 West Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779; (828) 586-4014 is assisting the family and friends with arrangements. LERBE Larry Branson Chap- pell, 72, died June 22, 2007. A gathering of friends will be from 2-4 PM Sunday in the fellowship hall of First Presbyterian Church in Ellerbe. Carter Funeral Home of Ellerbe is in charge. EAGLE SPRINGS Willie White- ford Cole, 92, died June 22, 2007.

Family will receive friends at the resi- dence. Piedmont Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. ENOIR Goldman James McMillon, 87, died June 21, 2007. Funeral is 2 PM Sunday at Greer- McElveen Funeral Home Chapel. Interment in Philadelphia Baptist Church Cemetery.

Visitation PM Saturday at the funeral home. LENO I Mrs. Martha Bristle, 73, died June 21, 2007. Funeral 11am Monday, Central Assembly of God, Boone. Visitation Sunday, 7-9pm, Hampton Funeral Service.

LENOIR Norma Moore Bow- man, 72, died June 22, 2007. Fu- neral is 4 PM Sunday at Fellowship Baptist Church; visitation 3-4 PM. Interment at Blue Ridge Memorial Park. Greer-McElveen Funeral Home in charge. ANNAPOLIS Herbert Landreth Butler, 84, died June 22, 2007.

Funeral 2pm Monday, Whit- Funeral Home; burial, Caro- lina Memorial Park. Visitation Sun- day, 6-8pm, at the funeral home. A STONIA James Chriscoe, 74, died June 22, 2007 at his residence. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by McLean Funeral Directors of Gastonia. ROCK HILL Mr.

Carl Woodrow Drakeford, 88, died June 22, 2007. Funeral is 2 PM Sunday at Greene Funeral Home Northwest Chapel. Burial in Hopewell Presby- terian Cemetery. Visitation PM Saturday at the funeral home. ESTER Mr.

Leon Wylie Lee, 94, died June 22, 2007. Funeral 3pm, visitation Saturday, Parkway Baptist Church; burial, Chester Memorial Gardens. Bar- ron Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. George Williams Gage, Jr. ARLESTON Mr.

Gage, 89, of Charleston, formerly of Fort Mill, SC, died Friday, June 22, 2007, at Bishop Gadsden Retirement Com- munity. He was born in Cheraw, SC, on June 7, 1918, and lived most of his early life in Chester, SC. He was the son of the late Elise Wanna- maker and George Williams Gage and the grandson of the late Janie Gaston Gage and South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice George Williams Gage. He was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army upon graduation from Clemson University in 1940 and served throughout World War II, primar- ily in the Pacific Theatre. While an Army Captain, he was awarded the Bronze Star for achieve- in combat on Palawan Is- land in the Philippines.

After his military service, he was an executive of Springs Cotton Mills, now Springs Global, until his retirement in 1981. George was an avid sportsman and outdoorsman, enjoying tennis, track, golf, swimming, diving, fish- ing and hunting. His love of nature took him on many hikes and walks in the mountains around Blowing Rock, NC, a favorite destination of the Gage family for over a century. He was a member of Unity Presbyterian Church in Fort Mill before moving to Charleston and Bishop Gadsden in 1999, where he joined James Island Presbyterian Church. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, the former Nina Mosley Cochran, and their four children; Ruth Syfan Gage Bragg of Jackson- ville, FL; Jane Gaston Gage Furtado of Charleston, SC; George Wil- liams Gage, III of Tampa, FL; and Benjamin Cochran Gage of Fort Mill, SC.

He is also survived by his sister, Harriet Harrington Gage Fairey of Columbia, SC, and his brother, Theodore Wannamaker Gage of Spartanburg, SC. His brother, Robert Gage re- cently passed away. George had 11 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins throughout South Carolina. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Bishop Gadsden Residents Assis- tance Fund, 1 Bishop Gadsden Way, Charleston, SC 29412, or to a charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held at Bishop Gadsden Chapel on Sat- urday, June 23, at 2:00 PM.

Arrangements by J. HENRY STUHR, DOWNTOWN CHAPEL. South Carolina I NGATE Mr. Lynn Tarlton, 37, died June 22, 2007. Funeral is 11 AM Monday at Fairfield Baptist Church; visitation to follow.

Inter- ment in church cemetery. Morgan Son Funeral Home of Marshville is in charge. WAXH A Mrs. Elsie Poston, 91, died June 20, 2007. Funeral Liberty Hill Baptist Church; burial, Lakeland Memorial Park.

Public viewing Saturday, 11am-7pm, Funeral Service, Monroe. TAYLORSVILL Hilda Rae Bum- garner Mash, 61, died June 22, 2007. Funeral is 3 PM Sunday at Little River Baptist Church. The family will be at Adams Funeral Home from 5-7 PM Saturday. SPENCE Miss Georgia Mae Ward, 93, died June 22, 2007.

Graveside service 11am Monday, Rowan Memorial Park. Visitation Lyerly Funeral Home. SHEL Mr. Michael Eugene Shull, 61, died June 21, 2007. Funeral is 2 PM Sunday at Shelby Free Will Baptist Church.

Inter- ment in Cleveland Memorial Park. Visitation is PM Saturday at Clay-Barnette Funeral Home. ELBY Marie Justice Jones, 84, died June 21, 2007. Funeral is 2 PMSunday at Beaver Dam Baptist Church; Interment in church cem- etery. Visitation PM Satur- day at Cleveland Funeral Services.

SHELB Mr. Mitchell Ralph Dabbs, died June 21, 2007. Memo- rial service 2 PM Sunday at Cecil M. Burton Funeral Home. A me- morial service will be held at a later date in his home town of Green- ville, TN.

ALISBURY Frances Colleen Rabon Barnett, 80, died June 21, 2007. Visitation is 2-3 PM Sunday at Franklin Baptist Church Sanctu- ary; service is 3 PM. Interment in Rowan Memorial Park. Summer- sett Funeral Home in charge. OCKINGHAM Mr.

L. W. Love Knight, 60, died Thursday, June 21, 2007. Funeral is 2 PM Sunday at Carter Funeral Home. Funeral is 2 PM Sunday at Carter Funeral Home in Rockingham.

MORGANT Jerry Wayne Morgan, 50, died June 21, 2007. Funeral is 3 PM Sunday at Friendly Freewill Baptist Church; visitation 2-3 PM. Interment in church ceme- tery. Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family. Olivia Phillips Nixon NORTH MYRTLE BEACH Libby Nixon went to be with her Savior on Thursday, June 21, 2007.

She was surrounded by her family and friends. Libby was born in Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, NC on January 1, 1941. In her teens, she moved with her family to the Windy Hill Section of North Myrtle Beach. Libby was predeceased by her parents William Phillips and Viola Byrum Phillips and her be- loved husband of 25 years, Richard S. Nixon.

Surviving are her brothers, Da- vid Phillips and his wife Mary Wylene of North Myrtle Beach, Jerry Phillips and his wife Lovetta of North Myrtle Beach, her sister Patsy P. Dew and her husband Gerald of North Myrtle Beach; five nephews, Jeff Phillips and his wife Pam of Columbia, SC, Buddy Phil- lips and his wife Tammy of North Myrtle Beach, Chris Phillips and his wife Shannon of Atlanta, Geor- gia, Timmy Phillips and his wife Edie of Charleston, SC, Joey Phil- lips and his wife Heather of Bluff- ton, SC; four nieces, Michelle Fer- guson Hair and her husband Dean, of North Myrtle Beach, Michelle Phillips Fleming and her husband Buzz of Columbia, SC, Cherie Fer- guson Dew and her husband Ste- phen of North Myrtle Beach, and Becky Phillips McDowell and her husband Mark of North Myrtle Beach and 26 great nieces and nephews. Libby was an active member of Lakeside Baptist Church where she served as Sunday School Director, choir member and held various other committee and board posi- tions. During the she was in the musical group, Testimoni- and loved sharing her faith in Christ through the ministry of music. Libby loved North Myrtle Beach and was very active in her commu- nity.

Before retiring as the resident manager of the Mar Vista Motel for more than 34 years, Libby was involved in the Grand Strand Hotel Motel Association, The Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Associa- tion, North Myrtle Beach Accom- modations Tax Committee, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, and the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, where she had also served on various committees in addition to being a vital member of the Board of Directors. Family will be receiving friends at Lee Funeral Home on Sunday, June 24th from 6 8 PM. Funeral services will be held at Lakeside Baptist Church on Monday, June 25th at 4 PM with burial immedi- ately following at Southeastern Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Mercy Hospice and Palliative Care at P.O. Box 50640, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579 (mercy- hospice.org) or to the American Cancer Society at P.O.

Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 (cancer.org) to donate online. Lee Funeral Home Crematory of Little Myrtle Beach is serving the family. Marilyn Telerico Santore FORT MILL Mrs. Santore, 74, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family, on June 20, 2007. She was born in Greenwich, CT, a daughter of the late Peter and Yolanda Belmont Telerico.

She was the beloved wife for 53 years of Richard R. Santore, de- voted mother of Richard R. San- tore, Jr. and his wife, Susan, Gary S. Santore and his wife, Debbie, Peter A.

Santore and his wife, Beth, Linda A. Tully and her husband, Clay, Janet M. Bumgarner and her hus- band, Jeff, and Lisa R. Santore; loving grandmother of Leyna, Richard III, and Brittany Santore, Matthew and Kelly Santore, Trevor Santore, Bradley, David, Christopher and Alyssa Tully and Joshua Bumgarner, and dear sister of Joan Menna and her husband, John, Gay Peckham and her hus- band, Jack and the late Joy Hir- schhorn and her husband, Alan. Friends will be received at the Pineville Chapel of McEwen Fu- neral Service, 10500 Park Charlotte, from 4-7 on Sunday, June 24th.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Philip Neri Catho- lic Church, Monday morning June 25, 2007 at 11 AM. Interment will follow in St. Cemetery, Greenwich, CT. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St.

Philip Neri Catholic Church Building Fund, 292 Munn Fort Mill, SC 29715. The family wishes to thank Home Instead Senior Care, the doctors and nurses at CMC Pineville, the ALS Center of Charlotte, and Hos- pice and Community Care of South Carolina for their compassion and support through illness. Arrangements by McEwen Fu- neral Service, Pineville Chapel. IN MEMORY OF C. K.

Pressley I love you and miss you very much. I always think about you and I look forward to the time that I can see you again. Your loving wife. In Memoriam Thomas Edward Brown HOSCHTON, GA Thomas, age 17, of Hoschton, formerly of La- wrenceville, GA, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, June 20, 2007. He is survived by his parents, Dale and Angela Brown of Hos- chton, GA; sister and brother-in- law, Katherine and Jeremy Bagley of Buford, GA; sister, Elizabeth Brown of Hoschton, GA; maternal grandparents, Carroll and Ruth Thomas of Charlotte, NC; paternal grandmother, Grace Lee Brown of Winston-Salem, NC; several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He was pre- ceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Paul Edward Brown. Thomas was a Junior at Collins Hill High School. He had recently begun working at Abercrombie and Fitch at the Mall of Georgia. Thomas was very involved in the youth group and had completed the Disciple Bible Study at First United Methodist Church of La- wrenceville, where he was a mem- ber. He loved basketball and play- ing his guitar.

A service to celebrate the life and faith of Thomas will be at 2:00 PM on Sunday, June 24, 2007 at First United Methodist Church of La- wrenceville. The family will re- ceive friends on Sunday following the service. Memorials may be made to the Lawrenceville Assistance Program (LAP) or the Building Fund at First United Methodist Church of La- wrenceville, 395 W. Crogan Lawrenceville, GA, 30045. Arrangements by Tom M.

Wages Funeral Service LLC, La- wrenceville Chapel, 120 Scenic Highway, Lawrenceville, GA 30045, 770-963-2411, www.wages- funeralhome.com. Other States ROCK HILL Mrs. Frances Joyce Sutton Thompson, 72, died June 21, 2007. Graveside service is 3 PM Sunday at Mt. Holly United Meth- odist Church Cemetery.

Visitation PM Saturday at Greene Funeral Home Northwest Chapel. CHESTER Mrs. Ann C. Stringfel- low Kirkpatrick, 54, died June 22, 2007. Arrangements are incom- plete and entrusted to Fu- neral Home of Chester.

Family will receive friends at the residence..