Archived
Jesse W. Sumner
Mr. Jesse W. Sumner, 86, of Rocky Mount, N.C., passed away Dec. 22, 2008.
He was born July 15,1922 in Northampton County, N.C. Mr. Sumner was the son of the late Wiley and Rosa Nelson Sumner.
He graduated from Conway High School in 1939 and was a graduate of NC State College in 1943. He then served as a naval officer in World War II in the Pacific Fleet. Following military service he was the assistant county extension agent and 4H Club leader in Martin County. Mr. Sumner served as superintendent of the Coastal Plain Research Station in Wallace, N.C., the Horticultural Crops Research Station in Clinton, and Upper Coastal Plain Research Station in Rocky Mount where he retired in 1984.
Mr. Sumner was a member of Wallace Masonic Lodge, a member of the Rocky Mount Lions Club and several other organizations. For many years he was an active member of the Englewood United Methodist Church of Rocky Mount. He has held numerous offices in the local church and district.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Helen Jones Sumner; daughter, Rose Sumner Ayers and husband, Ken, of Owensboro, Ky.; son, Wayne L. Sumner and wife, Karen, of Boone; sister, Doris Askew of Ahoskie, N.C.; five grandchildren, Stephanie Ayers, David Ayers, Daniel Ayers, Jessica Sumner Barrett and Danielle Sumner Wade.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Rea Futrell; and his brother, Winifred.
Services will be held Friday, Dec. 26, 2008, at 1 p.m. at Englewood United Methodist Church. Visitation will follow the service at the church. Interment will be at Rocky Mount Memorial Park after the visitation.

December 22, 2008

Mary Katherine Wilson Anderson
Mrs. Mary Katherine Wilson Anderson, 88, of Seminole, Fla., and Newland, died Friday evening, Dec. 19, 2008, in Newland.
Survivors include three sons, David Anderson and wife, Nancy, of Laurel Lane, Newland, Lee Anderson and wife, Anne, of Safety Harbor, Fla., and Steven Anderson of Simi Valley, Calif.; and two daughters, Lynn Holmes of Mesa, Ariz. and Judy Thomas of Clearwater, Fla.
Services will be private.
Memorials in memory of Mrs. Anderson may be made to Hospice of Avery County, 351 West Mitchell Street, Newland, N.C. 28657.
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory in Boone is serving the Anderson family.

Ruth Balentine Anderson
Mrs. Ruth Balentine Anderson, 92, wife of the late Frank R. Anderson, passed away quietly Monday evening, Dec. 15, 2008, at Blowing Rock Extended Care Facility in Blowing Rock.
She was born in Salem, Mass., the daughter of Linwood P. Balentine and Florence L. (Plummer) Balentine.
Mrs. Anderson graduated from Topsfield (MA) Academy in 1933 and continued her education at Salem Commercial School. Although she worked in the area of insurance and banking, she was a homemaker for most her life. She lived for many years in South Hampton, New Hampshire and Crystal Beach, Fla., moving to the Boone, N.C. area in 2001.
Surviving her are her daughter, Sally L. Anderson of Boone and her son, F. William Anderson and his wife, Deborah, of Kinston, N.C. Also surviving are four grandchildren, Laury Sargeant and her husband, Jon, Jennifer Martin and her husband, Dan, Amy Albritton and her husband, Lee, and Lisa C. Lalla; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by two sisters, Esther P. Balentine and Eleanor L. Marean; and a brother, Alvah H. Balentine.
A private memorial service for Mrs. Ruth Balentine Anderson will be conducted in Kinston, N.C. Burial will take place in Clearwater, Fla.
Expressions of sympathy in Ruth's memory may be made to the American Heart Association.
Online condolences may be sent to the Anderson family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service in Boone, is in charge of the arrangements.

Lena Hodges Bateman
Mrs. Lena Hodges Bateman, 69, of Bluebird Lane, Boone, died Wednesday morning, Dec. 17, 2008, at Carolina’s Medical Center.
She was born Sept. 3, 1939, in Watauga County, a daughter of the late Curtis Blue and Bonnie Emo Hodges.
Mrs. Bateman was a homemaker and a member of Brushy Fork Baptist Church.
Surviving are two sons, Clifton Moody and wife, Elaine, of Vilas, Steven Moody and Lisa Moody of Vilas; and one daughter, Kim Moretz and husband, Jon, of Creston; seven grandchildren, Tasha, Nathan, Seth, Gabrielle and Tabitha Moody, all of Vilas, and Amber and Austin Amon of Creston; one sister, Rena Lowrance and husband, Jim, of Boone; one sister-in-law, Patsy Hodges of Boone; a special niece, Karen McQueen; a special friend, Norma Kyte; and a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Billie Ann Coffey and Mary Wanda Danner; and two brothers, Elden and Lowell Hodges.
Services were conducted Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock at Brushy Fork Baptist Church. Officiating were Pastor Andy McFarland and the Rev. Ernie Richards. Burial followed in the Adams Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Bateman family in care of Austin & Barnes Funeral Home, 194 Queen Street, Boone, N.C. 28607.
Online condolences may be made to the Bateman family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Bateman family.

Mary Louise M. Rice
Mrs. Mary Louise Moore Rice, 98, died quietly at home Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008.
She was born in Waco, Texas, March 25, 1910 to Adrian Moore (father) and Robert Williams Moore (mother).
Mrs. Rice graduated from Hockaday Girls School and later from Rice University. She married Thomas Botts Rice of Houston, Tex., on Nov. 4, 1931 and settled in Winston-Salem where Tom and his brother, Joe Rice, established the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company the year before.
Mrs. Rice was an active member of the community. Twice she served as President of the Junior League of Winston-Salem. She was a member of the Twin City Garden Club serving twice as their President as well. The American Red Cross was dear to her heart. She was Chairman of their Volunteer Services during World War II, an active American Red Cross Board Member and Executive Committee Member, later becoming an Honorary Board Member.
She was also active in The Children’s Home Society and was Chairman of the Policy Committee of the State Adoption Agency. Mrs. Rice was a member of Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church. She was a life-long learner and enjoyed many hobbies including golf, bridge, needlepoint and croquet.
She is survived by her daughter, Adrian Rice Shore of Winston-Salem; her son, Thomas Botts Rice, Jr. and daughter-in-law, Ann Cox Rice, of Winston-Salem; and son, Robert Williams Rice and daughter-in-law, Sandra Flowers Rice of Saint Simon’s, Ga. Her surviving grandchildren are Marree and John Townsend of Greenwich, Conn., Rob and Nora Shore of Greenville, S.C., Lou and Blanton Winship of Atlanta, Ga., Tommy and Sallie Rice of Winston-Salem, Caroline Manis of Spartanburg, S.C., Will and Rebecca Rice of Augusta, Ga., and Adrian and John Robinson of Savannah, Ga. She also enjoyed the blessing of 15 great-grandchildren.
The family acknowledges with gratitude the loyal staff of caregivers devoted to Mrs. Rice over the years.
A graveside service was conducted at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at Salem Cemetery.
The family asks that memorials be made to the Winston-Salem Foundation for the Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Rice Memorial Fund, 860 W. 5th Street, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101.
Salem Funerals & Cremations were in charge of arrangements.

Bunnie Hodges Richards
Mrs. Bunnie Hodges Richards, 86, of Pebble Lane, Todd, died Thursday evening, Dec. 18, 2008 at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.
She was born July 24, 1922 in Watauga County to John C. and Julia Brown Hodges.
Mrs. Richards was a homemaker and a member of Meat Camp Baptist Church.
A loving wife, mama, grandma and friend, Bunnie is survived by three daughters, Janette Combs of Todd, Polly Richards of Newland and Anna Bell Main of Bethel; two sons, Jimmy Richards and wife, Doris, of Boone and Junior Richards and wife, Linda, of Vilas; one brother, Kemp Hodges and wife, Eleen, of Morganton; 15 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren;, four great-great-grandchildren; and a special friend, Ernest Pardue of Boone.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Russell Boyd Richards; one daughter, Linda Faye Richards; special granddaughter/daughter Anna Marie Earp; son-in-law, Darrell Combs; four brothers, Jim, Gray, Vance and Ray Hodges; and two sisters, Odis Fox and Princess Brown.
Services will be conducted Monday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Austin & Barnes Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by the Rev. Dan Church, the Rev. Randy Harmon and the Rev. Andy Watson. The body will lie in state at the chapel from 1 until 2 o’clock. Graveside services and burial will follow at Mount Lawn Memorial Park & Gardens.
The family will be at the home of Jimmy and Doris Richards, 543 Clint Norris Road, Boone.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com. Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Richards family.

J.D. Ward
Mr. J.D. Ward, 59, of 780 Flat Springs Road, Elk Park, went home to be with the Lord, Dec. 20, 2008, at Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville.
Survivors include his wife, Eileen Ward of; three daughters, Melissa Vance and husband, Joe, of Newland, Amy Ward of the home, and Adele Byrd and husband, Chuck, of Vilas; three granddaughters, Allison Vance, Abigail Vance, and Hailey Vance, all of Newland; one grandson, Noah Byrd of Vilas; three sisters, Velma Gragg and husband, Cubie, of Elk Park, Reba Church, and Shirley Miller and husband, Eddie, all of Butler, Tenn.; and three brothers, Ray Ward and wife, Lucille, Dennis Ward and wife, Kate, and Elbert Ward and wife, Sally, all of Elk Park. He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Mike and Eula Stines Ward; and one brother, Grady Ward.
Services were conducted Sunday evening, Dec. 21, 2008, at 7:00 o'clock, at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating was the Rev. Eric Cornett. Graveside services and burial was conducted Monday morning, at 11:00 o'clock, at Old Beech Mountain Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Avery County, 351 West Mitchell Street, Newland, N.C. 28657, or to the American Cancer Society, in care of Glenda Hodges, 810 Pinecrest Drive, Boone, N.C. 28607.
Online condolences may be sent to the Ward family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Pastor John Maurice Ward
Pastor John Maurice Ward, 63, of Bethel Road, Sugar Grove, died Saturday afternoon, Dec. 20, 2008, at Watauga Medical Center.
He was born August 8, 1945 in Watauga County, a son of the late Baker Perry Ward and Louiva Edmisten Ward.
Pastor Ward was a member of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, where he served as pastor for 34 years. He was also the pastor of Midway Baptist Church in Butler, Tenn., Bethany Baptist Church in Banner Elk and Timbered Ridge Baptist Church in Sugar Grove. He was an Electronics Technician at Appalachian State University and a cattle farmer.
Surviving are his wife, Shirley Hagaman Ward; his mother, Louiva Edmisten Ward; one brother, Gareth Ward and wife, Phyllis, all of Sugar Grove; one sister, Judy Nuckols and husband, David, of Vinton, Va.; his mother and father-in-law, Ruby and Gilbert Hagaman of Sugar Grove; one sister-in-law, Barbara Harmon and husband, Roger, of Sugar Grove; six nieces and nephews; and a number of aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, Baker Perry Ward; and one sister, Alesia Ward.
Services will be conducted Tuesday evening at 8 o’clock at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Officiating will be the Rev. Carl Wilson, the Rev. Derick Wilson and the Rev. Tull Oakes. Graveside services and burial will be conducted Wednesday morning at 11 o’clock at the Bethel Cemetery.
The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 5:30 until 8 o’clock at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church.
Flowers are accepted or memorials may be made to the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Missionary Fund, in care of Larry Donnelly, Post Office Box 28, Zionville, N.C. 28698.
Online condolences may be sent to the Ward family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Ward family.

Paul M. Weyrich
Mr. Paul M. Weyrich of Virginia passed away.
A wake was held Sunday, Dec. 21, 2008, from 5-8 p.m., with Trisagion prayers at 6:30 p.m., at the Holy Transfiguration Melkite Church, in McLean, Va.
Funeral services were held Monday morning, Dec. 22, 2008, at 10 a.m. at Holy Transfiguration Melkite Church. Burial followed at Fairfax Memorial Park in Fairfax, Va.
After the burial, the Weyrich family hosted an agape meal at Holy Transfiguration Melkite Church.
Contributions to honor and in memory of Mr. Weyrich, may be made to the Holy Transfiguration Melkite Church. For additional information, contact Peter Weyrich at 202-744-6646.