Obituaries from the Wednesday, June 18, 2008 issue of the Roxboro-Courier Times

John M. Gentry

WINSTON-SALEM — The funeral for John Maury Gentry, 76, of Winston-Salem, who died Friday, June 13, 2008, after a period of declining health, was conducted at 2 p.m. Monday, June 16, in the First Christian Church in Winston-Salem. Burial was at Deep Creek Friends Meeting in Yadkinville. He was honored by VFW Post No. 10346 of Hamptonville with full military rites.

Mr. Gentry was a native of Person County, the son of the late George T. and Sallie Morton Gentry. His late brothers were Marshall and Thomas Gentry, and his late sister was Estelle Todd.

He was a U. S. Army veteran.

He was a retired electrical engineer, having worked for Amp Inc. in Winston-Salem and Hubble Inc. in the western region of North Carolina.

He was an active member of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where he sang in the choir and served as an elder.

He and his family enjoyed many years of working and playing on their Christmas tree farm in Candler, where he was also an active member of Montmorenci UMC. He enjoyed serving God and his community, spending time with his family, birdwatching, fishing, reading, and traveling, and, according to his family, he could always be found by following the sound of his whistle.

Surviving are his wife, Bobbie Shore Gentry; three daughters and their husbands, Melissa and Chris Causby, Susan and Scott Gray, and Allison and Bob Szuba; two brothers, Lamberth Gentry and Ircil Gentry; two sisters Sue Ingram and Hilda McKnight; and seven grandchildren Matthew, Neal and Grant Causby, Emily, Samuel, Elijah Gray and Chris Szuba.

Memorials may be made to the First Christian Church and Hospice of Forsyth County.

Condolences may be sent to www.mem.com.

Peggy C. Jeffrey

The funeral for Peggy Carver Jeffrey, 69, of 1589 Red Oak Dr., who died Saturday, June 14, at Hospice at the Meadowlands in Hillsborough, was conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, June 16, in Theresa Baptist Church by the Rev. Herbert Brown. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Jeffrey was a native of Person County, the daughter of the late Archie Bradsher and Willie Duncan Carver. Her late husband of 30 years was Phillip Eugene Jeffrey. Her late brother was Archie Buck Carver.

She was retired from IGA.

She was a member of Theresa Baptist Church.

Surviving are a daughter, Mamie J. Paul and husband, Eddie, of Roxboro; a son, Phillip Ray Jeffrey and wife, Bonnie, of Roxboro; a sister, Marie Weaver of Roxboro; and three grandchildren, Keri Allison Jeffrey, Jeffrey Scott Paul and Phillip Michael Paul.

Pallbearers were Michael Brandon, Bernie Carver, Tim Wade, Allen Weaver, Bradsher Weaver, Larry Weaver, Mark Weaver and Paul Weaver.

Memorials may be made to the Hospice at the Meadowlands Inpatient Care Facility, 1001 Corporate Dr., Hillsborough, NC 27278 or to the Theresa Baptist Church Building Fund, 3919 Chub Lake Rd., Roxboro, NC 27574.

Arrangements were by Strickland Funeral Home.

David A. Liles

The funeral for David Allen Liles, 21, of 369 Lewis Winstead Loop, who died Sunday, June 15, 2008, at Duke University Medical Center, will be conducted at 1 p.m. today, June 18, in the Brooks & White Funeral Home chapel by the Rev. Troy Rust. Burial will be in the Person Memorial Cemetery.

Born in Durham County, Mr. Liles was the son of Tommy Allen and Kathy Sigmon Liles.

He was a Baptist.

Surviving in addition to his parents is his grandmother, Ida Sigmon of Mebane.

Pallbearers will be Ray Adams, Casey Adams, Chance Sanford, Chet Clayton, Jeremy Crabtree, Carl Crabtree and Troy Grimes.

Memorials may be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, 3803B Computer Dr., Suite 108, Raleigh, NC, 27609.

Condolences may be sent to www.brooksandwhite.com.

James R. Morris

James Robert Morris, 89, of 4373 Oxford Rd., died Tuesday, June 17, 2008. Born in Halifax County, VA, Mr. Morris was the son of the late Sam and Rosa M. Morris. Mr. Morris served in the US Army during WWII and was a member of Mt. Harmony Baptist Church for over 75 years. He retired from Center Pontiac and he later owned and operated Stor-N-Lock Self Storage.

Mr. Morris is survived by his wife of 68 years, Virginia Duke Morris; two sons and their wives, J. Gary and Diane Morris, of Atlanta, GA and Danny and Jane Morris of Hurdle Mills; one brother, Joe S. Morris, of Roxboro; five sisters, Dorothy Davis, of Spindale, Annie Hayes, Alvernia Goodson, and Eleanor Russell, all of Richmond, VA and Ruth Bailey, of Seattle, WA; five grandchildren, Brent Morris and wife Hope, Beth Self and husband Scott, Kevin Morris, Amanda Morris and Allison Dacus and husband Charles; nine great-grandchildren. Mr. Morris was preceded in death by two brothers, Stover Morris and Marshall Morris.

Funeral services will be held 11AM Friday at Mt. Harmony Baptist Church by the Rev. Barry Chambers and the Rev. Tommy Robertson. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held 6:30-8:30PM Thursday at Mt. Harmony Baptist Church and at other times at the home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mt. Harmony Baptist Church Building, Fund, 1655 Mt. Harmony Church Rd., Rougemont, NC, 27572.

Condolences may be sent to www.brooksandwhite.com.

PAID FOR BY THE FAMILY

Kathleen S. Parker

The funeral for Kathleen Sharpe Parker, 80, of 4162 John Oakley Rd., Prospect Hill, who died Sunday, June 15, 2008, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, will be conducted at 3 p.m. today, June 18, in Old Lea Bethel Baptist Church by the Rev. Alan Bottoms and the Rev. Avery Marshall. Burial will be in the Cooper Cemetery.

Born in Orange County, Mrs. Parker was the daughter of the late Caleb and Lessie Graham Sharpe. Her late husband was Doctor Dave Parker and her late son was Walter Dave Parker.

She was retired from General Electric in Mebane and was a member of Old Lea Bethel Baptist Church.

She loved her flower and vegetable gardens.

Surviving are her children, Martha Parker Pruitt of Haw River, Ronald Parker and wife, Jan, of Prospect Hill and Thelma Parker Roman of the home; a sister, Lillian Sharpe of Mebane; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Patrick Pruitt, Troy Pruitt, Parrish Parker, Adam Parker, Chris Maness, Ron Maness and Jonathan Reagan.

Memorials may be made to the Old Lea Bethel Baptist Church Building Fund, c/o Patti Carver, 981 Carver Rd., Prospect Hill, NC 27314.

Arrangements are by Brooks & White Funeral Home.

Condolences may be sent to www.brooksandwhite.com.

Thomas R. Watlington

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. — A graveside funeral with military rites for Thomas Ratliff Watlington, 81, of 1349 Jeffress St., South Boston, Va., who died Tuesday, June 17, 2008, at his home, will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday, June 20, in Grace Baptist Church cemetery by the Rev. Ed Riggs and the Rev. Randy Holmes.

Born in South Boston, on June 6, 1927, Mr. Watlington was the son of the late Junius Adelbert Watlington Jr. and Carrie Ratliff Watlington. His late siblings were Joan Watlington Webb, J. A. Watlington Jr., Bernard E. Watlington and Donald W. Watlington.

Mr. Watlington was a retired postmaster for South Boston.

He was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church, where he was a member of the choir.

Surviving are his wife, Linda Farthing Watlington; two daughters, Ann Watlington Snead and her fiance Jeff Wilmouth of South Boston and Gayle Watlington Myers and husband, Greg, of Timberlake; and two grandchildren, Jennifer Ann Sparks of Hampton, Va. and Cynthia Marie Snead of Nathalie, Va.; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be Thursday, June 19, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home in South Boston and at other times at his family home 200 Watlington Dr., South Boston.

Memorials may be made to Main Street United Methodist Church, 701 North Main St., South Boston, VA 24592 or to the Mt. Cana Unitied Methodist Church.