Obituaries from the Saturday, June 21, 2008 issue of the Roxboro-Courier Times

Henrietta Brown

DURHAM — The funeral for Henrietta Brown, 86, of 1900 Stadium Dr., Durahm, who died Sunday, June 15, 2008 at Durham Regional Hospital, will be conducted at 2 p.m. today, June 21, in Union Grove Baptist Church in Hurdle Mills by the Rev. Rufus L. Johnson. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Surviving are a daughter, Queen Brown of the home; a son, Gaither (Lee) Brown Jr. and wife, Roberta, of Harbor City, Calif.; a sister, Mozell Paylor of Durham; and a grandson, Charles E. Graves Jr. of Durham.

Arrangements are by Hester, Whitted & Daye Funeral Home.

Bessie M. Day

ROUGEMONT — Bessie Moore Meadows Day, age 90, formerly of 5728 Mt. Harmony Church Rd., died Friday, June 20, 2008 at the Roxboro Nursing Center. She was born in Person County and was the daughter of the late Arthur Loyd Moore and Eva Knott Moore. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Clyde Meadows and second husband, Hoke Day. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and attended both Trinity United Methodist Church and Bethany Baptist Church.

Surviving are her sister, Marie Moore Oakley and husband Charlie of Roxboro; three nephews, C.L. Oakley, Arthur Oakley and Thomas Moore, all of Roxboro, great-nieces and nephews, Janet Clayton, Jill Strickland, John Oakley, Tish Oakley, Daniel Oakley and David Oakley.

The family will receive friends Sunday one hour prior to the service from 2-3PM at the Brooks & White Funeral Home and other times at the home of her sister, 206 Webb Street, Roxboro.

Funeral services will be held 3PM Sunday at the Brooks & White Chapel by the Rev. T.R. Miller. Burial will follow in the Person Memorial Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Chuck Strickland, Kevin Clayton, John Oakley, Roy Brooks, Pete Thomas, and Jimmy Thomas. Honorary pallbearers will be Jimmy Moore, Linwood Neathery, Harold Brooks, Bobby Brooks, Elvin Royster, and Jimmy Glenn.

Memorial donations may be made to the Moriah Volunteer Fire Department, 1879 Mt. Harmony Church Rd., Rougemont, NC, 27572.

Condolences may be sent to www.brooksandwhite.com.

PAID FOR BY THE FAMILY

Nina S. Murphy

Nina Elizabeth Smith Murphy, age 87, formerly of Roxboro, passed away peacefully Wednesday, June 18, 2008. She was born in Pitt County and was the daughter of the late Leon and Lenna Allen Smith. She was raised in Greenville under the watchful eyes of not only her parents, but also aunts and uncles who lived nearby.

She would walk the few blocks from her home to East Carolina Teachers College for the four years following high school and was rewarded with her Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics. After a brief stint at the East Tennessee State University graduate school she was ready to share her knowledge of efficiency in the kitchen and sewing room with the young high school girls of the day. She taught for a while in Pinetops, NC until she accepted a job in Roxboro.

Through her love of playing bridge she was introduced to Clyde Murphy and on Thanksgiving Day in 1949 they were married. The following September, their only child, James Smith Murphy was born and Nina stopped teaching to give her full attention to raising their son. Nina began to substitute teaching thereafter, not just to keep up her skills, but because she loved teaching.

After Jim left the home to start his own family, Nina volunteered to teach older adults to read and write. Often she would accept grading assignments with Measurement Inc., grading state-administered assignments.

Nina was also a fantastic landscape gardener, and was a founding member of the Roxboro Garden Club. She was also a birdwatcher, an antiques collector, a member of the Colonial Dames, a history buff, who organized and led tours of the Colonial plantation homes along the James River, an avid and calculating bridge player, and a first-rate genealogical researcher, all offered up with the charm and grace that only a Southern lady could provide.

After the death of her husband after forty-eight wonderful years together and though all things must finally end, life springs eternal. She was preceded in death by her brother, Leon Smith Jr. She is survived by her son Jim and her daughter-in-law Theressa Murphy, of Franklinton; two grandchildren, Jonathan Franklin Murphy and wife Nicole of Raleigh, William Robert Murphy and wife Allison of Greensboro; two great-grandchildren, Jasper Murphy and Aven Murphy.

Graveside services will be held 4:30PM Monday, June 23, 2008 at Burchwood Cemetery in Roxboro by the Rev. T.R. Miller

Memorial donations may be made to the Long Memorial United Methodist Church Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 310, Roxboro, NC, 27573.

The family would like to thank everyone who have contributed to having a special place and part in Nina’s life and heart over the years and May God Bless You All.

Condolences may be sent to www.brooksandwhite.com.

PAID FOR BY THE FAMILY