Obituaries from the Saturday, November 3, 2007 issue of the Roxboro-Courier Times

Ralph B. Cox

DURHAM — The funeral for Ralph Jennings Bryan Cox, 99, of Durham, who died Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007 at the Hillcrest Convalescent Center, will be conducted at 2 p.m. today, Nov. 3, in the Clements Funeral Home chapel by the Rev. Diane Hill. Burial will be in the Maplewood Cemetery.

Mr. Cox was a lifelong Durham resident, the son of the late Robert Edward and Mary Walker Cox. His late wives were Mary Copley Cox and Martha Poe Cox.

Prior to retirement in 1963, he was employed with Swift and Co.

At the time of his death, he was the oldest living member of Watts Street Baptist Church.

Surviving are two daughters, Betty C. Hovis and husband, Bill, of Norcross, Ga. and Barbara C. Riddle and husband, Stacy, of Durham; two sons, Ralph J.B. Cox Jr. and wife, Rachel, of Matthews and W. Kenneth Cox and wife, Velma, of Timberlake; 15 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. today, Nov. 3, at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the Watts St. Baptist Church, 800 Watts St., Durham, NC 27701.

Allan Hall

ROUGEMONT — A memorial service for Allan Hall, 87, of 3415 Moore's Mill Rd., Rougemont, who died Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007 at Duke Community Hospice of the Meadowlands in Hillsborough, will be conducted at 11 a.m. today, Nov. 3, in Guess Road Baptist Church by the Rev. Julian Motley. A private graveside service, with military honors, will be held in the Maplewood Cemetery following the memorial service.

Mr. Hall was a lifelong resident of Durham, the son of the late Charles Chopin and Ellen Cates Hall. His late wife was Ruby Crawford Hall, and his late daughter was Susan Marie Hall.

He was retired from the U.S. Postal Service.

He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He participated in several campaigns, including the invasion of Normandy.

He was a lifelong member of Guess Road Baptist Church.

Surviving are a daughter, Teresa Allen and husband, Jim, of Lincolnton, Ga.; two sons, Steve Hall and wife, Dana, of Rougemont and Kermit Hall and wife, Kathy, of Roxboro; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be at the church following the service.

Memorials may be made to the Duke Homecare and Hospice Services, 4321 Medical Park Dr., Suite 101, Durham, NC 27704.

Gail B. Murray

A memorial service for Gail Beisheim Murray, 63, of 691 Saplin Branch Rd., Timberlake, who died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007 at the Hospice Home, was conducted at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, in Bethany Baptist Church in Rougemont.

Mrs. Murray was a native of Liberty, Ky., the daughter of the late Robert K. and Margaret Edwards Beisheim. Her late husband was Malcolm J. Murray.

She spent her childhood growing up in Michigian and then attended Kentucky Wesleyan College.

She was retired from Duke Medical Pharmacy.

Surviving are three daughters, Danielle Sewall and husband, Len, of Gaston, S.C., Michele A. Wells and husband, Rich, of Liberty and Angelique N. Austin of Graham; a sister, Carol Virgne; a brother, Bob Beisheim; two grandsons, Tyler Simpson and Ethan Wells; and a granddaughter, Natalie Austin.

Visitation will follow the service.

Memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative care of Alamance Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Rd., Burlington, NC 27215.

Gloria A. Poore

The funeral for Gloria Ann Poore, 79, of 139 Deacon Dr., Timberlake, who died Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007 at her home, was conducted at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, in the Strickland Funeral Home chapel by the Rev. Chris Sorensen. Burial will be today, Nov. 3, in the Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Princeton, W. Va.

Mrs. Poore was a native of Corrine, W. Va., the daughter of the late James Errie and Jenny Davis Snead. Her late husband of 21 years was Harry Stanley Poore. Her late daughter was Freida Riley, and her late son was James Snead.

She was a seamstress, retired from Elkton Fashions.

Surviving are two daughters, Katherine Hoops of Fayetteville and Patricia Smith and husband, John, of North East, Md.; a son, Charles Michael Shrewsbury and wife, Patricia, of Newark, Del.; and two brothers, Daniel Snead of Baltimore, Md. and William Snead of Mt. Hope, W. Va.; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

James Elmus Pope Jr.

DURHAM — The funeral for James Elmus Pope Jr., 84, of 3024 Glendale Ave., Durham, who died Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007 at Durham Regional Hospital following a brief illness, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, in Glendale Heights United Methodist Church by the Rev. Ron Snyder and the Rev. Ed Bogie. Burial will be in the Maplewood Cemetery, Annex B.

Born June 30, 1923 in Durham, Mr. Pope was the son of the late James Elmus and Carrie Tilton Pope. His late son was James Elmus Pope III.

He was raised in Raleigh and attended Wake County public schools, graduating from Cary High School.

A U.S. Navy veteran, he served during World War II.

He was a pipe and steam fitter by trade and worked many jobs throughout the eastern United States at various DuPont plants.

After living away from the area since 1943, he and his family returned to Durham in 1959. He then was employed with Liggett-Myers Tobacco Co. Later he was the area foreman with Honeywell Inc., the position from where he retired in 1987.

He was a 50-year member and past president of Steam and Pipe Fitter Union local 785. He was a founding member of the Eastern Chapter of the North Carolina Blinded Veterans Association, which he served as president for a number of years.

He enjoyed doing volunteer work at the Veterans Administration Medical Center.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Waynesboro, Va., and was a 32nd degree Mason, a Shriner and a member of Sudan Temple in New Bern.

He was a charter member of Glendale Heights United Methodist Church, where he served in several capacities of leadership and was a member of the Joe Goehring Sunday School class.

Surviving are his wife of 64 years, Mildred Riley Pope; two daughters, Brenda P. Witten and husband, Dave, of Atlanta, Ga. and Angela P. Alford and husband, Craig, of Creedmoor; two sons, Kevin B. Pope and wife, Mary, of Rougemont and Gary T. Pope and wife, Nancy Hutt, of San Fransisco, Calif.; six grandchildren, Julie, Hahnna, Jennifer, Evan, Jiles and Jessica.

Pallbearers will be Kevin Pope, Scott Perry, Preston Perry, Steve Riley, Page Riley and Don Witten.

Members of the Eastern Chapter of the North Carolina Blinded Veterans Association will be honorary pallbearers.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today, Nov. 3, at Howerton & Bryan Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Glendale Heights UMC, 908 Leon St., Durham, NC, 27704.

Clinton L. Saunders

SANFORD — A graveside funeral for Clinton Langhorn Saunders, 74, of 3116 Lemon Springs Rd., Sanford, and formerly of Roxboro, who died Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007 at Wake Medical Center in Cary, will be conducted at 3:30 p.m. today, Nov. 3, in the Olive Branch Baptist Church cemetery.

Mr. Saunders was a native of Halifax County Va., the son of the late Luther Merritt and Mary Nichols Newcomb Saunders.

He was a retired painter.

He was a member of Olive Branch Baptist Church.

He enjoyed carpentry and wood-working.

Surviving are his wife, Rebecca Crumpton Saunders of Hurdle Mills; a daughter, Brenda Saunders Taylor of Apex; four sons, Clinton Mark Saunders of Statesboro, Ga., William Merritt Saunders and Anthony Daron Saunders, both of Roxboro and Kristopher Jason Saunders of Sanford; a brother, Claude (Bozo) Saunders of Roxboro; and eight grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. today, Nov. 3, at Brooks & White Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Home Health and Hospice of Person County, 255A South Madison Blvd., Roxboro, NC 27573.

Donna Walton

DURHAM — The funeral for Donna Walton of Durham, who died Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, at Mt. Bethel Presbyterian Church by the Rev. Ingram Hedgpeth. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Walton was a native of Schenectady, N.Y., the daughter of Sabina Boyle Turnbull and the late Arthur Turnbull.

She retired in 2005 from Northern High School where she taught for 22 years.

She was a member of Mt. Bethel Presbyterian Church.

Surviving are her husband of 44 years, Gene Walton; a daughter, Heather Walton Clayton and husband, Gary, of Roxboro; a son, Chris Walton and wife, Jessica, of Durham; three sisters, Mary Jo Cottrell of Pleasant Valley, N.Y., June Shaw of Saratoga, N.Y. and Nancy Hogan of Ocean Ridge, Fla.; a brother, Dan Turnbull of Denver; and a grandchild, Christy Nelson of Springfield, Md.

Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, Nov. 3, at Mt. Bethel Presbyterian Church.

Memorials may be made to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 250, Dallas, TX 75244 or to Mt. Bethel Presbyterian Church, 3541 Rose of Sharon Rd., Durham, NC 27705.

Lynyah T. Wise

The funeral for Lynyah T. Wise, 8, of 149 Cleveland Ln., who died Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007 at Duke University Medical Center, will be conducted at noon Monday, Nov. 5, in New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Durham by Dr. Glenn R. Davis. Burial will be in the St. Paul Holy Church cemetery in Roxboro.

Ms. Wise was the daughter of Cassandra Wise of Roxboro.

Surviving in addition to her mother are her maternal grandmother, Phyllis Wise of the home; and her great-grandmother, Gladys Wise of Durham.

Visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, at Cunningham & Nelson Funeral Home.

Sam B. Young

DURHAM — The funeral for Sam B. Young of Durham, who died Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, will be conducted at 11 a.m. today, Nov. 3, in Faith Baptist Church by the Rev. Roger Wall. Burial will be in the Oak Grove Memorial Gardens.

Mr. Young was born in Wake Forest, the son of the late Oscar B. and Cora Green Young.

He was a member of Faith Baptist Church.

He was a retired plumbing inspector for Durham County.

Surviving are his wife, Virginia Murray Young; two sons, Donald Young and wife, Marie, of Gretna, Va. and David Young and wife, Candace, of Hurdle Mills; a daughter, Teresa Young Williams and husband, Edwin, of Bahama; a sister, Myrtle Wall of Durham; a brother, Clyde Young of Apex; eight grandchildren, Jason Young, Serenity Mickle, Madison Young, Heather Coe, Jennifer Jordan, Cory Williams, Jessica Young and Casey Young; and eight great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Jason Young, Cory Williams, Charlie Ferguson, Roland (Chip) Gill, Mark Gill and Carroll McDonald.

Members of the Tom Tutor Sunday School Class of Faith Baptist Church, Ronnie Mitchell and Bobby White will be honorary pallbearers.

Memorials may be made to Hospice at the Meadowlands, 1001 Corporate Dr., Hillsborough, NC 27278.

Arrangements are by Clements Funeral Home of Durham.

Mary M. Zawicki

A memorial service for Mary Elizabeth Mann Zawicki, 30, of 2995 Bowmantown Rd., who died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007 from injuries sustained in a traffic accident, will be conducted at 11 a.m.. today, Nov. 3, in the Brooks & White Funeral Home chapel.

Mrs. Zawicki was the daughter of Jeff and Susan Box Mann, who survive.

She was a registered nurse in the emergency room of Person Memorial Hospital.

She was a member of the Roxboro Church of Christ.

Surviving in addition to her parents are her husband, Steven Dennis Zawicki; four daughters, Catherine, Christina, Cynthia and Carolynne Zawicki; two brothers, Dennis and Art Mann; a sister, Margaret Witherspoon; and her grandmother, Beverly J. Mann.

Visitation will be at the funeral home for one hour before the service.

Memorials may be made to the Roxboro Church of Christ, 2567 Burlington Rd., Roxboro, NC 27573, to establish a trust fund for her children.