Obituaries from the Wednesday, November 21, 2007 issue of the Roxboro-Courier Times

Roger M. Bland

The funeral for Roger Michael Bland, 65, of 4897 N.C. 57N, Semora, who died Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, will be conducted at 11 a.m. today, Nov. 24, in the Brooks & White Funeral Home chapel by Pastor David Owen. Burial will be in the Floral Hills Memorial Gardens in Danville, Va.

Mr. Bland was a native of Columbia, S.C., the son of the late Samuel J. Bland Jr. and Myrl Griggs Bland.

He was retired from Progress Energy and attended the Ekklesia New Testament Church.

He was a U.S. Air Force veteran.

He was a retired member of the Semora Volunteer Fire Department.

Surviving are his wife, Nancy C. Bland; three children, Cheryl Higgins and Steven Bland, both of Raleigh and Tammey Bland of Semora; a brother, Carlton Bland of Florence, S.C.; a sister, Marcia Stegner of Hartsville, S.C.; and five grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Semora VFD, P.O. Box 54, Semora, NC 27343.

Marjorie G. Gentry

Funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time for Marjorie Frances G. Gentry, 79, of 7637 Virgilina Rd., who died Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007 at Person Memorial Hospital.

Mrs. Gentry was a native of Person County, the daughter of the late Theodore and Mae Gates Gentry.

She was a member of Olive Branch Baptist Church.

Surviving are her husband Cecil Gentry; two daughters, Dianne Gentry Gallimore and Faye Gentry Collie; a son, Cecil Lynn Gentry; a brother, Bobby Lee Gentry; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Arrangements are by Brooks & White Funeral Home.

Kathleen C. Long

The funeral for Kathleen Clayton Long, 92, of 155 Rosewood Dr., who died Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007 at Person Memorial Hospital, will be conducted at 11 a.m. today, Nov. 21, in the Brooks & White Funeral Home chapel by the Rev. Gerald Hodges and the Rev. Jonathan Taylor. Burial will be in the Eanes-Oakley Cemetery.

Mrs. Long was a native of Person County, the daughter of the late Flem Oscar and Bettie Painter Clayton. Her late husband was Lambeth Spencer (Penny) Long.

She was a homemaker and a charter member of Westwood Baptist Church, where she served on several committees and also sang in the choir.

Surviving are a daughter, Linda L. Dixon of Roxboro; a brother, F.O. Clayton Jr., of Roxboro; a granddaughter, Lynn D. Whitlow of Roxboro; and three great-grandchildren, Bart Whitlow, LeAnne Whitlow and Ashley Whitlow.

Pallbearers will be Dale Slagle, Larry Wilkerson, Freddie Wilkerson, Neal Hamlett, Clay Kimrey and Edward Clayton.

Bart Whitlow will serve as an honorary pallbearer.

Memorials may be made to Home Health & Hospice of Person County, 355A S. Madison Blvd., Roxboro, NC 27573 or Westwood Baptist Church, P.O. Box 183, Roxboro, NC 27573.

Lorine T. Smith

OXFORD — The funeral for Lorine Thorpe, 67, of 8184 Charlie Stovall Rd., who died Friday, Nov. 16, 2007 at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 27, in St. Matthew Baptist Church by Pastor Gregory J. Webb. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Smith was a native of Granville County and attended county public schools.

She was a member of St. Matthew Baptist Church, where she served on the usher board, hospitality committee and sang in the mass choir.

Surviving are her husband, William H. Smith; four children, Bettie Towler and husband, Booker T., Tondra S. Greene and husband, James, all of Oxford, William H. Smith Jr. and wife, Tonya, of Roxboro and Darian D. Smith of Bayboro; two brothers, the Rev. Leo Thorpe and McCoy Thorpe, both of Oxford; and a sister, Catherine T. Downey of Oxford; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, Nov. 21, at Betts and Son Funeral Home.

Albert R. Vaughan

VIRGILINA, Va. — A private memorial service will be conducted for Albert Ralph Vaughan, 79, of Virginia, who died Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007 at his home.

Mr. Vaughan was born on June 13, 1928 to the late William Patrick and Rebecca Elliott Vaughan. His late son was Albert Ralph Vaughan Jr., and his late daughter was Barbara L. Vaughan.

He was the owner of Vaughan Service Co.

He was a member of Aarons Creek Baptist Church.

He was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the William M. Tuck Airport Association.

Surviving are his wife, Mary Yancey Vaughan; two sons, Ronnie Dale Vaughan and wife, Janet, of Alton, Va. and Darrell S. Suggs and wife, Kim, of Raleigh; two daughters, Mary V. Griffin of Virgilina and Rebecca V. Harris and husband, Dan, of Eastville; four brothers, Bobby Vaughan of Fredericksburg, Va., Randy Vaughan of King George, Va., Winn Vaughan of Lyons, Colo. and Chester Vaughan of Seabrook, Texas; a sister, Hilma Carter of Clarksville, Va.; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be at the home.

Memorials may be made to the Halifax Home Health & Hospice, 2204 Wilborn Ave., South Boston, Va. 24592 or Midway FVD, 1109 Bill Tuck Hwy., Virgilina, Va. 24598.

Arrangements are by Watkins, Cooper & Lynn Funeral Home of Clarksville.

Jerry M. Walker

BLUFFTON, S.C. — The funeral for Jerry M. Walker, 69, of 93 Muirfield Dr., Bluffton, S.C., and formerly of Roxboro, who died Friday, Nov. 16, 2007 at his home, will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, in Warren’s Grove United Methodist Church.

Born Nov. 10, 1938, in Person County, Mr. Walker was the son of the late Arch and Mary Walker.

Surviving are his wife of 44 years, Becky Norris Walker; two sons, Brad Walker of Raleigh and Chris Walker of Hilton Head, S.C.; three sisters, Kay Russell of Pinehurst, Peggy Lloyd of Gainsville, Ga. and Rose Glover of Raleigh; two grandsons, Connor Walker of Hilton Head and Griffin Walker of Raleigh; and two great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be at the church following the service.

Memorials may be made to the Trust Fund for Connor and Griffin Walker, 93 Muirfield Rd., Bluffton, S.C. 29910.

Lola R. Wilson

The funeral for Lola (Jean) Reaves Wilson, 64, of 2025 Mill Creek Rd., who died Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007 at UNC Hospital following an extended illness, was conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, in the Brooks & White Funeral Home chapel by Pastor Frankie Reaves and Pastor J. Harold Palmer. Burial was in the Person Memorial Cemetery.

Born in Person County, Mrs. Wilson was the daughter of Nellie Solomon Reaves of Roxboro, who survives, and the late Herbert Reaves.

She and her husband Doyle were the owners of D & J Upholstery for 42 years.

Surviving in addition to her mother are her husband of 48 years, Doyle Wilson; a son, Ricky Wilson and wife, Tonya, of Roxboro; two daughters, Norma Walker and husband, Dean, and Lynn Bowes and husband, Allen, all of Roxboro; four sisters, Texie Wilson and Peggy Hazel, both of Roxboro, Ann Rigsbee, of Cary and Gail Mangum of Creedmoor; three brothers, Tom Reaves and Tony Reaves, both of Roxboro and Kenneth Reaves of Durham; and five grandchildren, Kyle Bowes, Travis Wilson, Trent Wilson, Ryan Walker and Jason Walker;

Pallbearers were Jamie Rigsbee, Randy Wilson, Waylon Wilson, Justin Cole, Blake Ashley, Chris Adams, and Matt Westbrooks.

Ed Lea, A.J. Johnson, Clayton Meadows and Ricky Gammon were honorary pallbearers.

Memorials may be made to the McGhee’s Mill Baptist Church Building Fund, 9000 McGhee’s Mill Rd., Semora, NC 27343.