Obituaries

WHITEVILLE -- Annette Inman Carter, 67, died Tuesday, May 15, 2007. She was born Feb. 28, 1940 in Columbus County, the daughter of the late Howard Inman and Thelma Connor Inman.

Graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 17, 2007, at Whiteville Memorial Cemetery. Peacock Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include her husband, Jerry L. Carter; a daughter, Drenda Carter Ellis of Sandstone, Va.; a son, Monty Carter of Lake Waccamaw; and a brother, George Inman of Whiteville.

She was preceded in death by five brothers, Greg Inman, Jimmy Inman, Sherman Inman, Jack Inman and Gary Inman; and a sister, Jo Ann Inman Sellers.

ANGIER -- Agnes D. McPherson, 72, died Sunday, May 13, 2007, at her residence.

Final rites were held Wednesday, May 16, at McLaurin Funeral Home Chapel with the Reverends Jerry Stephenson and Jessie Caton officiating. Entombment followed at Pinecrest Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. McLaurin at Pinecrest Funeral Home of Clayton handled the arrangements.

Survivors include her sons, Steve McPherson of Angier, Rex McPherson of Whiteville, Richard McPherson of McGee Crossroads, three grandchildren, nine step-grandchildren and one great-grandchild; sisters, Sarah Blackwell of Cerro Gordo, and Ila V. Penny of Whiteville.

Flowers are appreciated or memorial contributions may be made to Vandora Springs Freewill Baptist Church, Vandora Springs Road, Garner, N.C. 27529.

DURHAM -- Vernessa Ann Brown, 34, formerly of Council, died Sunday, May 13, 2007, at Durham Regional Hospital.

Arrangements will be announced by Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville.

Survivors include her father, Bobby Brown of Council; her mother, Mary Edna Brown of Philadelphia, Pa.; and a brother, Bobby R. Brown Jr. of Hillsborough.

WHITEVILLE -- Michael McKenzie, 52, died Saturday, May 12, 2007, at his residence.

Final rites will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Cedar Grove Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. John Troy. Burial will follow in the Kelly Cemetery in Bladenboro. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include two sons, Maurice Brown of Whiteville and Preston Lacy of Charlotte; his parents, Otto and Maevern McKenzie of the home; two sisters, Rita McKenzie and Kimberly McKenzie of Whiteville; three brothers, Jerome McKenzie of Atlanta, Ga., Anthony McKenzie and Otto McKenzie Jr. of Whiteville.

Viewing will be at the funeral home on Friday, May 18 from noon until 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10-11 a.m. Viewing will be at the church Saturday following the service.

WHITEVILLE -- Hilda Arp Cartrette, 59, died Saturday, May 12, 2007, at her home. She was born in Columbus County, the daughter of the late Joe and Janet Soles Arp. She was a member of Shiloh United Methodist Church.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Shiloh United Methodist Church in Whiteville with Rev. Victor Crawford officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Survivors include two daughters, Tammie Anderson and Pamela Ward, both of Whiteville; a sister, Patricia Arp Benton of Lake Waccamaw; four grandchildren and one great-grandson.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be to Shiloh Cemetery Fund, 8135 Hallsboro Road South, Whiteville, N.C. 28472.

RIEGELWOOD -- Edith Rawls Simpson, 91, died Thursday, May 17, 2007, at Premier Living, Lake Waccamaw.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by McKenzie Mortuary of Whiteville.

WHITEVILLE -- Lydia Myrtle Ward Stevens, 85, died Sunday, May 13, 2007, at Columbus Regional Healthcare. She was the daughter of the late Johnny and Lillie Mae Gore Ward and the widow of Hubert Stevens. She was also predeceased by a daughter, Patricia Stevens Ivey.

Final rites were held Wednesday, May 16, at Worthington Funeral Home with the Rev. Mitchell Smith officiating. Burial followed in Columbus Memorial Park, Whiteville.

Survivors include two sons, Phillip and Larry Stevens of Whiteville; a daughter, Phyllis S. Newman of Albuquerque, N.M.; a sister, Dora Mercer of Chadbourn; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

HALLSBORO -- Rev. Annie Stephens, 88, died Friday, May 11, at Premier Living of Lake Waccamaw.

Final rites will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17, at Mt. Hebron AME Zion Church with the Rev. Maria Lacewell officiating. Burial will follow in Mt. Hebron Memorial Park, Hallsboro. Smith Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include her chldren, Douglas Stephens of East Orange, N.J., Albert Stephens of Norwalk, Conn., Annie Rose Stephens of the home, Quincy Stephens of Smithfield, and Clarence Stephens of Bridgeport, Conn.; a brother, Ardell Shaw of Philadelphia, Pa., a sister, Rona Pierce of Philadelphia, Pa.; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Viewing will be held one hour prior to the services at the church and following the service.

TABOR CITY -- Reginald Rainey, 47, died Tuesday, May 15, 2007, at his residence.

Final rites will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at Little Iron Hill Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Paul Stevenson officiating. Burial will follow at Bristol Creek Cemetery. Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include four daughters, Screta Wilson, Santana Batten, Kecia Rainey, and Ashley Rainey, all of Tabor City; a son, Reginald King of Tennessee; six sisters, Mary Dixon of Timmonsville, S.C., Janice Dozier, Angel Woods, Theresa Rogers, and Annette Rainey of Durham, and Melissa Rainey of New York; two brothers, Terry Rainey of Lumberton, and Otis Rainey of Homer, La.

Viewing will be at the funeral home on Saturday from 1 until 8 p.m. Viewing will be at the church Sunday following the service.

CHADBOURN -- James Gause, 78, died Monday, May 14, 2007, at his residence.

Final rites will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 18, at Smith Funeral Home of Whiteville with Pastor Tracey Troy officiating. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery. Smith Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Mother Martha Gause of the home; two sons, Elder James Allen Gause of Orrum, and David Gause of Clarendon; stepchildren, Corine Pittman of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Bishop Rosa Pittman of Whiteville.

Friends may visit the home of Bishop Rosa Pittman at 970 Campground Road, Whiteville.

Viewing will be held on Thursday (today) from 1-8 p.m. at the funeral home and on Friday following the service.

SHALLOTTE -- Gertie F. Hill, 87, died Tuesday, May 15, 2007, at her residence.

Final rites will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at Ocean View Association Site, Sunset Beach, with the Rev. Dr. Vaughn Cherry officiating. Burial will follow in the Mulberry Cemetery, Shallotte. Smith Funeral Home of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include her children, Joyce Mae Johnson and Gracie P. Johnson, both of Shallotte, Ezell Hill of Supply, Rev. Herman Hill, Deloise Johnson, Maxine Hill, Lavern Hill, Larry Hill, all of Shallotte, Denise Hill of Poplar, S.C., and Pernell Hill of Winnabow; and a sister, Claretha McNeil of Shallotte.

Viewing will be on Saturday, May 19 from 4-8 p.m. at the funeral home. The body will lie instate one hour prior to services at the Ocean View Association Site and viewing will follow the services.

ELIZABETHTOWN -- Donnie Gause, 60, died Tuesday, May 15, 2007, at Sunbridge Nursing Home.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by S&L Funeral Home of Fair Bluff.

Family and friends will be received at the home of Lee Ethel Vereen, 107 Jarvis Street, Tabor City.

KELLY -- Lorin “Sonny” Newton Ward, 68, died Saturday, May 12, 2007, at Bladen County Hospital in Elizabethtown. He was the son of the late William Albert and Mildred Baldwin Ward.

Ward was a member of Natmoore Baptist Church and retired from International Paper Company after 38 years of employment.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, May 17, at Natmoore Baptist Church with the Reverends Terry Green, Curtis Cruise and Donald Hardwick officiating.

Survivors include his wife, Jane Pridgen of Shallotte; three daughters, Cheryl Powell of New Bern, Gale Green of Kelly, and Margaret Hinson of Whiteville; a son, William “Tac” Edward Ward of Hallsboro; two stepsons, Allen Thomas and Jeffrey Thomas, both of Wilmington; two sisters, Miriam Bush of Washington, D.C. and Sylvia McCarley of Fayetteville; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.