May 2008 Obituaries
Debra Malpass Rivenbark
Winnabow--Debra Malpass Rivenbark, age 51, passed peacefully to her eternal
rest on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at her residence.
She was born December 16, 1956 in Bladen County to the late Quinn and
Mildred Squires Malpass. Debra was preceded in death by her sister, Voncielle
Gurganious. Debra was a loving mother, grandmother, fiancée, sister, aunt and
friend who found great joy in the simplest of things, but her great joy in life was
her family, especially her grandchildren. She possessed a great sense of humor
and loved sewing, crocheting, and laughter. Always putting others first, Debra
was a very giving and sharing lady who was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.
Survivors include her fiancé, Manuel Rivenbark of Winnabow; a daughter, Angela
Moffitt and fiancé, Dale Bruce of Wilmington; a son, Steven Williamson of
Wilmington; four grandchildren, Sarah Bruce, Jeremy Moffitt, Braxton Williamson
and Tyler Williamson; five sisters, Juanita Wallace (Charles) of Delco, Evelyn Smith
of Bolton, Jane Porter (J.A.) of Castle Hayne, Emily Moxley of Winnabow, and Marie
Dipasquale (John) of White Oak; a brother, Bruce Malpass of Rocky Point; and
many nieces and nephews.
Final rites were held May 10, 2008 at Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home Burgaw
Chapel with Major Butch Mallard officiating. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be
given to American Cancer Society, 930-B Wellness Drive, Greenville, N.C., 27834.
William Kenneth McAllister
Burgaw-William Kenneth McAllister, age 68, died Saturday, May 10, 2008 in Pender
County.
He was born in Charleston, W.Va., the son of the late Benjamin F. and Effie Marie
Pendell McAllister. For over 40 years McAllister worked in the television Industry.
He worked in many phases in television, starting as a studio boy at the age of 16 and
progressed to audio technician, director, producer, and production manager. He
worked in TV stations in West Virginia and North Carolina.
McAllister was a devoted husband and a loving daddy, granddaddy, brother and friend.
With his great sense of humor and witty personality, he loved laughter and never met
a stranger. He enjoyed family gatherings, his work in television and Bill Gaither’s
gospel music. He was loved and will be greatly missed.
Survivors include his wife, Gladys McAllister of the home; three daughters, Janet
Pittman and husband Bill of Hampstead, Joyce Doughty and husband Aaron of
Henderson and Tammy Wiernasz and husband Rich of Midlothian, Va.; a son, Sean
McAllister and wife Chris of Ft. Mills, S.C.; eight grandchildren, Melissa Spence, Scott
Pittman, Aaron Doughty Jr., Joy Doughty, Connor Wiernasz, Brannon Wiernasz,
Zachary McAllister and Dillon McAllister; and a brother, Robert McAllister and wife
Betty Lou of Colorado Springs, Colo.
A memorial service was held Tuesday, May 13, at Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home
Burgaw Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Ray Mendenhall officiating.
Linton Daryl Ramsey
Burgaw-Linton Daryl Ramsey, age 45, died Saturday, May 10, 2008 at Wake Forest
University Baptist Medical Center, surrounded by his loving family, he went from this
earth to his eternal home.
He was born February 20, 1963 to Robert Linton and Eula Woodcock Ramsey of
Burgaw. He was predeceased by his father-in-law, Gordon Rivenbark. Ramsey was a
member of King Solomon Lodge No. 138 A. F. & A. M., Wilmington Scottish Rite
Bodies and Pender County Shrine Club. He worked with Pender County Farm Bureau
for 5 years.
Ramsey was a truly gifted musician, playing and singing in many local bands including
Leesburg, Desperado, Stetson and River City Bands. Most recently he played with the
Down Home Country Band at Duplin Winery in Rose Hill. Being an avid hunter and
fisherman, Daryl always enjoyed being outdoors in God’s beautiful world. His passions
in life were making people feel happy, telling a good joke and making people laugh.
Most of all Daryl loved his family and was loved in return. He will be missed more than
words can express.
Survivors include his loving parents, his devoted wife of 21 years, Sandra Rivenbark
Ramsey; two daughters, Crystal Ramsey of Hampstead and Candice Ramsey of the
home; a son, Cameron Ramsey of the home; two grandchildren, Logan Grimes and
Gage White; a brother, Robert Darin Ramsey and wife Lisa of Burgaw; an adopted
brother, Steve Straughn and wife Dawn of Burgaw; his mother-in-law, Dorothy Wells
of Wallace; his step-father-in-law, William Wells of Wallace; and several nieces,
nephews and cousins.
Final rites were held Tuesday, May 13, at Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home Burgaw
Chapel with The Rev. Bill Braswell officiating. Burial followed in Ramsey Family
Cemetery with Masonic rites accorded by King Solomon Lodge No. 138 A.F. & A.M.
Casketbearers were Allen Pierce, Worth King, Donnie Harrell, Mike Roy, Billy Brown
and Louis Fedoronko.
Dorothy H. Hawes
Shiloh Community--Dorothy H. Hawes, age 98, formally of the Shiloh Community,
passed away Thursday, May 8, 2008.
Hawes was born in Horry County, S.C., to Samuel Haskell Harrelson and Blanche
Anderson. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Frank Davis
Hawes; a son, Billy Hawes; a grandson, Henry; two brothers and three sisters.
Survivors include a son, Dennis Hawes and wife, Martha of Elizabethtown; two
daughters, Barbara Villarreal of Tucson, Ariz. and Beth Webster and husband,
Malcolm of Surfside Beach, S.C.; five grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; two
step-grandchildren; and one step great-grandchild.
Final rites were held Saturday, May 10, 2008, at Bladen-Gaskin Funeral Home
with Rev. Ecwood Lancaster officiating. A private burial followed at Herring
Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of your choice.
Bladen-Gaskins Funeral Home, Elizabethtown handled the arrangements.
Brenda Hanchey Sholar
Wallace--Brenda Hanchey Sholar, age 60, left her earthly home for her eternal
home on Sunday, May 11, 2008.
She was born May 28, 1947 in New Hanover County, the daughter of George
William “Pete” Hanchey of Wallace and the late Evelyn Brown Hanchey. She
was predeceased by her companion of 29 years, Thomas Paine Johnston.
Brenda was a special lady with a heart of gold, a generous spirit and a love for
others. She was always doing good deeds, whether it was for family, friends or
complete strangers. She never looked down on anyone unless she was offering
her hand to help them up. Cherished memories of Brenda will remain in the hearts
of all who knew and loved her.
Survivors include her loving father; two sisters, Celia Horne of Wallace and Bobbie
McKellar of Surf City; three nieces, Tonia Burgess and husband Shawn of Kingsman
Ariz., Bonnie England of Wilmington and Victoria Woodson of Surf City; a nephew,
Charles Newman and wife Lisa of Burgaw; special friends, Brenda and Lonza Seay
and the Clifton Brown family and numerous great nieces, nephews and friends who
loved Brenda dearly.
A memorial service was held Wednesday, May 14, at Quinn McGowen Funeral Home
Wallace Chapel with the Reverends Clay Carter and Don Myers officiating.
Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home and Cremation Center of Wallace.
Thomas J. Powell
SPENCER - Thomas Jefferson Powell, 69, died unexpectedly at Presbyterian
Hospital in Charlotte, Monday, May 12, 2008.
He was born to the late Luther Cable Powell and Elaine Little Pierce Powell on Aug.
31, 1938, in Greenville, Pitt County. He graduated from Greenville High School and
later from East Carolina University. His career was that of an Industrial Arts teacher
in the middle school system of Rowan County. He was a member of Spencer
Presbyterian Church. He was a well-known community and church construction volunteer
as well as a foreign mission worker in Africa.
Survivors include his loving wife, Jonnette Johnson Powell, whom he married Dec. 23,
1962; a daughter, Sheila P. Hooper of Spencer; and two brothers, Luther Cable Powell
Jr. of Media, Pa. and Jessie William Powell of Wilson; his mother-in-law, Lois Johnson
of Burgaw; a sister-in-law, Connie Rowe of Ivanhoe; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at Spencer Presbyterian Church Sunday, May 25, at 2
p.m. officiated by Rev. Eleanor Wilburn, pastor. A family burial will take place at a later
date in McDowell County. The family will receive friends in the church social hall
immediately following the service.
Memorials may be given to Spencer Presbyterian Church, 500 S. Rowan Ave., Spencer,
NC 28159. Courtesy of Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home and Cremation Center of Burgaw.
Annetta Burnett Collins
Ohio--Annetta Rose Collins (nee Burnett), 91, passed away peacefully on Monday,
April 21, 2008 at the Alois Alzheimer Center in Cincinnati, Ohio with family members
by her side.
Mrs. Collins was a native of Burgaw, North Carolina and a resident of High Point,
North Carolina for 54 years. From 2006 until 2008, Mrs. Collins had lived at the Alois
Alzheimer Center near her two children. A memorial service will be held for Annetta at
12 Noon on Saturday, May 24 at the First Presbyterian Church at 918 North Main
Street in High Point. In April, a small memorial service was held in Cincinnati for her
immediate family and caregivers. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations
be made to the High Point Corps of the Salvation Army, 301 West Green Drive, High
Point, NC 27260-6624/Phone: (336) 881-5400/ E-mail: terry.edwards.@uss.salvationarmy.org.
Born October 4, 1916, Annetta was the oldest child of John Henry Burnett, a native of
Burgaw, North Carolina and Ruth Deaton Burnett, a native of Troy, North Carolina.
Annetta’s name was created by combining the first names of her paternal grandmother,
Katherine Ann Cowan Burnett, and her maternal grandmother Henrietta Jordan Deaton.
According to Annetta’s parents, Annetta took an early interest in theater and performance
when she visited Camp Jackson -- a U.S. Army base near Columbia, South Carolina --
during World War I. At Camp Jackson, soldiers were sometimes entertained by the
singing and dancing of the 2-year-old toddler Annetta, but only when they tossed nickels
at her feet. At Camp Jackson, her father worked for the National War Work Council of the
YMCA.
Annetta graduated from Burgaw High School in 1933 at age 16. At Burgaw High, Annetta
distinguished herself by winning the school’s Declamation Medal and by competing
successfully in debate competitions at the state level, one of the few girls to do so
during that period. In 1937, Annetta graduated from Greensboro College in Greensboro,
North Carolina with a B.A. degree, majoring in Speech and Dramatics. During the 1937-
1938 school year, Annetta studied Dramatics in the graduate school at the University of
North Carolina (Chapel Hill). Among her Carolina Playmakers performances was one
where she played the role of Mistress Page in Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor
at the outdoor Forest Theater.
Early in 1939, Annetta took a temporary position as Chief Page at the North Carolina
General Assembly in Raleigh. While working for the legislature, she decided to run for
the position of Reading Clerk of the state senate, a post that her father had held more
than 20 years earlier before he won election as a state senator at age 28. After Annetta’s
campaign for Reading Clerk gained momentum among some senators, other senators
who felt that it was inappropriate for a woman to be elected to that position pressured
her to withdraw from the race by speaking with her father. She withdrew from the race,
giving up the position to L.H. Fountain, who later went on to serve 15 terms in the U.S.
Congress representing North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District.
During this period, Annetta applied for and was accepted into the University of North
Carolina Law School. After consulting with her father – who at that time was working as
an attorney for the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue service – she declined
UNC’s invitation to enroll in its law school. Annetta later told her children that she decided
against a legal career because she knew that her father, as a government employee,
would not have the authority to hire her and because she feared that, as a woman, no
private law firms would offer her a job.
In mid-1939, Annetta was hired as a Director with the Wayne P. Sewell Production
Company of Newnan, Georgia, a theater company which referred to itself as “America’s
Foremost Producers of Distinguished Amateur Theatricals.” With the Sewell Company,
Annetta traveled to very small towns such as Toccoa, North Carolina and New Liberty,
Kentucky, producing and directing plays and musicals for local audiences using homegrown
talent (which included the sewing of all costumes). Before Annetta started her road work with
the theater company, her training in Newnan was led by Sarah Ophelia Colley, who later
became a comedienne on the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, using the stage
name of Minnie Pearl.
When Annetta completed her Sewell theater production at New Liberty, Kentucky – located
about 50 miles southwest of Cincinnati, Ohio -- she learned of a teaching job that was
available in the local high school for the remainder of the 1939-1940 school year. She took
the job in New Liberty, partly because her friend Joseph Benjamin “Joe” Bonner from North
Carolina was working in the tobacco business in nearby Carrollton, Kentucky. About this
time, Bonner left his civilian job in Carrollton and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps to
become a pilot.
After her experience teaching in Kentucky, Annetta realized that it would be difficult for
her to find a job teaching English and Drama in North Carolina. Knowing that Mathematics
and Science teachers were in demand, Annetta studied Math at Wake Forest College in
order to gain her certification as a Math teacher. Between 1941 and 1946, Annetta taught
Math, English and Theater at North Carolina public high schools in Zebulon, Hallsboro and
Clinton. During these World War II years, she was active in the United Service Organization
(USO) in the towns where she taught and at Carolina Beach, North Carolina where her family
had by that time built a summer beach cottage.
In 1946 at age 29, she married Captain Edward Batchelor “Batch” Collins, a World War II
veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps and a native of Wilson, North Carolina. After the war
ended, the couple had been introduced in late 1945 by Mr. Collins’ older sister, Elizabeth
Collins Peterson, a leader in the Clinton local chapter of the USO where Annetta was an
active volunteer. After the wedding, Annetta and Batch made their home in High Point, North
Carolina, where her husband and his two brothers owned and operated Collins Auto Supply,
an auto parts retailer and automotive machine shop.
In High Point, Annetta became a housewife and was active in community and church affairs.
She was the first woman to serve on the local board of the Salvation Army. She was active in
the American Association of University Women (AAUW), where she and a few of her High
Point colleagues created the first art fair, The Fine Arts Festival, where visual artists from the
High Point/Greensboro area could exhibit and sell their work to the public. During the 1959-
1960 school year, Annetta returned to her public-school career full-time, taking a position in
the High Point City Schools teaching Math and English, and serving as the Girls’ Guidance
Counselor at Ferndale Junior High School. On the first day of classes that year, she assisted
in the desegregation of Ferndale by escorting the first African-American children to be enrolled
at the junior high.
In the High Point City Schools, Annetta played a key role in developing an accelerated Math
program for students with a strong Math aptitude which allowed them to complete two years
of Math in the 7th grade and study Algebra I in the 8th grade. After a few years in her dual role
as both a classroom teacher and an administrator (Girls’ Guidance Counselor), Annetta began
teaching in the classroom full-time, remaining at Ferndale as a teacher of General Math and
Algebra I until her retirement in 1982. Annetta was very active in her teachers’ organizations --
first the all-white North Carolina Education Assn. (NCEA) and later in the desegregated North
Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) – serving as High Point local president of both the
NCEA/NCAE and its classroom-teacher-only affiliate, the Classroom Teacher’s Assn. (CTA).
She served as a delegate to the national convention of the National Education Assn. (NEA) in
Detroit in 1963, and was active in the founding of PACE, the statewide political-action
committee of the NCAE, during the 1960s.
After her husband, Batch Collins, passed away in 1984, Annetta became reacquainted in
1994 with her old friend, Joe Bonner (by that time a U.S. Air Force Colonel, retired), who she
had first met at Carolina Beach during the 1930s. In April 2000, at the age of 83, Annetta
married Joe Bonner at the First Presbyterian Church in High Point, where she had been a
member since 1946 and taught Sunday school to junior high school students for many years.
Col. Bonner, a World War II veteran and native of Aurora, North Carolina, passed away three
years after their wedding in 2003.
Annetta is survived by her two children, Deborah Collins Loflin of Cincinnati, Ohio and William
Batchelor Collins of Cincinnati, Ohio; her children’s spouses, Richard Michael Loflin and Karen
Fitzpatrick, both of Cincinnati; and her two grandchildren, Charlotte Loflin and Derek Loflin,
both of Cincinnati. She is also survived by six siblings: Ruth Iris Burnett Phillips of Edenton,
North Carolina; Gilbert Henry Burnett of Wilmington, North Carolina; Susie Deaton Burnett
Jones of Raleigh, North Carolina; Mary Elizabeth Burnett Quaintance of Knightdale, North
Carolina; Julian Hubert Burnett of Wilmington, North Carolina and Sylvia Burnett Crippen of
Wilmington, North Carolina. Annetta’s youngest sister, Phyllis Camille Burnett, passed away
in 2002.
Larry Wayne Nixon
Burgaw--Larry Wayne Nixon, age 49, died Thursday, May 15, 2008 at his residence.
Larry was born June 14, 1958 in Wilmington, the son of the late Charles Durant Nixon, Jr. and
Edith Duncan Davis Nixon. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Randale
Nixon.
Survivors include a brother Lynwood Nixon and wife Gwen of Wilmington; two nieces, Lisa
McMillan and husband David of Burgaw and Joanne Jones and husband Kelly of Greensboro;
and a nephew, Charles Nixon and wife Ann of Wilmington.
A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.
Mary Catherine
“Cathy” Horrell Fowler
Leland--Mary Catherine “Cathy” Horrell Fowler, age 53, went peacefully from this earth to
her eternal home on Friday, May 23, 2008, while surrounded by her loving family.
She was born March 14, 1955 in Bladen County and was the daughter of the late
Lawerence McRae and Sadie Belle Hudson Horrell. She was preceded in death by a sister,
Hazel Williams and a brother, Lawerence “Bud” Horrell.
Cathy loved her family and friends dearly and thoroughly enjoyed being “Mama” not only to
her own children and grandchildren, but to many children she took under her loving care.
Her joyful spirit, gentle manner and beautiful smile will be forever remembered.
Following visitation a graveside service was held Monday, May 26, at Haw Bluff Baptist
Church Cemetery with Rev. Ben Horrell officiating.
Survivors include her husband, John Bryant “Bryan” Fowler of the home; children, Connie
Kenney (Donald) of Wilmington; Donna Kenney (Mickey) of Leland, Tammy Hurlburt (Larry)
of Leland, Jan Thompson (Michael) of Rocky Point; J. J. Lunesford (Tangela) of Wilmington,
Tonya Lunesford of Leland and Shane Lunesford (Jennifer Cavileer) of Burgaw; twelve
grandchildren; one great granddaughter; a brother, Harvey Horrell of Ivanhoe; three sisters,
Kathleen Duncan of Leland, Janice Aaron of Delco and Joann Hodge of Wilmington; many
nieces, nephews and extended family.
Casketbearers were David Duncan, McRae Duncan, Ben Cox, William Clewis, Michael
Thompson and Shane Lunesford. Condolences may be sent to www.quinnmcgowen.com.
Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home and Cremation Center of Burgaw handled the arrangements.
Annie Mae Larkin Coston
Teachey--Annie Mae Larkin Coston, died Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
A native of Duplin County, she was the daughter of the late Frank and Annie Herring Larkin.
She was a graduate of C. F. Pope High School, Burgaw.
Her husband, James Raeford Coston; brothers, Johnny Larkin, George Larkin, Allen Larkin,
James Larkin and Francis Larkin; sisters, Louise Larkin and Ruby Faison Womack preceded
her in death. Final rites were held Saturday at St. Paul AME Church with Rev. Carol Wade
officiating. Interment followed in Duplin Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include two daughters, Nettie (Clyde) McDaniel of Teachey and Brookie C. Lamb
of Raleigh; a son, James R. Coston, Jr. of Teachey; two grandsons whom she reared,
Samuel Lee Coston of Teachey and Joseph Coston of Charlotte; seven grandchildren and
eleven great grandchildren; a brother-in-law, Turner D. Coston and wife Euriel of Teachey;
and three sisters-in-law.
Matthews Funeral Chapel handled the arrangements.
Mabel Hall
Willard--Mabel Hall, died Tuesday, May 20 at Pender Memorial Hospital.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Levi Hall and a son, Charles Walker.
Final rites were held Saturday from Willard Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. Interment
followed in the Community Cemetery. Rev. Hosea Murray officiated.
Survivors include her daughter, Gwendolyn Walker-Best and husband Sylvanus Best; a son,
Percy Walker; three grandchildren, David Walker, Andrea Walker and Percy Walker, Jr.;
eight great grandchildren; and two sisters-in-law, Rachel Walker and Helen Pickett.
Matthews Funeral Chapel handled the arrangements.
Andrew Jerry Murray
Washington D.C.--Andrew Jerry Murray, formerly of Willard, died Saturday, May 24, 2008,
in Hyattsville, Md.
A native of Pender County, Mr. Murray was born July 25, 1930 to the late Willie and Isabella
Murray. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Linda E. Murray.
Final rites were held Sunday, May 25, from Willard Chapel Baptist Church with the Rev.
John D. Morrisey officiating. Interment followed in the Murray Cemetery, Willard.
Survivors include his five children, Shelia James, Emanuela Cobbs and husband Donald
Ray Cobbs, Jermeria Murray all of Capitol Heights, Md., Andrea A. Murray of Silver Spring,
Md., Andrew J. Murray and wife Janice Murray of Clarksburg, Md.; a sister, Dorothy Joyce
Murray Davis of Teaneck, N.J.; and four brothers, Jacob Murray of N.Y., Malikiah Murray of
Kinston, Hezekiah Murray and Isiah Murray both of Willard.
Matthews Funeral Chapel handled the arrangements.
John Horvath Sr.
St. Helena--Joseph John Horvath Sr. age 79, died Sunday May 25, 2008 at Home.
Funeral Mass will be 3 p.m. Thursday, May 29 at Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Church.
Burial will follow in the Saint Helena Cemetery.
Harrell’s Funeral Home and Cremation Service Burgaw handled the arrangements.
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