Obituaries

Dec 11, 2014

Benny Ray Smith, age 55, passed away at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville on Thursday, December 11, 2014. Born on August 14, 1959 in Fayetteville, he made a home in many places before settling in White Lake with his family. He owned his own business, Professional Paint & Plaster, which he founded in 1986.

Survivors...

Dec 8, 2014

Dr. Bruce Alton Phillips, Jr., age 73 of Elizabethtown, passed away Monday, December 8, 2014. He was born in Lenoir County on May 4, 1941. He was predeceased by his parents, Bruce Alton Phillips and Mildred Albritton Phillips and by his daughter, Lara Suzanne Phillips. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Crocker Phillips, sons Michael and wife Julie...

Dec 5, 2014

Cliford Jerry Burney, age 78 of Bladenboro, died Friday, December 5, 2014 at home. He is preceded in death by his son, Charles Kenneth Burney. He is survived by his wife, Carlene S. Burney of the home; sons, Ray Burney and wife Angie, Sandy Burney and wife Amy, and Keith Burney and wife Carla, all of Bladenboro; a daughter,...

Dec 4, 2014

Doris Leigh (Marie) Catalano, 81, of Elizabethtown died peacefully at her home in Elizabethtown, NC, on December 4, 2014.

She was born October 20, 1933 in Lumberton, NC to the late Alexander and Ethel Stephens Lamb. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at Bladen-Gaskins Funeral Home at 11:00 am with visitation to...

Dec 3, 2014

Kenneth Worth Kinlaw, age 87 of Bladenboro, died Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at West Bladen Assisted Living in Bladenboro. He is preceded in death by his parents Iley Wilton and Sallie Adams Kinlaw. He is survived by his wife, Rachel H. Kinlaw of Bladenboro; a son, Kenneth Kinlaw and wife Debra of Bladenboro; a sister, Myrum Haywood of Bladenboro;...

Dec 1, 2014

Ruby Johnson Townsend, age 94 of Elizabethtown, died Monday, December 1, 2014 at home. She is preceded in death by her husband Marion Townsend. Mrs. Townsend was a life-long member of Clarkton United Methodist Church. She is survived by her loving family, daughters Patsy Roberts of Elizabethtown and Sandra Johnson and husband Jerry of Elizabethtown; a grandson, John Johnson...

Nov 30, 2014

Rose Stoker Willis, age 60, of Bladenboro passed away Sunday, November 30, 2014. She was preceded in death by her father J.C. Stoker Sr. and her husband Ronald Lee Willis. Survivors include her mother, Rose Onell Stoker of Elizabethtown, two brothers, J.C. Stoker and wife Georgia of Elizabethtown and Casey Lee Stoker of Wilmington, one nephew, Caleb Stoker, one...

Nov 25, 2014

Jimmy Ray Howell, 65, of Council passed away on Tuesday, November 24, 2014. He was born in Bladen County on February 8, 1949 to the late Alton and Edna Lewis Howell.

Jimmy is survived by his wife, Loretta Smith Howell of the home; three sons, Timmy Brown of Mullins, SC, Adam Howell of Council and Andrew Howell...

Nov 22, 2014

Patricia Childress Clay, age 57 of Elizabethtown, died Saturday, November 22, 2014 at home. Service information is incomplete at this time.

Nov 21, 2014

Geraldine Bryan Bungert, age 65 of Bladenboro, died Friday, November 21, 2014 at home. She is preceded in death by her parents, Wade and Jodie Dowless Bryan; a brother, Herman Bryan and a sister, Gladys Dean Bryan. She is survived by her husband, John Bungert (John's Upholstery) of the home; a son, John Edward Bungert Jr. and wife Marissa...

Nov 19, 2014

Austin Thomas Absher, infant son of Robert Thomas Absher and Heather Lukes Absher of Wake Forest, died Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at Duke University Medical Center. Austin is preceded in death by his paternal great grandparents, Hugh McLean Porter and Ruth Scruggs Porter of Elizabethtown; maternal great grandparents, Chester Joseph Krutul of Chicago, IL, Therese Blanch Matecki of Chicago,...

Nov 19, 2014

William Wade Allen, age 59 of Bladenboro, died Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at home. He is preceded in death by his father, William Earl Allen. A Memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at Allen Cemetery on Marsh Rd.

William is survived by his mother, Golda H. Byrd of Raeford; three...

Nov 11, 2014

Stella Dowless Burns, age 89 of Elizabethtown, died Tuesday, November 11, 2014. She is preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Myrtle Hester Dowless; husband , Alfred Burns; a daughter, Elsie Fay Burns; five brothers and five sisters. She is survived by her sons, Alfred Burns of Georgia and Arnold Burns of West End; daughters, Juanita Clark of...

Nov 8, 2014

Alice Williams Davenport, age 75 of Elizabethtown, died Saturday, November 8, 2014 at home. She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Margaret Fletcher Williams and a sister, Peggy Chavers. She is survived by her husband, John L. Davenport, Jr. of the home; a brother-in-law, Bill Chavers of Mt. Holly; a niece, Kim Billings of Mt. Holly,...

Nov 6, 2014

Harrell Laverne Smith, Jr., age 55 of Elizabethtown, died Thursday, November 6, 2014 at Cape Fear Valley Hospital. He is preceded in death by his father, Harrell Laverne Smith, Sr. He is survived by his mother, Ethelyne Dickens of Ammon; wife, Angela Bryan Smith of the home; sons, Harrell Laverne Smith, III of Asheboro and Courtney Ross Smith of...

Nov 1, 2014

James Alvin Geiger Jr, 67 of Clarkton passed away on Saturday, November 1, 2014 at his home. He was born on February 13, 1947 to the late James Alvin Geiger Sr. and Elise Barwick Geiger. The family will receive friends on Monday, November 3, 2014 at Bladen-Gaskins Funeral Home from 6:00 until 8:00 pm. The family will receive friends...

Oct 27, 2014

Ian Joseph Smith, 6 mos. old, of Clarkton, NC passed away October 27, 2014. He is survived by his parents, Andy and Alicia Smith, two sisters Abby and Hannah Smith, all of the home; Maternal grandparents, Charles and Alice Waugh of Summerfield, NC, Paternal grandparents Carl and Elizabeth Smith of Rockaway, NJ, two great grandmothers Gertrude Taigel, of Inverness,...

Oct 23, 2014

Rebecca Ann Ezzell Norvell, age 30 of Clarkton, died Thursday, October 23, 2014 at Lower Cape Fear Hospice House in Wilmington. She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Frances and Darol Ellington and a sister, Jennifer Rose Ezzell. She is survived by her paternal grandparents David and Annie Ruth Ezzell of Clarkton, her parents, Bobby Dale and Brenda...

Oct 21, 2014

William Jasper Lewis, age 74, of Bladenboro passed away Tuesday, October 21, 2014. Mr. Lewis was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Louise Wooten Lewis and one half brother, Robert Lewis. He is survived by his wife, Janice Long Lewis of the home, a son, Lee Lewis of Bladenboro, two daughters, Stacie Bryan and husband Adam of...

Oct 19, 2014

Daisy Norris, age 69 of Tar Heel, died Sunday, October 19, 2014 at home. She is preceded in death by her mother, Lucille Butler; husband, Terry Norris and a brother, Samuel Butler. She is survived by her father, Horace Butler; a son, Terry "Rocky" Norris, Jr. of the home; a daughter Rebecca Smith of Roseboro; sisters Lynda Brisson of...