Obituaries

Feb 20, 2016

Samuel " Sammy" Phillips, 67, of Council passed away on Saturday, February 20, 2016. He is preceded in death by his parents, Eldridge Kyle and Mary Evelyn Phillips; and his son, Anthony Kyle Phillips. He was retired from the National Guard and DuPont.

The family will receive friends on Monday, February 22, 2016 from 6:00 until 8:00...

Feb 18, 2016

Charles Thomas Shaw, 55, of Bladenboro passed away on Thursday, February 18, 2016. He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Shaw and Vivian Gibson Packer. He is survived by his son, Charles Shaw, Jr.; a brother, Billy Ray Shaw; and two sisters, Tammy Shaw of Virginia and Vickie Cashwell of Whiteville.

The family will receive...

Feb 15, 2016

Maggie Burney Grimes, 99, of Tar Heel, passed away on Monday, February 15, 2016. She is preceded in death by her parents, Colon and Flowers Burney; her husband, Ralph Grimes; four brothers, Archey, Paul, Earl, and Jerry Burney; and one sister, Ruby B. Priest. She is survived by her son, Jack Grimes and wife Annette of Tar Heel; daughter,...

Feb 12, 2016

Eunice Butler Russ, 82, of Bladenboro passed away February 12, 2016. She is preceded in death by her parents, Charlie and Mae Butler; her husband, Henry Neal Russ; sons, Danny, Dennis, and Darrell Russ; and a grandchild, Dominic Russ. She is survived by her sons, Donald Russ of Richardson, Dean Russ of the home, and Dwayne Russ of White...

Feb 11, 2016

Anease Britt Speight, 88, of Bladenboro, passed away on Thursday, February 11, 2016. She is preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Clara Britt; her husband, Barnice Speight; and two sisters, Juanita Tyler and Pearline Carroll. She is survived by her son, Thomas G. Speight and wife Connie of Bladenboro; daughters, Lorraine Childers and husband Tex of Bladenboro;...

Feb 5, 2016

Akra "Pedo" Merritt Jr. 70 of Bladenboro passed away on Friday, February 5, 2016. He was born on September 11, 1945 to the late Akra Merritt Sr. and Alma Russ Merritt. He is preceded in death by his parents.

Graveside services will be held on Monday, February 8, 2016 at 11:00 am at Meares Cemetery with Rev....

Feb 3, 2016

Martha Bryan Kinlaw, age 77, passed away February 3, 2016 in Florence, S.C. She was born in Bladenboro, N.C. to Sheppie and Edna May Bryan who also preceded her in death. She was a graduate of Florence Technical College. She worked at Bruce Hospital in Florence, S.C. until moving back to Bladenboro and working at Bladen County Hospital until...

Feb 1, 2016

Donald Cameron Neill, 80, of Elizabethtown, passed away on Monday, February 1, 2016. He is preceded in death by his parents, Wiley Lee Neill and Lizzie Warwick Neill; and his wife, Josephine H. Neill. He is survived by his son, Ricky Neill of Elizabethtown; daughter, Kimberly Goins and husband Calvin of Elizabethtown; brother, Ralph Neill; sister, Rachel Gregson; four...

Jan 28, 2016

Harold Hubert Hester, 66, of Bladenboro passed away on Thursday, January 28, 2016. He is preceded in death by his parents, Dewey Hubert Hester, Jr. and Mary Dowless Hester. He is survived by his spouse, Teresa P. Hester of the home; son, Brian H. Hester and wife Melissa of Bladenboro; daughter, Diana Nobles and husband Adam of Elizabethtown; brothers,...

Jan 24, 2016

James Drew Humphries, 66, of New Bern, NC passed away on Sunday, January 24, 2016. He is survived by his son, Jeremy Humphries of Elizabethtown; brother, Michael Humphries of Ft. Lauderdale, FL; sisters, Roumelle H. Jones of Navarre, FL, Bunny Britt of Hope Mills, NC; and two grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held Wednesday, January 27,...

Jan 19, 2016

Martha Bridger Shipman, 83, of Columbia, SC (Formerly of Bladenboro) passed away on Tuesday, January 19, 2016. She was born on November 19, 1932 in Bladen County to the late Livingston A. and Evelyn Freeman Bridger. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, William David Shipman, Jr. and a brother, Herbert L. Bridger.

She...

Jan 18, 2016

Patsy Ruth Atkins Saunders, 80, of Council passed away on Monday, January 18, 2016 at Lower Cape Fear Hospice in Whiteville. She was preceded in death by her parents, Conrod Gordon and Annie Mae Ayers Atkins, her husband, Matthew Clark Saunders, Sr., one son, Matthew Clark Saunders, Jr. and brother, John T. Atkins.

She is survived by...

Jan 12, 2016

Albert Harden Taylor, 73, of Bladenboro passed away Tuesday, January 12, 2016. He is preceded in death by his parents, Dempsey Harden Taylor and Evelyn Taylor; and two infant brothers. He is survived by his spouse, Doris Ann Taylor of the home; sons, Ricky Taylor of Bladenboro, Eddie Taylor and fiance Renee Britt of Bladenboro, and Randy Taylor and...

Jan 12, 2016

Darlene Ward Kelly, 76, of Bladenboro passed away on Tuesday, January 12, 2016. She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Alice Ward; brothers, Wilton, Stanley, and Stewart Ward; sisters, Esther Edwards and Velma Pait; and a grandson, John Kelly. She is survived by her husband of sixty years, Broadus Kelly, Jr. of the home; sons, Johnny...

Jan 5, 2016

Elizabeth "Lib" Bostic Robbins, 99, of Elizabethtown passed away on Tuesday, January 5, 2016. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Arthur A. Robbins, Jr., a grandson, Ted Dowless; two sisters and two brothers. She is survived by her son, Arthur "Chicky" Robbins, III and wife Janice of Elizabethtown; daughter, Libby Dowless and husband Layton of...

Jan 4, 2016

Edward McRae Bryan, 65, of Holden Beach, passed away on Monday, January 4, 2016. He is is preceded in death by his parents, Hubert and Calista Hester Bryan. He is survived by his spouse, Linda S. Bryan of the home; three sons, Edward McRae Bryan, II and wife Sandy of Elizabethtown, Ashley McRae Bryan and fiance Carla Holmes of...

Jan 4, 2016

Luvinia "Lukie" Coleman Dent, 83, passed away on Monday, January 4, 2016. She is preceded in death by her parents, Kelly and Martha Coleman; her husband, Buddy Dent; two brothers, Lambert and Sambo Coleman; and one sister, Esther Guyton. She is survived by her son, Billy Dent and wife Karen of Bladenboro; daughter, Gail Dent Hester and husband Tony...

Jan 2, 2016

Curtis Wayne Sessoms, age 86, of Elizabethtown, died Saturday, January 2, 2016 at Bladen County Hospital. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Wesley Sessoms and Edna Brisson Sessoms; an infant daughter, Linda; 3 brothers, Edward, Floyd, and L.A. Sessoms; and 2 sisters, Esther Shaw and Tillie Britt. He worked for 41 years with the NC Forestry...

Dec 31, 2015

Kenny Lee Wilson, age 61, of Tar Heel passed away on Thursday, December 31, 2015. He is preceded in death by his parents, McKinnis and Rosa Bordeaux Wilson. He was born in Bladen County on October 25, 1954. Kenny worked at DuPont for many years as an Industrial Maintenance Mechanic.

He is survived by two sons, Steve...

Dec 30, 2015

Nancy Katherine Blackburn Beard, 72, passed away on Wednesday, December 30, 2015. She is preceded in death by her parents, James and Eugenia Blackburn; her husband, Vernon Beard; grandson, Jason Tatum; and several sisters and a brother. She is survived by her son, Vernon Beard of Elizabethtown; daughters, Kathy Baker and husband Stewart of Elizabethtown, and Brenda Tatum and...