Sedley – Gholie McCoy Burgess, 91, passed away peacefully June 10, 2017 at his home surrounded by his family after a long illness. Mr. Burgess was a native of Southampton County and was one of thirteen children of the late Gholie Seward Burgess and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Newsome Burgess. He was predeceased by his siblings, Bill Burgess (Ina), Helen Burgess, Sally Francis (Gilbert), "Happy" Burgess (Mabelle), Raymond Burgess and Baby Roger.

Mr. Burgess was a member of Sedley Baptist Church, a veteran of the Merchant Marines, a former Cub Scout Leader and a retired papermaker from Union Camp Corp. after 41 years of service.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 68 years Dorothy Drake Burgess, three sons, G. McCoy , Jr. (Linda) of California, Bobby (Myra) of Orlando, FL and Ronny (Carol) of Maidens, three sisters, Swann , Anne (Wayne) and Carolyn (Jerry), three brothers, Emerson (Shirley), Earl (Cecilia) and Wayne (Barbara), three granddaughters, Hilary , Lisa Gelman (Josh) and Kimberly Lewis (Broc) and three great grandchildren, Vivianne and Levi Gelman and Sophia Lewis, two sisters-in-law, Beth Burgess and Shara Kitchen and a brother-in-law Ted Drake, Jr. and many nieces and nephews.

A funeral will be conducted at 11AM Thursday June 15, 2017 at Sedley Baptist Church with the Rev. Jim Foreman officiating. Burial will be at Rosemont Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 6 to 8PM at Wright Funeral Home and suggests that memorial donations be made to Sedley Baptist Church, American Heart Association or the Alzheimer's Association.

The family would like to thank the second and third floor nurses and doctors at Southampton Memorial Hospital and home health care nurses and hospice for McCoy's care. A special thank you to Elder Celestine and Joseph Blow for being his guardian angels. www.wrightfuneralhome.org