Obituaries

Feb 4, 2021

Franklin- Rev. Carter L. Dey, 80, went to be with his Lord and Savior February 4, 2021. Rev. Dey was born in Aulander, NC and was the son of the late Harry Conrad and Sophia Carter Dey.

He was a graduate of Mid-America Baptist Seminary and earned a Bachelor of Divinity Degree from South Atlantic Bible College...

Feb 3, 2021

Lynda (Franklin) Turner, age 63 of Virginia and formerly of Jamestown, TN passed away on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at her home. Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 8, 2021 at 2:00 pm at the Jennings Funeral Homes Chapel in Jamestown, TN.  Burial will follow in the Franklin Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Sunday, February 7,...

Feb 3, 2021

Newsoms - Derrick Lafayette Ledbetter, 42 years old, went peacefully into the arms of Jesus on February 3, 2021 after being surrounded by his wife and mother at Sentara Obici Hospital.

Waiting for him in glory was his father Donald Gene Ledbetter, grandmother Virginia Johnson Vick, and grandfather LC Vick.

Left to remember and cherish...

Feb 2, 2021

Capron -  Shirley Leigh Overby, passed away at home on February 2 nd at the age of 78. Shirley was born August 21, 1942. She was the second daughter of Nellie and Cliff Overby. Shirley graduated from James Madison University. She worked in the display department at Miller and Rhoades in Richmond, VA for 10 years and at DMV...

Feb 1, 2021

Branchville- CPO Bruce Owen Patterson (Ret. US Navy), 65, passed away February 01, 2021, in Sentara Obici Hospital. Bruce was born in Greig, New York, and was a son of the late Paul Arthur and Althea May Patterson, and was also predeceased by a sister Dorothy Long. Bruce was a retired Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy after...

Jan 30, 2021

Courtland-   Naomi Denson Rainey, 87, widow of John Thomas "Jack" Rainey Sr. passed away January 30, 2021 in Accordius Health at Courtland.  Mrs. Rainey was a native of Southampton County, a longtime resident of Franklin and a daughter of the late Edward and Jennie Denson. She was also predeceased by a son, George Rainey, two grandsons Mickey Pitts Jr....

Jan 28, 2021

Cumberland, VA- Shirley Mae Porter Carden, 89, went to be with her Lord, January 28, 2021. She was born in Franklin, and grew up in the Sunbeam area of Southampton County, had been a former resident of Richmond, and enjoyed the last 25 years living at her daughter's home in Cumberland. She was a 1948 Graduate and Salutatorian of...

Jan 24, 2021

Sedley - Jerry Thomas Joyner, 65, left for his eternal resting place when the good Lord called him home on Jan. 24 th , 2021. He was surrounded by those who loved him dearly and passed peacefully into God's loving arms.

Jerry requested to be laid to rest on the Lord's day, so a graveside service will...

Jan 23, 2021

Zuni – David Gray Webster, Jr., 79, passed away January 23, 2021 in Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.  Born October 5, 1941 in Bluefield, WV, he was the son of the late David Gray Webster, Sr. and Kathleen Garland Webster.

Left to cherish his memory is his best friend and beautiful wife of 58 years, Barbara Webster; a...

Jan 18, 2021

Newsoms – Carolyn Odell Rook Drake, 81, passed away January 18, 2021 in Southampton Memorial Hospital.  She was predeceased by her parents, Smithy Rook and Mary Allen Rook, and her brother, Smitty.

Left to cherish her memory is her husband of 65 years, Harold Lewis Drake.

Carolyn was a Franklin banker for 44 years and...

Jan 17, 2021

Franklin - Junius Bradshaw was born on October 12, 1924 and went home to be with The Lord on January 17, 2021 at the age of 96.  He was a native of the Black Creek area of Southampton County and lived his married life in the Colosse and Franklin areas of Isle of Wight County. He was employed with...

Jan 17, 2021

Franklin – Toby Ann Gross, 82, widow of William Billips "Bill" Gross, passed away January 17, 2021 in the East Pavilion.  Born July 3, 1938 in Giles County, VA, she was a daughter of the late James Edward Gray and Thelma Burton Gray.  She was also predeceased by two sons, William and Randy Hare, a sister, Lucille Richardson and...

Jan 17, 2021

Franklin – Michael Joseph "Mike" Magee, 62, passed away January 17, 2021 in Sentara Hospice House in Virginia Beach.  Born October 14, 1958 in Washington, DC, he was the son of the late John Joe Magee and Marian McCain Magee.

Mike was a 1976 graduate of Franklin High School and a bookkeeper for Sussex II State Prison. ...

Jan 15, 2021

Courtland - Jackie Hancock Shearin, 93, went to be with her Lord Friday afternoon, January 15, 2021, at her home with her daughter by her side.  Born December 29, 1927 in Suffolk, Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Robert Lafayette and Mary Ernie Johnson Hancock of Courtland, Virginia, a 1944 honor graduate of Courtland High School and...

Jan 15, 2021

Newsoms – Joseph Earl "Joey" Byrd, Jr., 52, passed away January 15, 2021 in his home with his loving family by his side.

Joey was a graduate of Manor High School in Portsmouth and a supervisor for Dominion Power.  He was a member of S&S Hunt Club, loved running dogs, enjoyed fishing, and was first mate of...

Jan 13, 2021

Suffolk – Bessie Francis Best, 86, passed away January 13, 2021.  Bessie was born January 6, 1935 in Southampton County to the late Raleigh Milton Francis and Annie Spence Francis.  She was also predeceased by the love of her life, Clayton Louis Best; five sisters, Bertha Johnson, Ruth Carter, Louise Bryant, Irma Heath, Rosa Lee Grant; four brothers, Gilbert,...

Jan 13, 2021

Franklin – Born on August 16, 1933, Mary Ann was the daughter of the late Balfour and Elizabeth Josey Dunn of Scotland Neck, NC. She played on the girls' basketball team at Scotland Neck High School. She was a 1955 graduate of Wake Forest College (University) in Wake Forest, NC.  She was a 1956 graduate of St. Mary's Hospital...

Jan 12, 2021

Norfolk – Mary Leigh Hill Kitchen, 85, passed away January 12, 2021 in her home.  Born in Newsoms, she was a daughter of the late Edward Carson Hill and Sarah Vaughan Hill.  Mary Leigh was also predeceased by her son Todd Kitchen; a sister, Sarah Lee Darden; and a brother Roy Carson Hill.

Left to cherish her...

Jan 11, 2021

Franklin – James Henry "Buddy" Hyatt, III, 37, son of Nelle Manning Hyatt and James H. Hyatt, Jr., passed away January 11, 2021.  He was predeceased by his paternal grandfather, James H. Hyatt, Sr. and his maternal grandparents, Edward N. "Pete" Manning and Betty Letcher Manning and a dear friend Dr. Rev. Walter G. Byrum, Sr.

He...

Jan 9, 2021

Franklin - Hilda Marie Penyak, 84, formerly of Hayes, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Robert Vosburgh, and her second husband, Daniel J. Penyak.

Hilda was born Nov. 12, 1936, the youngest of seven children of the late Hilda M. Blake and Joseph A. Mannion Sr.  ...