Obituaries

Feb 18, 2018

Newsoms - Mary Elizabeth Burgess Drake, 89, passed away February 18, 2018 in Franklin, VA surrounded by her family after a short period of illness. She was born January 28, 1929 in Murfreesboro, NC to the late Herbert and Gladys Burgess of Murfreesboro, NC. Mrs. Drake was a devoted member of Barnes United Methodist Church where she faithfully attended...

Feb 17, 2018

Shelby Edwards Whitby, 79, of Drewryville, passed away February 17, 2018. She was born in the Little Texas area of Southampton County, a daughter of the late Willie Faton and Fannie Taylor Edwards. Her husband of 60 years, Raymond L."Pop" Whitby, also predeceased her as did a brother, Taylor Edwards, and two sisters, Louise Stanback and Margie Pernell. Mrs....

Feb 15, 2018

William B. Oshman, 73, passed away, Thursday, February 15, 2018.

Bill was born May 14, 1944 in Norfolk, Virginia to the late Z. Frank and Annie Mae (Edwards) Oshman. He graduated from Granby High School in 1962 and graduated Norfolk College in December 1963. He joined the Coast Guard in 1964 as a culinary specialist. On January...

Feb 15, 2018

Franklin – George Presley Allen, 84, passed away February 15, 2018 in the East Pavilion. George was a native of Greensville County and was a son of the late Arsee and Virgie Allen. He was an Army Veteran and a member of Hunterdale Christian Church. George was the owner of George Allen Appliance in Franklin for many years and...

Feb 12, 2018

Randy Wayne Gray, 55, passed away February 12, 2018 in Richmond. A lifelong resident of Franklin, Randy was a commercial truck driver.

Left to cherish his memory are his daughters, Virginia Shifflett (Brian) of Boykins and Nicole Madison of Suffolk; son, Luther Madison of Louisiana; his mother, Harriet Hazel Gray; sister, Kimberly G. Creef of Kill Devil...

Feb 10, 2018

Franklin – Hazel Grace Lawrence Drewry, 83, widow of the love of her life Clinton McKinley "C.M." Drewry, Jr., passed away February 10, 2018 at the East Pavilion. Mrs. Drewry was a native of Franklin and a former resident of Newport News. She was a daughter of the late Willie Edward Lawrence and Winnie Wynn Lawrence Pierce and Wiley...

Feb 9, 2018

Franklin – Eric Shane "Opie" Edwards, 46, passed away February 9, 2018. Eric was born January 25, 1972 in Franklin and was a 1990 graduate of Franklin High School. He went to Paul D. Camp Community College for two years and grew up in the Hunterdale Christian Church. He worked at Bubba's Place for 26 years before becoming an...

Feb 7, 2018

Franklin – Ernest "Pops" Beltrami, Sr., 87, passed away peacefully February 7, 2018 at his home surrounded by his loving family. Ernest was the son of the late Modesto Beltrami and Luigia Bassi Beltrami of Giustino, Italy and was also predeceased by three grandchildren, Jack and Jeffrey Crabtree, Eric Henderson, and a son–in-law Bruce R. Jones, a brother Ettore...

Feb 7, 2018

Zuni – Richard John Slate, PC1 U.S. Navy (Ret.), 85, passed away February 7, 2018. Mr. Slate was a native of Cape Vincent, NY, a son of the late Charles Herman and Madeline Stevens Slate. He was also predeceased by his wife Susie Evans Slate and brothers, Francis and Robert Slate.

He retired from the US Navy...

Feb 7, 2018

Franklin – Leslie W. Pulley, Jr., 84, passed away February 7, 2018 at Southampton Memorial Hospital. Leslie was a native of Southampton County and was the son of the late Leslie W. Pulley, Sr. and Hazel Dundalow Pulley.

He was a graduate of Franklin High School where he played football and worked part time at A&P. He...

Feb 7, 2018

Franklin – Mary Spivey Carter, 95, widow of the late Richard Elmo "Pete" Carter passed away February 7, 2018 at the East Pavilion. Mary was a daughter of the late Joseph Hudson Spivey and Sally Bristow Spivey and was also predeceased by a sister and five brothers.

Mary was a graduate of Franklin High School, the Fannie...

Feb 5, 2018

Chesapeake - Elizabeth Bond Brinster, 50, wife, mother, daughter, and sister left her earthly body and earned her wings on Monday, February 5, 2018, after her courageous battle with kidney cancer. Elizabeth was a native of Courtland, VA and a 1985 graduate of Southampton Academy. She was an active member of Greenbrier Community Church.

Elizabeth was an...

Feb 2, 2018

Courtland – Annie Mae Beale, 83, passed away peacefully at her home February 2, 2018. She was born May 2, 1934 to the late Joe Cleveland and Nellie Doss Pittmon in Gretna , VA. She was predeceased by her husband Joseph Willard Beale, Jr. and her first husband Floyd Lee McCann, Jr.

She had attended Courtland Baptist...

Feb 1, 2018

Courtland – Thomas Neal Marks, 55, passed away February 1, 2018 at Southampton Memorial Hospital. Neal was a lifelong resident of Southampton County and was a son of the late James Franklin Marks and Betty Turner Marks.

Neal was a 1982 graduate of Southampton Academy, a member of Sebrell United Methodist Church and a retired hunting guide....

Jan 28, 2018

Franklin - Sol Waite Rawls, Jr., 98, died on January 28, 2018, at his home, "Woods Hill," in Franklin, Va. He was a lifelong resident of the Franklin community, which he loved.

Mr. Rawls was the son of the late Sol W. Rawls and Rena Camp Rawls of Franklin. He was predeceased by his first wife Ann...

Jan 23, 2018

Rufus Edwards (R.E.) Drake, Jr., 93, went home to his Lord on January 23, 2018 surrounded by his family at his residence. He was the son of the late Rufus E. and Edna Hartman Drake of Newsoms and was also predeceased by son-in-law Lewis Edmonds, Jr., daughter-in-law Linda J. Drake, grandson Stephen J. Drake, and great-granddaughter Abbigail Drake.

Jan 20, 2018

Carrsville – Rochelle Fowler, 93, passed away January 20, 2018 in Autumn Care of Suffolk. He was a son of the late William and Goldie Fowler and the widower of Anna Catherine Powers Fowler. He was predeceased by two brothers, Bill and David Fowler.

Survivors include four daughters, Pat Chastian, Sandra Daughety (Joseph), Jenny Lowe (Tommy) and...

Jan 20, 2018

Newsoms - Odell Bailey Worrell, 99, widow of James Milton Worrell, Sr. passed away January 20, 2018 in the East Pavilion. A native of Como, NC she was one of eleven children of the late Frank Columbus Bailey and Annie Harcum Bailey and was also predeceased by a grandson Charles Nathaniel "Kirk" Kirkland, Jr., seven brothers, Clifton, Harvey, Ollie,...

Jan 18, 2018

Drewryville – Alan Leslie Echols, 61, passed away January 18, 2018 at Southside Regional Medical Center. Alan was a native of Newport News and was a son of the late Alden Leonard Echols and Emma Sue Howard Echols. He was a machinist with West Fraser Lumber Company in Seaboard, NC. Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 28...

Jan 15, 2018

Suffolk - Walter Harrell Johnson, 89, passed away January 15, 2018. He was born in Suffolk, formerly Nansemond County, on August 21, 1928 and was a 1947 graduate of Carrsville High School. After school he and his brother, Elliott, formed a partnership (Johnson and Johnson) and farmed together for 35 years. During their farming years they were awarded trophies...