Warehouseman Judgement $22 Million

Judgements totaling in excess of $22 million have been filed against a former Halifax County tobacco warehouse operator, Glenn S. Martin Jr. by the U.S. of America for his involvement in the illegal sale of an estimated 2.2 million pounds of tobacco.
Martin was once affiliated with the Growers Warehouse in Halifax County and farmed and lived in the Johnson City, TN.
After entering a guilty plea of fraudulently disposing of approximately 150,000 lbs. of tobacco,
Martin's convictions included conspiracy to commit mail fraud and all total, was sentenced to just under eight years in prison and fined $10,000. After fulfilling that jail time, Martin, now 50, has returned to public life in Tennessee and is said to be farming and selling farm equipment.
The State of Tennessee filed a $4 million judgement in addition to the $18.2 million in Virginia.
"The only thing they can do is take a mortgage on his grave!"
Martin's attorney Lynn Doughtery calls the amount of the judgements "staggering!" "They wanted $24 million," he added unbelievingly while discussing his client's case which, a decade later, may be over.
Over at least for judges and attorneys who met in U.S. District Court in Abingdon on December 17, 1998 for the final assessment against Martin in Virginia. Martin himself, didn't even bother to show up.
His crimes involved selling those overproduced pounds of tobacco for farmers who had fulfilled their selling quota for a season. "He was a friend to the farmer", said Doughtery who still calls Martin "one of the nicest people I've ever met."
Martin, is a Vietnam veteran and served on a gunboat during the Southeast Asia conflict.
"He bent over backwards to help the farmer," Martin's attorney said but in so doing, the courts "tagged him with the full amount of the sale."
"Glenn just got his commission for selling...that's all. No farmer every complained."
The actual number of pounds of tobacco which Martin sold illegally may never be know since records were either lost of destroyed. Much of what the court received into evidence was spoken by witnesses based on their memory of what had taken place.
The four-year investigation into the illegal sale revealed that between 1987 and 1992, a number of individuals associated with the tobacco industry participated in a the scheme to buy and sell excess tobacco and to conceal their transactions by submitting false reports to the government.
More than 18 persons were initially charged in the crimes.
"The sad thing is, I guarantee you that in the next 20 years, the government is going to deregulate this industry and force it to an overseas market." said Doughtery.
"It's going to kill the farmer who was just trying to make a living."

A Star Is Born

A star is born.
Scissors, thimbles, bandaids and serious faces abound.
"You have to feel the needle, feel the pain," explained Mildred Woltz with a laugh.
"If you aren't suffering, you aren't doing it right," advised Vi Tetterton
Experts know it is so.
Theirs is scrupulously exacting work.
Already slated for a June play debut, this particular star is stretched, stitched, pampered and showered with 10-15 combined hours of dedicated attention daily.
And stitched into each of the 20 unique patterns and multitude of quilted squares is the meticulous and loving legacy of expertise unleashed by this baker's dozen of local quilters. Well over 1000 volunteer hours are involved.
The Legacy Quilt, destined to premiere in the Halifax County Little Theatre production of "Quilters" this summer, got underway in February when the Monday Quilters took up the project.
Other quilters volunteered, adding to the number of nimble fingers drafting, cutting, piecing, sewing, quilting and binding.
Vi Tetterton, whose basement is the scene of the continuous quilting bee, initiated the project when she volunteered to "help with the quilt" for the play.
"So here I am," said Tetterton, who has been quilting since she was a child. "I live with it," she added, admitting she often slips back into the basement to quilt when the others have left.
She also drafted all of the flip-outs, pattern blocks that will be used in the play.
While the play is a musical representing the history of quilting, the ladies gathered around the Legacy Quilt are a living history of the subject.
"Mother learned as a necessity to keep her family warm," said Martha Thompson.
Others remember pieces of old suits being used when there was no wool. And many a quilter, it would seem, reached for an old feed sack to do the job.
Traditionally, cotton was used to stuff old quilts. One of the ladies even remembered "a quilt at home that still had cotton seeds in it."
"The most tedious is the hand quilting," advised Tetterton. But Jane Jones finds "putting together the three pieces, the back, the batting and the top, the hardest" task.
Many learned the art "by watching" their mothers quilt, at times a solitary action and on occasion a family or neighborhood affair.
The social tradition of quilting lives on in this project.
"We talk incessantly," advised one quilter.
And late in the afternoon Wilma Owen "comes in with a smile and treats," chimed several quilters in chorus.
There is one aspect of the work all adore.
"The fellowship, working together," began Tetterton. "We have all been so excited about it."
"The camaraderie. I just love being with them. The renewing of friendships. We have never been together this long before. I never bonded with Vi until now and we have had such a good time together."
"Quilters" director Chris Jones cannot believe his good fortune.
"What would we have done without them?" asked Jones. "Truly, they just appeared and in my naiveness, I thought this would be simple to get done. I had no idea what it would take and I am astounded at the work that went into this. Absolutely amazed."
Luckily, the ladies' devotion to their work is nothing new.
Tetterton, who made her first quilt at age six, and Jane Jones, who took up quilting in 1980, have also created family heirlooms, making dozens of quilts for children, grandchildren and other family members.
Several of the ladies, Vi Tetterton, Martha Thompson and Wilma Owen, are also members of the Richmond Quilters Guild.
It is at home, however, they and nine of their friends will see their latest work debut in unison. In the Legacy Quilt, a 10x12 ft. collection of patterns bearing names as varied as Log Cabin, Rebel, Windmill and Rob Peter to Pay Paul, their work has forged a star.

Halifax Agrees Meet With Town, County

Halifax Town Council agreed to meet with South Boston and county officials March 22 to discuss urban development concepts and also learned the town would realize savings of $109,720 through recent water/sewer bond refinancing during council's Tuesday night session.
The bonds were refinanced with Crestar 4.92 percent, town administrator Robert Greene told council members.
Two council members, Sam Thompson and John Murphy, opposed meeting with town and county officials but the remaining councilmen - with Harold Ray Younger absent - supported the meeting.
The town administrator described the March 22 meeting as "a good starting point to look at a lot of issues that will be confronted down the road."
On the town's proposed boundary expansion, Greene told councilmen that additional statistical data is to be forwarded to the town's attorney, Carter Glass IV.
Council members also heard an update on the new Halifax Career Center located on Main Street from Superintendent of Schools Dennis Witt and Bill Moore, director of Adult/Career Education and Vocational Education.
Witt described the town and school system as "partners in this" endeavor.
The anticipated opening of the Center is next fall, according to school officials.
The Center will house the school system's Alternative Education program, off training in specific career field as well as GED classes.
Safety, parking, building layout, anticipated programs and capacity were among items discussed during the Tuesday night session with councilmen.
In other business, following a public hearing, councilmen unanimously approved a request for rezoning a portion of a lot owned by Seymour Barnes from residential to business. The property is located near the Route 360 and 501 intersection in Halifax. Part of the property is located in the town and part in the county.

End In Sight For Five Year Tobacco Probe

By ANNE GEARAN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - A five-year fraud investigation of Big Tobacco is apparently winding down, and Justice Department prosecutors must decide soon whether to try to bring more charges or shut down the effort.
''We are getting close to, I think, a time when we're going to have to make some final decisions,'' Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder said Thursday at the Justice Department's weekly press briefing.
The criminal prosecution effort lost steam in recent months as the White House turned greater attention to a potential civil lawsuit to recover the health-related costs of smoking, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The department's tobacco task force is down to a handful of prosecutors ''tying up loose ends,'' the newspaper reported.
''I wouldn't say it's down to a skeletal force,'' Holder said. ''The investigation at this point ... is still one that's ongoing.''
Another Justice Department official said later the task force, which once employed some two dozen prosecutors and investigators  working with two grand juries, is slowly getting smaller.
The Justice Department has been investigating various elements of the tobacco industry, including several major companies. Two federal grand juries, one in Washington and another in New York, were looking into whether tobacco companies withheld evidence from regulators or lied to Congress or regulators about the dangers and addictiveness of tobacco products.
The task force has so far produced a single guilty plea. Last year, a California biotechnology company admitted conspiring to grow high-nicotine tobacco secretly in foreign countries so Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. could ''control and manipulate the nicotine levels in its cigarettes.''
As part of the plea negotiated in Washington, DNA Plant Technology Corp. of Oakland, Calif., agreed to cooperate in the investigation still under way.

Virginia Still For Lovers

(Editor's Note - The Woltz in the Martin & Woltz Agency referred to in the following story is a South Boston native, George Woltz.

Woltz was graduated from C.H. Friend High School in 1953. He designed the "logo" of Halifax County High school and the school's official class ring while still a high school student.
Woltz has retired and is living in Florida)

By SONJA BARISIC
Associated Press Writer

After 30 years, Virginia's still for lovers.
''Virginia is for lovers,'' one of the most widely recognized state travel slogans, first appeared in an advertisement in Modern Bride magazine in March 1969.
The ad featured models dressed in period costume re-enacting the first wedding in Virginia, when maidservant Anne Burras married carpenter John Laydon in Jamestown in 1608.
The slogan was created by the Richmond advertising agency Martin & Woltz Inc. At the time, the average age of Virginia tourists was 50, and the agency thought it could get the state's business by appealing to a younger crowd, said David Martin, then a principal in the firm.
Robin McLaughlin, then a $100-a-week copywriter, came up with a phrase with numerous variations: ''Virginia is for beach lovers, Virginia is for mountain lovers, Virginia is for history lovers,'' etc.
The firm slimmed down the phrase to the catch-all ''Virginia is for lovers'' and added a red heart next to the text. The heart replaced the ''v'' in ''lovers'' five years ago.
''It hit a lot of people as bold and provocative,'' said Martha W. Steger, spokeswoman for the Virginia Tourism Corp.
It also inspired imitators. ''New York state called later to find out how we managed to get this as a slogan,'' Ms. Steger said.
The slogan also has been copied all over the world. A tourism office staff member on a church mission in Prague last year saw a sticker that read: ''Prague is for lovers.''
In a national survey last month involving 1,000 randomly chosen households, participants were given nine state names and asked if they knew their tourism slogans.
From this, 90.4 percent accurately recited Virginia's. New York - ''I love New York'' - came in second, with 36.1 percent, in the study commissioned by the Virginia tourism office and conducted by Edison, N.J.-based Bruskin Goldring Research.
''We thought the ad had energy about it,'' said Martin, who now is a brand consultant with Cadmus Communications in Richmond. ''We didn't have any idea that it was going to be some magical phrase.''
The slogan works because ''it's short, it's quick, it's clear, but not too clear,'' said Fran Hassencahl, an assistant professor of communications at Old Dominion University who teaches a course on propaganda.
''You don't have to have a significant other to be a lover,'' Ms. Hassencahl said. ''You can be a lover of the mountains, of history, of the shore.''
The state's tourism agency stopped using the slogan for about three years in the early 1980s when Bettie Diener, then secretary of conservation and economic development, decided it was tired and worn out, Ms. Steger said.
An ad agency came up with a substitute: ''Virginia. Exciting times. Every time.''
The state used the new slogan, but apparently no one else liked it. ''Everyone from the Virginia Beach tourism office to hoteliers kept using 'Virginia is for lovers,' '' Ms. Steger said.
When Gerald L. Baliles became governor, he brought back the old, familiar slogan.
''If something is working well, why change it?'' Ms. Hassencahl said.

 

Martin Indicted On Charges From Standoff

A Halifax County Circuit Court Grand Jury this week indicted Donnie Wayne Bowman on charges of attempted capital murder stemming from a five-hour standoff with police last December.
After hearing evidence relating to the case, the Grand Jury indicted Bowman, 42, of Spencer, West Virginia, on charges of attempted capital murder, use of a firearm while attempting capital murder, and possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
According to court records, Bowman has repeatedly stated his intent at the time of the standoff in Riverdale was to kill himself or be killed by police officers.
Bowman also testified during his preliminary hearing in Halifax County General District Court last month that he "only wanted to hurt himself," and that he never intended to hurt anyone else.
Court records confirmed reports that Bowman attempted suicide in his jail cell at the Blue Ridge Regional Adult Detention Center in Halifax just hours after that preliminary hearing and was hospitalized for three weeks in Richmond.Bowman's public defender, Buddy Ward, filed a motion February 26 ordering that Bowman undergo an evaluation at Central State Hospital in Petersburg to determine his competency to stand trial. The results of this evaluation should be submitted by April 23.
In addition to the Bowman case, a Halifax County Grand Jury also examined evidence Monday and returned bills of indictments against 23 other defendants.
· Johnnie Loumeril Barksdale, 32, of Jeffress Street, South Boston, was indicted on the charge of operating a motor vehicle, January 26, 1999, after having been declared an habitual offender, second offense.· George Myers Breedlove, 34, Route 1, Nathalie, was indicted on charges of forging and uttering two $40 checks on the account of Pamela Breedlove January 6, 1999.
· Michael Lee Carrington, 18, of Harding Mill Road, Nathalie, was indicated on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and carrying a concealed firearm November 4, 1998.
· Howard Clark Jr., 42, of Stith Lane, Clover, was indicted on charges of writing a $665.67 check to Lightweight Block Company October 20, 1998 while knowing there were insufficient funds in his checking account to cover the amount.
· Rodney William Deal, 34, of Hudson Road, Virgilina, was indicted on charges of operating a motor vehicle after being declared an habitual offender and failing to stop for a blue light and siren October 18, 1998.
· Torrence Dunkley, 19, of Morton's Ferry Road, Clover, was indicted on charges of grand larceny for allegedly taking an Alpine amplifier valued at more than $200 from Eric Seamster March 31, 1998.
· Eddwardo Jamon Ferguson, age and address unavailable, was indicted on charges of possession of crack cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm while in possession of crack cocaine, possession of a loaded firearm in a public place within the Town of South Boston, and possession of marijuana January 13, 1999.
· Henry James Foster, address and age unavailable, was indicted on charges of forging Cindy Foster's name on a $40 check paid to the order of cash August 29, 1998.
· Momar Oboi Guy, 27, of Farragut Avenue, South Boston, was indicted on charges of taking or concealing items valued at less than $200 from the Jiffy Store #9 November 5, 1998, and charges of taking or concealing merchandise valued at less than $200 from the Wal-Mart Superstore May 27, 1998.
· Sterling Lynn Lacks, 30, of Timberlake, N.C., was indicted on charges of feloniously obtaining an advance payment totalling $11,700 from John B. and Patsy J. Boeuf of South Boston to make improvements on their house but not finishing the job between September 16 and October 9, 1998.
· Kieth A. Link, 27, of South Boston, was indicted on charges of grand theft auto for allegedly stealing a 1998 Ford two-door sedan from Crowell Motor Company, Inc. November 14, 1998.
· Clovis Lamarr Logan, 29, of Willow Street, South Boston, was indicted on charges of abducting and assaulting Lisa D. Logan, a family or household member, January 7, 1999.
· Daniel Shawn Lowery, 37, of Huell Matthews Highway, South Boston, was indicted on charges of possession of a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
· Sean D. Massenburg, 28, of McKinney Street, South Boston, was indicted on charges of grand theft auto for allegedly stealing a 1998 Ford two-door sedan from Crowell Motor Company Inc., November 14, 1998.
· Bryant Leroy Mills, 27, of News Ferry Trail, South Boston, was indicted on charges of operating a motor vehicle after being declared an habitual offender.
· Jerry Osborne, 51, of Mountain Road, was indicted on charges of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
· Michael Wayne Perkins, 22, of South Main Street, Clover, was indicted on charges of grand larceny for allegedly stealing video games and other items from the Wal-Mart Superstore on four seperate occassions between October 1 and December 1, 1998.
· James Aster Reagen Jr., 28, of L.P. Bailey Highway, Halifax, was indicted on charges of breaking and entering the home of Thomas Scott Nab on two occassions, and stealing items from Nab's property valued in excess of $200 on three seperate occassions.
· Willie McKinnley Royster, 39, of Bass Trail, South Boston, was indicted on charges of forgery and uttering.
· Sharon Delores Shorter, 28, of Mason Chapel Road, Alton, was indicted on charges of larceny.
· Arthur Alton Sydnor, 56, of White Oak Fork Road, Virgilina, was indicted on charges of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
· Shawn Thomas, 30, of Crescent Drive, South Boston, was indicted on charges of unauthorized use of a credit/ATM card belonging to Emmett T. Venable November 6, 1998, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a 1991 Chevrolet S-10, belonging to Venable, November 5, 1998.
· Jesse Ray Traynham, 35, of Coles Ferry Road, was indicted on charges of assault and battery on Cindy Hamlett Traynham (fourth offense) and Toniesha Jordan (fourth offense), both family or household members, December 25, 1998.

N.C. Man Guilty Forging Prescription

Circuit Court Judge William L. Williams found a North Carolina man guilty of forging a prescription.
Ryan Joseph Ehrmann, 20, of Greenville, N.C., pleaded guilty and was found guilty of forging a prescription for oxycodone October 21, 1998.
A presentence report was ordered for the May term of Halifax County Circuit Court and Ehrmann was allowed to remain free on bond.
The former manager of Taco Bell was found guilty of grand larceny/embezzlement from the Halifax Road fast food restaurant.
Anthony A. Rogers, 38, of Bill Tuck Highway, pleaded guilty to taking approximately $1,600 from the restaurant's night deposit bags back in June of 1998.
According to court records, Rogers had been struggling with a drug problem and had taken smaller sums of money in the past.
Wellons found Rogers guilty as charged and allowed him to remain free on bond on the condition of his good behavior, including no drug use, until he is sentenced in May.
Wellons dismissed charges of possession of marijuana and possession of Psilocyn (mushrooms) against Christopher Layne Cole, 18, of Route 2, South Boston.
Cole was ordered to pay court costs.
Phillip Smith, 18, of South Gayle Street, Clover, was ordered to report to the Blue Ridge Regional Jail next Tuesday by 9 a.m. after being found guilty of misdemeanor assault and battery on Travis Anderson July 11, 1998 at the Ruritan Club.
On a motion by the Commonwealth Attorney John E. Greenbacker Jr., the original charge of malicious wounding was amended to the misdemeanor offense.
Smith pleaded guilty to the amended charge and was found guilty and sentenced to serve 30 days in jail. Wellons also approved Smith for work release while he serves his time.
Johnnie Dunn, 29, of the Fairmont Apartments in South Boston, was found guilty of stealing a 1998 Ford Mustang from Crowell Motor Co. Inc., in July of 1998.
A presentence report was ordered for May.
The case against his co-defendant, 19-year-old Bradford D. Woody of Porter Lane, South Boston, was continued.
However, Woody entered an Alford Plea of guilt to grand larceny charges stemming from an incident the previous month.
As a result, Woody was found guilty of the grand larceny charge, his bond was revoked, and he was remanded to jail until his sentencing date in May.
In another case, Woody pleaded not guilty to shooting at an occupied vehicle containing Jerome Lamont Anderson last December and also pleaded not guilty to discharging a firearm from a vehicle.
These charges were dismissed.
Eddwardo J. Ferguson, 20, of Easley Street, South Boston, Woody's co-defendent in this case, pleaded guilty in an plea agreement to unlawfully and feloniously shooting into an occupied vehicle and will be sentenced in May, and the charge of discharging a firearm from a vehicle was nol prossed.
Tony Lee Cole, 35, of Tobacco Road, Nathalie, was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine after he pleaded guilty and was found guilty of driving under the influence (third offense).
Wellons also sentenced him to 12 months in jail with all but one month suspended on condition of his good behavior for a five year period.
Wellons also agreed to allow Cole to serve his time on weekends.
Eric Eugene Beard, 27, of Beards Trail, South Boston, who was originally charged with felony destruction of property valued in excess of $1,000 for damaging Wanda Canada's 1993 Chevrolet during an argument November 4, 1998, pleaded guilty to the amended charge of misdemeanor destruction of property.
Wellons sentenced Beard to 12 months in jail with 10 months suspended.
Beard was ordered to have no contact with Canada and pay $100 restitution within 30 days of his release from jail for her insurance deductible, and was sentenced to 12 months supervised probation following his release during which he must complete anger control counseling.

Annie Lois Long Whitt

Mrs. Annie Lois Long Whitt of 17054 Philpott Road, Alton died Wednesday, March 10, 1999 at Halifax Regional Hospital. She was born November 17, 1900 and was 98 years old.
She was the daughter of George Morgan Long and Mamie Dale Satterfield Long and was married to Truple Alfred Whitt.
Mrs. Whit was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church.
Survivors include three sons, Nelson Whitt, of Ringgold, Richard Whitt, of Alton, Marvin Whitt, of Rocky Mount; two daughters, Ethel Mae Horn, of Burlington, NC; Pearl Griffin, of Ringgold; two brothers, William "Bob" Long, of Turbeville; Harry Long, of South Boston; four sisters, Mildred Buckner, of Alton; Daisy Satterfield, of Halifax; Lillian Satterfield, South Boston; Virginia Satterfield, of Alton; nine grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; five great great grandchildren and two great great great grandchildren. Mrs. Whitt was preceded in death by her husband, Truple Alfred Whitt.
Funeral services for Mrs. Whitt will be held today (Friday) at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Steve Vinyard officiating. Burial will take place in Calvary United Methodist Church Cemetery.

Ethel Walker Bass

Mrs. Ethel Walker Bass of 1030 Newton Farm Road, South Boston died Wednesday, March 10, 1999 at The Woodview.
Mrs. Bass was born in Person County, NC on May 26, 1913 and was 85 years old. She was the daughter of Mrs. Sally Walker and was married to John Ramsey Hall.
Mrs. Bass is survived by three sons: John Hall, of South Boston; James Hall, of Warner Robbins, GA; Willie Gene Wallace, of Hitesville, MD; eleven grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; one sister, Kathaleen Walker Smith, of Roxboro, NC; nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by one son, Hugh Martin Hall.
Funeral services for Mrs. Bass will be held today (Friday) at 200 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Rudolph Jacobs conducting the service. Burial will take place in Birchwood Annex Cemetery, Roxboro, NC.

Abigail Williams Eli

Mrs. Abigail Williams Eli of Ashland, Kentucky died March 11 at Our Lady of Bellefont Hospital in Russell, Kentucky. She was born in Philadelphia, Pa. on November 26, 1929 and was 69 years old. She was the daughter of Flora Vare and John R. Williams, Jr. and was married to Randall C. Eli.
Mrs. Eli is survived by her husband; three children, Gail Steinmedz of Baton Rouge, La., Randall C. Eli, Jr. of Lilliburn, Ga., and Taylor Williams Eli of Nekomis, Fla.; one sister, Mary W. Wall of Iowa City, Iowa; one brother, John R. Williams, III of Halifax; and five grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held today at 2:00 at John Steen Funeral Home in Ashland.

Henry Howard Ligon

Henry Howard (Jack) Ligon, died Thursday, March 11 at his residence at the age of 79.
Mr. Ligon was born March 10, 1920 in Mecklenburg County to the late William Henry and Harriett Slagle Ligon. He was a partner in the combined companies of Watkins Cooper Funeral Home and Clarksville Furniture Companies. He was a member of the Buffalo Baptist Church and a veteran of WW II serving in the U.S. Air Force.
His survivors include his wife: Hilda Sizemore Ligon; daughter: Jackie L. Burnett of Clarksville; son: Carl Ligon of Chase City; grandchildren: Jonathan Ligon, Haley Ligon, Tyler Pool and Ann Pool; sisters: Odell Poole of Buffalo Junction, Lillie Murray of Virgilina, Evelyn Williams of Richmond; brother: Bobby Ligon of Buffalo Junction.

A funeral service will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Buffalo Baptist Church with the Rev. H.V. Conner and Rev. Rodney Baker officiating. Interment will be in the Oakhurst Cemetery in Clarksville.

William Hodnett Harris

William Hodnett Harris of 521 Raven Road, Chesapeake died yesterday at Chesapeake General Hospital at the age of 67.
Mr. Harris was born in Halifax County on July 2, 1931 to the late Samuel Hodnett Harris and Alice Wilborn Harris. He was a member of Cava Baptist Church and was married to Jacquelyn "Jackie" Loftis Harris.
He is survived by his wife; sons, David Carroll Harris and wife Linda of Vernon Hill, John William Harris of Sutherlin, Mark Hodnett Harris and wife Amy of Chesapeake and William "Bill" Phillip Harris of Chesapeake; daughter, Allyce Elizabeth "Beth" Pollard and husband Steve of Chesapeake; brothers, Charles Thomas Harris of South Boston, James Conway Harris of Halifax and Marshall B. Harris of South Boston; sister, Margaret Harbin of York, SC; grandchildren, Brandon Harris, Erin S. Pollard, Steven C. Pollard, William T. Harris and Landon H. Pollard.
The funeral will be held at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel, Sunday, March 14 at 2 p.m. Burial will take place in the Halifax Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be at Brooks Funeral Home Saturday night from 7 until 8:30 and at other times at the home of Charles Harris, 1310 Berry Hill Rd. South Boston and David Harris, 1123 Ridge Rd. Vernon Hill.
The family requests that anyone wishing to give memorials to please consider the American Heart Association or the American Lung Association.

Rebecca Horton Mobley

Rebecca "Becky" Horton Mobley died yesterday at the age 47. She was born August 30, 1951 and was married to Rev. Jeff Mobley, Sr.
She is survived by her husband; daughter, Laurie Strickland of Wilson; son, Jeff Mobley, Jr. of the home; sisters, Sandy Randall of Houston, TX, Lynn Wilbourne of Milton, NC and Missy Snead of South Boston.
A funeral service will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Joyner's Funeral Home, 4100 US 264 West with the Rev. Ray Barnhill and Dr. Bob Walker officiating. Burial will be held in Evergreen Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be held tonight from 7-9 p.m. at Joyner's Funeral Home and at other times at 1503 Burnside Drive.
Memorials may be made to Forest Hills Baptist Church Building Fund or Music Ministry, 1407 Forest Hills Rd., Wilson, NC 27896.

Virginia Wilson Hudson

Mrs. Virginia Wilson Hudson of 4079 Hudson Road, Virgilina died Wednesday, March 10 at Duke Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Mrs. Hudson was born May 5, 1914 in Halifax County and was 84 years old. She was the daughter of James Robert Wilson and Dora Serena Tuck Wilson and was married to Floyd Edwin Hudson.
Mrs. Hudson was a retired teacher and a member of North Fork Baptist Church.
Survivors include four daughters: Muriel H. Williams, of Virgilina; Hollis H. Bowen, of Durham, NC; Linda H. Gale, of Collinsville; Judy H. Lee, of Madison Heights; five sons: Edwin David Hudson, of South Boston; Hilton C. Hudson, of Alton; Curtis D. Hudson, Paul C. Hudson, Allan W. Hudson, of Virgilina; two sisters: Hilda Roller, of Clover; and Marie Timmerman, of Rockville, MD; one brother, Thomas Lee Wilson, of South Boston; 28 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Edwin Hudson.
Funeral services for Mrs. Hudson will be held at North Fork Baptist Church Saturday, March 13 at 11:00 a.m. with the Rev. Russell Pedigo and Rev. W. D. Mills, Jr. officiating. Burial will take place in the North Fork Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Brooks Funeral Home tonight (Friday) from 7 until 8:30 and other times at the home.
The family request in lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Midway Volunteer Fire Department, Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department, or your favorite charity.

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