Friday, June 2, 2006

 

Supes May Lower Proposed Tax Rate

Supervisor Recommends Lowering Real Estate Rate Increase From Six Cents To Four Cents Per Assessed $100

The Halifax County Board of Supervisors’ Finance Committee Chairman Doug Bowman is recommending lowering a proposed increase to the county’s real estate tax, according to a memo he wrote to the Board of Supervisors.
Board members are expected to take action on next year’s budget during Monday’s meeting at the Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.
The current proposed $129,785,741 fiscal budget for 2007 reflects a decrease in real estate taxes to 37 cents per $100 from the current rate of 41 cents per $100 due to last year’s reassessment, but increases the tax by six cents to cover debt service on a $60 million school construction project.
If approved, the county’s adjusted tax rate would be 43 cents per $100.
But Bowman said supervisors can balance the county’s budget while cutting taxes levied on farm equipment and lowering the adjusted tax rate to 41 cents per $100, an effective four-cent increase.
The two-cent drop in the tax increase will result in a revenue reduction of $633,105, according to Bowman.
“In mid-April, we received the county administrator’s recommended 2007 budget,” the finance committee chair wrote. “It included a six-cent increase in the real estate tax rate in support primarily of the school capital projects now under way. Since then, discussions in our full Board budget work sessions and among ourselves have us leaning toward a lower tax increase and exempting farm equipment from personal property taxes.”
Currently, the personal property tax rate is $2.50, but County Administrator Bryan Foster noted that a change in the way motor vehicles are assessed – for the first time at loan value rather than retail value – resulted in a $3.30 rate because the county cannot make money from a change in assessment values.
“The taxpayer paying taxes on a vehicle will pay essentially the amount they’re paying now,” Foster said following the Board’s April meeting. “But on farm equipment, the assessment method isn’t changing. If we alter the rate, it’s an effective increase on farm equipment but not on vehicles.”
“That’s going to directly impact the farm community as an extra burden,” Bowman said during the earlier meeting. “In my opinion, we need to eliminate that (farm machinery) from personal property taxes altogether.
“Rural property owners are paying a higher burden on real estate based on the last two assessments and this would be one way to eliminate some burden from the agricultural community.”
At the current $2.50 tax rate, $8,462,800 in assessed farm equipment results in $211,570 in revenue. At the proposed $3.30 rate, $279,272 would be generated.
Foster told the Board that eliminating farm vehicles will result in a budget deficit of just under $280,000 that will need to be closed.
“Working with the School Board, county administration and county partners and agencies, additional revenue sources and expense reductions have been identified which could allow us to hold the real estate tax increase to four cents and exempt farm equipment (next year),” Bowman wrote.
If supervisors pass Bowman’s proposed budget changes, the county will face net revenue reductions of $547,378. Bowman asserts he has identified line item cuts that total $455,387 – resulting in the need to transfer just under $92,000 from the county’s general fund.

 

Man Sentenced Embezzlement/Grand Larceny

A 20-year-old South Boston man, Keith Quinton Anderson, was sentenced Thursday in Halifax County Circuit Court to 10 years in prison, with all but 30 days suspended, for the embezzlement/grand larceny of Wal-Mart.
Judge Charles L. McCormick ordered the suspended portion of Anderson’s sentence be conditioned on Anderson’s good behavior for 10 years, and ordered the defendant to be placed on probation for one year, beginning immediately.
The court authorized work release for Anderson, ordered him to pay $1,300 restitution to Wal-Mart within three months, and ordered him to remain off Wal-Mart property for 10 years.
Other Court Cases
• Brenda Carol Poole, 52, of South Boston, was convicted Thursday of four misdemeanors related to an incident last September 20.
The court convicted Poole of the assault of police officer W.D. Kiefer, the destruction of personal property belonging to the Town of South Boston, obstruction of justice and resisting arrest, all misdemeanors.
Judge McCormick sentenced Poole to one year in jail for each of the convictions, suspending all but 60 days, conditioned on Poole’s good behavior for four years, and authorized weekend jail service for the defendant.
The court additionally ordered Poole to be placed on probation for one year, beginning immediately, and to pay $190 restitution to the South Boston Police Department.
• Laura Lynn Tingen, 36, of Halifax, pleaded guilty Thursday to four counts of prescription fraud, the Commonwealth nol prossing four additional prescription fraud charges during the trial.
The court found evidence sufficient to convict Tingen, but withheld its finding of guilt for one year, placing Tingen on first offender status and ordering the defendant to be placed under supervision of the Probation Department for that period of time.
The court additionally ordered Tingen to be evaluated for the substance abuse program and suspended her operator’s license for six months, restricting it for travel to and from work and the probation department.
• Nicole Denise Thompson, 29, of Ringgold, was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison, with all time suspended, for possession of a Schedule I/II controlled substance.
The court ordered Thompson’s suspended sentence be conditioned on her good behavior for five years and ordered her to be placed on probation for one year.
• Clifton Roger Davis, 53, of South Boston, pleaded guilty Thursday to possession of a Schedule I/II controlled substance.
In exchange for Davis’ plea, the Commonwealth agreed to the defendant being placed on first offender status, the court finding evidence sufficient to convict Davis but withholding its finding of guilt for one year.
The court additionally suspended Davis’ operator’s license for six months.
• Charles Anthony Ratliff, 46, of Alton, was convicted Thursday of possessing cocaine.
The court nol prossed two additional charges against Ratliff during the trial, one for marijuana possession and the other for possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance.
Ratliff is free on bond pending sentencing in the July court term.
• Phillip Andre Claiborne, 33, of South Boston, was convicted Thursday of marijuana possession.
The court sentenced Claiborne to 30 days in jail, with all time suspended, conditioned on his good behavior for one year, and additionally suspended Claiborne’s operator’s license for six months.
• Noel Seda, 23, of Clover, was convicted Thursday of possessing a Schedule I/II controlled substance.
The court remanded Seda to custody following the trial to await sentencing.
• Jessie James Dunaway Jr., 25, of South Boston, had an indictment charging him with possessing with the intent to distribute a Schedule I/II controlled substance nol prossed Thursday by the Commonwealth.
• Carol Murray Wolfe, 54, of South Boston, was convicted Thursday of a probation violation.
Disposition of the case was continued to the September court term.
• Julie Ann Tucker, 47, of Alton, had an indictment charging her with issuing a bad check in excess of $200 nol prossed Tuesday by the Commonwealth.
• Todd Adcock, 33, of Oxford, N.C., had an indictment charging him with construction fraud dismissed Tuesday in Halifax County Circuit Court.

 

Memorial Fund-Raiser Set

Dedication Will Be Held Tuesday

A benefit show will be held Saturday to raise funds for a new memorial commemorating Halifax County’s World War II F Company.
The show will be at 7 p.m. at McCanless Memorial United Methodist Church in South Boston and will feature local singers and musicians performing a variety of songs and styles.
On the program are 10-year-old Kelsey Baker of Virgilina, John Bowman of South Boston, John Eure, pastor of Ash Avenue Baptist Church and Lori Thomas of South Boston.
Anyone unable to attend the show can make a donation by mailing a check made out to McCanless Memorial UMC Memorial Fund for Company F, to PO Box 876, South Boston, Va. 24592.
The memorial’s dedication ceremony will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the National Guard Armory on Hamilton Boulevard in South Boston.
A representative from the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford will be in attendance to address the history of Company F and how this memorial came into being.
Members of American Legion Post 8, who donated $1,000 to the fund-raiser, will serve as the honor guard and render a 21-gun salute.
The memorial will display the commemorative plaque presented to the surviving members of Company F and to the community by the National D-Day Memorial.
The memorial on which the plaque is mounted was inspired by the Overlord Arch in Bedford and features alternating stones of gray and black, measuring nine feet in length and rising to four feet in the center.
South Boston Marble and Granite Memorials was instrumental in obtaining and installing the memorial.
Anyone interested in attending the dedication ceremony is encouraged to bring his own lawn chair.

 

Five Errors Doom Comets’ Bid To Reach State Playoffs

Bagbey, Jeffress Lead Comets’ Offense

You don’t win ballgames against a quality opponent by making a lot of mistakes.
The Halifax County High School baseball team revisited that painful lesson at the hands of Osbourn High School in Wednesday night’s Northwest Region Tournament semifinal game in Manassas.
The Comets, plagued with five errors and other miscues, saw their bid to advance into the Group AAA state playoffs end with a 9-4 loss to the Eagles.
This marked the second year in a row that the Comets (14-8) had fallen to Osbourn in the Northwest Region Tournament semifinals.
The way the Comets lost was much too similar to the way they toppled in last year’s 8-3 loss to the Eagles.
Two errors on back-to-back plays and a wild pitch, all in the first inning gave Osbourn (22-1) three of its nine runs. Three more errors, a hit batter and two hits led to five Eagles runs in the bottom of the second inning and gave them a plush cushion they maintained the rest of the game.
“We’re in the regionals and that quality ballclub over there (Osbourn) was sitting back and waiting for mistakes like that,” said Comets head coach Kelvin Davis.
“They capitalized on us. We just didn’t make the plays early in the ballgame. When everybody settled down, it was too late. Osbourn just capitalized on our mistakes.
“I’m not taking anything away from Osbourn,” Davis added.
“They have a heck of a coaching staff and they put the ball in play and made things happen. That’s what you have to do in high school baseball. I wish them all of the luck in the world.”
In last year’s game against Osbourn, the Comets had runners on first base and third base with nobody out in the first inning and failed to score. Then, the defense faltered and the Eagles picked the Comets apart to get the win.
Wednesday night, the Comets generated one of their better offensive efforts in recent games in netting eight hits, but, again, had problems on the defensive side of the ledger.
It was a frustrating exercise for Davis who had seen his team’s defense unravel another time against the same team two years in a row.
“You don’t deserve to win ballgames (playing) like that,” Davis pointed out.
“These are plays we work on so much during practice. It’s frustrating for us because we know we’re a better team than what we displayed out there. That’s the hard thing.”
Offensively, the Comets did what they needed to do.
Halifax County tagged Osbourn hurler Tony Pasquariello for eight hits with Justin Bagbey having a perfect night with a double and two singles and Jeremy Jeffress wrapping up his high school baseball career with a two-run homer in the top of the second inning. Jeffress had a two-run dinger in last year’s game against the Eagles.
Willie Stephens, Scott Gieselman, David Lacks and Tony Barbour all chipped in a hit in the contest.
“My guys really hit the ball well,” Davis said.
“Unfortunately, we just couldn’t make the plays behind our pitchers.”
Osbourn, the top seed out of the Cedar Run District, didn’t play its best game either.
The Eagles committed three errors that the Comets used to help generate three runs in the first two innings.
Halifax County took the lead early, going up 1-0 in the top of the first inning when Bagbey, who had reached base with a double, scored on an Eagles error.
In the bottom of the frame, the Eagles’ Brett Howell was hit by a pitch from Comets starting hurler Kyle Long. Howell, with the help of Comets errors on back-to-back plays, scored to tie the game. Teammate Brent Greer scored on a wild pitch hand a sacrifice fly to centerfield from Chris Boggs plated Sean McCauley to put the Eagles up 3-1.
An Osbourn error allowed Lacks, the Comets’ first batter in the top of the second inning, to reach base. Jeffress followed by sending a towering shot over the left field fence to deadlock the game at 3-3.
The Comets appeared to be back in the game at that point, at least until they took the field in the bottom half of the inning.
Osbourn’s designated hitter Bobby Malato hit what appeared to be a routine single to centerfield. After reaching Stephens on one bounce, the ball shot over Stephens’ head and rolled almost to the fence.
Malato raced to third base and easily had the bag, yet Stephens attempted to try to throw him out anyway. The throw sailed past Bobby Owens at third base and Malato easily scored to put the Eagles up 4-3.
A hit batsman, an infield hit and another Comets error allowed Osbourn to load the bases. Greer followed with a three-RBI double to put Osbourn up 7-3. A single by Boggs plated Greer to put the Eagles up by five runs.
The Comets scratched up a run in the top of the third inning to make it 8-4 when Gieselman, who had reached base on a fielder’s choice, scored on a two-out single by Lacks. Halifax County could have scored at least one more run, but Stephens, who had led off with a double, was erased while trying to reach third base on Gieselman’s ground ball to the shortstop.
Halifax County had only two hits after that point in the contest. Osbourn added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning with a leadoff double by Malato off of Lacks, who came in to relieve Long on the mound in the third inning, and a single from Kevin Kirk.
With the win, Osbourn goes on to face North Stafford tonight in the Northwest Region Tournament championship game. Both teams will advance to Monday’s opening round of the Group AAA state tournament.

 

Errors Doom Softball Team In 7-0 NW Region Loss

Massaponax Strikes Early To End Comets’ Run

It’s hard for a team to win a game in which it commits six errors, particularly at the regional level and especially on the road, and that’s exactly what happened to the Comets varsity softball team Wednesday in a 7-0 loss at Massaponax in the Northwest Regional Tournament semifinals.
Massaponax will host Franklin County today for the Northwest Regional title, while the Comets ended their season with an 18-5 record, including a 3-1 win Monday at Osbourn Park to reach the semifinals.
That solid win, in which the Comets played solid defense and got key hits with runners on base, was more indicative of how the Comets have played to get 18 wins this season, according to coach Melanie Saunders.
The regional semifinal did not live up to those standards, she added.
“We mentally lost it in two of the last three ball games we played, against Franklin County [in the WVD Tournament] and here today.
“Monday, we were error-free and knocked a good team out of it, but today we started out the game committing errors.
“That’s not characteristic of us as a team, and I thought we got that out of the way against Franklin County.”
Massaponax, the Commonwealth District No. 1 seed, scored all the runs it would need in the first two innings, two in the first and five in the second, aided by two Comets miscues in each innings.
The Panthers also had seven of its eight hits in the first two frames, the Comets settling down after that, but the damage had been done.
Halifax has rallied to win ball games this season after trailing in the early going, but the Comets batters never got going against Panthers’ hurler Rehle Kash.
Lashunda Davis had two of the Comets’ four hits, both singles, while Betty Rose and Mandy Watts added base hits, but Halifax had only one multi-hit inning, the sixth.
“We were reaching for the ball at the plate all day against a slow pitcher, and for some reason we couldn’t wait on the ball.
“Massaponax is a good team, and they have some good arms in the outfield, but their pitcher wasn’t overpowering (two strikeouts), and she didn’t set us down. She threw the ball up there for us to hit, and she let her defense work.”
Comets hurler Jessica “Moo” Morris, who went the distance in the win at Osbourn Park, gave up eight hits and walked none in six innings of work on the mound, finishing with six strikeouts, all but one Panthers’ hit coming in the first two frames.
Halifax had an opportunity to score the game’s first run go by the boards in its first at-base after Davis hit a two-out single.
She advanced to third after the Panther’s outfielder allowed the ball to roll to the fence, but a line drive out got Massaponax out of the inning.
The Panthers collected two runs on two hits in the bottom of the inning, aided by two Comets errors.
With one out, Morgan Self reached on a hit to short right-center field, and a wide throw to second on a force play after a ground ball put runners at first and second with one out.
Another error and intentional pass put runners at second and third, before Jasmine Tillman hit a two-run single to make it 2-0.
The Panthers made it 7-0 in the second inning, the first two batters reaching base on Comets fielding errors. Consecutive one-out base hits by Katie Scott, Self, Alex Blackburn, Tillman and Kash produced five runs and a 7-0 advantage.
The Comets escaped further damage when second baseman Heather Oakes fielded a grounder, tagged the Panthers’ base runner and threw to Watts at first base for a double play.
Massaponax had only three other base runners the rest of the game, two in the third on a Comets error and fielder’s choice, and the other in the fourth inning after a base hit, but Halifax couldn’t mount a rally.
Rose was stranded after her two-out single in the fourth inning, and Mandy Watts hit a leadoff single in the sixth.
Liz Trickey then reached on a fielder’s choice out, and Davis got a base hit to put runners at second and third with two outs.
A line drive out cut the potential rally short, and the Comets were retired in order in the top of the seventh in end the game.
The final score didn’t tell the entire story of the contest, according to Saunders.
“They [Massaponax] had some good hits, but we also made errors. They’d then push little bloop hits just over the infield with runners aboard to score runs.
“We gave them a lot of runs. You can’t make those errors and today they cost us.”
Despite the loss, Saunders emphasized the accomplishments of this year’s team, which graduates seniors Beth Throckmorton, Jessie Lloyd, Jasmine Parker, Heather Oakes, Morris and Watts.
“I don’t think anyone expected us to come this far,” said Saunders. “We lost a lot of seniors last year and had to regroup, and for them to get this far says a lot about this team.
“Some of the younger players know what it feels like to be here, you have to be mature enough to handle the pressure and battle back.
“To come away with that big win on Monday over a good team is a very positive thing,” she added.
“Monday we were the team that people saw for most of the season, but not today, and I hate for the seniors to go out like this.”

 

Mike Priest Named To ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Baseball Team

Former HCHS Baseball Standout Earns Honor For Second Straight Year

BUIES CREEK, N.C. -- Campbell University senior Mike Priest has been named to the ESPN The Magazine/Academic All-America® University Division Baseball first-team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The selection of Priest marks the 13th time that a Campbell student-athlete has earned Academic All-America recognition from CoSIDA since 1988.
The Vernon Hill native gained the honor for the second-straight year after earning second-team recognition in 2005.  His selection also marks the fifth time a Campbell baseball player has been so honored, including Kent Cox (1995), William McLean (1998) and Kenny Milton (1988).
Priest was one of two players from the 17 Division I schools in the state of North Carolina and one of two representatives from the Atlantic Sun Conference to be named to the 12-man Academic All-America baseball first-team.
CoSIDA’s 1800 members in the United States and Canada nominate players for ESPN The Magazine / Academic All-America® recognition. To be eligible, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and be a starter or key reserve on his or her team.
CoSIDA members vote on the all-district teams.  A national panel selects the Academic All-America squads.
“Mike exemplifies what a student-athlete is,” said Fighting Camel coach Chip Smith. 
“He put the numbers up for three years and was a tremendous leader in our program. Certainly he is going to be hard for us to replace, both in the classroom and on the baseball field.”
In just three years after transferring to Campbell from the University of Virginia, Priest established himself as one of the top hitters in Fighting Camel history.
He finished his career ranked among Campbell’s all-time top-10 (Division I era since 1978) in 11 offensive categories, including second in total bases (398).  In 165 games, Priest batted .358 with 227 hits in 634 at-bats, 49 doubles (3rd in school history), 36 home runs (tied for third) and 138 RBI (6th).
As a senior, Priest set a school single-season record with 90 hits, while leading the Atlantic Sun Conference with a .402 batting average.  A Second-Team all-conference choice in 2006, he also led the league in hits, runs scored (62), total bases (151) and slugging percentage (.674), while ranking second in on-base percentage (.469), third in home runs (13) and RBI (53) and fifth in walks (31) through the end of May.
In 2005, the right-handed batting first baseman set a school Division I era (since 1978) record for doubles in a season (22).  He ranked among A-Sun leaders in total bases (145), slugging (.687), doubles, home runs (14), on-base percentage (.443), batting average (.365) and hits (77).  Priest was also named the first baseman on the 2005 Atlantic Sun All-Conference first team.
Priest posted a 3.9 grade-point average as a Biology / Pre-Med major and was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Academic Team in each of his three years at CU. He is also a member of the Epsilon Pi Eta Honor Society.
He played one year at Virginia (2002) before sitting out the 2003 season as a red-shirt, then transferring to Campbell prior to the 2004 campaign.
Priest (who graduated from Halifax County High School in 2001) batted .302 and led the Fighting Camels with nine home runs, 39 RBI and a .513 slugging average in 2004.

 

Obituaries

John Smith
John Smith, 58 of South Boston died May 29, 2006.
Mr. Smith was born in Halifax County on August 20, 1947, to the late William and Louise Major Smith. He was an employee of the Town of Clarksville.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, Charlene Venable.
Survivors include his wife, Nannie R. Smith of Clarksville; five children, Bettie Terry and Diane Smith both of Buffalo Junction, Eric Smith of Clarksville, and Jeanette Smith of Connecticut; 10 grandchildren; one sister, Shirley Smith of Alton; two brothers, Thomas Smith of Roxboro, N.C. and Lloyd Smith of Baltimore, Md.
Funeral services for Mr. Smith will be held 2:30 p.m. today, June 2, at Saint John Baptist Church, Buffalo Junction with the Rev. Charles Sands, officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Online condolences may be registered at www.harrisfhc.com
Annie Williamson Yancey
Annie Williamson Yancey, 93, of Buffalo Junction died May 30, 2006, at her home.
Mrs. Yancey was the daughter of Fuller B. and Matie Sizemore Williamson. She was a member of Union Chapel Baptist Church where funeral services will be held today, June 2, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Earnie Taylor officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Preceded in death by a daughter, Joyce Y. Johnson, Mrs. Yancey is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn Y. and Dickie Puckett of Oxford, N.C.; son and daughter-in-law, Jerry W. and Linda Yancey of Virglina; sisters, Virginia Elliott of Raleigh, N.C. and Pauline Bannister of Cary, N.C.; six grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchilden.
Condolences can be made at www.wclfh.com.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Union Chapel Baptist Church Building Fund, 4433 Shiney Rock Road, Clarksville, 23927. William Herbert Medford
William Herbert Medford, 94, of 1012 Loftis Road, South Boston died May 31, 2006, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Medford was born in Concord, N.C. on May 29, 1912, the son of Charles Medford and Minnie Virginia Medford, and was first married to the late Shirley Boyd Medford and then to Ruby Lee Gordon Medford, who survives him. He was a Master Mason of Metropolitan Lodge No. 11 in Richmond, a WWII Army Veteran and a retired merchant.
Funeral services will be held at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel tomorrow, June 3, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Jason Bryant officiating. Burial will follow in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home tomorrow from 1 until the funeral hour.
Survivors of Mr. Medford include his wife; two stepdaughters, Jean G. Billingslea of Lynchburg and Reva G. Smith of Richmond; three stepsons, Tex M. Gordon of Ark., Steve M. Gordon and Vince M. Gordon, both of Lynchburg; one brother, Charles Arnold Medford of Waller, Texas; and a special friend, Frances A. Meyer Hoeffer of Bridgewater.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@earthlink.net
Lawrence W. Bowen
Lawrence W. Bowen, 82, of Richmond, died May 31, 2006. He was born in Nelson on November 18, 1923, to the late John F. and Laura B. Bowen. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nellie L. Bowen; his brothers, Claude and Wilton Bowen; and sisters, Lelia Bowen and Bessie Hite, all of Nelson.
Mr. Bowen is survived by two daughters, Sheila Redman and her husband, Donnie, and Donna King and her husband, John; five grandchildren, Aaron Redman, Laura Redman Dacey and husband, Wes, Jason, Justin, and Jeffrey King; and two great-grandsons, Nathan and Conner Dacey; one nephew, Melvin Bowen; and one niece, Martha Synklewski.
Mr. Bowen was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church, served in the U.S. Army, and retired from GRTC.
The family will receive friends 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today, June 2, at Bliley Funeral Homes’ Staples Mill Chapel, 8510 Staples Mill Rd., where services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Immanuel Baptist Church Building Fund, 3601 Monument Ave., Richmond, 23230, or Lakeside Volunteer Rescue Squad.
Miles Roscoe Ratliff
Miles Roscoe Ratliff, 70, of 1071 Hunters Lane, South Boston died May 31, 2006, at Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center.
Mr. Ratliff was born February 26, 1936, the son of Florence Ramey Ratliff and John C. Ratliff. He was an Army Veteran of the Korean Conflict and retired owner/operator of Ratliff Used Auto Parts.
Graveside services will be held tomorrow, June 3, at 11 a.m. at Grace Baptist Church Cemetery with the Rev. Jason Bryant officiating.
Survivors of Mr. Ratliff include five sisters, Eunice Hall of Wilmington, N.C., Linda Ratliff of South Boston, Gladys Spangler of Hampton, Carrie Cifers of Danville and Marie Flippo of Chesterfield; and one brother, Bob Ratliff Sr. of South Boston. Other than his parents, five brothers, Henry, Cleve, Glen, Joe and Cecil Ratliff also preceded him in death.
The family will receive friends at Brooks Funeral Home this evening, June 2, from 7:00 until 8:30.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@earthlink.net
Edna Knapp Eggleston
Edna Knapp Eggleston, 100, of Brookneal died May 30, 2006, at Woodview Nursing Home. She was the wife of the late Harry Orville Eggleston.
Mrs. Eggleston was born in Alderson, WVa. on November 13, 1905, the daughter of the late Thomas Judson Knapp and Nora Ballengee Knapp. She was a member of Lighthouse Community Baptist Church.
Survivors include three daughters, Mary Smith and husband, Walter of Brookneal, Dorothy Throckmorton and husband, Milton of Scottsburg, and Nora Hamlette of Scottsburg; one sister, Bessie McCallister of Alderson, WVa.; 11 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Eggleston was also preceded in death by two sons, Thomas Luther ‘Jack’ Eggleston and Billy Ray Eggleston.
Funeral services will be held today, June 2, at 4 p.m. at Lighthouse Community Baptist Church by the Rev. Mike Ferrell with burial to follow in Wickliffe Cemetery.
Ethel Palmer Medley
Ethel Palmer Medley, 77, of 1023 Gatha’s Trail, Halifax died May 31, 2006, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Medley was born in Halifax County on April 13, 1929, to the late Moses Brocket Palmer and Nannie P. Palmer, and was married to the late James Samuel Medley. She was a member of Banister Hill Baptist Church, and was a retired Halifax County public school teacher.
Survivors include one son, David Medley of Halifax; one stepdaughter, Christine Medley of New York; one stepson, James Medley of Lanham, Md; three sisters, Ruth Plenty and Rebecca Palmer, both of Halifax, and Mary Burton of Charlottesville; five grandchildren; one step-granddaughter; and three step-great-grandchildren. Mrs. Palmer was preceded in death by one daughter, Sylvia Claughton; and three brothers, Abraham, Andrew and Charlie Palmer.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow, June 3, at 11 a.m. at Banister Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. William Carr officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The remains will lie-in-state at The Crawford House Chapel today, June 2, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The family is receiving friends at the home.
Esther Irene Morris Elliott
Funeral services for Esther Irene Morris Elliott of Buffalo Junction will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home Chapel with interment at Oakhurst Cemetery. Dr. David Pruett will officiate.
Mrs. Elliott, 78, died Thursday, June 1.
A Halifax County native, she was born August 4, 1927 in Cluster Springs, a daughter of the late Cornelia Floyd Day and Reuben Henry Morris and was the wife of the late William W. Elliott.
She was a member of Buffalo Baptist Tabernacle and a retired employee of Russell Stover Candies, Clarksville.
She is survived by her children, Jackie E. Davidson and husband Ronald; Janet E. Nunn and husband C.W. of Lynnchburg; and Darlene E. Tillotson and husband Hamlin of Buffalo Junction; sisters, Sarah M. Conner of Meadowview Terrace Nursing Home, Clarksville, and Gertrude M. Erquitt of Atlanta, Ga. Nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren also survive Mrs. Elliott.
She was preceded in death by sisters, Louisa M. Saunders, Ida M. Conner and Eugenia M. Glass, and brothers, Reuben F., George C., and Coolidge T. Morris; half siblings, Jessie Brann, Sadie Chambers, Cara Lowery and Obie Morris.
Visitation for family and friends will be 7-9 p.m. Friday at Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home, Clarksville, and other times at the home of Darlene and Hamlin Tillotson, 2325 Cow Road, Buffalo Junction.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Mecklenburg County Life Saving and Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 1539, Clarksville, Va. 23927 or Buffalo Baptist Tabernacle Building Fund, 1832 Highway 58, Buffalo Junction, Va. 24529.
Condolences may be expressed at www.welfh.com.