Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Police Seek Suspect In Abduction

Woman Was Allegedly Taken From SoBo’s Goodwill Store Sunday

The South Boston Police Department is working with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office in the search for an alleged rapist who reportedly abducted a woman at gunpoint from the parking lot of the South Boston Goodwill Store Sunday.
According to Mecklenburg County Investigator Terry Edmonds, the 28-year-old Caucasian victim was allegedly confronted by the gun-wielding suspect around 6 p.m. Sunday, and was forced to drive the suspect in her vehicle to an unknown location within Mecklenburg County.
Contacted yesterday, South Boston Police Chief Mick Reed said South Boston authorities weren’t notified of the alleged crime until they were contacted by Mecklenburg authorities.
“We were not notified prior to that that the offense allegedly took place,” he said. “We are aware of the alleged incident and are aggressively seeking to determine the facts.
“We are in direct contact with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office and are coordinating our investigation into the alleged incident with them.”
South Boston investigator Lt. B.K. Lovelace is investigating the incident.
According to a police report of the incident, the suspect forced the woman to drive to Mecklenburg County, where she was allegedly raped.
“He forced her to drive to a certain area of Mecklenburg County, where she was sexually assaulted,” Edmonds said. “Following the rape, the suspect forced the victim to drive him to another location near the Town of Clarksville, where he got out of the vehicle and walked away.”
Once the suspect left the vehicle, the victim drove into Clarksville and called 911, he said.
The investigator said that additional information about the incident would be released once the investigation is complete.
“We are still investigating this incident,” Edmonds said. “On Wednesday, we plan to drive the victim through the area again to see if she can pinpoint the exact location where the incident occurred, and where the suspect left her vehicle.
“In the meantime, we are asking anyone with information to please contact the sheriff’s office immediately.”
Edmonds added that the victim was able to provide a description of the suspect, and a composite sketch is currently being circulated throughout the area.
He did point out that the composite rendering system added sideburns that the suspect does not have.
Other than that, Edmonds said the rendering looks very similar to the suspect according to the victim’s statement.
The suspect was described as an African-American male between 35 and 45-years old.
He was also described as being approximately 5’7” tall, of medium build and weighing approximately 125 to 150 pounds, with short brown hair and teeth “with gaps in them.”
Anyone with information regarding the suspect or the incident is asked to contact Edmonds at (434) 738-6171, the South Boston Police Department at 575-4270 or Crimestoppers at 575-TIPS.

 

Weed: The Key Issue Is Jobs, Economic Development

The most important issue facing Southside Virginia is providing jobs and economic opportunity for the area’s residents, according to Democratic Fifth District Congressional candidate Al Weed.
The Nelson County farmer and retired U.S. Army Special Forces Command Sergeant Major said the federal government has a role to play in the region’s economic future and that the incumbent, Virgil Goode, is not doing a good job securing federal funds for the district.
“ Our congressman has done a poor job of marshalling resources for the district,” Weed said. “We also need to have a long-term focus because industries like textiles and furniture aren’t coming back.”
Weed said an example of a federal program that is being underutilized in Southside is the federal HUB (historically underutilized business) zone program.
HUB zones, of which Halifax and Mecklenburg counties qualify, have access to about $6 billion in federal government expenditures, Weed said.
Government agencies are encouraged to use companies that are located in HUB zones or employee people that live in HUB zones.
Weed said agencies are going to purchase these products, why not use a company located in a HUB zone in Halifax or Mecklenburg?
He also said the government needs to take a longer-term approach to helping economically strained HUB zone regions recover.
“We need to focus money on trade impacted zones,” Weed said. “We haven’t done a decent job of helping these regions recover.”
HUB zones give businesses an advantage seeking government business, Weed said, that could be an incentive for companies to invest or even relocate in Southside.
When seeking federal assistance for things like HUB zones and education Weed says Southside is not begging, just asking the government to deliver what it promised.
“When NAFTA passed the government knew certain regions were going to be impacted,” Weed said. “They said we were going to be partners”
Weed said the government broke its promise to hard hit regions like Southside.
“It’s like the government said, ‘We’re going to build a new highway through your neighborhood and you’re going to lose your house, but we’ll buy you a new one,’” Weed said. “Well the highway is here, but you still don’t have a house.”
Weed said he would pursue several avenues to transform the region.
One is expanding educational opportunities for area residents.
“In every region the education system works to satisfy workforce requirements,” he said. “That’s human nature. If you’re workforce requires Ph.Ds you’ll have an education system that produces Ph.Ds.”
If you look at the Danville region it’s in a research university ‘black hole,’ Weed said.
A research university stimulates the region about 40 miles around, he said. While there are universities in Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Blacksburg and Charlottesville, none are within forty miles of the region, he said.
Weed said he supports a research university for Danville that would bring research and technology-based jobs and industry to the region.
He also said he supports a four-year university in Martinsville and that the federal government does have a role to play in the process.
The candidate said the proposed university needs to have a “unique role” that will catch Congress’ attention.
One proposal is educating and working with disabled veteran’s, he said.
“The university must be able to handle veterans,” Weed said, noting funding is in place to be spent on veterans returning with serious injuries.
“Regular students would attend the college too,” he said. “But it needs a unique role.”
Weed also wants to see rural Southern Virginia become a leader in the bio-fuels industry as America looks to lessen its dependence on oil.
“We can reinvent ourselves,” Weed said “We are going to have to find an alternative for petroleum.”
There are several crops, like switchgrass, that can be grown efficiently in Southside and converted into ethanol, according to Weed.
“Two dollars and 50 cents out of every three-dollar gallon of gasoline leaves the area,” Weed said. “We have a choice, we can invest or see our power go away.”
The driving force behind America’s manufacturing base moving overseas is cheap labor in countries like China and India, Weed said.
To rebuild America’s manufacturing industry the country needs to establish a new platform that will replace cheap labor as the driving force behind manufacturing and Weed said he believes that platform is sustainable agricultural energy.
“Agricultural energy will create high tech jobs and revitalize rural communities,” Weed said. “It will also be good for the environment and move us towards energy independence.
“ In 11 Southside counties we use 220 million gallons of gasoline a year. That’s over $50 million dollars a year leaving the area,” Weed said. “That money could stay in Southside.”
Government can aid in the process by launching pilot programs and plants that private capital may find too risky, he said. Like experimenting with and perfecting the refining process to make bio-fuels as efficiently as possible.
Weed said he has much experience launching a new farm-based industry, he did it with Virginia’s wine industry.
“I know what it takes to build a farm industry,” he said. “I’m excited about trying with bio-fuels.”

 

SoBo’s SVHEC Casting Long Shadow For Southside’s Future

BY CHARLES BOOTHE
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (AP) — Seeing the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center may be nostalgic for anyone with memories of a thriving tobacco market.
The building housing the center is the old Export Leaf Tobacco Stem Factory, overlooking the Dan River and within a stone’s throw of downtown South Boston.
In fact, other than large banners hanging from the front of the building boldly promoting the various state institutions involved there, the old factory looks about the same as it did when it shut its doors in the mid-1980s.
Inside is a different story, though, as offices and classrooms are tucked away where countless tobacco leaves once were processed and generations of local residents once worked.
Some may find it ironic that a structure that once helped provide area residents with a solid way to make a living now is being used to educate them to work in other, far different industries.
South Boston attorney Ted Bennett, who was born and raised within shouting distance of the factory, sees the center as a tribute to the hard work and sacrifices of the community, as well as a constructive, necessary break from a past that never will return.
When the stem factory closed, Bennett was admittedly vexed that the Southside region had a history of being neglected in the area of higher education.
‘‘They didn’t reach out to us,’’ Bennett said of state government, pointing out that the Richmond, Tidewater and northern Virginia areas all had opportunities for four-year degrees. ‘‘That puts our people at a disadvantage.’’
Those disadvantages, which include a wide discrepancy between Southside residents and others in the state in education and income, he said, were not so apparent when the textile, furniture and tobacco industries were thriving.
During that time, residents could graduate from high school and immediately go to work making a decent living. But those days are long gone. Bennett, however, said the idea for providing a way for people to continue their education actually had its start before the tobacco factory closed its doors.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s a ‘‘think tank’’ was formed among area residents who were interested in doing things to help the area grow and thrive.
One of the concerns, Bennett said, was that the community had no college, not even a community college, and was lacking a basic continuing education center.
‘‘We understood the importance of having a (educational) presence here,’’ he said, not only to provide training for industries but to promote a culture of education as well.
‘‘A committee was formed,’’ he said, ‘‘and we got in Longwood University’s budget’’ to pay for continuing education classes.
That was in 1986, and the official beginning of what now is the center took place in a 600-square-foot trailer at Halifax County High School. It was called, simply, the Continuing Education Center.
Such a humble beginning proved to meet a need, though, and within a year and a half, the center moved into a 6,000-square-foot old Lowe’s warehouse building and started offering more course selections and even associate degrees as an outreach of Longwood University.
Bennett, who was in the state House of Delegates from 1990 to 2002, said the programs were so popular that the Halifax Educational Foundation was created in the late 1990s with the task of expanding course and degree offerings and finding a larger home for the center.
‘‘People flocked in here,’’ Bennett said of the center. ‘‘We didn’t have to recruit.’’
Since the old factory building was close to town and was empty, it was seen as a possible new home for the center, although it was owned by two private individuals and needed many renovations.
But Bennett said the owners agreed to sell the old factory at half the appraised value, and the community pitched in to raise the money for renovations.
Residents put money ‘‘where the rubber meets the road,’’ he said, eventually raising about $8 million, with over $6 million of that from donations and $1.5 million from a general obligation bond, which passed with an 80 percent vote.
‘‘The community connected the dots between the need for education and creating good jobs and a viable community,’’ he said.
‘‘They knew that without (the opportunity for) a four-year bachelor’s degree, progress was at a dead end,’’ Bennett said, adding that research shows the long-range return of having an educated populace is 17-1 in dollars invested for the community and 3-1 in salaries for individuals.
‘‘It’s of no net return to us to raise our property taxes to pay for public schools only to see those students leave here and not return,’’ Bennett said. ‘‘That’s a loss to the community.’’
Having a facility offering advanced degrees eventually can change all that, he said, by keeping residents in the community and providing an educated, trained work force to entice business and industry to either expand or locate in the area.
The center moved into its present location in 2001. In July 2005, the continuing education center officially became an independent agency, said Patty Nelson, director of operations. It was named the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center with its own budget and board of trustees.
Bennett was named the center’s first executive director in January.
It still is growing, now undergoing more renovations to be able to add more staff and increase the student population above the current 1,000.
‘‘We’ll eventually have 75,000 square feet of space here,’’ Bennett said, adding that the operating budget now is $1.45 million, about 75 percent of which comes from the state and the rest local.
But that growth will come easier and be more cost-effective working with the New College Institute in Martinsville and the Institute for Advance Learning in Danville, he said.
Bennett said that although NCI hit a few bumps in the road along the way, it had enough legislative support to become a reality and he enthusiastically recommended its creation. The model for NCI is based on how SVHEC is set up.
That is, degree programs are offered through the partnerships the center has with other institutions.
‘‘We were glad to see it (NCI) happen,’’ he said, adding that it will help SVHEC and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville on a ‘‘rising tide’’ of education.

 

HC Finishes On High Note

Halifax Wins Final Two Games In Dixie Boys 14-Year-Old State Tournament; Timberlake To Meet Bedford Metro For State Title

Halifax County may not have qualified for the championship game of the Virginia State Dixie Boys 14-Year-Old Tournament at the Day Complex In South Boston, but it sure played the final two games of round robin play like it belonged there.
After close losses to Nottoway (12-10) and Timberlake (7-6) in the first two days of the tourney, Halifax County rebounded with a 9-1 win Sunday over Roanoke City and a 6-3 win Monday over Bedford Metro.
Just about everything Halifax County did wrong in losing its first two games it did right in winning its final two contests, including a solid win over state finalist Bedford Metro, which faced Timberlake last night for the Dixie Boys 14-Year-Old state title.
Bedford Metro entered the title game with a 6-3 win over Timberlake and 12-2 wins over both Nottoway and Roanoke City, in addition to the loss to Halifax County.
Timberlake also entered the game with a 3-1 record, including the opening day loss to Bedford Metro, followed by three wins, a 7-6 win over Halifax County, a 7-6 win over Nottoway in nine innings, and a 12-7 win over Roanoke City.
Halifax County 6 Bedford Metro 3
Halifax County overcame a 2-1 deficit with three runs in the third inning and never looked back in defeating Bedford Metro 6-3 on Monday.
Chris Hunt led Halifax County hitters with two singles for the night, while Patches Trent and Michael Puryear added base hits.
The game began on a down note for Halifax County, Bedford Metro taking a quick two-run lead in the top of the first on a leadoff single, walk and three stolen bases, the final run coming on a groundout.
Halifax County was quick to respond in its first at-bat, Trent hitting a double, advancing on a flyout and later scoring to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Another scoring threat for Halifax went by the boards in the second, Josh Hudson hitting a single and stealing second, and Darrell Davis hit by a pitch with one out, both advancing a base on a passed ball.
Bedford Metro got a groundout for the second out and a throw home was in time to get Hudson as he attempted to score, but Halifax County broke through for three runs in the bottom of the third.
Brooks reached base after being hit by a pitch, went to second on a passed ball and scored on Puryear’s single. Tyler Truitt reached base on an error to score Puryear, went to third on a passed ball and scored when a pickoff attempt went awry to make it 4-2.
Halifax County added another run in the fourth inning to make it 5-2, Hunt hitting a leadoff single, advancing on Brooks’ hit and scoring on a Bedford Metro error.
Each team scored a run in the fifth inning, Bedford Metro scoring on a error, two passed balls and a single, but Halifax County responded when Aaron Mitchell walked, stole second base and scored on Hunt’s second base hit of the game.
That made it 6-3, but Halifax County had to weather one last Bedford Metro rally to seal the win.
Bedford Metro loaded the bases on two singles and a two-out walk in the sixth inning, but Halifax County pitcher Puryear got a big strikeout to shut down the potential rally.
Puryear hurled six strong innings for Halifax, giving up three runs on four hits, walking four batters, but striking out eight.
Hunt closed out the game for Halifax County, retiring the side in order the top of the seventh inning on three flyballs.
Halifax County 9 Roanoke City 1 (Sunday)
Halifax County used one big inning to beat Roanoke City 9-1 on Sunday, scoring nine runs in the sixth inning to win its first game in round robin play.
Roanoke City had taken a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an error, stolen base and two-out single, and Halifax County threatened to score in the next three innings without plating a run.
Truitt was stranded after a leadoff triple in the second and P.J. Saunders and Trent singled in the third, but a fielder’s choice and two flyouts ended the threat.
Truitt singled, Mitchell reached on an error and Cameron Starke singled with one out in the fourth, but two strikeouts left the bases loaded leaving the bases loaded.
Halifax County plated nine runs on six hits in the sixth inning to take the 9-1 advantage.
Tyler Truitt drew a walk to get things started, and Aaron Mitchell bunted for a base hit, before a pitch hit Dru Henderson.
Starke and Hunt followed with base hits before consecutive doubles by Trent, Puryear and Hudson.
Truitt, at bat for the second time in the inning, reached base on an error, reached second on another error, stole third base and came home on a passed ball to make it 9-1.
Starke started the game and pitched the entire seven innings for Halifax County.
He gave up four hits, registered 10 strikeouts and walked only one batter, while the defense played well behind him, committing only one error, Roanoke City being retired in order three out of seven innings.

 

HCS Ends State AAA Tourney Run

Halifax County South Lost A One-Run Game To Bedford Metro To Drop Out Of The Dixie Youth AAA Minor League State Tournament

The Halifax County South (HCS) Minor League all-star team ended an up and down run in the Virginia Dixie Youth Baseball AAA Minor League State Tournament on Monday with a 6-5 setback to Bedford Metro.
Monday’s loss was the second one-run setback for HCS in the state tourney, the other occurring on Saturday in its opening game against Grayson County.
HCS rallied from a 12-2 deficit to tie Grayson County, only to fall behind again and see a last-inning rally fall one run short in a 17-16 loss.
HCS rebounded on Sunday to defeat host Crewe-Burkeville 17-7, seeing an early 10-1 lead whittled down to 10-7 before pulling away to win the contest in five innings.
Bedford Metro 6 HCS 5 (Monday)
HCS saw an early lead evaporate in the late innings against Bedford Metro, the winning runs coming on a three-run homer in the sixth inning, as HCS lost its second one-run game of the tournament.
HCS took a 3-0 lead after one inning, a one-out double by Will Harris and walk to James Williams starting the rally. Greg Crawley and Seth Elliott followed with base hits to help their team take the early advantage.
Bedford Metro failed to score after a leadoff single in the first, plating its first run on three base hits in the second, but HCS matched that tally in the bottom of the inning.
Dion Lassiter doubled with one out, stole second and scored on a groundout for a 4-1 margin.
Each team saw scoring opportunities go by the board in the third inning, Bedford Metro after a leadoff single and HCS after Andrew McCann hit a single and Harris reached base on an error.
Bedford Metro cut the deficit to one run in the fourth on a leadoff bunt single, another single and a double for two runs.
HCS second baseman Drew Link turned an unassisted double play, and a walk and two base hits loaded the bases for Bedford Metro, but a groundout got HCS out of the inning.
HCS failed to score after a walk and single by Ethan Woltz in the fourth and again in the fifth inning, following a walk to Tristan Howerton and a pitch hitting Lassiter.
Bedford Metro took a 6-4 lead following an error, walk and three run home run in the top of the sixth inning, but Crawley slugged a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the sixth for HCS.
Elliott walked, but a putout at second, a strikeout and flyout ended the game and the run in the state tournament for HCS.
McCann started the game for HCS and hurled the entire six innings, finishing with six strikeouts.

 

Storm Second In Commonwealth Games

The South Boston Storm girls 14 and under travel basketball team went to the Commonwealth Games in Roanoke with one goal in mind – to win the Commonwealth Games 14 and Under Girls Basketball Tournament.
The Storm came agonizingly close to that goal, winning its first four games of the tourney before falling to the Roanoke Stars 51-46 in the championship game.
South Boston routed The Pulse 63-38 in the first round of the tournament, and followed that up with a 63-61 overtime win over Riverheads, a team out of Staunton.
Quarterfinal action saw South Boston rout the Lynchburg Stars 67-19, and the Storm reached the championship game with a 57-45 win over the U-Turn Warriors out of Richmond.
The Commonwealth Games were held the weekend of July 14-16 in Roanoke.
Roanoke Stars 51 Storm 46
(Championship Game)
The Storm let a 21-10 halftime lead slip away in the second half, the Roanoke Stars riding a wave of three-pointers to win the title game 51-46.
Miyisha Younger carried the Storm in the first half, scoring 13 of her team-high 19 points, but only one other player reached double figures, Destiny Betts finishing with 10 points.
Nia Brown had five points, Tiffany Wilson four points, Brittany Roberts and Whitney McCargo three points apiece and Melyse Brown two points.
It was 8-4 after one quarter in favor of the Storm, and 21-10 at halftime in favor of South Boston, but the Stars canned four three-pointers in the third quarter to help close to within 29-25.
The Stars hit three more treys in the final quarter to help complete the comeback, outscoring the Storm 26-17 for the win.
Storm 57 U-Turn 45 (Semifinals)
A big scoring game from McCargo helped lift the Storm into the title game with a win over U-Turn of Richmond.
McCargo scored 19 points, including two treys, to lead South Boston, while Wilson added 13 points.
Roberts scored eight points, Betts seven points, Angelique Sturdifen six points and Younger five points for the Storm, which posted a 15-9 lead after one quarter and led 35-24 at halftime.
The scoring pace slowed somewhat after halftime, the Storm holding a 46-35 lead at the end of three quarters before winning the game by twelve points.
Storm 67 Lynchburg Stars 19
(Quarterfinals)
Everyone on the Storm roster got into the scoring act in an easy 67-19 win over the Lynchburg Stars in the quarterfinals.
Younger scored a game-high 16 points for South Boston, 12 in the first half, while Roberts added 10 points.
McCargo finished just out of double figures with nine points, Betts and Sturdifen had eight points apiece, Melyse Brown and Wilson six points apiece, and Nia Brown four points for the Storm.
South Boston bolted to a 24-3 lead after one quarter and slowed the pace down after that, leading 37-15 at halftime. It was 59-17 after three quarters, and the Storm cruised to victory thereafter.
Storm 63 Riverheads 61
(Game Two, Overtime)
McCargo scored four of her team-high 18 points in overtime, and Roberts and Younger added two each, as the Stormovercame an eight-point halftime deficit to beat Riverheads, a team out of Staunton.
South Boston got off to a slow start, trailing 15-9 after one quarter, and both teams warmed up in the second quarter, the Storm getting four points each from Betts, Wilson and Younger.
Riverheads still led 33-25 at halftime, but McCargo hit a trey and Sturdifen and Younger scored four points apiece in the third quarter to help the Storm tie the game at 41-41 with a quarter remaining.
McCargo scored seven fourth-quarter points to help the Storm get to overtime, where it scored enough points to beat Riverheads.
Storm 63 Pulse 38 (Game One)
The Storm got the tourney started on a good note, McCargo scoring 17 points (two treys) and Betts 10 points in a 63-38 win over The Pulse.
South Boston led 16-12 after one quarter, but outscored The Pulse 21-7 in the second period to lead 37-19 at intermission. It was 52-28 after three quarters, and the Storm cruised to the win after that.
Roberts finished just out of double figures for the Storm with nine points for the contest, Wilson and Younger scored eight points apiece, while Sturdifen scored six and Nia Brown four points.
Melyse Brown hit a free throw for the Storm’s final point.
Triangle Knights 42 Storm 40 (July 1)
In a contest played prior to the Commonwealth Games, the Storm played well against a older and bigger team, missing out on a chance at a win after missing a couple of shots in the final seconds, according to Storm coach Matt McCargo.
South Boston put two players in double figures against the Knights, Younger finishing with 11 points and Betts with 10 points.
McCargo had nine points and Wilson six points, while Sturdifen and Roberts scored two points apiece.
The game was close throughout, Betts scoring eight points and Younger six points in the first half, as the Storm trailed 23-21.
McCargo hit a trey among her seven points in the second half and Younger added five, but the Storm came up just short at the end.

 

Obituaries

Larry Wayne Thaxton Sr.
Larry Wayne Thaxton Sr., 58, of 1183 Old Cluster Springs Road, South Boston died July 24, 2006, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Thaxton was born in Halifax County on January 6, 1948, the son of Killis W. Thaxton Jr. and Mary P. Thaxton and was married to Brenda C. Thaxton. He was a member of Glenwood United Methodist Church and was a retired construction worker in the cable industry.
Survivors include his wife; his parents; one son, Larry W. Thaxton Jr. and wife, Candace; one daughter, Tammy E. Thaxton; one sister, Jeanette Carol Rogers and husband, Sammy; one brother, Daryl E. Thaxton and wife, Lisa; and six grandchildren, Austin, Brooke, Erin, Bryce, Sarah and Dalton Thaxton, all of South Boston.
Funeral services for Mr. Thaxton will be held tomorrow, July 27, at 11 a.m. at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Richard Saunders officiating. Burial will follow in Shady Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening, July 26, at Brooks Funeral Home from 7:00 until 8:30, and other times at the home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax County Cancer Association, P.O. Box 875, South Boston, 24592.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@earthlink.net
George Henry Whitt
George Henry Whitt, 68, of 4002 Alton Post Office Road, Alton died July 23, 2006, at his home.
Mr. Whitt was born in Halifax County on September 30, 1937, the son of the late Algie Thomas Whitt and Evelyn Gordon Sizemore who survives. He was married to the late Peggy Ratliff Whitt, and was a retired auto mechanic.
Survivors include his mother of Richmond; one son, Stewart Thomas Whitt of Alton; two daughters, Susan Tracey Whitt and Linda Gail Harris, both of South Boston; four sisters, Joyce Hamblen and Mary Alice Calvin, both of Richmond, Clare Balducci and Brenda Irby, both of Vernon Hill; and four grandchildren, Michael Wayne Harris, Dylan Thomas Whitt, Ryan Thomas Whitt, and Gabriele Alexis Whitt.
Two brothers, Leroy and Eugene Whitt also preceded him in death.
Funeral services for Mr. Whitt will be held at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel today, July 26, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Leonard Watlington officiating. Burial will follow in Cedar Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax County Cancer Association, P.O. Box 875, South Boston, 24592.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@earthlink.net
Alease Barksdale
Alease Barksdale, 80, of Norfolk, formerly of Halifax County, died July 24, 2006.
Ms. Barksdale was born November 22, 1925, to the late William Barksdale and Nettie Carter Barksdale.
Survivors include one daughter, Shirley Barksdale Kane of Norfolk; one sister, Mable Coleman of Alton; one sister-in-law, Evelyn Barksdale; and two devoted friends, Richard Koonce and Oliver Krabbs.
Funeral services for Ms. Barksdale will be held July 29 at 3 p.m. at New Bethel Baptist Church in Alton with the Rev. Harvey L. Bigelow officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home of Mable Coleman, 1163 Piney Grove Road, Alton.
Mary Johnson Boone
Mary Johnson Boone, 82, of Halifax County died July 24, 2006.
She was born March 11, 1924, a daughter of the late Walter Irvin and Cora Powell Johnson, and was married to the late J. Harold Boone. Along with her husband, she operated Boone Equipment Company of South Boston.
Mrs. Boone is survived by her children, Linda and Charles Crenshaw of Nathalie, Clinton and Carol Boone of Forest, Patricia and Roland Peters of Covington, Ohio, Rosemary Cassada of South Boston, and Lowell and Liza Boone of Lakeland, Fla.; 16 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; one brother, Tom Johnson of Rocky Mount; and one sister, Elsie J. Poindexter of Glade Hill. Six brothers, Claude, Paul, Hughes, Harry, Troy and Clyde Johnson also preceded her in death.
Funeral services will be held at Pigg River Old German Baptist Brethren Church tomorrow, July 27, at 10 a.m. with the Home Brethren officiating. Burial will follow in Mountain View Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends from 5-8 this evening, July 26, at Flora Funeral Service in Rocky Mount.
Dudley Fallen Calloway
Dudley Fallen Calloway, 75, of 1145 Williams Trail, Halifax died July 23, 2006, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Calloway was born in Halifax County on April 2, 1931, to the late Felix Fallen and Josie Edmunds Fallen, and was married to the late James E. Calloway. She was a member of New Arbor Baptist Church.
Survivors include eight daughters, Annie Martin and Deloris Blaine-Cunningham, both of Washington, D.C., Mary Powell of Hyattsville, Md., Sandra Calloway of Silver Hill, Md., Gwendolyn Calloway of Riverdale, Lillie Hamlett and Caletia Graves, both of South Boston, and Cynthia Penick of Halifax; four sons, Gregory Calloway of Waldorf, Md., James Calloway Jr. of Washington, D.C., Willie Martin and Albert Martin, both of Albany, N.Y.; two sisters, Nannie Jordan of Philadelphia, Pa. and Pearl Fallen of Raleigh, N.C.; 22 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mrs. Calloway will be held July 28 at 1 p.m. at New Arbor Baptist Church with the Rev. Nelson Stamps officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home.
Mildred H. Hudson
Mildred H. Hudson, 88, of Richmond, formerly of Crystal Hill, died July 24, 2006, at the home of her daughter.
Mrs. Hudson was born in Halifax County on June 30, 1918, the daughter of the late Frank Hudson and Annie Clark Hudson and was married to the late Ernest Roy Hudson. She was a member of Crystal Hill Southern Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Faye H. Walker and husband, Al, of Richmond; two grandchildren, Betty Gray Seidenberg and husband, Mark, of Richmond and Todd Hudson Walker of Vienna; two great-grandchildren, Sydney and Haylee Seidenberg of Richmond; one sister, Mozelle Vanney of South Boston; one brother-in-law, Julian Hudson of Crystal Hill; and two nieces, Carol Hudson and Linda Mullis.
Graveside services for Mrs. Hudson will be held today, July 26 at 11 a.m. at Crystal Hill Southern Baptist Church Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Melvin Bradshaw officiating.
A reception will follow in the fellowship hall of the church.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider at Crystal Hill Southern Baptist Church.
Howard Louis McCargo
Howard Louis McCargo, 67, of Red Oak died July 23, 2006, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. McCargo was born in Charlotte County on February 2, 1939, to the late Will and Evergreen Saunders McCargo. He was a member of Rocky Branch Baptist Church, Saxe.
Mr. McCargo was preceded in death by one sister, Evergreen Daniel; and two brothers, Cleo and James McCargo.
Survivors include his wife, Hattie McCargo of Red Oak; two step-daughters, Viola Jackson of Richmond and Pearl Roberts of Red Oak; one grandson, Brian Roberts of Norfolk; five sisters, Pattie Hosley, Mary Cousin and Beatrice Boyd, all of New Jersey, Ellen Daniels and Shirley King both of Saxe; one brother, Sampson McCargo of Saxe; and two sisters-in-law, Elvira Boyd and Katie McCargo.
Funeral services for Mr. McCargo were held at 2 p.m. July 25 at Rocky Branch Baptist Church with the Rev. James E. Scott, officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Online condolences may be registered at www.harrisfhc.com
Alvin Frank Murphy
Alvin Frank Murphy of Hampton died July 22, 2006. He was born February 14, 1929, in Martinsville, to Edgar Frank Murphy and Vella Asbury Murphy.
A 1952 graduate of Virginia Tech, he earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration. He then entered the U.S. Army, from which he retired a Colonel after 31 years of service, including the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In addition to his service, he also attended the Army War College in Carlisle, Pa.
Mr. Murphy received his master’s degree from Shippensburg State College, also in Pa. After his retirement from the Army, he was a defense contractor with Cypress International until 2003 from which then he retired. He received numerous awards and commendations over his career including, The Distinguished Service Medal as well as receiving The Ancient Order of Saint Barbara award for distinguished artillerymen.
Survivors include his wife, Kathleen; daughter, Laura Battle and husband, Mike Battle, of Nellysford; daughter, Cathy Murphy of Chapel Hill, N.C.; a loving friend, Tiffany Mabe, of Chapel Hill, N.C.; five grandchildren, Frank, Michael, Kathleen, Murphy and Annie Battle, all of Nellysford; and his sister, Norma Eggleston of South Boston.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. today, July 26 at the Chapel of the Centurion at Fort Monroe. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery with full honors at a later date.
The family requests that memorial contributions be sent to a favorite charity.