Like a battered B-29 lumbering towards England after a raid over Berlin, the half-century old William M. Tuck Airport, itself, is in desperate need of emergency repairs.
Battered pavement, potentially-dangerous obstructions, obsolete lights, and leaking hangars plague the airport, officials said.
According to a preapplication five-year capital improvement plan for the airport, over $2 million in improvements are needed.
Now that the boundary adjustment battles between Halifax County and the Town of South Boston have finally subsided, issues like renovation of the airport have come to the forefront.
"Actually, we've been working real hard with the airport for the past five years," pointed out Halifax County Administrator Dan Sleeper. "We've taken some dramatic, long-term steps, and we're headed in the right direction."
During a marathon meeting Wednesday night of the William M. Tuck Airport Commission, many of those steps and future steps were outlined.
"It's obvious that renovating the airport is vital to the county's industrial development efforts," commented Sleeper. "But the cost to really fix this airport up right would be half the cost of a brand new elementary school."
Removal of Obstructions
First and foremost on the airport's agenda is a long-term project that is about to be remedied. That involves clearing elevated obstacles away from the "glide paths," which would allow more utilization of the runway by planes.
In the late-eighties, only 1,900 feet of the 4,000-foot runway was approved for use, in accordance with regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration, Sleeper explained.
Obstacles in the "glide path" of the runway, most notably at the north end of the runway, need to be moved. This would increase the "threshold," which would allow for more of the 100-foot wide runway to be legally used, he said.
Some private jet aircraft have apparently landed and taken off from the airport in violation of the FAA guidelines, officials said.
"This definitely needs to be changed, especially from an economic development standpoint," Sleeper pointed out.
An obvious example of fulfilling such aviation needs is the recent purchase of the Berry Hill Plantation by the AXA insurance group. The firm plans to use the facility as an executive training retreat.
"There'll be executives flying in from all over the country," Sleeper said. "We've already had complaints (from some of them) about the airport."
The main hindrance to increase the threshold involved the long term negotiations for the purchase of the Good Property, located at the north end of the runway.
That $325,000 purchase - after more than 14 years of negotiations - was completed last year. In conjunction with that purchase, Rt. 801 (adjacent to the property) was officially abandoned by the county.
The next step is to remove three buildings on the property, as well as trees and three utility poles owned by Virginia Power. Such steps would allow for greater utilization of the airport's runway, probably about 3,900 feet of it, Sleeper said.
Members of the William M. Tuck Airport Association (essentially "a friends of the airport group,") have pitched in volunteer services to help cut down trees and plan to work with county employees to remove trees from the former Goode property.
After those tasks are completed, Virginia Power will remove the three utility poles. The trees and poles could be moved within 90 days, but it could be a year or so before the three buildings are moved, Sleeper said.
Estimated costs of approximately $26,000 was made by Virginia Power to remove and replace the utility poles, officials said.
Two of the storage buildings are modular metal structures which could be taken down and reassembled at different locations owned by the county. "We could use them to house the command center bus or the ladder fire truck which are owned by the county," Sleeper said.
The paved roadway of the former Rt. 801 would be graded up and hauled away, as any existing roadway carries vertical obstruction levels in accordance with FAA policy, officials explained.
"Clearing these obstructions may not seem as important as new hangars," Sleeper reflected. "But it is a major fundamental step that will set into motion our ability to solve other airport problems."
Subsequent Steps
After the obstructions are removed and FAA approves an increase of the threshold, the next step would be to satisfy additional state and federal guidelines, such as environmental concerns.
The airport currently has underground fuel tanks which have to dug up and removed. Then, the fuel storage capacity would have to be replaced by above ground tanks which meet Environmental Protection Agency's regulations, Sleeper explained.
Estimated costs for fuel tank removal and replacement were listed at a total of $153,000, officials said.
The next step, which is planned for the next two to three years, will be to replace the airport's antique lighting system, Sleeper said.
Currently, the runway lights are all red, when they are working, officials quickly pointed out.
A modern, state-of-the-art lighting system would cost up to $150,000, Sleeper estimated.
Up to 90 percent of capital improvements to the airport, including lights, are funded through state and federal grants. However, the county first had to rectify the obstruction and threshold issues before any grant money was approved to buy runway lights, Sleeper said.
"Once we finish taking care of the threshold and fuel problems, then we can apply for funds to purchase a new lighting system," he said. "We hope to have the new lights within the next two years."
Other looming problems include the old and decaying asphalt surface of the airport. "There are many cracks that need to be sealed and there's even grass growing up through them," Sleeper pointed out. "The entire runway needs to be resurfaced."
Estimated costs of repaving the runway is listed at $110,000, officials said.
Airport officials plan further improvements which could take place three to five years from now. Such plans includes the construction of security fencing around the airport at an estimated cost of $110,000.
A new airport terminal is another element on the wish list and its estimated cost would be $275,000, officials said.
The facility's three hangars are also in need repairs, so much so, that some aircraft owners have resorted to using tarps over their planes even when the planes are indoors.
Rain comes in through rusted cracks in the roofs, as well as pouring in from the floor level, which is below the level of some adjacent outdoor pavement.
Water that freezes on the metal roofs during a cold night enters the hangars as it is melted by the sun the following day, aircraft owners told the commission.
Interior condensation that builds up on the ceilings also causes a "drip problem" for stored planes.
Members of the William M. Tuck Airport Association asked the commission to forego any repairs on the hangars at this point in time, as long as rental fees remain at the $25 per month rate.
That was "fine with the county" during the interim period of conducting other improvements to the airport, Sleeper responded.
The cluster of problems are not insurmountable, especially with "the commendable volunteerism from the airport association," Sleeper said.
"An airport is increasingly becoming the gateway to our community by more and more people in business and industry," Sleeper said. "It's time we upgraded our airport to meet that challenge."
Boundary Adjustment Issue
Yet another snag remains to be taken care of at the 50-year mark of the William M. Tuck Airport. Instead of physical repairs, this issue involves actual ownership of the airport, fallout from the recent boundary adjustment agreement between Halifax County and the Town of South Boston.
Currently, the county owns approximately 68 percent of the airport and the town owns about 32 percent, according to Sleeper.
The commission voted Wednesday night to ask the airport's current auditor to determine a value of the facility, as well as a breakdown in terms of the amount of local funds allocated for the facility by both South Boston and Halifax County.
Since at least 90 percent of most capital improvements were funded though grants from the state and federal governments, the actual estimated buyout price for South Boston's 32 percent share is between $20,000 and $25,000, Sleeper told the commission.
Once the auditor determines a value, the issue will go before the Halifax County Board of Supervisors for approval before it is presented to the South Boston Town Council, Sleeper said.
"We hope that everything, capital improvements and political, gets decided on in a smooth, timely manner," reflected Sleeper. "This is truly an aspect of this area that is in the best interest of everybody."
The Green Bay Packer's No. 81 is "the man" as Halifax County fans countdown to the Super Bowl playoff Sunday.
Virtually all eyes will be watching when "easy to get along with" Tyrone Davis storms down the field in search of a few Denver Broncos.
No doubt Broncos facing the special teams terror will fail to share Pearl Davis' "easy" feelings about her son.
Ask the Buffalo Bills.
In that game Davis' two touchdowns were critical in the Packers' 31-21 win.
A UVa and Atlantic Coast Conference standout during his Charlottesville career, the 6'4" Davis will have one of his biggest fans in the stands this Sunday, his mother Pearl Davis.
She and her son, Turbeville Elementary School computer lab manager Jeffrey Davis, left for San Diego last night. They will be joined in the stands Sunday by Tyrone's wife Melissa, but not the couple's infant son Damien.
Yesterday, enjoying a special send-off by fellow employees at Berry Hill Nursing Home, Pearl Davis was not shy about forecasting a winner in the NFC/AFC championship shoot-out.
"Green Bay," she predicted. "Twenty-seven to twenty. Strange things happen in the NFL," she added.
Although she said she "doesn't know that much about football," Pearl Davis is definite in describing her son.
"Easy to get along with. A fun guy. Everywhere he goes people fall in love with him," she said. "Just an easy going guy."
During his school days here - he is a 1990 HCHS graduate, Davis enjoyed four sports, according to his mother. Baseball, football, basketball and track. "I thought it would be baseball," she said yesterday.
Instead Tyrone Davis went to the University of Virginia where he captured a record for UVa touchdown receptions and was second in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
This year is his first season with the Packers after spending several years with the New Year Jets.
Friends searching for Annie Pearl Davis in the stands this Sunday should look for a lady in one of the very good seats "wearing green."
Webster Fitzgerald was portrayed as two different individuals.
On one hand, Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Petra Blanchard called the 16-year-old Route 1, Halifax resident "nothing more than a gun toting crack dealer."
Assistant Public Defender Sandra Saseen contended that Fitzgerald is a victim of "a rushed judgment" by police officers involved in a March 7 drug eradication operation at Westside Trailer Park that resulted in the seizure of more than four grams of crack cocaine, a gun, and more than $180 in cash.
As a result, she said, the teenager "has been wrongly accused of being in possession of a gun" and "wrongly accused of being in possession of crack cocaine."
The 12 member jury that decided Fitzgerald's fate Wednesday in circuit court apparently leaned toward the prosecutor's view.
After almost an hour and a half of deliberating, the jury convicted Fitzgerald on charges of possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm while being in possession of crack cocaine, and possessing or transporting a firearm in the Commonwealth of Virginia while being under the age of 18.
Fitzgerald entered a guilty plea to a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge.
The jury acquitted Fitzgerald on a charge of intentionally receiving property or aiding in concealing stolen property while knowing that the property was stolen.
Circuit Court Judge William Wellons, despite pleas from defense counsel to allow Fitzgerald to remain free on bond, revoked Fitzgerald's bond and ordered that the teenager be held in jail pending a sentencing hearing that will be held during the March court term. A presentence report was ordered.
Through the testimony of sheriff's department Major R.L. Link, the prosecution was able to link what the Chief Deputy called "a huge amount of crack"that totaled more than four grams and had an estimated street value of $450, a loaded .32 caliber automatic handgun, more than $180 in cash, a straight razor blade, and a small amount of marijuana to the youth who was 15-years-old when the March 7, 1997 incident occurred.
Noting that he and other officers were involved in a drug eradication operation on the night of March 7 last year, Link testified that he and fellow deputy, jailer Charles Green, entered the road to the trailer park located off of Route 654 near an old electronics building in Sinai while other officers entered the area from a second entrance on the opposite side of the trailer park.
Link testified that as he drove his marked police cruiser down the road he observed three black males standing fairly close together. He noted that as he got closer, two of them started walking away in one direction while the third individual walked away in another direction.
The chief deputy added that as he followed the one individual that walked he saw the individual stop near a trailer.
"He stopped at the corner of trailer number 19 and appeared to be throwing items from his pockets," Link stated.
Link noted that he was approximately 20 feet away from the person at the time and that while he could see that there were objects in the person's hand, he could not identify what the objects were.
The deputy explained that he stopped the car, approached the person, and asked if he had any identification. Fitzgerald, Link said, told him that he had no ID on him.
Link said that he asked the person, who turned out to be Fitzgerald, if he could pat him down for his protection and that Fitzgerald agreed. During the pat down search which was conducted by Link and Deputy Steve Moore who had come in from then other entrance to meet Link, a small cigar box, a small plastic baggie that contained plant-like material which was analyzed and found to be marijuana, $169.67 in cash in one pocket, a $20 bill in another pocket, and a key were found.
Meanwhile, Green searched the area where Fitzgerald was seen standing throwing items out of his pockets. On the ground, Green found a small plastic bag containing a form of cocaine that is referred to on the street as "shake," which the state lab measured as 1.627 grams, a small pill bottle containing a rock of crack cocaine which the state lab measured at 3.071 grams, a straight razor blade, and a loaded .32 caliber automatic pistol.
Link said that Fitzgerald was taken into custody and read his rights. After arriving at the sheriff's department, Link said Fitzgerald was read his rights a second time and that Fitzgerald gave them a statement.
"He told me the marijuana was for his personal use," Link said.
"I asked him about the crack and he said he didn't know anything about it."
According to Link, the statement that Fitzgerald gave police was that he was walking through the trailer park coming from a friend's house that he did not wish to divulge. The deputy, quoting from Fitzgerald's statement, said that Fitzgerald wrote "I moved beside the trailer so I wouldn't get hit by the car. I had marijuana in my pocket because I smoke it." Fitzgerald also noted in the statement that the money had been given to him by his parents.
Green testified that he saw the three individuals as well but that he focused his attention toward the two other individuals. He stated that he saw one of the people approach a trailer, step beside it.
"I could see some movement out of the corner of my eye," Green said, but noted that he couldn't distinguish what the person was doing.
Assistant public defender Steve Novey questioned Link and Saseen questioned Green as to whether or not they had been to that area prior to that time and knew if there was nothing on the ground between the trailers where the drugs and gun were found. Both stated that they had not and that they did not know what was on the ground in that area prior to their finding the gun and drugs.
"I can't say that they (the drugs and gun) were there beforehand," Green said.
Moore testified briefly about his role in the pat down search of Fitzgerald, verifying the location of items that Link had stated were found on Fitzgerald's person. He stated that he did not see anyone standing beside or between the two trailers.
The fourth and final prosecution witness to testify, Michael White, stated that his gun had been stolen from his home and that he reported to police on October 25, 1996 that the gun had been stolen.
White produced a purchase receipt for the gun and read the gun's serial number. The .32 caliber handgun found by police had the same serial number.
Bill Smith, a an investigator for the Public Defender's Commission, was the only defense witness to testify. Smith produced photographs of the street lights in the area and measurements he took from various locations cited by Link in an effort to show that the lighting was inadequate for Link to have seen what he saw and that Link's estimate of distances of where the drugs and gun were found and were not accurate.
But, under questioning by Blanchard, Smith admitted that he could not say that the lighting circumstances that he observed when he recently went to the trailer park were exactly the same as they were on the night of March 7 of last year.
Saseen made several points in her closing, one that Link did not mention seeing three black males in his highly detailed incident report, that Link admitted that police had not searched the area between trailer 19 and the adjacent trailer prior to the time that Fitzgerald was detained and the drugs and gun were found, and that her client admitted to having the marijuana for his own use.
She also noted that if Fitzgerald had enough time after seeing then approaching police to ditch items from his pockets it would seem reasonable that he would also have pitched out the marijuana.
Novey pointed out that there were some discrepancies in distances in the locations that were cited as where Fitzgerald had tossed items out of his pockets, discrepancies among Commonwealth's witnesses as to exactly where the items were found, and the testimony from the public defender's office investigator stating that it would be impossible to see Fitzgerald between the trailers from the location where Link said he observed Fitzgerald.
Timothy Malcolm Betterton, 33, of Nathalie was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison, with four years and four months suspended, for a felony conviction of breaking and entering Robert's Quick Shop in Cody on May 24, 1997.
Betterton was sentenced in the Halifax County Circuit Court by Circuit Court Judge William L. Wellons
The suspended sentence portion was on condition of his good behavior for a period of 20 years following his release. He must also successfully complete two years of probation. Betterton was remanded to jail.
In other cases heard Thursday:
· Paul Rayburn Mabe Jr., 28, of Scottsburg was sentenced to three years in prison, with all but 12 months in jail suspended, for a felony conviction of driving after having previously been declared a habitual offender.
He was also sentenced to 30 days in jail and a $100 fine for a misdemeanor conviction of attempting to elude a police officer. The incident occurred on February 8, 1997.
The suspended sentence portion is on condition of his good behavior for a period of three years following his release. He must also successfully complete one year of probation. Mabe was remanded to jail.
· Tanya A. Whitehead, 29, of Sinai was sentenced to a a total of four years in prison, with all but time suspended, for two felony convictions of forging a public record and for uttering a public record.
The suspended sentence portion was on condition of her good behavior for a period of four years in prison following her release. She must also successfully complete one year of probation. Whitehead was released from jail.
· Cornelius Antwan Green, 22, of Danville was sentenced to a total of eight years in prison, with all time suspended, for two felony drug convictions.
Green was sentenced to five years for possession of cocaine and three years for possession of a firearm while in possession of cocaine. In addition to the felony convictions, Green was sentenced to 30 days in jail for misdemeanor convictions of possession of marijuana and 30 days in a jail for driving on a suspended operator's license.
The charges stem from a traffic stop which occurred on August 15, 1997.
The suspended sentence portion was on condition of time he has already spent in jail and his successful completion of two years of probation. Green was released.
· William Thomas Mays, 37, of Halifax was sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison, with all but 90 days in jail suspended for three felony counts of distribution of heroin.
The incidents occurred on April 4, April 23, and May 3, 1997.
The suspended sentence portion was on condition of his good behavior for a period of five years. He must also successfully complete two years of probation. Mays was remanded to jail.
· Matthew Hubbard Jr., 38, of South Boston was sentenced to five years in prison, with all time suspended for a felony conviction of possession of cocaine. He was arrested on April 6, 1997.
The suspended sentence portion is on condition of time in jail he has already served, good behavior for a period of five years, his successful completion of two years of probation. Hubbard was released.
· Derrick Devon Logan, 21, of New York, New York was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with all but eight years and seven months suspended, for a felony conviction of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. The incident occurred on May 19, 1997.
The suspended sentence portion is on condition of his good behavior for a period of 10 years and successful completion of two years of probation. He was remanded to jail.
Halifax County High School's Academic Competition for Excellence (ACE) teams will open their season here Monday night against Amherst County.
The jayvee teams from the two schools will start their match at 6 p.m. with the varsity competition to follow.
This year's academic competition will have somewhat of a different look this time around as there are only four teams, Halifax County, GW, E.C. Glass, and Amherst County remaining in the district.
Under a new format, each team will square off against the other on a home and away basis during the course of the six week season that will end on March 2.
The annual ACE Tournament will be held March 7 at Lynchburg College with the matches starting at 9 a.m.
If any matches, all of which are contested on Monday nights, have to be postponed, the makeup match is automatically scheduled for the following Wednesday. If the makeup date has to be canceled, the most immediate Thursday will be the new makeup date.
Varsity coaches for this year's Comet ACE squad will be Janet Johnson who will serve as Math coach, Karen Fisher and Lanette Spencer who will guide the Science team, Tammy Daniels who will coach the Social Studies squad, and Paula Bruce who is taking over at the helm of the English team.
Judy Owen and Donna Adams will serve as the coaches for the jayvee English/Social Studies team and Ann Johnson will be the coach of the jayvee Math/Science team.
The Math team will include Kari Anderson, Jennifer Crews, Melissa Lanier, Dotty McDowell, Jeremy Bauldin, Donovan Davis, David Garrett, and Gray Morris.
Composing the Science team are Chad Jackson, John Ambrose, William Rorrer, Karen Fisher, Katherine Tompkins, Arlethia Royster, Crystal Reynolds, and Candi Jones.
The Social Studies team will include Jason Snead, Erin Linsley, Tim Marshall, Richard Harrell, Ashley Talley, and Chrystal Jones.
English team members will include Shanta Whitaker, Jacquan Penick, Lori Parker, Laura Beth Young, Reuben Crews, and Jolene Maillet.
Members of the jayvee English/Social Studies team are Jessica Sibley, Brandy Wallace, Sara J. Williams, Meredith Williamson, Kevin Carr, Todd Eakes, Brian Hasty, Ben Howerton, and Arthur Reynolds.
The jayvee Math/Science team members include Angela Morris, Elizabeth McDaniel, Rob Howitt, Amanda Gilbert, Nora Lee, Jonathan Bruno, Jamie Knapp, and Matthew Conner.
ACE officials for the coming season include Rebecca Donner who will serve as the Master of Ceremonies, Linda Conner who will serve as Math Judge, Martha Chandler who will be the Science Judge, Aylor Talbott who will serve as Social Studies Judge, and Sara Anderson who will serve as English Judge.
Halifax County High School has had a long standing tradition of excellence in the ACE academic competition program. Comet varsity teams have won two championships and finished as the runner-up three times, and finished third twice in the 13 years that the competition has been held. The Comet varsity team finished third last season.
Comet jayvee teams have won the jayvee championship eight times including the last three years in a row and was co-champion on one other occasion during the 11 year history of the jayvee competition.
It may seem like transmissions from Martians, but garbled messages now heard over local police frequencies are part of a radio system upgrade, according to South Boston Police Chief Jim Hall.
"While improving the entire radio system for the Town, we decided to include an option for police officers who, at times, need a secure (scrambled) form of communication," Chief Hall explained.
Such "encryption" messages should not be a cause of concern for the legion of local citizens who listen to their private scanners, he quickly added.
"By no means are we going to scramble all of our (police) transmissions," Chief Hall said. "In fact, we welcome such listeners, because they often give us tips when they overhear police working on cases such as hit and runs or other such activities."
The encoded message system is part of a $94,000 overhaul of the entire radio communication system for the Town of South Boston, including the police and fire departments, as well as the Department of Public Works.
No other police agency in Halifax County currently uses the scrambler system. The Charlotte County Sheriff's Department is the nearest agency to utilize the scrambler system, according to Chief Hall.
While tight-lipped about many of the applications of the scrambler, Chief Hall gave one example of how it could be very beneficial to police officers.
"Suppose there was a professional-styled bank robbery in which the subjects would use a police scanner to keep up with where police were during the robbery," Chief Hall said.
"If we got a tip beforehand by someone who may have seen something, then the officers could converge on the scene without the subjects knowing they were being surrounded," he continued. "In cases like that, it is a matter of citizen and officer safety."
The scrambler is also used when officers need to communicate, over the airways, information concerning identities of juveniles or undercover operatives.
The "scrambler device" is essentially a computer chip or circuit board that is installed inside the radios of each South Boston patrol car, mobile systems which they carry, as well as the base unit at the central communication office, Chief Hall explained.
Other local law enforcement agencies will not add the scrambler option to their systems, at least, in the foreseeable future, officials said.
"To my knowledge, there are no plans to use the devices for our units," commented Virginia State Police Sgt. T.A. Larue.
The Halifax County Sheriff's Department also has no current plans for the scrambler since the department is in a transitional period in terms of a complete system upgrade, according to Chief Dispatcher Debra Tuck.
Bennet Beale of 5167 Halifax Road, Halifax died January 21 at Halifax Regional Hospital after a long illness at the age of 88.
Born in Halifax County on November 5, 1909, he was the son of Charlie Joel Beale and Anna Owen Beale and was married to Betty Holland Beale. He was a member of First Republican Grove Baptist Church.
His survivors include his wife; two daughters: Betsy Ann Bell of Heathsville and Jane Carolyn Brouillette of Denver, CO; one son-in-law: Charles Edward Bell of Heathsville; one sister: Blanche Booker of Gretna; three brothers: C.J. Beale of Nathalie, Deroy Beale of Richmond, Luther Beale of Florida; two grandchildren: Laura Bell Morrissette of Saluda and Richard Bennet Bell of Brooklyn, NC.
He was preceded in death by one son-in-law, Michael Brouillette.
Funeral services will be held today, January 23 at 11 a.m. at Powell Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Shelton Miles and Rev. Dr. Melvin Bradshaw conducting the service. Burial will take place in First Republican Grove Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends at the home.
Charlie Dabney Hudson Jr. of 7026 L.P. Bailey Memorial Highway, Halifax died January 21 at The Woodview Nursing Home at the age of 94.
Born in Halifax County on September 3, 1903, he was the son of Charlie D. Hudson Sr. and Annie Shapard Hudson and was married to Mary Riddle Hudson. He was a lifetime member of McKendree United Methodist Church and a mason with Halifax Lodge 96.
His survivors include his daughter: Jane H. Friend and husband, Robert of Halifax; son: Dabney Hudson and wife Mabel of Halifax; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 24 at 2 p.m. at the McKendree United Methodist Church with the Rev. Tim Earnhardt and Rev. Mike Osborne conducting the service. Burial will take place in the church cemetery with masonic rites.
The family will receive friends at the home of his son, 7036 L.P. Bailey Highway, Halifax. Those wishing to give memorials are to consider the McKendree United Methodist Church.
Kenneth Harrison Glass of 1836 Vaughan Street, South Boston died January 20 at the Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 67.
Born in Halifax County on April 21, 1930, he was the son of John Adams Glass and Beatrice Owen Glass and was married to Alice Crute Glass. He was a member of the Ash Avenue Baptist Church, a Navy veteran of the Korean Conflict and an employee of Burlington Industries for 23 years and then self-employed as owner and operator of Eastside Motors and Tackle Shop.
His survivors include his wife; two sons: Tony Harrison Glass of Snowhill, NC, John Adams Glass of Oxford, NC; daughter: Judy Koontz of Raleigh, NC; two brothers: Robert H. Glass of Greensboro, NC, Carroll O. Glass of Danville; three sisters: Janie Boaze, Louise Andrews and Betty Kratz of Danville; six grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held today, January 23 at 2 p.m. at the Powell Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Dr. John Fariss conducting the service. Burial took place in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends at the home.
Helen Ragsdale Almeda died January 8 in Dover Plains, NY at the age of 84.
Born in Halifax County, she was the daughter of the late John William and Lula Woosley Ragsdale.
Her survivors include her sister: Gladys Rudder of Lynchburg and neices and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Anthony Almeda; brothers: John Alton, Lacy, Brantley and Clyde Ragsdale; and a sister, Iris Moore.