A seven man, five woman jury found William Clarke Griesbauer not guilty of the second degree murder of Travis Monroe Abbitt, returning instead with a guilty verdict of misdemeanor assault and battery.
Jurors returned to the courtroom with the decision at 7:25 last night, after approximately two hours of deliberation.
The jury also recommended the maximum penalty for the crime, 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Testimony in yesterday's murder trial of Griesbauer focused as much on the defendant's actions after his fight with the victim as his possible motives beforehand.
Griesbauer was accused of the second-degree murder of 20-year-old Abbitt after an altercation last August .
Abbitt died August 15 of complications resulting from head injuries suffered in an August 13, 2001, altercation with Griesbauer in the Riverdale Food Lion parking lot.
Commonwealth's Attorney John Greenbacker contended that Griesbauer's rough and dispassionate treatment of Abbitt after their scuffle, and the severity of Abbitt's injuries, were indicative of malice, the key ingredient for a second-degree murder conviction.
Prosecution testimony from two Food Lion employees, Travis Clay and Derek Wright, indicated the defendant pushed Abbitt to the pavement, one of them testifying he heard a "popping" sound as the victim's head struck the parking lot.
Both Clay and Wright were parked in front of the store and were talking when the incident occurred.
Confusion reigned for several minutes as to what to do next with Abbitt, since the serious condition of his injuries were not immediately known, according to further testimony.
Clay overheard comments from Griesbauer and another Food Lion employee at the scene, Adam Mabe, guessing Abbitt had simply been knocked out.
Clay continued by testifying he advised both Griesbauer and Mabe not to move Abbitt, while Wright testified he advised Griesbauer to take Abbitt to the hospital.
Wright testified further that he overheard offhand remarks made by the defendant to the effect that he didn't care if Abbitt was dead.
Defense attorney Buddy Ward argued that there was no evidence of any malice in Griesbauer's actions that night.
Although admitting that the defendant didn't handle the situation well after the incident, Ward stated that the defendant thought he'd simply knocked the breath out of Abbitt.
"He didn't handle it well, but it wasn't a criminal act," said Ward.
Ward presented testimony that indicated Abbitt had been drinking that evening, and had been acting erratic and belligerent.
Defense witness Stacy Scheier testified that Abbitt was at her basement apartment earlier that evening and was acting as if he was intoxicated.
She further testified that Abbitt was belligerent and violent and she asked her landlord, Joseph Jones, to get him out of the house.
Mabe, who was at Scheier's apartment when Abbitt was there, testified Abbitt was acting as an intoxicated person would.
He testified that he and Griesbauer took Abbitt to Riverdale in Griesbauer's van after trying and failing to reach Abbitt's mother by phone.
Upon arriving at the Riverdale Plaza parking lot, Mabe said he and Griesbauer went inside Food Lion after leaving Abbitt in the back of the van.
Mabe told the court that Abbitt was waiting outside the door when he and Griesbauer came out, and that Abbitt "attacked" Griesbauer before the defendant threw Abbitt to the ground.
"I thought it was just a drunk passed out. I went back inside Food Lion to try and call Travis' [Abbitt] mom", continued Mabe.
Mabe and Griesbauer eventually went back to Jones' house to ask him to come to Riverdale to check on Abbitt, who remained in the van while the pair were away.
South Boston Police officer Dan Frazier testified that when he arrived at the scene around 11:30 p.m., Abbitt was in the back seat of Mabe's car, with Griesbauer holding him.
Griesbauer told him that Abbitt had gotten drunk, passed out and struck his head, testified Frazier, who said Abbitt showed no signs of concsiousness.
Abbitt was taken initially to Halifax Regional Hospital and later to Duke University Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.

(This is the second in a series of articles highlighting K-12 public education in Halifax County.)
By KEITH STRANGE
Teachers in the Halifax County public school system feel like they spend too much time on discipline and not enough time on education.
After spending a day in elementary school, middle school and high school, it it apparent that teaching has taken a back seat to administrative paperwork and a discipline system many educators feel is inadequate.
All of the teachers visited declare that they have a love of teaching, and feel that the school system is doing the best it can with existing facilities and funds.
The Standards of Learning tests are another story.
Brenda Fuller
After teaching for 22 years, Fuller admits that if she didn't love the students and teaching, she wouldn't still be in front of the Sinai Elementary School classroom.
"The kids are great," she said enthusiastically.
Since her students are taught in a self-contained class, with Fuller instructing them in all of their core subjects, much of their day is spent with her.
While attempting to make teaching interesting and fun for her students, Fuller has become almost a coach or team leader about prepping her students for the Standards of Learning Tests.
"I promise you that you will see this one on the test," she warns the class.
She likes to personalize the learning experience for the students, but says that every class day is devoted to teaching the SOLs.
"The SOLs are my teaching," she said.
Fuller said that in her opinion, the tests are taking the joy away from teaching for a lot of educators.
"There is no time for creative thinking because every teaching moment has been overtaken by teaching the SOLs," she lamented.
"But we increased our advanced reading goal from six students to 17 students over the second nine weeks," Fuller said proudly.
Fuller said that the lack of discipline problems in her classroom stems from her teaching motto: "If you believe, you can achieve, and if you achieve, you succeed."
"That makes the children want to do well," she asserts.
Over the years Fuller has refined her discipline practices to try to keep students in her classroom rather than the office.
"I never stop teaching. The kids know the rules and the consequences of breaking those rules," she said.
The teacher said that the answer to discipline problems doesn't lie with yellow slips, which the school system uses to cite discipline problems.
"Yellow slips are not the answer. If the student can stay in the classroom, then they can learn," she maintains.
Fuller claimed that the book "Assertive Discipline: A Take-Charge Approach For Today's Educators," by Lee Cantor has been a wonderful resource for her.
"This is how I base my approach to discipline problems," she said, holding up the book.
"If you don't have and keep control, then learning doesn't take place," she added.
Fuller said that the best part of her job is watching young minds grow, and nurturing that growth.
"That is what gets me up in the morning," she said with a smile.
"I guess that the worst part of teaching these days would be the administrative duties and all the paperwork that we have to do," she added.
But Fuller said that she has no regrets that she chose teaching as her profession.
"If I had to do it all over again, I would," she said.
Laura Carr-Parks
If you walk into Laura Parks classroom and sit down at her desk, the first thing that you see is a card that she has taped in a prominent position on her desk.
It reads: "Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen today that you and I together can't handle."
Parks has been teaching for 32 years, and is now at Halifax County Middle School.
She said that discipline is now the primary objective of many educators day.
"Classes begin at 8:30, and from then until 9:15 we have meetings with students regarding discipline referrals that they have gotten the previous day," she said.
Four teachers attend these meetings, where students can receive anything from a warning to a yellow slip.
"We are these students core teachers, and sometimes we call their parents in to talk," she said.
But, the teacher said, a lot of the discipline problems stem from the children's home environment.
One of the teachers, the team leader, is in charge of a large notebook that holds the records of the discipline problems.
"We have to be a kind of mentor/drill sergeant/teacher most of the time," Parks said.
"And teaching comes in last."
"I tell some of the parents that complain about teachers to come in and try, they wouldn't last two hours," one of the teachers added.
Many of the students are somewhat ambivalent about their future.
"We honestly want to help these children, but many of them don't care," Parks said.
"We try, but in a lot of cases we don't have any back-up at home," she added.
Parks noted that many of the kids try to use problems at home to their advantage.
"They try to manipulate you sometimes," she claimed.
The teacher said that much of the time the parents simply don't care.
Parks said that in her seventh grade classes, she has students that are 14 and 15 years old.
"I currently have one student that is under house arrest, wearing one of those locators on his ankle," she added.
"It's certainly not like it used to be," she said. "They used to want to succeed. They used to say yes ma'am and no ma'am."
Parks said that the deterioration in behavior has taken its toll.
"It's a hard job. Sometimes you have to drag yourself out of bed in the morning."
Much of Parks' day is spent grading papers.
"I have over 100 students," she said. "And even though I will grade 75-80 quizzes and tests here, I have 218 that I have to grade tonight at home."
While the teacher's commitment is obvious, the emphasis has moved from education to discipline.
Even while teaching a class, Parks has to stop occasionally to call down students in the hallway.
"We have to discipline students all day. In the cafeteria, in the halls and in the classroom," she added.
But she said that every once in a while, something will happen to lift her spirits.
"There are students that come through here that make it all worthwhile," she said.
"I will see them later and they will remember me and tell me that I made a difference in their life," she said proudly.
Parks isn't sure that she would choose the same career path if she had to do it over again.
"It's a challenge, let me put it that way. If I were starting over, I'd have to think real hard."
Parks agreed that the worst part of her job is the paperwork.
"It's the administrative things that we have to deal with. It never ends," she said.
What is the best thing about her job?
Parks pointed to a hallway bustling with children.
"Them."
Amy Midkiff
Midkiff is in her first year teaching in Halifax County. After teaching in the Martinsville area for several years, she moved to Halifax County after getting married.
She now teaches English in a converted classroom on the vocational hall of Halifax County High School.
Midkiff has good interaction with her classes, and prides herself on using innovative teaching methods to help her students learn.
She uses puzzle pieces with parts of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" on them and the students have to piece together the story.
"It's hard," said student Kim Ford of the assignment.
"It is," agreed Midkiff.
"The students are learning the story line without even knowing it," she said later.
She said that she enjoys teaching in Halifax County, but added that the administrative duties are "kind of a pain."
In theory, Midkiff said that SOL testing is a good idea, but she has reservations regarding them in practice.
"I don't mind the idea of having standards as to what the students are learning, but everything ends up being geared to the test.
"It doesn't leave enough time to cover other material," she said.
Even though she has only been teaching in Halifax County for a few weeks, she said that there are no real major discipline problems in her classroom.
"I don't have any seriously troubled students. Most of the problems are just teens being teens," she said.
Midkiff said that she has seen much worse in other places.
"With the students having 90 minute class periods, I end up having to tell them to be quiet or sit still constantly," she added.
She did just that, 54 times in one class period.
"But these kids are having to sit still for 90 minutes four times a day, and that's asking a lot of them," she said.
Midkiff said that drugs haven't been an issue in the school.
"I haven't seen drugs, but you hear the students talking about them in the halls," she said.
She credits Principal Albert Randolph with being very supportive in the education of the students.
"I have received nothing but support here," Midkiff said.
"We have 1,600 students here, and he makes sure the kids get what they need.
"I know that he has provided students with materials," she noted.
The educator said that she has to be really careful what she says in her classroom, because "some of these students are pretty astute at manipulation."
"They can turn your words around," she said.
Midkiff said that she is often frustrated at the end of the day.
"A lot of the time I'm not able to cover what I want to cover, for whatever the reason," she said.
She often has to battle the morning announcements to finish her prepared work during one of her classes.
"And sometimes the kids upset me, they are able to push my buttons," she added.
One of the other teachers was a bit more vociferous with her opinions.
"Teaching is only 10 percent of my day," she said. "The other 90 percent is spent on ....... that we have to deal with."
This teacher, speaking in the teacher's lounge, said that the administrative duties associated with teaching in the public schools are "terrible."
"We have to go to all these meetings that we don't get paid for, and nothing ever gets done at them," she claimed.
"And the paper trail here is terrible. We have to give the students all these little grades to buffer their final grade," the educator continued.
Both Midkiff and the other teacher said that the SOLs need work.
"Students can pass my class without ever having done any work. All they have to do is pass the SOLs," the teacher said. "It's ridiculous."
Other teachers in the lounge were nodding their heads in agreement.
"I know that's right," one of them said.
Midkiff said that a lot of people blame the teachers and schools for the behavior when "many times there isn't anyone at home telling these kids how to behave."
"All too often, there is no accountability at home for the kids," she added.
What bothers Midkiff is the long-term implications of the children's behavior.
"These kids don't know that what they are doing will affect them for the rest of their lives," she said.
Midkiff said that the hardest part of her profession is trying to impress upon the students that learning in important.
"But when you have a group of kids that are eager to learn, that's the best experience that a teacher could ask for," she said.

Virgilina residents have been excused from meeting the first-year enrollment target of 100 students they offered the Halifax County School Board in their attempt to stave off the closing of Virgilina Elementary School.
However, the Halifax County School Board apparently intends to hold Virgilina residents to its target of 120 students for the 2003-2004 school year and its target of 140 students the year after that.
In a 5-2 vote, with Jason Parker and Alan Gravitt casting the negative votes, the school board voted to accept the proposal for enrollment targets offered by Virgilina residents on December 10 in their bid to keep the school open.
The school board will review Virgilina Elementary School's enrollment count in May of 2003 with the understanding that if the 120-student enrollment figure has not been achieved, and it appears likely it will not be met, the school board will take another hard look at closing the school.
If the target is met, the school board would then take another look at the enrollment figures in May of 2004.
"This is not a vote to keep the school open or closed," Gravitt pointed out.
"Even if it (the enrollment) reaches the 140 students the proposal calls for, I still have reservations," Parker said.
"There is still a need for a lot of money to be spent on that school (for maintenance and repairs). It's hard to think about spending that amount of money to fix up that school."
School board member Carl Furches said if the body takes action that conflicts with its decision last month to keep the school open, "It will be a mockery of the integrity of the school board."
However, school board chairman Steve Anderson quickly responded by saying, "That is not an issue. Virgilina Elementary School will operate for one more year. If we accept these recommendations (from the Virgilina residents), we're looking at 120 students in 2003-2004. My question is, do we accept that proposal?
"It is only fair to Virgilina and to the board that we get it straight," added Anderson.
"Next year is not an issue."
A 4-4 split vote on the part of the school board at last month's meeting resulted in Virgilina Elementary School being allowed to remain open for another year.
However, no vote was taken by the school board on whether or not to accept the enrollment targets offered by Virgilina residents in their attempt to prevent the school from being closed.
Board member Patricia Nelson said that she felt that it is only fair to the school board that a decision be made on the targets offered by the Virgilina residents.
"I think it is only fair to us as a board and to Virgilina, so that they will know where they stand," Nelson said.
"If they don't reach 120 (students) by May at the end of the 2002-2003 school year, then we close the school," Nelson said.
"We can't wait until July. We need to make the decision by the May 2003 school board meeting."
G.C. Ratliff, who represents Virgilina on the school board, said he had no objection to the school board taking action on the Virgilina plan.
"I don't have any problem with the plan." Ratliff said.
"My assumption is that the offer is still on the table, so I have no problem with it. I think we need to do something to bring some finality to it."
Ratliff said he isn't worried about Virgilina Elementary School being closed.
"It has been impressed upon us by the Board of Supervisors and concerned citizens that it is of strategic importance (to Halifax County) to have a school open in that area," Ratliff said.
"Based on that, I feel it's safe to go with this proposal. It's a compromise."

Officials said yesterday that Leo Hinson, who was arrested last Thursday for two counts of attempted capital murder, was the kingpin for a multi-state distribution network.
Hinson is accused of the attempted murder of two witnesses that were set to testify against him in a federal drug trial.
"If there is someone bigger than he is, we don't know who it would be," Maj. R.S.B. Pulliam said of the suspect.
Pulliam is the head of the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotic Enforcement Task Force, that has been investigating Hinson for four years.
Pulliam went on to say that Hinson had made Halifax County the distribution center for a network that included Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
In addition to the attempted murder charges, Pulliam said that Hinson faces indictment on several drug trafficking offenses.
Hinson was transported to Roanoke Friday morning to appear before a federal magistrate.
The magistrate ordered that Hinson be held without bond.
If convicted, Hinson could be sentenced to life without parole in a federal penitentiary on the two charges.
The arrest was part of a four-year investigation known as "Operation Harvest Moon," and included officers from the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotic Enforcement Task Force, The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF),The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and the United States Attorney's Offices of Raleigh, N.C., and Roanoke, Va.
"This operation has been going on for four years, but these cases really go back about 10 years," Pulliam said.
Sheriff's Department officials told reporters that they sent a game warden to the door of the Hinson residence around midnight Thursday to report illegal hunting on the property.
"Hinson was arrested when he came to the door. Thankfully, no guns came into play in the arrest," said Sheriff D.J. Oakes.
A search warrant was executed and agents seized cash, drugs, weapons, ammunition and financial records from the residence.
Task force officers completed the search of the Bethel Trail property at approximately 10 p.m. Friday.
The investigation revealed a multi-faceted, tiered organization involving murder, money laundering, drug distribution and alleged corruption involving public officials and law enforcement officers, according to Pulliam.
Law enforcement officials allege that large amounts of cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamines were being distributed in several states by the organization.
Hinson's assets will be seized and filed for forfeiture.
Investigators say that Hinson's property in Halifax County alone is valued at nearly $3 million.
The investigation promises additional arrests of individuals associated with the Hinson organization, said a spokesman for the Task Force.
Former Alton residents Phillip Henry Barfield, 43, and his wife Charity Dawn Thompson Barfield, 26, were arrested in late January and charged with multiple counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.
The couple, who were also charged with operating a long-running drug conspiracy, are suspected of being part of the Hinson organization, said Pulliam .
Officials say that more arrests are expected in the operation.

Halifax County High School officials will ask the Virginia High School League to place the school in a combination Group AAA/Group AA "neighborhood district" when a VHSL committee begins studying redistricting and reclassification issues next month.
The Halifax County School Board endorsed that request Monday night by unanimously passing a resolution to that effect and asking school system officials to forward it to Virginia High School League officials.
Halifax County High School's plight of lengthy travel times and the missed classroom and study time students must endure to participate in district athletic and academic activities were cited as the reasons behind the request for the move.
"We have traveled from Charlottesville to Pulaski to Roanoke for years to play games and participate in activities," said Halifax County High School Athletic Director Thompson.
"We don't need to be leaving school at 1:30 p.m. and getting home at 1:30 a.m. with our students and coaches.
"It's time to make a change," added Thompson.
"We are no longer interested in traveling all over the state of Virginia to play these games. Our clear message should be enough is enough."
Thompson, in a letter to the school board, suggested that the best situation for Halifax County would be for Halifax County and GW of Danville, both of which are Group AAA schools, to join the Group AA Piedmont District for regular-season play in all sports.
The Group AA Piedmont District is presently composed of Dan River High School, Tunstall High School, Bassett High School, Magna Vista High School, Martinsville High School, Patrick County High School, Laurel Park High School and Fieldale-Collinsville High School.
However, Laurel Park and Fieldale-Collinsville are expected to close next year with the students from those schools being designated to go to Bassett and Magna Vista.
That would seem to open the door for the possibility of two schools to be added to the Piedmont District.
Thompson told the school board Monday night that he and GW athletic director Vern Barker are scheduled to meet with Piedmont District officials February 20 to discuss the possibilities of the two schools joining the Piedmont District and the issues relating to such a move.
The Virginia High School League has appointed a committee to place Virginia high schools in district, region and state classifications for the year 2003-2004.
This committee will begin working in March and will continue to meet over a span of time to resolve the issue of the placement of high schools in districts.
Recommendations made by the committee will be presented to the Virginia High School League Executive Committee in December for tentative approval.
Final approval based upon school's average daily membership (ADM) will be made in March, 2003.
A factor that makes the creation of "neighborhood" Group AAA/Group AA districts possible for the first time is that beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, the Virginia High School League will align all sports in the same season for all three of its classifications.
"For the first time in 30 years we have aligned the (sports) seasons so that everybody will be playing (girls) basketball at the same time, tennis at the same time and volleyball at the same time," Thompson noted.
"One of the past hangups was that you couldn't put Group AA and Group AAA schools together because they didn't play girls basketball at the same time.
"Now is the time that this committee needs to create these changes (neighborhood districts) and get this thing right," added Thompson.
There are some combination Group AA/Group A "neighborhood districts currently in existence.
That is possible because all sports in Group AA and Group A schools are aligned in the same season.
Halifax County is not the only school system seeking relief from the Virginia High School League.
Thompson noted that the City of Lynchburg School Board has discussed the issue as it relates to E.C. Glass High School.
He also pointed out that the Roanoke City School Board has also had similar discussions as they relate to Patrick Henry High School.
Halifax County High School, which is in the Western Valley District with GW, E.C. Glass, Franklin County, Cave Spring and Patrick Henry, could be facing another tough situation if the Virginia High School fails to act in its favor.
Thompson stated in the letter to the school board that it appears that beginning with the 2003 school year there could be as few as four or as many as six Group AAA schools that could comprise the Western Valley District.
He cited the four definite schools as Halifax County, GW, Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount and Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke.
E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg and Pulaski County High School could end up in either Group AA or Group AAA.
Cave Spring will be dropping to Group AA status as part of its student body will be moved to a new high school that will open in that area at the start of the upcoming 2002-2003 school year.
A four-team Western Valley District, as outlined above, will once again create scheduling problems, especially for Halifax County and GW, as well as leaving both schools mired in their respective plights of lengthy travel and missed class time for students.
If Pulaski County is brought into the district, the travel situation worsens.
Thompson said he does not want Halifax County having to remain in the Western Valley District, most especially if Pulaski County, which is currently a Group AA school, is brought back into the Group AAA district.
"I can tell you that Pulaski County is going to come back to us (the district)," Thompson told the school board.
"That's four hours one way up there and four hours coming back. To me, enough is enough."

Dabney Berks Warren Jr.

Dabney Berks Warren Jr., 82, of 1080 Dabney Warren Road, Alton, died February 10 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Warren was born in Halifax County on June 21, 1919, the son of Dabney B. Warren Sr. and Lottie Wilkins Warren and was married Hattie Cole Warren. He was a member of Harmony United Methodist Church where he was former co-chairman of the Administrative Board, trustee of the church parsonage, and chairman of the cemetery committee. He was a retired tobacco farmer.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Lanier W. Moore and her husband, Donald of South Boston and Dale W. Bates of Alton; one grandson, Charles A. 'Chuck' Bates V. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Clyde, William, James 'Jimmy' and Wallace Warren; and two sisters, Mattie Baylous and Odell Baylous.
Funeral services for Mr. Warren will be held at Harmony United Methodist Church today, February 133 at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Michael Sullivan officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax County Cancer Association, PO Box 875, South Boston 24592, or Harmony United Methodist Church, 79 Frank Fox Rd., Roxboro, NC 27573.

Lucille Ridgeway Martin

Lucille Ridgeway Martin, 82, of 1197 Perth Road, Nathalie, died February 10 at Halifax Regional Hospital. She was the wife of the late George Clinton Martin.
Mrs. Martin was born in Halifax County on February 28, 1919, the daughter of the late John Ferris Ridgeway Sr. and Mattie Bomar Ridgeway. She was a member of Childrey Baptist Church and a former employee of Bassett-Walker Co.
Survivors include one daughter, Pamela Martin Brightman of Nathalie; two grandchildren, Clinton Neal Martin of Nathalie and Dawn Marie Brightman of Rocky Mount; one brother, William E. 'Billie' Ridgeway of Nathalie; four sisters, Catherine Ridgeway, Roberta Booker, Jean Ridgeway, all of Nathalie and Claudine Weatherford of Halifax. She was preceded in death by five brothers and one sister.
A funeral service for Mrs. Martin will be held at 11 a.m. today, February 13 at Henderson Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Rodney Barwick with burial to follow at Childrey Baptist Church Cemetery.

Charles Edward Ahern

Charles Edward Ahern, 82, of Cedartown, Ga., formerly of Richmond, died February 8.
Mr. Ahern was twice married; first to the late Ailene Peak Ahern, and then to the late Marjorie Stanton Ahern. He was born in Richmond on October 2, 1919, the son of the late John Ahern and Mary Collins Ahern, and was a retired dispatcher with the Polk County Police Dept.
Survivors include one daughter, Marie F. Austin of Nathalie; one grandson, Eddie Austin of Brookneal; one brother, Richard Ahern of Virginia Beach; and one brother-in-law, Randolph Harrison of Richmond.
A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. today, February 13 at Clover Bottom Baptist Church Cemetery by the Rev. James Crocker.
The family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall following the service.

Hallie Yates Friddle

Hallie Yates 'Becky' Friddle, of Louisville, KY., died February 6.
She was a graduate of Halifax County High school and attended flight school, and was employed by TWA as a flight attendant. She was a member of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church of Vernon Hill.
Surviving Mrs. Friddle are her husband, William Friddle; one daughter, Laurn Friddle, and one son, Tray Friddle, all of KY.; her mother, Ruby O. Yates; one brother, William 'Tom' Yates, both of Roanoke. She was preceded in death by her father, William 'Bill' Yates.
Memorial services were held February 9 in KY. Burial will be in Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Cemetery.