Members of the South Boston Town Council agreed Monday night
to draft a resolution supporting the Halifax County School Board's
proposal to construct one new elementary school rather than renovate
the aging C.H. Friend and Washington Coleman schools.
The action came as Council convened for its monthly work session
Monday at council chambers on Yancey Street
In presenting background information to Council members, Town
Manager Ted Daniels said that the school board had set a March
20 public hearing on the issue.
"I think everyone is aware of the (school board's) capital
budget for construction," he said. "I think what they're
looking at is putting one elementary school in South Boston to
replace C.H. Friend and Washington Coleman.
"They're looking at whether to renovate or build a new one.
That's the purpose of the public hearing," Daniel said.
Mayor Glen Abernathy was quick to speak out in favor of new construction.
"I'd favor a resolution recommending building a whole new
school," he said.
"I'd think they'd have a significant reduction in their long-term
operating costs by constructing one new school," said Councilman
Coleman Speece.
Paul C. Edmunds Park
Addressing a request from the Halifax County Board of Supervisors,
Council agreed to write a letter to the county declining to install
water and sewer facilities at the Paul C. Edmunds Jr. Memorial
Park on Route 360.
The supervisors had written a letter to the town after a recommendation
from the County Recreation Committee.
But Daniel suggested the town couldn't afford the additional expense
at this time.
"Looking at a cost estimate from the data used on the application
to the Tobacco Commission, it would cost approximately $144,000
to run water and sewer out there," he told the Councilmen.
In a letter to Daniel, County Administrator Joe Morgan had suggested
the installation of the facilities could be "the best way
for the town to contribute to the park's development effort."
Councilman Ed Owens, who serves on the Recreation Commission,
agreed that the town couldn't afford to fund the project.
"I'm not exactly sure that we're ready to spend the money
to run water out there," he said. "I think we should
participate, but that's not the only way we can participate."
Speece agreed, saying he "wouldn't be willing to support
that level of expenditure out of our tax money."
After some discussion, Daniel suggested that several entities
that could benefit from the water service join together to help
pay for the project.
"We could participate without paying the whole bill,"
he said. "This is an economic development tool if we could
get that opened up to water service."
Town Finance Director Vandie Saunders said that if the town were
to pay for the whole project in one year, it would require raising
real estate taxes by five cents per $100.
Owens said he didn't feel the issue merited further discussion.
"I'd prefer it not be on the agenda (for the March meeting),"
he said.
Other Business
Other items addressed during the work session included six proposed
amendments to town code that Daniel described as "administrative
housekeeping."
After reviewing the proposed amendments, Council agreed that they
should be put on the agenda for the March meeting.
These amendments include:
· A change in the date delinquent tax penalties are assessed,
from December 15 to December 5.
· Letting the Council set the amount residents pay in parking
rental fees. Currently that amount is $12.50 per month.
· A change in the Town's procurement policy on goods
and services, to be in line with state code.
· Changing the code wording on the dates of Council's monthly
work session and meeting. This change allows the group to conduct
business during their monthly work session, if so desired.
· Deleting some obsolete code relating to taxes on
horses and mules.
· Making vehicle license taxes due and payable on April
15.
Council also agreed to put a resolution on the agenda that will
allow Daniel to apply for a $38,000 grant from the state Department
of Health for raw water intake improvements.
Financial Statement
Saunders told the members of Council that a request to refinance
two loans that he made last month had gone better than expected.
"We did considerably better that we expected," the finance
director reported. "We refunded the loans at 3.17 percent,
and saved approximately $80,000."
He said he expected closure on the deal on March 6.
During his regular report to the members of the finance committee,
Saunders said Monday night that the town's General Fund balance
was $4,249,588.
Of this amount, $2,963,942 was available cash on hand.
The landfill fund was $358,033, and has been set aside to be used
on working toward the landfill closing in 2007.
The cemetery fund balance, which is used for the maintenance of
the town's cemeteries, is $440,964.
The water and sewer fund balance is still in the red at -$1,549,808
Saunders reported.
Responding to a $71,526 lawsuit filed against the county by
Tony and Deborah Puryear, Martha W. Medley, counsel for the Halifax
County Board of Supervisors claims in part that due to sovereign
immunity the suit is invalid.
The response was filed in the Halifax County Circuit Court Monday.
The Puryears allege that county building officials committed improper
actions during the construction of their home.
But attorneys for the county have responded by filing both a plea
in bar and a demurrer, which in effect admits the facts alleged
in the suit are true, but have failed to state a basis for the
award of damages.
In the plea in bar, the county alleges that "the plaintiff's
claims are barred by the doctrine of sovereign immunity."
Attorneys for the county also claim that the Puryears failed to
follow the steps of Virginia law in order to file suit against
the county.
The plea claims the Puryear's suit is barred from litigation because
the couple failed to execute a bond with the county, and that
the Halifax court is "without jurisdiction to adjudicate
the plaintiffs' claims."
In the demurrer, the county moves for a dismissal of the couple's
suit.
"Even accepting the allegations contained in the (Puryear's)
motion for judgement and appeal as true... the motion fails to
state a claim against Halifax County upon which the requested
relief can be granted," Medley writes in the court documents.
Living up to a promise she made to the supervisors, Kimberly S.
White, the attorney for the Puryears, filed suit against the board
on January 31, seeking $71,526.02 in damages that allegedly resulted
from actions by county building officials.
In the spring of 2001, the Puryears built a home in the Alton
community.
They say in the lawsuit that the home was poorly constructed due
to what they allege were numerous violations to the Uniform Statewide
Building Code (USBC).
Additionally, the Puryears allege that during the building process,
the county building inspector failed to conduct the minimum number
of inspections, failed to require that violations to the code
be corrected and that the building officials didn't hold the proper
certifications as required by the state.
As attorney for the couple, White told the supervisors at their
January 6 meeting that she had been given no choice but to re-file
the suit after supervisors denied their request for compensation
for damages incurred during the building of their home.
The Puryears non-suited earlier litigation after the building
contractor, Emmett C. Lewis Jr., purchased the home in November
2002 from them for $221,500.
In return for dropping the suit, the Puryears had asked the supervisors
to cover the expenses incurred in gathering evidence for their
original suit and moving from their home.
But, during the January meeting, the supervisors denied the claim
for damages on a 7-1 vote with Supervisor Ronnie Vaughan casting
the lone dissenting vote.
The suit says the county is obligated by law to enforce the USBC
and hire qualified personnel to enforce the code.
In addition to alleging that the county's employees were not qualified
to perform the inspections of their home, the Puryears allege
that the building official was "closely related" to
the contractor building their home, and allowed the builder to
commit "numerous violations" during the construction
process.
Records show that the father of the contractor who built the house
signed off on all but one of the six inspections conducted from
the time work began on the house until it was completed and certified
for occupancy.
These violations, the couple allege, "result in unsafe and
unhealthful conditions and hazards incident to the construction
of the dwelling."
In their claim for damages, the couple say they were forced to
sell their home at a reduced value, that they incurred moving
and storage expenses and will have to build a replacement home.
After a multi-year investigation and their subsequent arrest,
three defendants pleaded guilty Monday to federal drug charges,
with one of the defendants facing a minimum of 19 years in federal
prison.
A fourth defendant is currently awaiting a trial date, according
to Maj. R.S.B. Pulliam of the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotic
Enforcement Task Force.
Charles Edward Jeffress, 23, aka "Dave" of Paul James
Road in Halifax, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more
than 50 grams of crack cocaine and two counts of distribution
of more than five grams of crack, according to the task force.
As part of his plea agreement, Jeffress accepted responsibility
for distributing 500 grams to one point five kilograms of crack
cocaine during the conspiracy.
Sentencing guidelines call for Jeffress to face between 19.5 years
and 24 years in prison.
Edward Hane Poindexter, 53, aka "Budroe," also of Paul
James Road in Halifax, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to distribute
more than 50 grams of crack cocaine and being a convicted felon
in possession of a firearm.
At sentencing, Poindexter will face 10 to 12 years in prison.
Cliffton Stephen Terry, 23, of Bane Street in South Boston, pleaded
guilty to the distribution of more than five grams of crack cocaine
and possessing a firearm in the furtherance of drug distribution.
Terry will face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison at sentencing.
The trial date of a fourth defendant, Anthony William Mason, 24,
of the Reverend Coleman Road in Clover, has not been set.
Sentencing for the three convicted defendants has been set for
May 12.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Wolthuis and Special Assistant U.S.
Attorney/Regional Drug Prosecutor Jeb Terrien are prosecuting
the case.
"These charges stem from a multi-year investigation, with
the arrest phase beginning on May 3, 2002," Pulliam said.
The arrests began with the execution of a search warrant on the
Paul James Road residence of Poindexter by the task force.
"There were approximately 13 people in the residence when
the search warrant was executed," the investigator observed.
"Three individuals ran and were quickly apprehended."
Pulliam said that Terry was observed throwing a firearm and crack
cocaine as he fled the scene.
After the scene was secured, law enforcement members seized approximately
20 firearms, cash, a substantial amount of crack cocaine and marijuana,
TVs, stereos, DVD players and various other electronics and vehicles,
according to Pulliam.
"This area has been responsible for the distribution of crack
on a daily basis and this residence had a large customer base,"
he said. "These customers traded stolen merchandise, firearms
and sex for crack cocaine."
Pulliam said that more arrests are expected as the investigation
continues.
Antiques: Why buy, where to put, what to
buy and how to decorate.
Philadelphia design consultant Kerry Carter will answer those
questions during three seminars at the C.H. Friend Antique Show
next week.
The 30th annual Antique, Craft & Art Show & Sale is set
March 8-9 at C.H. Friend Elementary School in South Boston.
Three Carter design seminars are scheduled during the event for
the convenience of the public, two on Saturday, at 10:30 a.m.
and 2:30 p.m., and one on Sunday from 2-3 p.m.
The classes will be held at the school. Admission is $10.
The class includes a 30-40 minute slide program followed by a
question and answer period.
"I will try to answer," quipped Carter.
To register for Carter's design class at the C.H. Friend show,
call 572-4248.
President of Charles Kerry Associates, Carter will also be one
of the antique dealers displaying at the show.
A Danville resident until 1972, Carter moved to Philadelphia to
earn her master's degree in Preservation Architecture at the University
of Pennsylvania.
She made the move when her son left home for college.
"I had to do something," she explained with a chuckle.
"I knew I was going to graduate school, just didn't know
where or when," she added.
With graduate studies her focus turned to conservation of old
and historic buildings and the decorative arts.
"That's how I got from design to the antiques business,"
she explained.
For 20 years she lived in downtown Philadelphia in the historic
district.
"I lived in an old three-story row house," she recalled,
a residence she kept until about three years ago when she moved
into an apartment.
In addition to her firm, she also did a lot of work for the state
of Pennsylvania, including the restoration of the old capitol
building in Harrisburg.
"That is one of the most outstanding architecturally designed
capitols in the country," she noted.
She worked on that project for 10 years, recreating period rooms,
including carpet, paint schemes and furnishings.
That work led naturally to a business interest in antiques.
Buying antiques for clients was part of her design work, but her
decision to buy a place in her native North Carolina is opening
new venues.
Last year, for the first time, she "technically" became
an antique dealer, opening a shop at Lynch Creek Farm in Rocky
Ford, N.C.
The shop, open by appointment, features both French and English
antiques.
Her inventory includes numerous chest of drawers in all sizes,
dining tables and chairs, desk cupboards, armoires, linen press,
some upholstery, mirrors, screens and accessories.
Carter's plans for the C.H. Friend show inventory include both
walnut and mahogany English chests of drawers with brass hardware,
circa 1880, a French display case with glass shelves and a variety
of accessories.
"At Charles Kerry Associates, we have been reflecting our
clients' tastes and life-styles with antiques for more than 30
years," said Carter.
"We are proud of how our interior designs blend the heritage
of antiques - and family heirlooms - with the best of contemporary
living."
Now with antiques at Lynch Creek Farm in Rocky Ford, N.C., Carter
has extended her design/antiques coverage.
"I have one foot in each world," she said with an obvious
note of pleasure.
It has taken Halifax County High School basketball coach Garrett
Dillard five years to get a team to the top spot in the Western
Valley District.
The Comets got there last Friday night by downing host Patrick
Henry in an overtime thriller to win the Western Valley District
Tournament championship game.
That championship, to Dillard, was a big reward in itself.
On Monday, the Comets' coach received a big personal honor by
being named as the Western Valley District Coach of the Year.
"Any time you receive an individual award it is important
to you," said Dillard who, last weekend, won his first district
championship as a high school varsity team head coach.
"But you also have to realize that no individual award is
won by that individual alone.
"First," continued Dillard, "you have to thank
God for giving you all of the tools that it takes for receiving
an award like that, putting you in position, giving you the intelligence,
the staff and players over the years who helped you as an individual."
Dillard thanked his coaching staff, assistant coach Alexis Cowan,
assistant coach Maurice Ferrell, head junior varsity coach Wayne
Murray, assistant junior varsity coach Jerry Irving and head ninth-grade
team coach Michael Jackson for their assistance.
"Those guys are great," Dillard said.
"Not many decisions are made without their approval. Sometimes
last-minute decisions have to be made but whenever we make major
decisions I always get those guys' thoughts and opinions on it.
"Sometimes they disagree and we go their way and sometimes
I try to persuade them that something in particular works best,"
added Dillard.
"We try to decide which way will work best. It's a blessing
to have six guys seeing the same thing and making the call that,
as a group, we feel is going to best benefit the team."
Dillard said he has learned a great deal coaching the individual
players he has had contact with at Halifax County High School
during these five years.
"You have to learn from those individual players," Dillard
pointed out.
"Every time you have a player there is, eventually, going
to be another player like that, physically, mentally, the way
they approach the game. If you can reflect on what worked for
the previous player it helps you with the current players."
Dillard also thanked his family for the support he has received,
especially from his wife, LaTonda.
"She really, really helps," said Dillard.
"She travels to the games with two kids. She deals with them
on the road and puts up with that.
"It really helps to have a very supportive wife and family,"
added Dillard.
"If you don't have that, it makes it tough if you want to
open the gym or when you want to go scout a team. We don't practice
until 7 p.m. at night and I don't get home until 9 p.m. to 9:30
p.m. You need somebody that's going to support you like that."
Halifax County High School Athletic Director Donm Thompson said
Dillard is deserving of the Coach of the Year honor.
"He's worked awfully hard," said Thompson.
"That was a terriffic win last Friday night. A lot of times
you work real hard as a coach and you don't get rewarded like
you should be rewarded.
"I think this year Coach Dillard and his staff have been
rewarded for their hard work."
For Dillard, the hard work and sweat equity that has been put
into the program during his five-year tenure as head coach is
beginning to pay off.
"You don't win a game like last Friday without the total
package," said Dillard.
"When I first came to Halifax, I had to do like every new
coach and take inventory. You can't just show up and say we're
going to do this, this and that.
"Don Thompson had done a great job with the program during
the years he coached here," continued Dillard, "and
I want to thank him for retiring when he did. What better time
is there to get out of it and let some young guy come in and hopefully
build a program than when you have only three kids returning?
"What that does, it allows you, as a young coach, to come
in without a lot of expectations and a lot of pressure and you
can take your time to build your team.
"Coaching is like anything else," Dillard added.
"You're not going to be at your best the first year you do
it. You have to be willing to learn and get better as a coach,
just like you tell your players to do in the gym every day."
The Comets coach quickly established an intramural basketball
program at the high school that is open to any interested players.
With sponsorship help from the Halifax County Mental Health Association,
the program flourished and continues to grow each year.
"We also have summer camps that we go to," pointed out
Dillard.
"We went from taking 10 kids to Richmond the first summer
to taking 30 kids to Richmond. We also go to Greensboro, N.C.,
Roanoke and Altavista to camps.
"We also get 25-30 kids here every day in the afternoon during
the summer and we have a preseason conditioning program,"
continued Dillard.
"It's not just me there. There are other coaches there. That
has really been big."
It has taken a lot of work to get the Comets basketball program
back to the top.
The road back to the top has, at times, been frustrating.
In each of Dillard's first three years, the Comets were bounced
by Albemarle from the district tournament in the semifinal round,
all by narrow margins.
Then it was Cave Spring and its Duke-bound standout, J.J. Redick.
"The first three years, you lose to the same team (Albemarle)
at the same place (Albemarle) in the same game (the district tournament
semifinals) and you just don't think you're going to go anywhere,"
Dillard said.
"Then, all of a sudden, they're out of the district and here
comes J.J. Redick and Cave Spring. You feel that Albemarle is
out of the district, that the district is being rearranged and
you have a shot at it this year.
"It was a great, great challenge trying to get by those guys
and GW last year," continued Dillard.
"But, when you've got guys like Redick (Cave Spring) and
Fitzgerald (at GW) that are capable of doing what they do on the
basketball court, it makes it tough to beat teams like that."
The key thing to remember, Dillard said, is Comets teams have
shown progress each year.
"The first year we did not reach double figures in the win
column," noted the Comets coach.
"We got closer the second year and the last three years we've
won at least 10 basketball games.
"We don't have as many wins as we did last year but I feel
we've had more quality wins this year," added Dillard.
Dillard pointed to wins over GW, the district tournament semifinal
win over Franklin County that landed the Comets a berth in the
Northwest Region Tournament and the tournament championship game
win over Patrick Henry on the road as being three big quality
wins.
"Those are the kinds of wins we have not been able to get
in the past," he pointed out.
"I told the kids and the coaching staff that eventually we
have to win a big game. The GW game was the first big game we
won this year because you win it and you're in second place.
"The Franklin County semifinal game was the next big game
we won," Dillard continued.
"The game of all games so far was the Patrick Henry game.
That's been the biggest game I've been a part of since I've been
here. I just thank God and the kids for coming out and giving
their best and putting us in a position where we had a chance
to win it."
Halifax County has won the big games this year and has done it
with its back against the wall, with all of the marbles at stake.
Dillard said he has no magic touch - no one single formula - that
has taken Halifax County High School basketball back to the top
in the district.
"I think kids, players, athletes pick up a little bit of
their coach's personality," Dillard explained.
"I'm one of those guys that work better under adverse situations.
I think the kids pick up off of that.
"When I was growing up," Dillard continued, "my
mom was one of those people who always said no matter how bad
the other team beat you in the first half, you can do the same
thing in the second half.
"Ironically, that was the only thing we said at the half
(during last Friday night's district championship game when the
team trailed by 16 points). I told them if they (Patrick Henry)
could outscore us by 16 in the first half we can outscore them
by 16 in the second half.
"We don't like to get behind," added Dillard.
"I guess that's just been a personality trait or characteristic
of us and the way we play."
Annie Paniel Brooks, 77, of Hamilton Blvd., South Boston, died
February 23 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Brooks was born in Halifax County on July 4, 1925, the daughter
of John Alexander Paniel and Queen Puryear Paniel and was married
to Ester Brooks. She was a member of Dan River View Baptist Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Ruth Paniel Medley and Pecola
Venable, both of Halifax; two sons, Raymond Paniel of South Boston
and Gregory Brooks of Halifax; nine grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren;
one sister, Rosetta Watson of South Boston; three brothers, Wayne
Paniel and Joe Faulkner, both of South Boston and Preston Faulkner
of Newport News.
Funeral services for Mrs. Brooks will be held today, February
26 at 2 p.m. at Dan River View Baptist Church with the Rev. Clifton
Madden officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Lowell Thomas Christerson, 71, the longest living recipient of
a fully self-contained artificial heart, of Central City, KY died
February 7, 2003 at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, KY.
Born March 16, 1931, in Springfield, KY, he was a retired business
owner and a member of the First Baptist Church. He was a veteran,
having served in the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife, Speedy Wright Christerson; one son,
Ken Christerson; one daughter, Patti Pryor of Central City; three
grandchildren; one great -granddaughter; and three sisters, Frankie
Grundy of Springfield, KY, Katie Bellamy of Cape Coral, FL and
Bet Carden of South Boston.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Feb. 11, at Tucker Funeral
Home in Central City with Rev. Bob Lowery officiating. Burial
followed in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Tom Christerson &
Family Nursing Scholarship Fund, c/o Jewish Hospital Foundation,
217 E. Chestnut Street, Louisville, KY 40202.
Eva Hamlett Crews, 82, of 8101 Clarkton Road, Nathalie, died February
24 at her home.
Mrs. Crews was born in Charlotte County on June 5, 1920, the daughter
of Luther Hamlett and Annie Trent Hamlett and was married to Roger
Greenwood Crews. She was a member of Staunton River Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband of the home; one son, Elbert Crews
and wife, Evelyn, of South Boston; one daughter, Vivian C. Sweeting
and husband, Seth, of Nathalie; one grandson, Bill Crews and wife,
Tricia, of Nathalie; six sisters, Rosa Cook and Esther Martin,
both of Crystal Hill, Eunice Hux of South Boston, Beatrice Jones
of Nathalie, Mary Hudson of Clover, Alice Lowery of Bay City,
Texas and Daisy Meurrens of Norfolk. She was preceded in death
by two brothers, Cabel and James Hamlett; and three sisters, Nellie
Jennings, Georgia Beadles and Velma Glass.
Services for Mrs. Crews will be held tomorrow, February 27 at
2 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jerry Stanley
officiating. Burial will take place in Staunton River Baptist
Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home this evening
from 7:00 until 9:00, and other times at her home.
Carolyn Smith Leake, born January 26, 1908, the daughter of Roger
P. and Ida H. Smith of Crystal Hill, died January 22 at Newport
News.
Services were held January 25 with burial at Peninsula Memorial
Park, Newport News with the Rev. Steven Crane officiating.
Mrs. Leake is survived by one sister-in-law, Margaret Clark Smith
of MD; and several nieces and nephews.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Crystal
Hill Southern Baptist Church, Crystal Hill.
Ms. Mattie Pryor Lovelace, of Atlantic City, N.J., formerly of
South Boston, died Tuesday, February 25 at Atlantic City Medical
Center, at the age of 61.
Mattie Pryor Lovelace was born in Halifax County on August 17,
1941, and was the daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Lovelace and
Mrs. Frances Robertson Lovelace.
She was a member of the Trinity Baptist Church.
Mattie Pryor Lovelace is survived by one son, Brian Lovelace of
Halifax; two grandchildren, Latrease Lovelace and L. Brianna Lovelace,
both of Halifax; two sisters, Beulah Ford and Sarah Fountain,
both of South Boston; five brothers, Gary Lovelace of Absecon,
N.J., Dwight Lovelace of California, Carroll Lovelace of Gaithersburg,
Md., Gerald Lovelace of Atlantic City, N.J., and James Lovelace
of Philadelphia, Pa; one daughter-in-law, Lynette E. Lovelace,
two brothers-in-law, five sisters-in-law, and a host of nieces,
nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Mattie Pryor Lovelace will be held Saturday,
March 1, at 4 p.m., with services at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church,
with the Rev. James M. Crowder officiating.
Burial will follow in the Rose Garden Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Jeffress Funeral Home on Friday,
February 28, from 7 until 8 p.m., and at other times at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. Brian Lovelace, 1099 E. Oak Hill Drive, Halifax.
Funeral services for Mrs. Lucinda Marable Penick will be held
Friday, February 28 at 1 p.m. with services at the New Arbor Baptist
Church.
The Rev. Nelson Stamps will officiate.
Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Mrs. Penick died Monday, February 24 at the Halifax Regional Hospital.
She was 99.
Mrs. Penick was born in Halifax County on December 30, 1903 to
the late Willie Marable and Rosa Lee Howerton Marable.
She was married to the late Johnnie Daniel Penick and was a member
of the New Arbor Baptist Church.
Mrs. Penick is survived by five daughters, Sallie P. Simms, Rosa
Ballou, and Nancy Ballou, all of South Boston, Annie P. Smith
of Richmond and Lucinda Edmunds of Ringgold, a host of grandchildren,
great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, three sons-in-law,
two daughters-in-law, two sisters-in-law and a host of nieces,
nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by two sons, Johnnie F. Penick and Robert
Penick and two daughters, Rebecca Medley and Hannah Medley.
The family will receive friends at the residence, 1016 Crews Trail,
South Boston.
Lillie Ola Sadler Powell Martin of South Boston died February
23.
Mrs. Martin was born in Halifax County on April 24, 1933, the
daughter of Andrew J. Sadler and Ola Mabel Tuck Sadler. She was
a member of Clover United Methodist Church.
Survivors include four daughters, Mary Jane P. Cole and husband,
Buddy, of South Boston, Sandra P. Phillips and fiance' Tommy Edmonds,
of South Boston, Delores P. Stump and husband, Frank, of Scottsburg,
and Janice M. Fisher and husband, David, of Alton; six grandsons,
Floyd C. 'Bud' Cole II of South Boston, Stanley 'Bugg' Francis
of Nathalie, Roger Martin Jr. and Michael Martin, both of Halifax,
Justin Stone of Scottsburg and Caleb Fisher of Alton; two granddaughters,
Wendy Cole of South Boston and Lauren Fisher of Alton; three brothers,
Holt E. Sadler and wife, Carrie, of Danville, George Morris Jr.
and Warren C. Morris, both of Scottsburg; and a sister, Ruth H.
Andrews of Clover.
Mrs. Martin was preceded in death by her parents and a host of
brothers and sisters.
Funeral services will be held at Clover United Methodist Church
today, February 26, at 2 p.m. with the Revs. Marvin Cook and Jason
Murray officiating. Burial will follow at the Fork Baptist Church
Cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax
County Cancer Association, PO Box 875, South Boston, 24592.
Lester Silvan Williams, 76, of 121 Berry Hill Road, South Boston,
died February 24 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Williams was born in Granville County, NC on May 27, 1926,
the son of Jesse James Williams and Della White Williams, and
was married to Mary Sue Brown Williams. He was a member of Ash
Avenue Baptist Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Debra Ann Lloyd of Chesterfield
and Sandra Y. Ingram of South Boston; one son, Michael R. Williams
of Troy, IL; three brothers, James, Floyd and Carlton Williams,
all of Lakeland, FL; three granddaughters; one grandson; and eight
great-grandchildren.
Services for Mr. Williams will be held Friday, February 28 at
11:00 a.m. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. John Eure
officiating. Burial will take place in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home Thursday
evening from 7:00 until 8:30, and other times at the home of his
granddaughter, Carie Hoskins, 1035 Bethel Trail, South Boston.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the American
Diabetes Association.