Rochester Button, among the oldest industries in South Boston dating back to the post-World War II years, will close its doors at 1100 Noblin Street and cease production by the end of March, a move that will leave 30 persons jobless.
The South Boston plant makes buttons that are sent to a finishing plant in Kenbridge where approximately 30 persons are employed. That operation, according to Rochester Button's owner Hank Millican, will continue. But in a statement released earlier yesterday, Millican stated, "We are reducing our domestic production and increasing out-sourcing."
Millican cited "extremely low-cost competition" from Asia and Mexico a reason for his decision to reduce domestic production of his product.
Yesterday's announcement comes on the heels of Tultex's closing, which idled 450 workers here and more than 1,000 in Martinsville and Henry County where the operation was based.
Millican refused to say that the South Boston operation would be closed forever. "Forever is a long time," he noted.
But workers such as Robert Hatcher, who is head of maintenance for the South Boston operation, expressed no hope for its reopening.
"I've been expecting it," said Hatcher who came out of high school 32 years ago and went to work for Rochester. Hatcher and his wife Lisa have four children ranging in age from one year to 12 years. Their oldest has special needs and their greatest concern now is the loss of health insurance.
"I'm probably a little luckier than some of the others," said Hatcher whose mechanical skills he feels will help him find another job. Hatcher will probably be the last person to leave the South Boston button factory since it is his responsibility to see that machinery is properly cared for and environmental requirements are met.
Rochester Button was started by Joseph Calnon in 1904 in Rochester, N.Y., and established itself as one of the world's largest, most experienced button-makers. It survived the great depression, two world wars, the zipper and even Velcro, but in 1990 filed for bankruptcy.
Along with four other plants, including Kenbridge and McKinney, South Boston was closed.
Millican, who had retired in 1979 as executive vice president of Burlington Industries, bought the button operation and in South Boston managed to rehire most of the work force that had been laid off for over 14 months.
"They were great!" said Millican who remembers how production returned to normal as "if they had only been closed for the weekend."
Millican even upgraded the button-manufacturing process in South Boston and installed some state-of-the art equipment, including a wheel-casting machine and a process by which rods are used to cast buttons from liquid resins.
In addition to manufacturing upgrades, the South Boston factory pretreats all wastewater discharges and must maintain high air quality standards.
But that closing in 1990 left many workers such as Hatcher and Leonard Crabtree, a 45-year veteran, without the retirement benefits they had worked years for.
Hatcher admits he feels "terrible" about the plant closing, but adds, "I'm trying not to let it get me down." He even expressed concern for Millican whom he described as a good businessman and one who had maintained a close working relationship with his employees.
"This NAFTA thing had a lot to do with it," said Hatcher.
"But how do you compete?"
"You can't...it's that plain and simple." he concluded.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Tultex Corp.'s decision to shut down rather than fight its way out of bankruptcy makes state aid for unemployed workers even more important, a legislator said Thursday.
Tultex is in the process of being split up and sold, company lawyer Bruce Matson said Wednesday. Once that process is completed, the company will close.
Tultex filed for Chapter 11 restructuring in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Dec. 3, saying it planned to remain in business as a small clothing marketer and hire other companies to make its products. Some 3,300 workers were laid off.
Del. Ward Armstrong, D-Martinsville, said the closing of Tultex means its former employees will lose their option under federal COBRA law to keep their health insurance at their own expense.
''It makes it even more critical that we provide health care for our workers,'' Armstrong said.
Armstrong is sponsoring a bill to provide up to two years of health insurance and increased jobless compensation for workers in high-unemployment localities. Gov. Jim Gilmore opposes the bill, which is pending in a House of Delegates committee.
Most of the company's remaining 650 workers will be let go soon under the change in plans, although it could take months or even years to complete the selloff.
Judge William Anderson said he doubted the company can raise enough money to pay all 11,000 of its creditors, including at least 2,400 past and present employees hoping to collect Christmas bonus checks.
At a hearing Wednesday, Anderson agreed to allow Tultex to pay $816,000 in bonuses to 245 workers who are being kept during the liquidation, but he granted departing chief executive O. Randolph Rollins only $50,000 of the $150,000 severance package that Rollins was seeking.
Tultex, which began in Martinsville in 1937 as Sale Knitting Co., was until recently the fifth largest activewear manufacturer in the country. After a run of 60 profitable years, the company has lost money in recent years as competition in the industry grew.
In January, Tultex ceased all manufacturing.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Three busloads of unemployed textile workers went home disappointed after a legislative committee's Republican majority blocked a vote on a bill to increase their unemployment benefits.
About 200 jobless people from the Martinsville area traveled to Richmond on Wednesday expecting the House Labor and Commerce Committee to vote on the legislation, which Republican Gov. Jim Gilmore opposes.
On a 13-9 party-line vote, the panel delayed action on Del. Ward Armstrong's bill until at least Friday.
''It's them Republicans. They need to get some Jesus!'' said Gaynell Brown, who lost her job when Tultex Corp. filed bankruptcy and closed its Martinsville apparel plant in December. Textile plant layoffs and closings have put about 3,300 people out of work and swelled unemployment in Martinsville to 19.6 percent.
Del. Jack Rust, R-Fairfax, proposed delaying the vote on Armstrong's bill to give the Martinsville Democrat a chance to discuss a compromise with Gilmore. ''I don't think we can accomplish what he wants until the governor's on board,'' Rust said.
Gilmore chief of staff Boyd Marcus said after the meeting that the administration is willing to listen, but the governor remains adamantly opposed to increasing benefits for some jobless citizens but not all.
''You cannot treat one unemployed person differently than another in Virginia,'' Marcus told reporters.
During the sometimes contentious hearing, Democrats pressed Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Labor Joshua Lief about the administration's position. Leif began reciting a list of job-creation initiatives in the Martinsville area, but Democrats demanded that he talk specifically about Armstrong's bill.
''We cannot enact polices that pit one region against the others,'' Lief said, arguing that the bill ''excludes thousands and thousands of unemployed workers from increased benefits.''
Armstrong's bill originally would have increased unemployment benefits by $100 a week for people living in localities with a jobless rate of 10 percent or more. The committee agreed to change the threshold to twice the statewide unemployment rate, which now stands at about 2.6 percent. Armstrong said that would roughly double the bill's cost, to about $48 million a year.
The bill also would offer at least two years of health insurance for workers who lost their jobs due to foreign competition because of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Democrats were angered when the committee's Republican majority refused Armstrong's request to delete an emergency clause from his bill. The clause would make the bill effective as soon as it is signed, but it also would require 80 votes to pass the bill. Armstrong doubted he could muster 80 votes on the House floor.
''If you don't take the emergency clause off, you're not giving me a fighting chance,'' Armstrong said.
Rust said the emergency clause is necessary so the unemployed workers could get immediate relief and not have to wait until July 1, the date the legislation would otherwise take effect.
Del. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico, said he had never before seen legislators refuse a colleague's request to strike an emergency clause. He said the move was intended to kill the bill.
''We're starting to lose what courtesy we have for each other,'' he said. ''I for one resent it.''
After the meeting, Armstrong gave a pep talk to the unemployed workers.
''We ain't quitting,'' Armstrong said. ''The one thing we've done today is we have the attention of the governor. ... You need to go back home and light up the governor's phone. He's the one who holds the key to this.''

The pressure to make "big-time decisions about staying in or getting out" of the tobacco business may make the Virginia Tobacco Conference and Trade Show, scheduled here Saturday, the most important in its seven-year history.
Fifth District Congressman Virgil Goode, featured speaker at the conference, and Halifax County Extension Agent Larry McPeters agree farmers should not miss the session.
The congressman will kick off the 1 p.m. conference in Halifax County Senior High's auditorium.
"The congressman will explain what is going on with the tobacco program at the federal level," explained McPeters. "What is going on and what we can expect. He has a better handle on that than anyone in the country."
Goode said yesterday that "the presence of the attorneys and staff that worked with the Phase II settlement should enable growers to ask any question that they may have regarding their payments."
Also on the conference agenda: the $328 million in disaster funds to be distributed to the states based on their level of tobacco production. Virginia farmers will receive a total of $19.5 million from the funds.
"It will be a small amount of money to displace some expenses that farmers incurred due to loss of quota from 1998-1999," McPeters explained. "A small amount, but it pays some bills."
Tobacco farmers will also hear from Carthan Currin, executive director of the Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Committee, who will explain what is going on with Phase I money of the Master Settlement.
Scott Oostdyk, with the law firm of McGuire, Woods, Battle and Booth, will present updated information on Phase II of the MSA.
"There will be a booth in the gym for people with problems with Phase II money," McPeters noted. "They should bring their papers, if they had problems, and come to the trade show."
Dr. David Peele, a researcher with the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, is scheduled to present information on the curing barn process of tobacco specific nitroamines.
Trade Show
The trade show opens at 9:30 a.m., Saturday in the Halifax County Senior High gym and will feature 40 exhibitors.
This show allows farmers "to see, touch and hear the latest in the industry's chemicals, fertilizers, fuels and the mechanical business," McPeters said of the 9:30 a.m. to noon show.
The Virginia Tobacco Growers Association and Virginia Cooperative Extension are co-sponsoring the Saturday trade and conference event.
"The Virginia Tobacco Growers Association board of directors' members are the doers and shakers of the conference," McPeters said yesterday. "They do it all for their fellow tobacco growers," added the extension agent.
Donnie Moore, president of the VTGA board of directors, also urged tobacco growers to attend the Saturday program.
"Low nitrosamine tobacco production is a new term, but one that you will be hearing a lot about over the next several months," Moore advised growers. "This will be discussed in our afternoon program, as well as conversion of barns to cure this type of leaf."
Anyone with an interest in the tobacco industry is encouraged to attend the Saturday event. There is no cost for participation in the trade show and conference.

A South Boston man was the victim of a fatal one-vehicle crash Tuesday evening on High View Road.
Johan H. Bark, 51, was driving a 1997 Ford pickup on High View Road (Route 671) when he lost control of the vehicle, one-tenth of a mile north of the intersection of Union Grove Road, (Route 679).
Trooper D.J. Cline said the vehicle ran off of the right side of the road before the driver lost control. The vehicle then ran off the left side of the road, struck a bank and overturned.
Cline said the driver was not wearing a seat belt when the 7:10 p.m. crash occurred.
In other police reports:
· A 16-year-old youth from Halifax was charged with reckless driving Monday afternoon after a three-car crash occurred on Route 58.
Trooper S.M. Krantz said the youth was driving a 1999 Ford at a high rate of speed when the vehicle entered a crossover, one-tenth of a mile west of Route 360.
Krantz said the vehicle entered the westbound lane and struck a 1989 Oldsmobile driven by Ruth Powell Wilborn, 58, of South Boston.
The youth's vehicle then continued on to hit a 1989 Chevrolet driven by McArther Edmondson, 55, of South Boston, injuring Edmondson, the trooper said.
Edmondson was treated at Halifax Regional Hospital and released, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Damage to the Edmondson vehicle was estimated at $1,000 while the Wilborn vehicle sustained $3,000 in estimated damages.
The vehicle driven by the youth sustained an estimated $2,200 in damages.
Krantz charged the youth with reckless driving after failing to maintain control in the 5:13 p.m. mishap.
· A 37-year-old South Boston woman was injured Wednesday morning when the vehicle she was driving was allegedly forced off State Route 360 by an unidentified vehicle.
Trooper M.S. Roark Jr. said Mary Elizabeth Puryear, 37,was driving a 1993 Cadillac when the 10:50 a.m. mishap occurred.
Roark said Puryear met an oncoming vehicle that crossed into her lane. Puryear's vehicle ran off the shoulder of the road to avoid a collision and went out of control five-tenths of a mile north of U.S Route 360.
Puryear was treated at Halifax Regional Hospital and released.
The vehicle sustained $800 in estimated damages.
No charges have been filed.

In other police reports,
Jody Lee Young, 28, of Ellis Creek Road in Nathalie, was arrested by sheriff's deputies on an assault and battery charge.
Young is charged with the assault and battery of Tina Young, an offense allegedly committed on the day of the arrest.
A hearing for Young is scheduled for February 23.

By SCOTT MOONEYHAM
Associated Press Writer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - People living near hog farms report more headaches, diarrhea and minor respiratory problems, according  to a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The survey also found that people who lived within two miles of an industrial-style hog farm reported a reduced quality of life. Fewer residents enjoyed outdoor activities when compared to those who did not live near hog operations.
''I think that the survey provides enough evidence that we should consider the problem serious,'' said Steven Wing, the UNC-Chapel Hill professor of epidemiology who led the study released Wednesday. ''This tells us we need to look at this further.''
Preliminary results of the study, funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, were first reported last year. Final results will appear in March in the scientific journal ''Environmental Health Perspectives.''
The researchers interviewed 155 people in three counties. One group lived within two miles of a 6,000-head hog operation; another lived near two adjacent cattle farms; and the third group, a control, lived in a farming area without large livestock operations.
Residents were asked how many times they experienced a range of health problems, and about quality of life issues.
Researchers found the greatest differences in quality of life, but also found a higher incidence of some health problems reported by those who lived near the hog farm.
Hog industry officials said the study is pseudo-science.
''It's just junk science. I do know that you can skew these so-called studies to get the results you want,'' said Walter Cherry, director of the N.C. Pork Council. ''From a tax standpoint, that money was wasted if your trying to prove something. Now if your trying to pursue an agenda, maybe it wasn't wasted.''
Cherry said the survey questions, coupled with the fact that the hog farm in the study had been the target of organized protests from residents, made it clear the kind of responses that researchers wanted. A valid study would have relied on medical examinations for hard evidence to back up the conclusions, he said.
Wing said some of the respondents may have known the survey  concerned the effects of hog farms, but said no mention was made of hogs, livestock or odors.
He agreed that some people may have reported more symptoms because of their negative feelings about hog farms.
But researchers found no difference between some types of health symptoms - such as sore muscles and joints, blurred vision, or hearing problems - among those who lived near hog farms and among those who did not.
That finding, Wing said, suggests the greater incidence of health problems reported by people who lived near hog farms - sore throats, coughing, burning eyes, headache and diarrhea - were not imagined.
Researchers did not have enough money to do physical exams and trace long-term health effects, he said.
''This study has a number of limitations which we discuss pretty openly,'' Wing said. ''We need more research. But I am aware of people who live around these operations who feel there is enough evidence here already.''

The Halifax County High School Blue Comets are facing a "must win" situation tonight when they host the E.C. Glass Hilltoppers in what will be their final home game of the regular season.
Tonight's game here at 7:30 p.m. at the Halifax County High School gym is an important one for two reasons - one being that the Comets need the win to have a shot at landing third place in the district - the other being that tonight is Senior Night and is the final home game of the regular season.
"The winner could finish second or third in the district," noted Comets coach Garrett Dillard whose team stands 7-9 and 1-3 in district play entering tonight's contest.
"And, there is a good chance that the loser will finish in fourth place in the district. You definitely don't want to finish last and have to face the first-place team on their home floor in the first round of the tournament.
"All we're trying to do now," added Dillard, "is trying to get better positioning for the tournament. We don't want the GW win to go in vain. We want that to position us in either second or third place and we have to win this game in order to do that."
The fact that tonight will be the final home game for six Comets seniors will add to the excitement, Dillard said.
"I think the guys will really be excited," the Comets coach said.
"It's the last home game for the seniors, it's a district game, and we're back at home again.
"I hope we will have a good crowd tonight," continued Dillard.
"Fred Price is playing so well right now it's almost like you don't want to miss seeing him play. This is the last time the people of Halifax County will see him play at home and I think everyone should come out and see him and Cardell (Mosley), William Jennings, Josh (Milam) William Haugh and Jameen Jackson play.
"Everybody should come out and support these guys," continued Dillard, "because they've given their all to Halifax basketball, they've worked hard, they've played jayvee and varsity.
"They don't play for themselves. They play for the community and I think the community should give back to them."
The Comets and E.C. Glass have had some intense contests in their most recent meetings.
Two of the last three games between the two teams, including their last meeting in Lynchburg on January 21, have come down to the final shot.
The Comets, despite a huge quantity of turnovers, came very close to knocking off the Hilltoppers in Lynchburg in the 53-52 loss.
That gives Dillard every reason to believe that if the Comets can play a more sound game of basketball tonight, they have a good shot at taking the win over the Hilltoppers who enter the game 8-7 overall and 1-3 in district play.
"I know it's not the correct English or whatever but we almost didn't lose to them," Dillard remarked.
"I won't say they really beat us because we had too many turnovers and forced too many things."
Dillard says that he feels his Comets match up well against the Hilltoppers.
"They're a good ball team," Dillard pointed out, "but we've got a size advantage. We're just as quick as they are. We should definitely be able to play with them.
"If we come out and play the way we did Monday night and several other nights this year we'll definitely have a chance to win the ball game," he added.
Of paramount importance tonight will the Comets' ability to cut down on turnovers and play good, solid defense.
"Glass is a type of team that can shoot the ball so well that if you let them get on the break they have guys spotting up and knocking the shot down," explained Dillard.
"You can't just give them a lot of shots. You've got to limit the number of shots they get by not turning it over and rebounding on the defensive end."
One of the key figures for the Comets in tonight's game will be guard Fred Price.
Price, who scored 26 points Monday night against GW and 23 Wednesday night against Franklin County, has had several good games recently and his marksmanship from the floor will be important tonight.
"If Fred Price continues to play the way he played the last two ball games and we can get a few other people like Cardell Mosley involved, I think we can have a good night," Dillard stated.
"Hopefully, we'll win the ball game and keep everybody excited about Halifax County basketball."
While the Comets will host E.C. Glass, the Western District regular season title will be on the line tonight when GW plays host to Albemarle.
Both teams are 3-1 in Western District play. GW defeated Albemarle in the first meeting of the two teams in Charlottesville.
If GW wins tonight, even if the two teams finish in a tie for the regular season title, GW would likely get the top seed for the Western District Tournament on the basis that they would have beaten the Patriots twice and would have the better overall record.
The Comets could take over third place in the district standings with a win over Glass.
A Comets victory tonight would lift the team to a 2-3 district slate .

The Halifax County High School Blue Comets had been riding a magical emotional high since their win here Monday night over GW.
But Franklin County gave the Comets a rude return to reality.
The Eagles used a bevy of free throws to overcame a four-point deficit and score a 59-57 win over the sometimes sluggish Comets Wednesday night in Rocky Mount.
"We just didn't have the same mentality," said Comets guard Fred Price who led the team with 23 points that included five three-point shots.
"We didn't have the same energy we had when we played GW. I guess we came up here saying we're a good team now, blah, blah, blah, and we just didn't come out and play."
Comets coach Garrett Dillard was disappointed with the team's intensity.
Where the Comets continually ratcheted up the energy level Monday night against GW, they never got out of third gear against the Eagles.
"I guess when you see a game like GW you see the best we have," Dillard pointed out after the game.
"To see us play tonight, it wasn't anywhere close to that."
Dillard says he's seen the best teams come back and then lose after having won a big game like the Comets did against GW.
"Most teams that win a big game like that end up losing the next ball game," Dillard stated.
"It's just young minds. They get so excited about a big win in a big game that they forget about the little games."
"I'm not going to harp on it," Dillard continued.
"We lost. We jumped on the guys because we want to get some consistency. But, at the same time, we let them know Friday night (tonight's game here against E.C. Glass) is much more important than this game."
Price, with a solid performance on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, center Cardell Mosley who had one of his best offensive games of the year with 16 points, and Teddy Bradley, who played good defense while adding one basket for the Comets, were the stalwarts of the Comets' effort.
"Those guys did a good job," Dillard said.
"We just didn't have enough intensity on the defensive end."
A big factor in the outcome was fouls.
Halifax County was whistled for 24 fouls in the game as opposed to Franklin County being tagged for a dozen.
The result was that Franklin County had 36 attempts at the free throw line.
Six different Franklin County players made trips to the free throw line and, with an almost mechanical precision, they made 31 of them.
The big difference came in the fourth period when the Eagles hit 14 of their 16 attempts at the charity stripe.
Halifax County, on the other hand, shot a total of nine free throws in the contest and made six of them.
The Comets threatened to break open what had been a close game twice, once at the start of the third period and again at the start of the fourth period.
But, Franklin County didn't fold.
Price kicked off the Comets' third-period rally by canning a three-pointer in the opening minute that pushed the Comets ahead 28-22.
Franklin County bounced back, scored twice and pulled to within two points. But, William Jennings hit his first field goal of the game and Bradley tacked on another bucket to send the Comets back up by six.
Jennings hit a free throw with 4:17 left in the third period to give the Comets a 36-29 lead. At that point, all seemed well with the Comets.
But, the Eagles rallied to mount a 7-0 run over the next two minutes and tied the game at 36-36 with 2:27 left in the period.
The Comets tried once more early in the fourth period to put the contest away and couldn't do it.
A layup by Price to start the fourth period broke a deadlock and gave the Comets a 40-38 edge. Jennings tacked on another to push the Comets' lead to four at 42-38.
But, Jennings, who scored his ninth point of the game with that basket, soon left the picture for the Comets.
Jennings was whistled for his fourth personal foul with 6:37 to play and, when he voiced his displeasure over the call to the official he was rung up with a technical foul, a foul that sent him to sidelines the rest of the night.
The Eagles hit their two free throws to make the score 42-40. But, Franklin County failed to score on the ensuing possession.
Mosley came up with a basket that put the Comets back up by four points but the Eagles fought back to tie the game at 44-44 with 5:26 to play.
The game was deadlocked on five different occasions over the next four minutes with a reverse layup by Mosley with 1:35 to play giving the Comets their last tie of the game.
Franklin County was up by four points with 17.6 seconds to play but Price sank a three-pointer with 4.3 seconds left to bring the Comets to within a digit at 58-57.
The Comets immediately fouled the Eagles' Lewis Muse. Muse made the first of two free throws to put the Eagles up 59-57 and missed the second with Mosley snatching the rebound.
But, Mosley's pass downcourt was intercepted by the Eagles as time ran out.

Halifax County High School's wrestlers will embark on a "new" season tomorrow in the Western District Tournament in Lynchburg.
The Comets, who finished third in the regular season Western District standings with a 1-2 mark and a 7-10 overall slate, will have a full lineup for one of the few times this season.
Halifax County, which had to give up three forfeits in this week's prior contest against GW, is expected to have all of its weight classes filled for tomorrow's tournament which begins at 10 a.m. at E.C. Glass High School.
Morgan Jones will step in to fill the Comets' void in the 112-pound weight class, Malcolm Christenbury is slated to compete in the 145-pound weight class and Reed Stanley is expected to compete in the 160-pound weight class.
Jones wrestled well in an exhibition contest at GW Tuesday night. Christenbury, who rejoined the team after an absence, will fill Jacob Jennings' post at the 145-pound slot.
And, Reed Stanley, who last wrestled for the Comets two seasons ago, has rejoined the team to occupy the 160-pound weight class.
While the "new" trio do not guarantee that the Comets will get wins in those three weight classes, their presence gives the Comets opportunities to score points and wins as opposed to giving up a number of "free" points to their fellow district opponents via forfeits.
"I'm optimistic going into the districts," said Comets coach Brady Taylor.
That's because the Comets will get a good number of wrestlers into the top two seeds.
Comet 275-pounder Kevin Smith and 130-pounder Mike Neff were all but shoo-ins for a top seed.
And, 189-pounder David Adams and 152-pounder Brian Hall could also possibly land a top seed.
Comets' 119-pounder Nick Wilson, 135-pounder Jason Long, and 215-pounder Alex Haynie will likely be number two seeds .
And, if Adams and Hall do not make a top seed, they would certainly be a second seed.
"I'm pretty happy going into the districts," Taylor remarked.
"Albemarle and us will be the only "full" teams there. GW will forfeit a couple of matches and Glass will forfeit several.
"If GW can knock off some of the Albemarle kids and we can do something in the semi-finals, then I think we'll have as good a chance as anybody."
Many matside observers feel that tomorrow's district event will amount to little more than a repeat of a GW-Albemarle dual match, a match that Albemarle won earlier this season by a narrow 26-35 score.
"We're really going to have to pick it up," Taylor said.
"But, if the guys give me a hundred percent effort, win or lose, I'll be proud of them."

Johan Henry Bark, 51, of 2081 Cedar Lake Road, South Boston, died February 8, 2000 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Bark was born in Brooklyn, NY on September 24, 1948, the son of Otto and Phyllis Bark. He was married to Suzanne Carrington Bark and was a Navy Seal with two tours of duty in Vietnam.
His survivors include his wife; daughter: Cristalle Bark of South Boston; son: Otto Bark of Peaks Island, Maine; sister: Lucy Troup of Greenwood Lake, NY and two brothers: Peter Bark of Warwick, NY and Paul Bark of Crystal Hill.
A funeral service will be held Friday, February 11 at 2 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home with the Rev. Barry Burkeholder and Rev. Bob Gluhareff officiating.

Marie Claiborne Williams Turbeville, 89, of 3602 Old Halifax Road, Halifax, died February 7, 2000 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Turbeville was born in Halifax County on February 17, 1910, the daughter of Dorsey and Elizabeth Coles Claiborne. She was first married to James Williams Jr. and later to Ollie Turbeville. She was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church and taught in the Halifax Co. schools for over 32 years.
Her survivors include two sons: James L. Williams of Halifax and Edward D. Williams of Long Island, NY; eight grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; two daughters-in-law: Gwen and Joyce; son-in-law: Lester Thompson and a devoted cousin: Dorothy Foster of Richmond.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, February 12 at 11 a.m. at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. James Crowder officiating. Burial will follow in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends at the home of the deceased.

Bessie Coles Traynham, 74, of 213 Leigh Str., South Boston died Monday, February 7, 2000 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Traynham was born in Halifax County on January 8, 1926, the daughter of Coleman and Hattie McCraw Coles. She was married to Joseph Traynham Jr. and was a member of Ebenezer CME Church.
Her survivors include her husband; two sisters-in-law: Minnie Traynham of Crystal Hill and Ada Traynham of Alexandria; devoted cousins: Jesse McCraw of Tampa, Fla., James and Abner McCraw of South Boston and Sarah R. Thompson of Conn.
A funeral service will be held Saturday, February 12 at 2 p.m. in the chapel at Jeffress Funeral Home with the Rev. James Traynham officiating. Burial will follow in the Rose Garden Cemetery.
The family will received friends at the home of the deceased.

Sadie Miller Poindexter, 87, of 1051 Cousin Lane, Nathalie, died February 8, 2000 at her residence.
Mrs. Poindexter was born in Halifax County on November 25, 1912, the daughter of Johnny and Millie Ann Miller. She was married to the late William Edward Poindexter and was a member of Republican Grove Baptist Church.
Her survivors include five daughters: Marie Hendricks and Barbara Poindexter of Nathalie, Inez Majors of Virgilina, Maxine Watkins of Philadelphia, Pa., Luvene Hill of Richmond; two sons: Claude Poindexter of Boston, Ma. and John Poindexter of Nathalie; sister: Florence Kelly of Atlantic City, NJ; brother: Callon Miller of Nathalie; 28 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, February 12 at 3:30 p.m. at the Republican Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. L.S. Otey officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends in the chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home Friday, Feb. 11, 6-7 p.m. and at other times at the home of the deceased.

Mrs. Willie Guthrie Wilson, 94, of Kenbridge, died February 9, 2000.
Mrs. Wilson was married to the late Oscar Morton Wilson and was a member of Kenbridge Baptist Church. She is survived by many nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be held Saturday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. at Clarke Funeral Home, Kenbridge. Burial will be held at Halifax Memorial Gardens in South Boston at 1 p.m.
The family will receive friends at the Clarke Funeral Home Friday, Feb. 11 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the Kenbridge Baptist Church or to the Kenbridge Emergency Squad.