Six county elementary schools will be closed under a new proposed school facilities development plan unveiled to school trustees Monday night.
Under the proposed $25.9 million to $29.2 million plan, Clover, Volens, Halifax, Washington-Coleman, Cluster Springs, and Virgilina Elementary Schools would be closed in a school consolidation move that will reduce the number of schools in the county from 15 to nine.
Renovations and additions to the remaining school facilities, a reduction in personnel, a move to a dual bussing system for elementary and secondary students, shifts in school attendance zones, and grade structures of K-6, 7-8, and 9-12 for elementary school, middle school, and high school respectively will also result from the plan, the cost estimates of which are less than half of the $60 to $70 million plans that were recommended a year ago by the School Facilities Study Taskforce.
"Tonight we ask that people lay aside personal and political agendas and build a vision for our school system for our children yet to come,"school superintendent Dennis Witt told the school board and the large audience that attended Monday night's meeting.
"We feel we have crafted a reasonable and, at the same time, a forward-looking facilities plan. For this plan tonight, we have laid politics aside and focused on what we believed was good for children, fair to the parents and citizens of Halifax County, and economically feasible for our community."
Prior proposed closings of a handful of the county's elementary schools sparked a good deal of opposition during the public meetings held by the former School Facilities Study Taskforce. The opposition was intense enough in two communities that Halifax Town Council and Virgilina Town Council adopted and passed resolutions last year opposing the closing of Halifax Elementary School and Virgilina Elementary School respectively and filed those resolutions with the school board. Opposition surfaced in other communities as well.
"We are sensitive to the issue of community schools," Witt stated.
"We hope individuals who feel adversely affected by these recommendations will look beyond today and beyond purely personal advantage to the long-term good of the greatest number of students."
"We understand that any plan put forward will not please everyone," added Witt, "but there comes a time to move forward just as we have done before in this community and in our country."
Upon its closing, Halifax Elementary School to be considered for use as a teacher training center and for additional space for the school system or other county agencies. Cluster Springs Elementary School is being considered for housing the school system's Alternative Education program.
Clover, Volens, Washington-Coleman, and Virgilina would be shut down.
Ten schools will undergo renovations and or additions with two options for Turbeville Elementary School remaining open for further study and discussion. One option for Turbeville Elementary School is to undertake an estimated $3.2 million renovation project. The other is to close the school and construct a new elementary school somewhere along the Route 58 west corridor between Riverdale and Turbeville at an estimated cost of $6.5 million.
Along with the school consolidation, there are some proposed shifts in all of the school attendance zones. A brief explanation shows:
-Zone 1 - which is currently represented by Volens and Sydnor Jennings - a few students residing in an area that adjoins the current Meadville boundary will move to Meadville. Also, there will be some students coming in from the current Scottsburg and Clover zone.
-Zones 2 & 7 - involves the current Zone 2 which spans Clays Mill and Scottsburg - Clays Mill will become Zone 2 and Scottsburg will become Zone 7 - Both schools will receive students from Clover. Clays Mill will likely receive some students from the current Halifax-Sinai school zone. Scottsburg will also receive some students from that zone as well as from the Town of South Boston.
-Zone 4 - Wilson Memorial - will gain some students from the present Sinai-Halifax zone.
-Zone 3- Meadville - gain some students from the southwest corner of Zone 1 from the current Volens-Sydnor Jennings zone and will gain some students from the Clover zone who reside on the east side of the current Clover school zone.
-Zone 5 - Current Halifax Sinai zone - will lose some students to the newly proposed Wilson Memorial, Clays Mill, and Scottsburg zones.
-Zone 6 - Current Town of South Boston zone - will lose some students to the newly proposed Scottsburg and Turbeville school zones.
-Zone 8 - Turbeville Zone - will pick up some students from Town of South Boston and some from the current Cluster Springs-South of Dan zone.
-Zone 9 - South of Dan - will give up some students to Turbeville and gain students from Virgilina.
"This is nothing but a working proposal," said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Bobby R. Hall.
"There is nothing set in stone."
A reduction in personnel that school system officials are saying under conservative estimates will save the school system $1,086,524 annually will result from the school closings.
The personnel reductions include six elementary school principals, six to 10 elementary school teachers, two librarians, five school secretaries, six elementary school cafeteria managers, six ILS Lab Managers, and one Physical Education aide.
In addition, school system officials note that the closing of the schools will result in an estimated savings of 11,023 hours of work annually on the part of elementary school custodians and 10,214 hours of work annually on the part of elementary school cafeteria workers.
"This process covers a three to five year time frame," Witt pointed out, "and our goal would be to absorb reduced positions through natural attrition."
Hall pointed out that an age analysis of school system personnel reinforces their belief that the reduction of positions can be accomplished through natural attrition. He noted that 80 percent of the school system's 46 to 48 person administrative staff is above the age of 45, a factor that shows potential for possible retirements in the next few years.
Also, Hall pointed out that among the school system's more than 500 teachers, 245 of them, almost half, are above 45 years of age, another factor that shows the potential for several teachers retiring in the next few years.
Hall pointed out to the school board that the school board has never had to use its RIF (Reduction In Force) policy to reduce positions. In addition, he pointed out that every effort has been made to accommodate employees when there has been a shift from one program to another.
School trustee Raleigh Moorefield asked Witt if there will be any reductions in the school system's central office staff. Witt replied that there are no projected reductions there.
"I think as people retire you'll see a little reorganization in the school board staff," Witt said.
A major component of the proposal unveiled by Witt is a dual bus system for elementary and secondary students, a move that will reduce the length of time that a majority of students will have to spend on the school bus each day.
"This concern has been expressed over the years and we can address the economics of it through reduced operational costs in educational program efficiency," Witt noted.
"This dual bus system would allow us maximum flexibility in the instructional day while shortening the total school day for students."
The school superintendent also told the school board that "if we don't do anything else but shut down six elementary schools, that, in itself, will improve the efficiency of your transportation system."
Dr. J.O. Crews pointed out that in order to accomplish that, the school system will need to purchase 32 additional 64 passenger school buses at a cost of $1,344,000. Additional annual operational costs including salaries for 32 drivers, 80,000 gallons of fuel, and maintenance expenses would be $380,000, meaning that the total outlay the first year of the implementation would be over $1.7 million.
If the school system is to stay on its 12 year bus replacement cycle, it would have to purchase 12 new buses a year instead of the current eight, a factor that will add $168,000 in costs to the transportation budget.
School board vice chairman Carl Furches, as he has done from outset, echoed his concern over the length of the bus rides for students.
"Show me a time table," Furches remarked.
"Before I vote for anything I want to see some time lines for people being on the school bus."
In addition, the plan will establish a grade pattern of K-6 in all of the county elementary schools with students in grades seven and eight attending the Middle School and students in grades nine through 12 attending Halifax County High School. That is in line with one of the proposals recommended last year by the School Facilities Study Taskforce.
Witt told the school board that there is a need for the body to begin taking action on some sort of facility plan to improve the local schools, whether it be this plan or some other.
"The school board and the citizens of Halifax County have been struggling with this issue for many years," Witt said.
"During this time, temporary and make-shift solutions have accumulated. For example, we now use 46 mobile units as classrooms in our school system. Many of our facilities are inadequate for the demands of today's educational programs, such as programs for special needs students, technology education, and facilities that enhance the movement of students throughout the school program and school day."
"We feel Halifax County can no longer postpone its investment in the infrastructure of the public school system," added Witt.
Moorefield told the school superintendent that the figures he presented were estimates and that school trustees needed to know what the actual costs will be before they go to the Board of Supervisors.
Witt agreed but told Moorefield "first you have to agree as a board on what to do on these school facilities."
Board chairman Alan Gravitt, noting that "you can't have an architectural study on every possible alternative," told the board that the primary focus now is for the board to agree on a plan.
"We have to make a decision one way or another at some point," added board member Patricia Nelson.
"Personally, I'm slamming the door at $30 million," Furches chipped in.
"Thirty million is the top for me."
At the conclusion of the presentation, Witt asked the school board to review the plan and take appropriate steps toward its adoption.
Upon the adoption of a plan, Witt recommends that the school board commission architectural and engineering evaluations of each site to finalize improvements and costs.
And, he requested that upon final evaluation of the plan the school board present the plan to the Board of Supervisors for its adoption.
In other matters:
School trustees okayed a request from Halifax County High School principal Larry Clark to solicit donations from school employees, school organizations, and students for the War Memorial monument that the Halifax County War Memorial Commission plans to erect on the courthouse lawn in Halifax.
The commission is in the process of trying to raise approximately $125,000 to fund the construction of the memorial which will honor all Halifax County residents who had been killed in wars or conflicts from the Revolutionary War through Desert Storm.
When asked how the solicitations will be made, Clark said that it will be done in a manner similar to the way the United Way fund drive is conducted.
Clark said that the fund raising effort would take place either this spring and be centered around Memorial Day or in the fall and be centered around Veterans Day.
Also, the school board gave the nod to school system officials to apply to the Virginia Department of Education for $7,758 in federal funds designed for improving achievement in high poverty schools.
Based on 1995-96 and 1996-97 data, Clays Mill Elementary School, Meadville Elementary School, and Sydnor Jennings Elementary School are eligible to receive funding.
The primary use of school improvement funds is to assist with the establishment of school support teams. In addition to establishing school support teams, funds will be used to purchase books for the accelerated reader program at Clays Mill Elementary School and to support after school programs at Meadville and Sydnor Jennings Elementary Schools.
The Halifax County School Board will hold a public hearing Monday, March 23, to receive citizens' comments on the new school facilities proposal.
That hearing will be held at 7 p.m. in the Halifax County High School auditorium.
Persons who wish to speak are encouraged to pre-register by calling the office of Deputy School Superintendent Dr. Bobby R. Hall at 476-2171.
Speakers will be called in the order of registration. Registrations will also be accepted at the door on the evening of the hearing.
Speaking time will be limited to three minutes for individuals. Spokespersons representing a group will be limited to five minutes.
School trustees set the public hearing on the new proposal aired Monday night by school superintendent Dennis Witt after several individuals in the audience questioned the board as to whether or not it planned to hold a public hearing.
School Board vice chairman Carl Furches also expressed a desire to hear from the public.
"Let's have parental input into this," Furches said.
"I want to hear what the parents have to say before I do anything. If we don't do that, I'll never vote on it. We can sit down and discuss it after hearing what the parents say."
Alan Gravitt, the school board chairman, told the audience and his fellow trustees that while he wants to hear whether or not the public supports the new proposal, he wants to hear more detail from people who may oppose the proposal than just their saying they are against it.
"I want them to tell us what to do that's different if they don't want to do this. Give us an alternative if you don't agree."
Board member Patricia Nelson agreed.
"If you prefer to see something else done, give us some suggestions," she said.
"We have been discussing this for a long time. Something needs to be done. We need to make a decision."
Halifax County High School principal Larry Clark, who served on the committee that helped put together the new facilities proposal, mirrored that sentiment as well.
School trustee D.H. McDowell, Jr. pointed out that "we just can't sit back and let the schools get older and older and not do anything."
1. CLAYS MILL, SCOTTSBURG, CLOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Clays Mill - Renovate and upgrade to accommodate K-6 educational programs for 325-375 students
Scottsburg - Renovate and upgrade to accommodate K-6 educational programs for 325-375 students
Clover - Discontinue use as a school facility.
Estimated Cost: $3.5 million
2. SYDNOR JENNINGS, VOLENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Sydnor Jennings - Renovate and upgrade to accommodate K-6 educational programs for 325-375 students
Volens - Discontinue use as a school facility
Estimated Cost: $3 million
3. HALIFAX, SINAI ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Sinai - Renovate and upgrade to accommodate K-6 educational programs for 525-575 students
Halifax - Discontinue use as a school facility. Consider this facility for use as teacher training center, additional program space for school system or other county agencies.
Estimated Cost: $3.5 million
4. C.H. FRIEND, WASHINGTON-COLEMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
C.H. Friend - Renovate and upgrade to accommodate K-6 educational programs for 525-575 students. Requires elevator to be installed.
Washington-Coleman - Discontinue use as an educational facility
Estimated Cost: $3.2 million
5. CLUSTER SPRINGS, SOUTH OF DAN, VIRGILINA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
South of Dan - Renovate and upgrade to accommodate K-6 educational programs for 400-450 students
Cluster Springs - Discontinue use as an elementary school and consider this facility for use as an Alternative Education program.
Virgilina - Discontinue use as a school facility.
Estimated Cost: $3 million
6. TURBEVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (2 OPTIONS)
(A) Construct a new elementary school between Riverdale and Turbeville to accommodate a K-6 program for 400-450 students and discontinue use of present Turbeville school as a school facility.
Estimated Cost: $6.5 million
(B) Renovate and upgrade present school to accommodate a K-6 program for 400-450 students. This option needs to be evaluated by an architect/engineer as to its feasibility.
Estimated Cost: $3.2 million
7. MEADVILLE, WILSON MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Renovate both school to eliminate mobile classrooms and accommodate K-6 programs for 150-200 students at Wilson Memorial and 300-350 students at Meadville.
Estimated Cost: $500,000 at each school for total of $1 million
8.HALIFAX COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Renovate to discontinue use of mobile classrooms and vocational annex building. Put renovation emphasis on additional classrooms, a technology center to implement a strong program of keyboarding, word processing, spreadsheet, and general integration of technology into the academic curriculum and to include in close proximity an improved learning environment for Project IDEA. This renovation should include an overall refurbishing of the middle school to create an inviting and conducive environment for learning.
(a) Retain the use of the annex building for school system purposes, i.e. teacher training center, special programs, maintenance.
Estimated Cost: $4.5 million
9. HALIFAX COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Halifax County High School needs some upgrading and some redistribution of its existing resources.
(a) 20-year-old chiller for air conditioning needs to be replaced: $350,000
(b) Classroom spaces need to be reorganized for better program implementation
(c) Evaluation of technology program needs to be ongoing so as to effectively integrate into curriculum, i.e. effective use of computer labs
Recommendation for this facility to be reserved until a professional evaluation by the school board and administration in conjunction with an engineering evaluation be completed.
OTHER NOTES
(A) Establish a consistent grade pattern for Halifax County Public Schools of K-6, 7-8, 9-12
(B) Eliminate mobile units as classrooms at all schools
(C) Includes a recommendation for a dual transportation system that would separate elementary and secondary students, reduce travel time for students, and enhance the safety and welfare of all students.
(D) Includes changes in school attendance zones.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. School Board reviews this plan and takes appropriate steps to consider its adoption.
2. Upon adoption of a plan, the school board commissions architectural/engineering evaluations of each site to finalize improvements and costs.
3. Upon final evaluation of the plan, the school board presents it to the Board of Supervisors for their adoption.
Burial, with full military honors, of the remains of Captain Jason Scott Ramsey of South Boston will take place April 11 at Oak Ridge Cemetery, more than seven months after he and eight other crewmen aboard an Air Force C-141 went down off the coast of Africa following a midair collision.
His parents, Ron and Marie Ramsey, were notified by military officials last week that their son's remains along with those of Captain Peter Valereo had been positively identified. The unidentified remains of those other victims will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Search and recover operations over a period of several months involving the use of unmanned drone-type submarines working at depths of up to 6,000 feet managed to retrieve both victim remains and debris from both aircraft including flight recorder (black boxes).
Killed also in the September 12 crash were 24 persons on board a German military aircraft which wreckages were separated by a distance of almost 2 1/2 miles. The two aircraft were believed to have been flying at an altitude of about 30,000 feet when they collided about 60 miles off the coast of South Africa.
Neither was equipped with traffic collision alarm systems (TASC) such as those employed by commercial aircraft.
Ramsey was a graduate of Halifax County Senior High School where he became the first student from the area to receive an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. He completed flight school at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas and was assigned to the 13th Airlift Squadron at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. The giant C-131 he was co-piloting at the time had delivered mine-clearing equipment to Namibia and was returning to the Ascension Island when it was involved in the mid-air crash.
A special memorial service at the U.S. Embassy in South Africa will take place next week. Planning to attend that service will be Ramsey's fiancee of South Boston, Amy Smart. She and her brother Robbie are scheduled to leave from Kennedy International on Monday.
After more than eighteen months of appeals, a former South Boston Police Department narcotics investigator was ordered to begin his 60-day jail term.
Larry Jerome Stovall, 44, of Rt. 4, South Boston was found guilty of two felonies during a jur trial in the Halifax County Circuit Court on August 27, 1996.
Those convictions included one count of embezzlement of funds seized and designated for forfeiture and one count of misappropriation of drug task force funds by a public officer.
Stovall was assigned in October, 1994 as a narcotics investigator to the Tri-County Regional Drug Task Force. Prior to that assignment, Stovall was a patrolman for the South Boston Police Department since 1980.
The jury originally recommended a fine of $1,000 for the embezzlement conviction and a sentence of two years in prison and a fine of $575 for the misappropriation conviction.
On January 2, 1997, Circuit Court Judge Kenneth M. Covington conducted Stovall's formal sentencing hearing. He imposed the two-year sentence, but suspended all but 60 days in jail. The fines remained.
Stovall appealed the case to the Virginia Supreme Court which recently refused to hear arguments on the case.
Halifax County Circuit Court Judge Charles L. McCormick III vacated a show cause order on Monday and ordered Stovall to report to the Halifax County Jail no later than noon on Monday, March 16 to begin his sentence.
Stovall, if he has good behavior, must serve at least 85 percent of the 60-day term, or a minimum of 52 days, jail officials said.
Ironically, Stovall was represented Monday by court-appointed attorney Buddy Ward, who was indirectly responsible for the initial unraveling of Stovall's troubled finances.
While representing a client who had been arrested on drug charges, Ward, under cross-examination, asked Stovall to count out confiscated money that was being used in the man's trial.
There was a discrepancy in the amount that was presented as evidence, which triggered an in-depth look into Stovall's accounting practices at the drug task force, according to testimony.
Special Agent James W. Minter of the Virginia State Police determined that $1,007 was missing from funds that were confiscated from two drug busts and $550 was missing from state funds which belonged to the task force, according to testimony.
During the investigation, Stovall told Minter that he had gotten his personal funds mixed up with the grant funds. Minter testified that Stovall said he gave $300 to his sister to pay his car insurance bill and denied misusing any additional funds.
South Boston Police Chief Jim Hall testified that Stovall said he gave $100 to his sister and spent $250 on car insurance.
Stovall, when he took the witness stand in his earlier trial, stated that he gave his sister $100 of his own money and denied telling anyone that he paid $250 for insurance.
Since he owed a total of $882 on insurance, the $250 or $300 would not have done him any good, according to his testimony.
Stovall also testified that he was pressured to expand undercover drug operations, but was not given enough money to adequately conduct the expansion.
Initially, Stovall had no problems with accounting of the funds, according to his testimony.
But when the number of drug arrests began to decrease, Chief Hall told him that "if he did not start making more buys, he would be put back in uniform," according to Stovall's testimony.
During the investigation, Stovall allegedly made threats against the life of Chief Hall.
Halifax County Commonwealth's Attorney John Greenbacker stated that had Stovall confessed to not properly handling the money, and without making personal threats, a jail sentence probably would not have been given.
Stovall was represented during his trial and subsequent appeals by Richmond attorney Charles C. Cosby Jr.
A former jailer of the Halifax County Jail was indicted Monday on two felony counts of having carnal knowledge of female inmates.
Jonathan Edward Majors, 28, of Halifax was charged with submitting carnal knowledge by the mouth with Gina Holbrook and Kimberly Pettiford on or about April 1, 1997.
Two additional jailers, who have since resigned, were investigated but no charges against them were filed. Majors was the only one of the three to admit to any wrongdoing, Chief Jailer Lt. W.D. Carr pointed out.
Halifax County Sheriff Jeff Oakes, upon initially hearing of the incidents, called in special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct an independent investigation.
The indictments were handed down by a Halifax County Circuit Court grand jury. Majors was released on bond pending his trial date in circuit court.
Since he was indicted by a grand jury, Majors will not go through the usual process of having a preliminary hearing in the Halifax County General District Court.
Majors had been employed as a jailer in Halifax for approximately four years, Lt. Carr said. Prior to that, Majors was employed as a correctional officer at the Mecklenburg Correctional Center in Boydton.
A driver was injured Monday afternoon during a two-vehicle collision just east of the intersection of U.S. 501 and U.S. 58 in Riverdale, according to the South Boston Police Department.
Sharletta Ellis, 19, of South Boston attempted to make a left hand turn onto U.S. 58 from the Burger King parking lot when she was struck by a westbound vehicle driven by Brandy Faulkner, 21, of South Boston.
The incident occurred at 4:17 p.m., according to the investigation.
Faulkner was injured and her 1997 Ford sustained an estimated $6,000 in damages. Ellis was not injured and her 1988 Chevrolet sustained an estimated $1,000 in damages, police said.
Ellis was charged by SBPD Officer Freddie Edmonds with failure to yield right-of-way, according to the investigation.
In another Monday afternoon collision, one person complained of injuries in a wreck at the intersection of Hamilton Boulevard and Wilborn Avenue, police said.
Amy Edmonds, 39, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan was driving a 1998 Ford southbound on U.S. 501 when she failed to stop for a traffic light, police said.
Her vehicle struck a 1991 GMC pickup truck driven by Reginald Arrington, 71, of Buffalo Junction in the resulting collision, according to the investigation.
Edmonds complained of injuries, while Arrington was not injured in the 1 p.m. crash, police said.
Damages to the GMC pickup were estimated at $1,000, while damages to the Ford were estimated at $3,000, police said.
Edmonds was charged by SBPD Officer Patrick Murphy with failure to stop for a traffic light.
A collision Saturday evening between a tractor and a car on Rt. 613 near Rt. 360, caused no injuries, according to the Virginia State Police.
Jessica Elaine Faison, 20, of South Boston was driving a 1994 Ford when she attempted to pass a 1961 Case tractor driven by Lee Allen Barker, 22, of Halifax, police said.
Barker was attempting to make a left hand turn into a private driveway when the 6:05 p.m. collision occurred, according to the investigation.
Damages to the Ford were estimated at $1,000, while damages to the tractor were estimated at $50, police said.
Faison was charged by Virginia State Trooper S.M. Krantz with improper passing.
Another collision occurred at 5:50 p.m. on U.S. 58, two-tenths of a mile east of Rt. 704, police said.
Antonietta C. Palumbo, 40, of Danville was driving a 1994 Madza when she struck the rear of a 1996 Dodge driven by Dan Merlin Walker, 36, of Alton, according to the investigation.
Damages to each vehicle were estimated at $100, police said.
A passenger in Walker's vehicle, Pamela Hughes Walker, complained of injuries, police said.
Palumbo was charged by Virginia State Trooper L.G. Perkins with following too close.
Franklin Monroe Hammock of 3055 Winns Creek Road, Halifax died Sunday, March 8, 1998 at Duke Medical Center. He was 59 years of age at the time of his death.
Mr. Hammock was born in Halifax County on May 13, 1938 the son of Dana T. Hammock and Sarah Talbott Hammock.
Survivors include two daughters, Jennifer Ann Hammock and Faye Hammock Wilson, both of Halifax; one son, Thomas Franklin Hammock of Halifax; four grandchildren, Mandy Seamster, Shannon Seamster, Thomas Franklin Hammock Jr. (T.J.), and Gabrielle Wooding; two brothers, Bo Hammock of Gretna and Clyde Hammock of North Carolina; four sisters, Maude Kelly and Nita Adams, both of Altavista, Ruby Talbott of Lynchburg and Clara 'Polly' Puckett of Halifax.
Funeral services for Mr. Hammock will be held today, March 11 at 2 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home with Rev. Richard Welch conducting the service. Burial will be in Highland Burial Park.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax Fire Department.
Floyd J. Elliott Sr. of 1219 Ash Avenue, South Boston died Monday, March 9, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 82 years of age.
Mr. Elliott was born July 28, 1915 in Halifax County the son of Theodore Columbus Elliott and Lelia Jones Elliott and was married to Anita Francisco Elliott. He was owner-operator of the former Hillcrest Plumbing Company. He was a member of First Baptist Church and the Halifax County-South Boston Sports Hall of Fame.
Funeral services will be held at Brooks Funeral Home chapel today, March 11 at 11 a.m. with Revs. Robert M. Fox Jr. and Jack Stewart conducting the service. Burial will be in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
Survivors of Mr. Elliott include his wife; one daughter, Judy E. Fisher of South Boston; one son, Floyd J. Elliott Jr. of South Boston; one sister, Annie Mae Wilborn of South Boston; two granddaughters, Sherri Bee and Kimberly Elliott; two grandsons, Jeremy Elliott and Floyd Elliott III; and two great-grandchildren.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax County Rescue Squad, PO Box 183, South Boston.
Leroy Rogers Hailey of 3151 Volens Road, Nathalie died Sunday, March 8, 1998 at Salem Medical Center in Salem. He was 55 years of age at the time of his death.
Mr. Hailey was born in Halifax County on December 8, 1942 the son of Mary Susie Hailey.
Survivors include two sisters, Lucille Clark of Nathalie and Annie Barksdale of Washington, DC; and other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Mr. Hailey will be held today, March 11 at 1 p.m. at Republican Grove Baptist Church with Rev. Lorenzo S. Otey conducting the service. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.