Good weather, great food and fine entertainment combined for another successful North Halifax Volunteer Fire Department Marathon on Saturday.
The Stars and Stripes flew at half-mast in memory of local educator Dr. J.O. Crews, who died Thursday evening. A dedication and prayer for Crews and his family started the event at 11 a.m.
Crews had been Master of Ceremonies many years for the Marathon.
"The day's events were very successful, with an excellent turn-out; the weather cooperated," said James Burton, spokesman for the Marathon Planning Committee.
A total of $10,698 was collected in pledges and donations in addition to $12,000 in food sales and quilt raffle tickets, according to Burton.
Also, 400 pounds of barbecue was prepared and over 400 gallons of stew was sold.
The Ladies Auxiliary quilt was won by Tom DeJarnette of Satellite Beach, Fl., while the quilt rack was won by Betty and Carson Riddle of Nathalie.
Musical entertainment included Deep South and the Upperhand Band, while local vocalists included Heather Blount-Elliott, Phyllis Ann Cash, Traci Dawson, Noah Hill and Melissa Wright.
The day's events included a firemen's competition, the Volens Jump Rope Team and dancers from Patricia's School of Dance, while a moonwalk and kiddie train kept children occupied.

Veteran Halifax County educator Dr. James Oris "J.O." Crews, 46, died last week at Duke University Medical Center following a battle with leukemia.
The amiable Ellis Creek resident is remembered not only for his dedication to education, to his church and to Triangle VFD, but for the smile he seemed to bring to any task.
"He was a wonderful human being," said Dennis Witt, superintendent of Halifax County Schools. "He was multi-talented. He was a dedicated educator, a father and a good Christian man. He was always positive and he enjoyed life immensely, and that adds to the tragedy, I think, because he was such a positive person.
"He wore many hats in the school system and we simply will miss him," Witt said.
During his career Dr. Crews taught math at Halifax County Junior High for ten years, beginning in 1979; served as a Project IDEA teacher, 1989-1991; and served as assistant principal at HCJHS from 1991-1994.
He served as principal at C.H. Friend Elementary School for two years before undertaking energy management duties for the school system. In 1998 he became supervisor of facilities and assumed community relations duties.
In his last assignment, Dr. Crews served "as point man on the renovation phase of Scottsburg, Sydnor Jennings and the Clays Mill projects," said Larry Clark, assistant superintendent for Human Resources for Halifax County Schools.
"As a colleague and a friend, I can tell you that his contributions to the school system and the community were felt by many, many people," Clark said.
"On a personal note, he was the teacher of one of my children and he was a dedicated classroom teacher who took a sincere interest in each one of his students.
"As an administrator, he brought that same level of interest to the positions of assistant principal and principal," Clark said.
Since Crews was interested in the building trades and construction, Clark said that he was the perfect person to have out front in the renovation of the elementary schools.
"But in addition to what he did as an educator, he also made significant contributions in the community through his church, the 4-H program and the Triangle Volunteer Fire Dept.
"J.O loved his God, his wife and kids, and is church and community, and this fire department is part of that community" said David Francisco, president of the Triangle Vounteer Fire Department.
Crews had served on the Board of Directors for the department, as well as president for a number of years, and as secretary numerous times, including this year, according to Francisco.
Crews was named Fireman of the Year from 1992 to 2000.
"J.O. helped in all events, including the Haunted Trail at Halloween, which was at his house the last two or three years," said Francisco.
"This community will sorely miss him."
"He was truly one of those unique individuals who was willing to share his time and talent with everyone he came in contact with," added Clark.
At various times Dr. Crews served on committees for math textbook adoption, curriculum development, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools evaluation, discipline code and administrator evaluation.
A funeral service for Dr. Crews was held Sunday at Ellis Creek Baptist Church, with burial in the church cemetery.
He is survived by his wife, Wanda J. Crews, of Nathalie and two daughters, Jennifer Lynn Crews and Jamie Nicole Crews of Nathalie. He is also survived by one sister, Joyce Aleman-Lopez of South Boston.
Dr. Crews, the son of Oris Felton and Annie Laura Crews, was born in Halifax County on August 31, 1955.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider: the Ellis Creek Baptist Church, c/o Kenneth Crews, 3115 Clarkton Road, Nathalie, Va, 24577; Triangle Volunteer Fire Department, 3060 Morton's Ferry Road, Nathalie, Va. 24577; or The Gideon Society.

Approximately a dozen local World War II veterans who were enrolled in high school but were unable to complete their education due to military service in World War II will receive honorary high school diplomas tonight.
Officials of the Halifax County school system will present the diplomas during the meeting of the Halifax County School Board at 7 p.m. in the public meeting room of the Mary M. Bethune Office Complex in Halifax.
Halifax County School Superintendent Dennis Witt said 12 to 15 local World War II veterans will be awarded honorary diplomas under a program of the Virginia Department of Education.
"We've invited all of them to attend," Witt said.
"This is the state's attempt to recognize the contributions of these people who, had it not been for the war, might have completed their high school education and received their high school diploma."
The local veterans who will be receiving honorary diplomas tonight were identified through local school records and information provided through the assistance of veterans organizations.
Tonight's School Board meeting is expected to be a rather quiet one with a smattering of routine reports and business items on tap.
Only one item is listed under the category of new business, the appointment of School Board members to serve on an audit committee.
Witt will give a report to the School Board about the six local schools expected to receive full state accreditation as a result of scores on the state Standards of Learning tests administered this past spring.
Volens Elementary School, Clover Elementary School, Wilson Memorial Elementary School, Clays Mill Elementary School and the paired schools of Washington-Coleman Elementary School and C.H. Friend Elementary School are all expected to receive full state accreditation.
Halifax County High School and Halifax County Middle School are expected to meet the standards for the category of being provisionally accredited.
The other local schools are expected to meet the criteria for being provisionally accredited but needing improvement.
This marks the first time since the state began administering the Standards of Learning tests that Halifax County has had schools meet the standards for full accreditation.
Witt said official word of the accreditation status of the local schools has not yet been received from state officials.
"These are based on our own calculations from the guidelines that the state has sent us," Witt said.
"We fully expect it to be accurate."
Also slated on the meeting agenda are a brief report from Witt on the opening of the new school year and a report from Halifax County High School Athletic Director Don Thompson on the summer sports camps held at the school during the summer months.
Other reports on the agenda include one on a Special Education workshop and report on the upcoming annual conference of the Virginia School Boards Association which will be held November 18-20.
A financial report will also be aired.

A public hearing on the proposed installation of a telecommunication site in the rear yard of the South Boston Fire Department heads the agenda for the September session of South Boston Town Council.
The meeting will begin tonight at 7 p.m. at council chambers on Yancey Street.
United States Cellular has applied for a special use permit to locate a telecommunications site, 100 foot monopole and equipment shelter directly behind the fire station.
Structures accessory to permitted special uses are allowed by special use permit in B-3 Central Business Districts.
Other Agenda Items
· Council will consider awarding equipment bids for the purchase of new landfill equipment at tonight's meeting.
At last month's work session, councilmen recommended a 60-month Municipal Lease/Purchase agreement for a new, all-weather John Deere articulated truck and a new John Deere bulldozer, and discussed the potential use of $172,000 in the current public works budget as an intial downpayment for both pieces of equipment.
A purchase price of $223,704 was listed for the new truck, while the price listed for a new bulldozer was listed at $109,831.
· Council will consider appointments to the Lake Country Development Corporation.
The Current Issues Committee of Town Council recommended the reappointment of Billy Clark, Radford Trent, Ben Fincher and Ted Daniel to the corporation at last month's meeting.
The appointments are needed in order for the four to qualify for election to the corporation's Board of Directors in early October.
· Town Council will consider the certification of voting delegates for the upcoming Virginia Municipal League.

Halifax County used a punishing running game to grind up yardage, the clock and the Dinwiddie Generals.
Taking advantage of Dinwiddie miscues and exercising good ball control in the second half, the Comets built a two-touchdown lead in the first half and rolled to a 28-6 win over the Generals Friday night to pick up their third win of the season and second win on the road.
"The kids feel great," said Comets coach James Hodges after his team improved to 3-0 on the season.
"They realize they're doing something good. They realize we're a pretty goods football team at this point."
Friday night's win over Dinwiddie, last year's Group AAA Division 5 state runner-up came in a game the Comets dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. J.O. Crews who passed away Thursday.
"Several of the players knew him and had him as a principal," Hodges explained.
"The whole community, I think is feeling the loss. We wanted to do this in his memory for all he's done and for what he meant to so many people."
The game was also a big one for another reason.
Halifax County was facing a team being coached by former Comets assistant grid coach Grayson Throckmorton.
Throckmorton was named earlier this year to succeed long-time Dinwiddie coach John Curia.
"It's tough to lose to a team where you used to coach," Throckmorton said.
"I had my team look at them celebrating. I wanted that to dig into their hearts and long time so that we can build off of that feeling to get better."
"Mistakes killed us," Throckmorton added.
"When you're coming for your first game and somebody else is coming in for their third game you're a little bit behind but that still doesn't make up for the fact that we made all of these silly little mistakes we made - bonehead mistakes as I call them."
The Comets had a big night on offense, rolling up 274 yards rushing on 48 carries and finishing the night with 348 yards of total offense, the best of the season.
Tailback Alonzo Coleman had another big night, slicing up the Dinwiddie defense for 146 yards on 24 carries and scoring three touchdowns, one on a 39-yard play on a screen pass from quarterback Karl Staten.
"Alonzo did a heck of a job," Hodges noted.
"He ran the ball well. Sometimes he makes a cut that he probably shouldn't but I can't say anything because nine times out of 10 he makes the cut that is the right one."
Ricky Petty, playing a flanker position, burned the Generals for 57 yards in four carries, most of it on counter plays.
"It's a counter back to the slot back," Hodges said.
"It worked very well. We did that to get him in the open field and see what he can do with it."
Blake Wilson turned in a solid performance at fullback, gaining 30 yards in nine carries.
Staten hit three aerial strikes including the one to Coleman for the score and two to B.J. Pearce for 35 yards.
"Karl did a good job of running the offense," Hodgews said.
"He had a bootleg pass for a touchdown. That's what we need out of him."
Together it made a volatile mixture that the Generals couldn't handle.
"The running game was going great," Hodges said.
"But I knew we had to throw in some passes. I knew we had to do it. We're not going to be one of the better teams if we can't pass."
Dinwiddie opened the game with a good drive that the Comets managed to stop after nine plays.
The Comets took over the ball at their own 19-yard line after a Dinwiddie punt and mounted a nine-play scoring drive that consumed 5:13 off of the game clock.
That drive featured runs of 16 and 37 yards by Coleman and was capped by a 10-yard scamper by Coleman for the touchdown with 1:27 left in the first period. Adam Reeves' kick put the Comets up 7-0.
A Dinwiddie miscue led to the Comets next score.
After forcing Dinwiddie to go three plays and out on its ensuing possession, Dinwiddie punter Torrey Rainey dropped to his knees to field the snap from center on the fourth-down play.
Although Rainey got the kick off, officials ruled that the ball was dead where Rainey's knee hit the ground at the Generals' 17-yard line and gave it to the Comets at that point.
The Comets needed only three plays to score with Staten scoring on a 12-yard run with 10:08 left in the first half. Reeves kick gave the Comets a 14-0 lead.
Dinwiddie then made another big mistake only to be lucky enough to make up for it.
The Generals' James Cooper returned the ensuing Comets kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown only to see the play nullified by a clipping penalty.
Dinwiddie took over the ball at its own 47-yard line with 9:51 left in the half and marched the distance in eight plays with the drive being capped by a 14-yard pass from runner Eric Parker to Jermayne Goodson in the left side of the end zone with 5:31 left in the half.
The Comets' Danny Whitlock blocked Rainey's kick on the conversion attempt to make the score stand 14-6.
Halifax County didn't let matters stay that way for very long.
Starting at their own 20-yard line after the Dinwiddie kickoff, the Comet drove downfield and scored on the sixth play of the drive when Coleman took a screen pass from Staten and romped 39 yards for a touchdown with 2:41 left in the half.
The scoring strike came after a clipping penalty on the Comets nullified a 33-yard run by Coleman for a touchdown.
Halifax had the ball on the Dinwiddie 39 yard line after the penalty and scored from there.
Reeves' kick gave the Comets a 21-6 lead which they held until the halftime break.
Dinwiddie got a good break on its opening second half possession when a roughing the kicker penalty against the Comets on a fourth down play gave the Generals the ball and a first down at the Dinwiddie 40-yard line.
But, three plays later junior linebacker Kirby Barbour picked off a Dinwiddie aerial and thwarted the Generals' drive.
The Comets dominated the third quarter action, using Coleman, Wilson, Petty and Dante Roberts to fuel its ground game.
Halifax County used 13 plays and up just over eight and a half minutes of the game clock to move from its own 26-yard line to the Dinwiddie 33 yard line.
The drive ended there on a fourth-down play when a pass from Staten to Petty missed the mark on a fourth down and 22 yards to go play but the Comets did what they needed to do to take time off of the clock.
After the Comets defense forced Dinwiddie to go three plays and out, the Comets took over the ball at their own 25-yard line with 32.1 seconds left in the contest.
Halifax County proceeded to mount another sustained drive, moving the ball the 75-yard distance in a 12-play drive that consumed 5:32 off of the game clock.
Coleman capped the drive with a five yard run with 6:55 left in the game, a run that netted him his third touchdown of the night.
Reeves kick put the Comets up 28-6 and iced the win.
Dinwiddie tried to make something happen on its ensuing possession and appeared to headed for a score.
However, Dinwiddie fumbled the ball on a fourth down and five-yards to go play and Halifax County took over the ball on its own 30-yard line with four minutes left to play.
The Comets moved the ball well again but fumbled the ball on the seventh play of the drive.
Dinwiddie got the ball back on the Halifax County 47-yard line with 38.1 seconds left in the game and made it to the Comets' 10-yard line with 11.7 seconds to play.
The Generals' bid ended there, though with a three-yard loss on a third-down pass play.

John Richard 'Dick' Haymes Jr.

John Richard 'Dick' Haymes Jr., 78, of Richmond, died September 7, 2001, at Windsor Nursing Home, Richmond.
Born in Richmond on December 18, 1922, he was the son of John Richard Haymes Sr. and Sara Dillard Haymes Penick. The family resided in South Boston during his youth.
Mr. Haymes enlisted and served as a Navigator in the Army Air Corps during WWII. He obtained a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Virginia, an MBA degree from Harvard Business School, his JD degree from the TC Williams School of Law, a Master's degree in Law and Taxation from the Marshall Wythe School of Law, the College of William and Mary. He retired from the Richmond City Attorney's office in 1983 and continued in private law practice until July, 2001.
Survivors include three sons, J. Richard Haymes II and wife, Julie of Concord, Ca., Joshua D. Haymes of Richmond, and B. Mason Haymes of Richmond; two grandsons, Ethan and Mason Haymes of Concord; a sister, Martha Haymes Vaughan of Richmond; two nieces, Marty Vaughan of Richmond and Dillard Vaughan Philpott of Fredericksburg.
Graveside services for Mr. Haymes will be held today, September 10 at 3 p.m. at Oak Ridge Cemetery in South Boston with Military Rites. The Rev. Dr. Russell Lee will officiate. A memorial service will be held September 15 at 5 p.m. at the Virginia House, 4301 Sulgrave Road, Richmond.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider a charity of choice.

Azaria Tajeah Walton

Infant Azaria Tajeah Walton of 2242 Link-Puryear Road, South Boston, died September 7 in South Boston at the age of three weeks.
She was born in South Boston on August 15, 2001, and was the daughter of Rhonda P. Walton and Lamont Wood.
Infant Walton is survived by her parents; one brother, Mehki Lorenzo Wood of South Boston; her maternal grandparents, Thomas J. Walton and Minnie M. Walton of South Boston; her paternal grandparents, Billy Wood and Lillian Wood of Halifax.
Funeral services will be held today, September 10 at 1 p.m. at Jeters Chapel Baptist Church with the Rev. Roderick Fitz officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.