Mr. Oliver William Walker, Sr., age 58,

died Monday, October 11, 2004

Mr. Oliver William Walker, Sr., better known as “Walt Walker”, age 58, of Gwyn Street, Ronda, died Monday, October 11, 2004, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held today, Wednesday, October 13, 2:00 p.m., at Dehart Baptist Church with the Rev. Amos Combs and the Rev. Junior Harrold officiating.  Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Mr. Walker was born in Wilkes County, July 14, 1946, to Oliver J. and Annie Viola Billings Walker. 

Mr. Walker is survived by his wife, Peggy Bumgarner Walker of the home; three daughters, Marlena Walker, Rebecca Walker both of the home, Darlena Lowe of North Wilkesboro; one son, Oliver William Walker, Jr., of North Wilkesboro; two sisters, Mrs. Roy (Ola) Smoker of Ronda, Mrs. Virginia “Judy” Holbrook of Traphill; two brothers, Raymond Walker of Union Grove, A. C. Walker of Hays; eight grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Diabetics Foundation, C/O Mrs. Ruth Graham, 520 Winkler Mill Road, Wilkesboro, NC  28697.

Pallbearers are Terry Johnson, Jody Smathers, Joe Smathers, Robbie Wagoner, Eric Walker, Marty Holbrook, Jonathon Walker, Chris Smoker.

Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

 

Mrs. Emma Ree Vickers Cleary, age 65,

died Monday, October 11, 2004

Mrs. Emma Ree Vickers Cleary, age 65, of Cleary Road, Hays, died Monday, October 11, 2004, at her home.

Funeral services will be held Saturday 11:00 a.m., October 16, 2004, at Reins-Sturdivant Chapel with the Rev. Mike Smith and the Rev. Clifford Jones officiating.  Burial will be in Maple Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.

Mrs. Cleary was born March 9, 1939, in Wilkes County to Odell and Mary Carlton Vickers.  She was a member of Maple Grove Baptist Church.

She is survived by her husband, Carl Weldon Cleary of the home; one daughter, Tammy Cleary of the home; three sons, Charles Cleary, Larry Cleary, Terry Cleary all of Hays; three sisters, Mozelle Pardue,  Doris Perkins both of North Wilkesboro, Muriel Johnson of Checter, Pennsylvania; six brothers, George Vickers of Millers Creek,  David Vickers, Don Vickers both of Purlear, Jerry Vickers, Bob Vickers, Otis Vickers all of Chester, PA; and two grandchildren.

The family will receive friends at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home Friday night from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Hospice of Wilkes, 1908 West Park Drive, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659.

Reins-Surdivant Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

 

Mr. Dorman Thomas Payne, age 93,

died Sunday, October 10, 2004

Mr. Dorman Thomas Payne, age 93, of Thomas Street, North Wilkesboro, died Sunday, October 10, 2004, at his home.

A graveside service was held Tuesday, October 12, 2004, at Yellow Hill Baptist Church Cemetery with Dr. N. Nelson Granade, Jr., officiating.

Mr. Payne was born April 20, 1911, in Wilkes County to Andrew and Annie Blackburn Payne.  He was associated with Jefferson Pilot Life Insurance Company since 1940 and with the North Carolina Association of Life Underwriters for over 50 years, where he was a Certified Life Underwriter.

Mr. Payne was a member of the North Wilkesboro Lions Club, the Civitan Club, the Masonic Lodge and the Kiwanis Club.  He was a teacher and principal in Davie County in the late 1930’s.  Mr. Payne was a member of the First Baptist Church of North Wilkesboro.

He is survived by his wife, Effie Beshears Payne of the home; two sons and daughters-in-law, James Eric and Marilyn Payne of Wilkesboro, Thomas Elwin and Barbara Payne of Summerfield; one sister, Irene Bishop of Clemmons; one brother, Reid Payne of Lenoir; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Wilkes Heritage Museum, P O Box 935, Wilkesboro, NC 28697.

Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home was in charge of the services.

 

Mr. “Claude” Eugene Soots, age 73,

died Friday, October 8, 2004

Mr. “Claude” Eugene Soots, age 73, of Corporation Street, Wilkesboro, died Friday, October 8, 2004, at Wilkes Regional Medical Center.

Mr. Soots was born July 18, 1931 in Wilkes County to Robert E. and Pearl Soots. He was a retired carpenter from the Town of Wilkesboro and a member of the Wilkesboro Fire Department. Mr. Soots is preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Dianne Michael Soots.

Surviving are one son, Andy Soots of Wilkesboro; two sisters, Ruby Ellis, Betty Smithey both of Wilkesboro; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and special friend, Ruth Blackburn.

Funeral services were held Saturday, October 9, at Miller Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Paul Laws officiating. Burial was in the Sharon Walker Baptist Church Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Sharon Walker Baptist Church Youth Group, 8780 West N.C. Highway 268, Boomer, NC 28606.

Miller Funeral Service was in charge of the arrangements.

 

Mrs. Hazel Nichols Doss, age 87,

died Thursday, October 7, 2004

Mrs. Hazel Nichols Doss, age 87, Old Hwy 60, Millers Creek, died Thursday, October 7, 2004, at Avante at Wilkesboro.

A graveside service was held Saturday, October 9, 2004, at Arbor Grove United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jenny Stewart officiating.

Mrs. Doss was born July 20, 1917, in Wilkes County to Cicero G. and Mertie Pierce Nichols.  She was a member of Arbor Grove United Methodist Church.

Two sisters, Selma Eller, Pearl Eller; two brothers, Conard Nichols and Bill Nichols preceded her in death.

She is survived by her husband of 64 years, William Forest Doss of the home; one daughter, Lois Ann Doss of the home and one sister, Willa Nichols of Millers Creek.

Memorials may be made to Arbor Grove United Methodist Church Building Fund, c/o Esther Eller, 480 Shepherd River Road, Millers Creek, NC 28651.

Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

 

Mrs. Ester Bahnmaier Matney, age 96,

died Tuesday, October 5, 2004

Mrs. Ester Bahnmaier Matney, age 96, of Walnut Place, Wilkesboro, died Tuesday, October 5, 2004, at Wilkes Senior Village.

Mrs. Matney was born December 26, 1907 in Lecompton, Kansas to George Jacob and Mary Elizabeth Neis Bahnmaier. She was a homemaker and with her husband, owned and operated a farm in Lecompton, Kansas for 38 years. In 1975 they retired and moved to Morris, Illinois where she continued to reside until 2003 when she moved to Wilkes County. She was a long time member of the Lecompton Historical Society and of the United Methodist Church in Big Springs, Kansas. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Lavern Matney; one son, Donald Kenneth Matney; three sisters; and three brothers.

Surviving are two daughters, Mary Jo Thomas and husband David of Wilkesboro, Nadine Litton of Smyrna, GA.; one daughter-in-law, Jackie Matney of Mazon, Illinois; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Saturday, October 9, at UC Davis Funeral Home in Morris, Illinois with the Rev. Darryl Zingre officiating. Burial was in the Sample Cemetery in Morris, Illinois.

Memorials may be made to Lecompton Historical Society, 609 E. Woodson, Lecompton, Kansas 66050 or to the donor's choice.

Miller Funeral Service was in charge of the arrangements.

 

Mr. James Henry Eller, age 87,

died Thursday, September 30, 2004

Mr. James Henry Eller born March 5, 1917, in Surry County, North Carolina, died at the Veteran’s Hospital in Houston, TX on September 30, 2004. 

James was a World War II Veteran.  He served two tours of duty in the United States Army in the 1940’s, receiving two honorable discharges.  He survived the attack on Pearl Harbor and the later battles at RVUKYUS.  James received seven service medals; the Victory Medal, the American Defense Ribbon, the American Theater Ribbon, the Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, one Bronze Service Star, the Good Conduct Medal 600-68, and Qualified Sharpshooter 126 – the Sharpshooter Service Medal in pistols and rifles.

Near the end of the war, on March 10, 1945, he married Della Fay Nichols at the United States Army Chapel in South Carolina.  Together they had seven children, fourteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.  He was a member of Boiling Springs Baptist Church in Purlear, NC.

A memorial service with military rites by Post #1142 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars will be held Saturday 2:00, October 16, 2004, at Reins-Sturdivant Chapel with the Rev. Burl Faw officiating.

James, Henry to his siblings, was preceded in death by his parents, James Garfield Eller and Cora Belle (Lovette) Eller; his brother Grant Eller, his sister Dolly Moore, and recently his oldest son, James A. Eller.

James is survived by Fay Eller of Purlear, six of their seven children Kay Eller Dalecki Love of Tomball, Texas, Renee Eller Miller of Houston, Texas, Regina Eller Lanzl of Summerfield, Flordia, John Eller of Millers Creek, North Carolina, Don Eller of Forest Hill, Maryland, and Theresa Eller Groves of Johnston, Pennsylvania; his grandchildren Ted Dalecki, David Dalecki, Suzanne Dalecki Smith, Justin Lanzl, Jeremy Miller, Jared Lanzl, Jill Eller, Tommy Eller, Timmy Eller, Christopher Eller, Andrew Eller, Kimberly Eller, Helen Groves, and Clifford Groves; and his three great-grandchildren Dalton Dalecki, Tyler Dalecki, and Naudia Lanzl.

Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.