Dorothy Butt O’Neal

Dorothy Butt O’Neal
Perquimans County Native

Dorothy Butt O’Neal, 80, of 31503 Pulaski Drive, Carrsville, VA, died Monday, June 29, 2009 at South Hampton Memorial Hospital. Mrs. O’Neal, a native of Perquimans County, was the daughter of the late Chester Arthur Butt and Nina Elizabeth Ownley Butt and the wife of Melvin Robinson O’Neal of the residence. She was a member of New Hope United Methodist Church and a homemaker.

Besides her husband she is survived by a daughter, Mona Duck of Smithfiled, VA; a son, Mike Lavee of Carrsville, VA; four sisters, one brother, Ronald Butt and wife Mabel of Suffolk, VA; four grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

A graveside service will be Friday, July 3, 2009 at 2:00 PM at the Mullen Family Cemetery with the Rev. Bill Masciangelo officiating. Twiford Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 405 East Church Street, Elizabeth City, NC is in charge of arrangements. You may express condolences to the O’Neal family by visiting www.twifordfh.com.

Frances Pauline Tillett Gregory

Frances Pauline Gregory
Native of Camden County

Frances Pauline Tillett Gregory, 87 of 913 Highway 343, Shiloh, NC died Monday, June 29, 2009 at Britthaven Nursing Home. Mrs. Gregory, a native of Camden County, was the daughter of the late James Lumston Tillett and Janie Brockett Tillett and the widow of Marcelle Sawyer Gregory. She was a homemaker and a member of Shiloh Baptist Church and the Gregory Circle.

She is survived by a daughter, Marlene Harris of Kitty Hawk, NC; two sons, Randall T. Gregory of Cary, NC and James Guy Gregory of Minneapolis, MN; ten grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 2:00 PM at Twiford’s Memorial Chapel with the Rev. David Combs officiating. Burial will be in Highland Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends immediately after the service in the funeral home lobby. Flowers are welcome and memorial donations may be made to Shiloh Baptist Church. Twiford Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 405 East Church Street, Elizabeth City, NC is in charge of arrangements. You may express condolences to the Gregory family by visiting www.twifordfh.com.

Lucy Gillam

Lucy Rascoe Outlaw Gillam
Windsor, NC

Lucy Rascoe Outlaw Gillam, 85, of 702 Gatling Street, died Saturday, June 27, 2009 at her home.

A graveside service will be conducted on Monday June 29, 11:00 AM at the family cemetery, Liberty Hall, in Indian Woods located on Indian Woods Road outside of Windsor, NC. The family will receive family and friends at their residence, 702 Gatling Street, Windsor, NC.

Mrs. Gillam was born in Elizabeth City, NC on August 4, 1923. She was the daughter of the late John Rascoe Outlaw and Emma Fearing Outlaw. She attended St. Mary’s Junior College and the University of Georgia. She was married to the late Carlton ‘Bro Dick’ Goodchild Gillam. She was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Windsor.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Carlton Goodchild Gillam; her son, Carlton ‘Brad’ Bradford Gillam; and her great-grandson, Henry Gillam Spruill.

She is survived by her daughters and their husbands, Nancy Gillam Spruill and her husband, Hunter Wayland Spruill and Victoria Gillam Leggett and her husband, Joseph Elmwood Leggett all of Windsor; her grandchildren, Wayland Outlaw Spruill and his wife, Lucy Pierce Spruill, Nancy Brimage Gillam Spruill Silver and her husband, Winston Beau Wood Silver, Daniel Alexander Leggett, and William Outlaw Leggett; and her great-grandchildren, Isabella Purefoy Spruill, Lucy Outlaw Spruill, Sally Pierce Spruill, and Sarah Hunter Spruill.

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to St. Thomas Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 400, Windsor, NC 27983 or University Health Systems Hospice Care, P.O. Box 272, Ahoskie, NC 27910.

Twiford Funeral Home, 405 E. Church Street, Elizabeth City, NC is assisting the Gillam family. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.twifordfh.com

Dennis C. Lassiter

Dennis C. Lassiter
Resident of Sunbury, NC

Dennis Corbell Lassiter, 62, of 350 Water Swamp Rd, Sunbury, NC, died Saturday, June 27, 2009 in Chapel Hill, NC. He was born in Suffolk, VA, the son of the late Maywood Corbell and Mildred Pierce Lassiter, and was the husband of Mrs. Barbara Clay Lassiter. He was a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Sunbury, NC.

Along with his wife, Mr. Lassiter is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Anne Lassiter of Chapel Hill, NC; a brother, Charlie R. Lassiter of Sunbury, NC; and a host of other family members and friends too numerous to list, all of whom loved him very much.

A service to honor Mr. Lassiter will be held on Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 10:00 am at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church with The Rev. John F. Eberman officiating. Burial will take place in the prayer garden. The family will be receiving friends at their home on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm, and immediately following the service in the church Parish House. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Caring House, 2625 Pickett Road, Durham, NC 27705. Twiford Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 405 East Church Street, Elizabeth City, NC is assisting the Lassiter family. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.twifordfh.com.

George F. “Jeff” Hill

George Franklin ‘Jeff’ Hill, Jr., 86, of Elizabeth City, NC died Friday June 26, 2009 at Winslow Memorial Home. He was a native of Pasquotank County, NC, son of the late George Franklin and Mrs. Lou Shelton Zoeller Hill. Mr. Hill was an artist and a member of Christ Episcopal Church.

Mr. Hill is survived by one sister, Carolyn H. Hopkins of Elizabeth City, NC, one niece, Anne Ayers of Elizabeth City, NC, two nephews, Bob Hopkins of Ayden, NC and Frank Hopkins of Greer, SC.

Jeff Hill grew up in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, on the shores of the Pasquotank River, a child of the Great Depression. Hill graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with majors in studio art and art history, and a minor in archaeology. In World War II he served briefly in the US Army and the US Coast Guard.

In 1943 he left North Carolina for New York City to work successively in several Madison Avenue advertising agencies as a renderer and layout person. His commercial work soon included such national accounts as Dorothy Gray Cosmetics, Post Cereals, Maxwell House, Calvert Whiskey, and Columbia Records.

Returning to North Carolina in 1947, he began a career in commercial art in Raleigh advertising agencies and printers. He designed and illustrated brochures, annual reports, etc., and headed the art department of a major lithographer.

For two decades, beginning in 1951, Hill illustrated nearly fifty books for the Peter Pauper Press, the prestige fine-art publisher of Mount Vernon, New York. They included his three-color Rubaiyat, which became the largest-selling edition of his work ever printed, and two books he wrote and illustrated. In 1969, Jeff Hill had the distinction of being America’s leading book illustrator, with more books on the market than any other artist at the time.

Hill retired from commercial art in 1984 to devote himself to another genre of art, the religious wood icon ‘ and to listen to his large collection of jazz albums and tapes.

Graveside services will be conducted on Monday, June 29, 2009 at 2:00 PM in Old Hollywood Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the residence of his sister Carolyn Hopkins 110 Panama St., Elizabeth City, NC immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the church of your choice. Twiford Funeral Home, 405 East Church St., Elizabeth City, NC is assisting the Hill family. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.twifordfh.com

John Borchardt

John Andrew Borchardt
Chesapeake VA

Retired U.S. Navy Captain John Andrew ‘Andy’ Borchardt, 56, of Eagle Pointe, died June 26th peacefully in his sleep. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and loving wife of 34 years Debra Lynn Borchardt, sons Eric Walter Calise Borchardt and Brian Andrew Borchardt and his wife Hollie Michele Borchardt, and by too many friends and family members to ever possibly recount.

Andy was born in San Pedro, California to the late Walter and Dolores Borchardt. After growing up in San Pedro, Andy went on to attend the U.S. Naval Academy and 30 years of service to his country as a career submariner. He served all over the globe with homeports ranging from Connecticut to Hawaii to Yokosuka, Japan. His tours included five submarines of which he commanded USS Aspro (SSN 648) and multiple shore facilities of which he commanded the Submarine Intermediate Maintenance Facility. He was a highly decorated veteran and an honors graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School and National War College. After retiring from the U.S. Navy Andy commenced a second career with the TSM Corporation where he spearheaded the conversion of USS Georgia (SSBN 729) and USS Florida (SSBN 728) from ballistic to tomahawk missile submarines, He also created and facilitated the Submarine Maintenance Course for the Chief Petty Officers and Officers of ships slated for shipyard maintenance periods.

Andy’s professional accomplishments pale in comparison to those in his personal life. He created friends and adopted family everywhere he went. He was the life of the party once he walked into the room and he had the ability to bring a smile to even the dourest person. His intelligence and wisdom were something that allowed him to talk sports, politics, economics or military policy with the greatest of ease. His legacy to all of us is that you need to live life to the fullest and to love what you do, because that was how he tackled everything he ever did. He was the greatest man that many of us ever knew, and he will be remembered and loved by all who knew him.

Memorial services will be held at Naval Air Station Oceana, Chapel of the Good Shepard, 803 D Street, Building 330, Virginia Beach, VA 23460 at 12:00pm on Thursday, July 2, 2009. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to www.woundedwarriorproject.org. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.twifordfh.com.

Elmer Lee Smith

Elmer Lee Smith
Native of Camden County

Elmer Lee Smith, 73, of 200 Pearl Street, Elizabeth City, NC died Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Mr. Smith, a native of Camden County, was the son of the late Lee Smith and Mattie Morgan Smith and the widower of Betty Lou Hodges Smith. He retired after thirty-seven years as a chief engineer for Norfolk Dredging.

Mr. Smith is survived by five sons and their wives, Elmer Lee Smith, Jr., (Louise), David Howard Smith (Lisa), James Elvis Smith, Sr., (Charlene), Glen Smith, Sr., (Krystal), and Glen Smith, Jr., (Whitney) all of Elizabeth City, NC; two sisters, Nina Perry of Hertford, NC and Doris Whitehurst fo Charlotte, NC; ten grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and extended family of Norfolk Dredging Company of Chesapeake, VA.

A memorial service will be Monday, June 29, 2009 at 2:00 PM at Twiford’s Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Clay Manos officiating. The family will receive friends at the residence of the son before and after the service, David Howard Smith, 516 Firetower Road, Elizabeth City, NC and immediately after the service at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association, PO Box 220, Elizabeth City, NC 27909. Twiford Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 405 East Church Street, Elizabeth City, NC is in charge of arrangements. You may express condolences to the Smith family by visiting www.twifordfh.com.

Velnia Louise Hooper

Velnia Louise Hooper
Native of Pasquotank County

Velnia Louise Hooper, 70, of 1706 Wesley Drive, Elizabeth City, NC died Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at the Albemarle Hospital. Mrs. Hooper, a native of Pasquotank County, was the daughter of Calvin Arnold Weaver and Jessie Louise Garrett Weaver and the wife of Ebbie Kermit Hooper for fifty-four years. She was a sales lady in Belk’s housewares department, a member of Riverside United Methodist Church for over forty years, and a volunteer at the Albemarle Hospital.

Besides her husband she is survived by a daughter, Debbie Swain and husband Red of Elizabeth City, NC; a sister, Arlene Underwood of Elizabeth City, NC; a niece, Kim Hassell and a great niece, Traci Harrison.

Funeral services will be Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 2:00 PM at Twiford’s Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Gary Stanley officiating. Burial will follow in New Hollywood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7:00 to 8:00 PM at the funeral home Friday evening, immediately after the service in the lobby of the funeral home, and at other times at the residence. Twiford Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 405 East Church Street, Elizabeth City, NC is in charge of arrangements. You may express condolences to the family by visiting www.twifordfh.com.

Monty M. Marsh

Monty M. Marsh
Elizabeth City, NC Resident

Monty Monroe Marsh, 80, of 905 W. Elizabeth St., Elizabeth City, NC, died Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Norfolk, VA. He was born in Elizabeth City, NC, the son of the late Charles Marsh and Lessie Mae Johnson Burton and was the husband of Mrs. Retha Joyce Creef Marsh of the residence. Mr. Marsh had worked as a sheet rock contractor. He was also a veteran of the U.S. Navy and had been a life member of the William Clarence Jackson VFW Post 6060, Elizabeth City, NC.

Along with his wife of 63 years, Mr. Marsh is survived by a son, Terry Wayne Marsh, Sr. and his wife Catherine of Terrytown, LA; two grandchildren, Jennifer Engolia and Terry W. Marsh, Jr.; and two great-grandchildren, Monty Waters and Lillie Engolia. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Retha Gail Marsh; and his son, Charles Wayne Marsh.

A graveside memorial service will be held Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 2:00pm in West Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Elizabeth City, NC. Twiford Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 405 East Church Street, Elizabeth City, NC is assisting the Marsh family. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.twifordfh.com.

Rev. William A. Mayo, Sr.

William A. Mayo, Sr.

Rev. William Allen Mayo, Sr. died Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at his residence. Mr. Mayo was born to William Lee Mayo, Jr. and Margaret Allen Mayo on March 3, 1945 in Jacksonville, NC. His father, William Lee; his brother, Tom; and his granddaughter, Naomi Grace, preceded him in death. He is survived by his mother, Margaret Mayo; his wife of 41 years, Sylvia Julian Mayo; three children and their spouses, Rev. Allen Mayo and wife Debbie, Rev. Scott Mayo and wife Robin, and Krista Mayo Overman and husband Chet; six grandchildren, Hayli, Zachary, Heidi, Julianne, Nathan, and Kaylyn; a brother, Rev. Dr. David Mayo and wife Loretta; four nieces and two nephews. Mr. Mayo was an ordained minister of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, serving in the pastorate for 26 years and 14 years in Conference Leadership. His love for God, his amazing knowledge of the Word, and his astounding wisdom has left us a great legacy. His family will miss him beyond what words can express.

The Mayo family wishes to extend with great appreciation their thanks for your many prayers, fasting, and love so meaningfully expressed to our loved one and us during his illness and departure. They extend special thanks and gratitude to Dr. David Carter and the medical staffs of Albemarle Hospital, Virginia Oncology, and Albemarle Hospice.

A funeral service will be held Friday, June 26, 2009 at 1:00 pm at Fountain of Life Pentecostal Holiness Church, 1107 U.S. 17 South, Elizabeth City, NC with Bishop Dayton Birt and Rev. Dr. David Mayo officiating. A graveside service will be held at 4:00 pm Friday at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens, 6329 Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk, VA. The family will receive friends at the church from 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm on Thursday, June 25, 2009 and at other times at the residence, 125 Spence Drive, Hertford, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Fountain of Life Ministries, Building Fund, 1107 U.S. 17 South, Elizabeth City, NC 27909Twiford Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 405 E. Church Street, Elizabeth City, NC is assisting the Mayo family. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.twifordfh.com.