Robert Madison Blackwell

ANDERSON, S.C. — Robert Madison Blackwell, 75, 4701 Great Oaks Drive, died Monday (Aug. 14, 2000) at Anderson Area Medical Center.

Born Oct. 8, 1924, in Buncombe County, N.C., Mr. Blackwell was a son of the late Clarence Harold and Edith Rachel Williams Blackwell.

A former resident of Rowan County, N.C., he had retired as terminal superintendent with Norfolk Southern Corp. after 43 years with the company. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and its Wesley Sunday School Class.

Survivors include wife Peggy Watts Blackwell; son Roy Harold Blackwell, Alpharetta, Ga.; daughters Dianna Mae Goodman, Asheville, N.C., and E. Cathy Blackwell, Charlotte, N.C,; brother William R. Blackwell, Clemmons, N.C.; sister Inez Blackwell, Atlanta, and Edith Haroldean Butler, Birmingham, Ala.; and eight grandchildren.

Services: 4:30 today, Trinity United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Robert Carlisle.

Visitation: At the church after the service. At other times the family will be at the home on Great Oaks Drive.

McDougald Funeral Home is in charge.

Memorials: Trinity United Methodist Church, 1809 N. Main St., Anderson, SC 29621.

K. Kevin Borat

K. Kevin Borat, 43, Salisbury, died Monday (Aug. 14, 2000) at his home.

Summersett Funeral Home is in charge.

‘Dot’ Huffman Frye

CONOVER — Guthrie Mae “Dot” Huffman Frye, 69, 27th St. N.E., died Sunday (Aug. 13, 2000) at her home.

Born July 4, 1931, in Iredell County, Mrs. Frye was a daughter of the late Comer Huffman and Frances Garrison Huffman Pigg. She was a homemaker.

A daughter, Tina Marie Frye, preceded her in death.

Survivors include sons Tommy L. Frye, Harrisburg, Donnie W. Frye, Spencer, and Joe Frye, Cleveland; daughter Frances Frye Ingram, Salisbury; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Services: Graveside, 11 a.m. Wednesday, Glenwood Memorial Park, Mooresville, conducted by the Rev. Gene Sides.

Cavin-Cook Funeral Home, Mooresville, is in charge.

Claude Bernard Higgins

Claude Bernard Higgins, 82, 217 Laurel Ridge Road, Asheville, a resident of the Mill Bridge community for 50 years, died Saturday (Aug. 12, 2000).

His wife, Lorene Martin Higgins, died in 1991.

Survivors include sons Jimmie Higgins, China Grove, and Roger Higgins, Kalua-Kona, Hawaii; daughters Eva H. Miller, Kronberg, Germany, and Karen J. Higgins, Asheville; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Penland &Sons Funeral Home, Swannanoa, is in charge, with Linn-Honeycutt, China Grove, handling local arrangements.

Memorials: Donor’s choice.

Ethel Myrick Jacobs

The funeral will be Wednesday for Ethel Myrick Jacobs, 77, Salisbury, who died Sunday (Aug. 13, 2000) at her home after an extended illness.

Born Aug. 6, 1923, in Rowan County, Mrs. Jacobs was a daughter of the late Eligah Cicero and Mary Elizabeth Parks Myrick. She was educated in the Rowan County schools.

A homemaker, she had also been employed with Cannon Mills and Fiber Industries. She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and its Adult Sunday School Class.

Survivors include husband O.C. Jackson, whom she married Sept. 16, 1943; daughter Shelia J. Elkins, Rockwell; a niece reared in the home, Donna Sue Jacobs, Salisbury; brother A.C. Myrick, Knoxville, Tenn.; sisters Eva M. Burris, Augusta, Ga., Margaret M. Patterson, Concord, and Thelma M. Deal, Salisbury; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Wednesday, Summersett Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. William S. Ketchie, senior pastor, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Burial, Rowan Memorial Park.

Visitation: 7-8:30 tonight at the funeral home. At other times the family will be at the home.

Memorials: Rowan Regional Home Health and Hospice, 825-A W. Henderson St., Salisbury,NC 28144; or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 205 St. Paul’s Church Road, Salisbury,NC 28146.

Marguerite M. Johnson

Funeral services will be held at a later date for Marguerite Mitchell Johnson, 72, 5369 Wildwood Drive, who died Sunday (Aug. 13, 2000) at her home.

Born July 10, 1928, in Transylvania County, Mrs. Johnson was a daughter of the late Lou Melton Baynor and Ernest Wilson. Educated in the Transylvania County schools, she had been employed with Western Steer and Derrick’s Truck Stop.

Two sons preceded her in death: Raymond Bryant, in 1994, and Earl Bryant, in 1975.

Survivors include sons Randall Bryant, Salisbury, and DanielBryant, Lenoir; daughter Barbara Elliott, Asheville; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

The family will be at the home onWildwood Drive.

Summersett Funeral Home is in charge.

Naomi Huie Mullis

HARMONY — Naomi Huie Mullis, 101, a former Salisbury resident, died Monday (Aug. 14, 2000) at Emerald Ridge Rehabilitation and Care Center.

An Iredell County native, Mrs. Mullis was a daughter of the late Samuel and Lenora Fletcher Huie.

Her husband, James Harvey Mullis, died in 1956.

Survivors include children J. Ralph Mullis, Statesville, Lounell Mullis, Asheville, and Helen M. Frost, Mars Hill; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren.

Services: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Harmony Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Dave McHugh. Burial, Oakwood Cemetery, Statesville.

Visitation: 7-8:30 tonight, Reams Funeral Home.

Memorials: Harmony Baptist Church, 135 Little Wilkesboro Road, Harmony, N.C. 28634; or donor’s choice.

Betty Jane Besig

KANNAPOLIS — The funeral will be Wednesday for Betty Jane Hard Besig, 72, 211 Carwen Court, who died Sunday (Aug. 13, 2000) at NorthEast Medical Center, Concord.

Born April 6, 1928, in Syracuse, N.Y., Mrs. Besig was a daughter of the late William and Florence Sterling Hard. She was a homemaker.

Survivors include husband John A. Besig; daughter Sandra Fleegel, Kannapolis; son John A. Besig Jr., Kannapolis; brothers Clarence Hard, East Syracuse, N.Y., and Alfred Hard, North Port, Fla.; and a granddaughter.

Services: Graveside, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Carolina Memorial Park, conducted by the Rev. Leon Hawks.

Visitation: 6-8 tonight, Lady’s Funeral Home.

Terina Thompson Ford

Terina A. Thompson Ford, 38, 1614 Standish St., Apartment 9-B, died Sunday (Aug. 13, 2000) at her home.

Born Nov. 16, 1961, in Cabarrus County, Ms. Ford was a daughter of James Ford, Harrisburg, and the late Minnie Hailey Ford. She worked for Fieldcrest Cannon and was a former member of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church.

Besides her father, survivors include sons Cameron, Marcus, Eric, Justin and Arion (A.J.) Ford, all of Salisbury; sister Angela Ford, Salisbury; brother Alan Ford, Salisbury; stepmother Elaine Ford, Harrisburg; paternal grandmother Essie Ford, Concord; and a grandchild.

Services: 3 p.m. Thursday, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, conducted by the Rev. John E. Johnson. Burial, Rutherford Cemetery, Concord. Clark Funeral Home, Kannapolis, is in charge.

Visitation: 2-3 p.m. Thursday at the church. At other times, the family will be at the residence on Standish Street.

Willie Bonzell Hairston

LEXINGTON — Willie Bonzell Hairston, 38, 198 Domino Drive, died Sunday (Aug. 13, 2000) at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, after an illness of one month.

Born on March 3, 1962, in Davidson County, he was the son of Ida H. Hairston of Lexington.

A graduate of Lexington Senior High School, he was a member of New Zion Church, where he served on the usher board and was a member of the choir.

Survivors, in addition to his mother, include brother Grover Lee Hairston Jr., Lexington; and sisters Gloria McMillian, Katrina Leverette, Jerrie Clodfelter and Stephanie Hairston, all of Lexington, and Wanda Turman of Welcome.

Services: 2 p.m. Wednesday, New Zion Baptist Church, with the Rev. Moses Caldwell officiating. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 7-8 p.m. today, Morrison-Studevent Funeral Home.

Marion ‘Cage’ Lowery

CHINA GROVE — Marion Thomas “Cage” Lowery, 81, 709-A Harry St., formerly of Yost Road, died Saturday (Aug. 12, 2000) at Pellcare Nursing Center in Winston-Salem. He had been seriously ill for several months.

Born on Oct. 12, 1918, in Kannapolis, he was a son of the late Myrtle Reid and Walter Franklin Lowery. Educated at Aggrey High School, Landis, he had retired from China Grove Cotton Mill. Mr. Lowery attended Oak Grove Baptist Church.

Survivors include wife Marie Simon Lowery; sisters Joretha Sheely, Landis, and Inez Smith, Kannapolis.

Services: 1 p.m. Wednesday, Noble & Kelsey Funeral Home, with the Rev. James I. Smith officiating. Burial, National Cemetery at Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury, with military rites by Salisbury-Rowan Veterans Council.

Visitation: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Mary Ethel Poplin

NORWOOD — Mary Ethel Burleson Poplin, 81, 16713 Highway 52 S., died Monday (Aug. 14, 2000) at Stanly Memorial Hospital, Albemarle.

Born Feb. 17, 1919, in Stanly County, she was a daughter of the late John F.and Ada Efird Burleson. Retired as an inspector for Jefferies Mfg., she was a member of Porter Baptist Church.

Survivors include husband Vance Edison Poplin; sons Gary Poplin, Norwood, and Eddie Gene Poplin, Albemarle; and three grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Wednesday, Porter Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Flake Mason and the Rev. Lee Church. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight, Hartsell Funeral Home, Albemarle. At other times the family will be at the home in Norwood.

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