ALBEMARLE — Sarah “Lizzie” Poplin Efird, 86, Woodhaven Court, died Saturday (March 4, 2000) at Stanly Memorial Hospital.

Born May 26, 1913, in Anson County, Mrs. Efird was a daughter of the late Richmond and Julie Davis Edwards. A retired homemaker, she was a member of Silver Springs Baptist Church, Norwood.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, J. Henry Efird, and Tom A. Poplin.

Survivors include sons James R. Poplin, Norwood, and Tom D. Poplin, Oakboro; daughter Julia Poplin Morton, Camden, S.C.; stepsons Darrell Efird, Badin, Donnie Efird and Kenneth Efird, both of Albemarle, and Larry Efird, Oakboro; 13 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.

Services: 11 a.m. Tuesday, Silver Springs Baptist Church, Norwood, conducted by the Rev. Dennis Helms and the Rev. Clinton Efird. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight, Hartsell Funeral Home. At other times the family will be at the home of James R. Poplin, 16293 Highway 138, Norwood.

Thelma B. Martin

KANNAPOLIS — Thelma Bourne Martin, 94, 2310 Pritchard St., died Sunday (March 5, 2000) after a week of serious illness.

Born May 19, 1905, in Grayson County, Va., Mrs. Martin was a daughter of the late Benjamin E. and Susie Byrd Bourne. She was a homemaker and member of Landis Baptist Church.

Her husband, William Alonzo Martin, died May 15, 1981.

Survivors include daughters Doris E. Cress, Salisbury, and Iris W. Overcash and Mrs. Doc (Shirley M.) Hyde, both of Kannapolis; five grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; nine step-great-grandchildren; and one step-great-great-grandchild.

Services: 4 p.m. Tuesday, Lady’s Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Billy Honeycutt. Burial, Greenlawn Cemetery, China Grove.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight at the funeral home. At other times the family will be at the home of Shirley M. Hyde, 2308 Pritchard St.

Memorials: Landis Baptist Church, 110 N. Kimmons St., Landis, N.C. 28088.

Judith Parker Morrow

Judith Parker Morrow, 60, 217 Lash Drive, died Saturday (March 4, 2000) at The Laurels of Salisbury.

Summersett Funeral Home is in charge.

Edward ‘Fat’ Stirewalt

CONCORD — Edward Eugene “Fat” Stirewalt, 80, 8625 Overcash Road, died Sunday (March 5, 2000) at NorthEast Medical Center after a brief illness.

Born June 19, 1919, in Kannapolis, Mr. Stirewalt was a son of the late Walter and Dora Slough Stirewalt.

Survivors include wife Nancy Hinson Stirewalt; sons David and Michael Stirewalt, both of Concord, and Richard Stirewalt, Grover; brother H.B. “Dink” Stirewalt, Kannapolis; sisters Virginia Moore, Gert Rice and Valda Lampert, all of Kannapolis; and six grandchildren.

Services: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Whitley’s Funeral Home Chapel, Kannapolis. The body will be cremated.

Visitation: None.

W. Lawrence Valentine

SHELBY — W. Lawrence Valentine, 80, 907 Lake Drive, father of Norman “Bud” Valentine, Kannapolis, died Saturday (March 4, 2000) at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte.

Services: 11 a.m. Tuesday, Ascension Lutheran Church.

Visitation: 7-8:30 tonight, Cleveland Funeral Services. At other times the family will be at the home of daughter Mrs. Bob (Vickie V.) Jones, 1302 Gilbert St.

Memorials: Ascension Lutheran Church, 300 N. Lafayette St., Shelby, N.C. 28150.

Max Wilhelm

MOORESVILLE— John Max Wilhelm, 96, Charlotte Highway, died Sunday (March 5, 2000) at Brian Center Health and Retirement, Statesville.

Born Feb. 12, 1904, in Iredell County, Mr. Wilhelm was the son of the late James and Victoria McCoy Wilhelm. He had worked for 25 years as a loom fixer with Cascade Mills, a division of Burlington Industries, and had also worked for Southern Railway for 28 years. He was a member of Vanderburg United Methodist Church and the Webb Wilhelm Bible Class.

Survivors include wife Edna Elliott Wilhelm, whom he married July 31, 1930; daughters Mrs. Jerry (Joan) Harwell and Mrs. Edward (Maxine) Miller, both of Mooresville, and Lynda Collins, Charlotte; nine grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Wednesday, Vanderburg United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. W. Gerald Davis. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Cavin Funeral Home.

Memorials: Vanderburg United Methodist Church, Building Fund, 1809 Charlotte Highway, Mooresville, N.C. 28115.

Skeet Coggin Jr.

Charles “Skeet” Lee Coggin Jr., 74, of 219 W. Marsh St., Died Sunday (March 5, 2000) at Rowan Regional Medical Center after a brief illness.

A native of Salisbury, Mr. Coggin was born June 21, 1925, a son of the late Charles Lee and Jennie Bias Coggin.

A 1943 graduate of Boyden High School, he attended the summer session at Catawba College before entering the U.S. Army for service with an anti-tank unit attached to the infantry during World War II. He landed in England exactly 26 years after his father, a Rowan County judge and district solicitor, landed there with the AEF in 1918.

Coggin also served in France, where he was seriously wounded in heavy fighting with an infantry division of the 7th Army and was awarded the Purple Heart.

He returned to the United States in January 1945 following hospitalization in France and Italy. Shortly thereafter he entered the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, graduating with the class of 1949.

Owner and operator of the Family Studio on East Innes Street, Mr. Coggin was well-known for his restoration of photographs, commercial photography and high school reunion pictures.

For a brief time, he was employed as a photographer with the Salisbury Post, but soon became active in his own business, which he operated in downtown Salisbury until his death.

An avid golfer, Mr. Coggin made local golf history when he, Bill Brinkley and Sam Ramsey played in the 43rd annual Goode Crowder Memorial Labor Day Four-Ball Invitational. They were the only golfers who played in the inaugural tourney in 1952 and were still playing in 1994.

Coggin’s record was particularly impressive, the Post’s sports department reported, because he had entered all but one of the 43 tournaments. He did not enter in 1978 and missed the cut in 1980. But in the other 41 tournaments, playing with just six different partners, he won 58 matches and lost 45 and had been in the championship flight nine times, including 1984, when he was 59 years old. And he took home 20 trophies.

He was a member of First United Methodist Church and a former member of the Salisbury Jaycees.

Survivors include a sister, Ann Coggin of Salisbury.

Services: Tuesday at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Thomas L. Griffis and the Rev. Judith L. White, with burial in Rowan Memorial Park.

Visitation: At the home at 219 W. Marsh St. Monday night.

Memorials: Donor’s choice.