COOLEEMEE — The funeral will be Friday for Charles Erwin Alexander, 89, Center Street, who died Wednesday (Aug. 22, 2001) at Rowan Regional Medical Center, Salisbury.

Born Dec. 18, 1911, in Cooleemee, Mr. Alexander, a son of the late Charles William and Annie List Alexander, spent over four years in the European Theatre during World War II. He retired as supervisor of all outside forces from Erwin Mills Inc.

He was a past commander and lifetime member of Cooleemee American Legion Post 54 and was a lifetime member of VFW Post 1119. He had served on the Davie County Board of Commissioners and was a member of Cooleemee United Methodist Church, where he had been chairman of the board of trustees and had served on the administrative board.

His wife, Elizabeth “Chic” Hartley Alexander, died in 1998.

Survivors include son Charles Michael Alexander, Cooleemee; and brother Roy Fink Alexander, Cooleemee.

Services: 11 a.m. Friday, Eaton Funeral Home chapel, Mocksville, conducted by the Rev. Perry Bradshaw. Burial, Rowan Memorial Park, Salisbury.

Visitation: 7-8:30 tonight at the funeral home.

Memorials: Cooleemee United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 69, Cooleemee, NC 27014.

Haley J. Braley

MOUNT GILEAD — Haley Jatana Braley, 1-year-old daughter of Christina A. Braley, 454 Tedder Road, and Rodney Jason Hathcock, New London, died Tuesday (Aug. 21, 2001) at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte.

The child was born July 20, 2000, in Albemarle.

Survivors, in addition to her parents, include maternal grandparents Bill and Debra Braley, Mount Gilead, and Steve and Judy Parker, Albemarle; paternal grandparents Sheila Smith, New London, and Rodney and Susie Furr, Richfield; maternal great-grandparents Avery Rummage and Jeanette Hopkins, both of Albemarle, Jerry and Lanette Morton, New London, Robert and Louise Johns, Hoboken, Ga., and Dennis and Leta Braley, Jefferson, Texas; and paternal great-grandparents Betty Blalock, Badin, and Jesse and Imogene Furr, Albemarle.

Services: 11 a.m. Friday, First Assembly of God, conducted by the Rev. Bob Gruver and the Rev. Frank Thompson. Burial, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church cemetery, Oakboro.

Visitation: 6-8 tonight, Hartsell Funeral Home, Albemarle. At other times, the family will be at the home on Tedder Road.

Kenneth Ray Coley

SPENCER —Kenneth Ray Coley, 66, Spencer, died Thursday (Aug. 23, 2001) at W.G. Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury.

Lyerly Funeral Home, Salisbury, is in charge.

Janie F. Freeze

CHINA GROVE — The funeral will be Friday for Janie F. Freeze, 94, formerly of China Grove, who died Tuesday (Aug. 21, 2001) at Autumn Care of Mocksville.

Born July 12, 1907, in Rowan County, Miss Freeze, a daughter of the late J. Tom and Neely J. Freeze Freeze, was educated in the Rowan County schools. She retired from Cannon Mills and was a member of Oak Grove United Methodist Church.

Survivors include nieces and nephews.

Services: 11 a.m. Friday, Oak Grove United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Paula July, pastor, and the Rev. Jimmy Lancaster, pastor, Jerusalem Baptist Church. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 10-11 a.m. Friday at the church.

Linn-Honeycutt Funeral Home, China Grove, is in charge.

Memorials: Jerusalem Baptist Church, Building Fund, c/o Helen Queen, P.O. Box 101, Cooleemee, NC 27014.

Ruth A. Garrison

The funeral will be Friday for Ruth Alene Garrison, 80, Salisbury, who died Wednesday (Aug. 22, 2001) at Carillon Assisted Living of Salisbury.

Born March 11, 1921, in Tell City, Ind., Mrs. Garrison, a daughter of the late Ancil Elden and Minnie Jeanette Alvey Branch, was a graduate of Tell City High School in Indiana.

She worked as a secretary at Tell City Furniture Co. and later worked in the offices of Stanback Company and Belk Department Store. She also worked in the jewelry craft business and was a member of First Presbyterian Church.

Survivors include husband Harold H. Garrison, whom she married May 22, 1946; son Harold R. Garrison, Winston-Salem; daughter Patricia R. Mulloy, Cornelius; brother Marion Branch, Vancouver, Wash.; and sister Glynn Cotten, Vancouver, Wash.

Services: 11 a.m. Friday, First Presbyterian Church, conducted by the Rev. Dr. Robert M. Lewis. Entombment, Rowan Memorial Park Mausoleum.

Visitation: At the church after the service.

Summersett Funeral Home in charge.

Memorials: Alzheimer’s Association, 3420 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215-3298; or Rowan Regional Home Health and Hospice, 825-A W. Henderson St., Salisbury, NC 28144.

Alva V. Lewis

KANNAPOLIS — Alva V. “A.V.” Lewis, 79, 7947 Arizona Place, died Tuesday (Aug. 21, 2001) at his home after a period of declining health.

Born March 7, 1922, in Horry County, S.C., Mr. Lewis was a son of the late E.L. and Mattie Turner Lewis. He moved to North Carolina in 1967 and is a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church, Mount Olive, S.C.

His wife, Burlice Causey Lewis, died July 26, 1995.

Survivors include son Kenneth Miles Lewis, China Grove; daughters Martha Ann Brown, Loris, S.C., Faye Fowler, Green Sea, S.C., and Glenda Gail Kiser, Kannapolis; brother Fred Lewis, Nichols, S.C.; sister Burlene Leggett, Nichols, S.C.; 14 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and three stepgrandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Friday, Whitley’s Funeral Home chapel, conducted by a nephew, the Rev. Freddy Lewis. Burial, West Lawn Memorial Park, China Grove.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight at the funeral home. At other times, the family will be at the home of daughter Gail Kiser, 2737 Montana Drive.

Memorials: Hospice of Cabarrus County, P.O. Box 1235, Concord, NC 28026.

William L. Lowery

KANNAPOLIS — The funeral will be Saturday for William Leroy Lowery, 66, 308 E. 20th St., who died Tuesday (Aug. 21, 2001) at NorthEast Medical Center, Concord, after two years of declining health and a month of serious illness.

Born May 24, 1935, in Rowan County, Mr. Lowery was a son of the late William G. and Florence S. Orsini Lowery. He was a member of Memorial Independence Baptist Church, Landis. A retired truck driver, he was last employed with Fredrickson Motor Lines.

Survivors include wife Betty Tilley Lowery; daughters Patricia Yates, Marie Cannon and Nancy Bartlett, all of Kannapolis, and Donna Haynes, China Grove; sons Dennis Lowery and William L. “Bill” Lowery Jr., both of Kannapolis, and Kenny Lowery, China Grove; sister Frances Louise Safford, Kannapolis; and 16 grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Saturday, Memorial Independent Baptist Church, Landis, conducted by the Rev. Bill Bauguess and the Rev. Victor Trivette. Entombment, West Lawn Memorial Park, China Grove.

Visitation: 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, Lady’s Funeral Home.

Memorials: American Kidney Fund, 6110 Executive Blvd., Rockville,MD 20852-9813.

Donald H. Morgan

The funeral will be Friday for Donald Hughes Morgan, 59, Salisbury, who died Wednesday (Aug. 22, 2001) at his home.

Born Nov. 2, 1941, in Rowan County, Mr. Morgan, a son of the late Hayden Hughes and Edna Overcash Morgan, was educated at China Grove High School. He was a machine technician with Park Dale American, Landis.

Survivors include wife Kay Bailey Morgan, whom he married June 7, 1968; son Michael Eric Morgan, Salisbury; sister Ann Shoemaker, Washington, D.C.; and two grandchildren.

Services: Memorial, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Powles Funeral Home, Rockwell, conducted by the Rev. Ralph Rummage.

Visitation: 6-7:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Memorials: Rowan Regional Home Health and Hospice, 825-A W. Henderson St., Salisbury,NC 28144.

Raymond T. Sides

Raymond T. Sides, 52, Salisbury, died Wednesday (Aug. 22, 2001) at Rowan Regional Medical Center.

Summersett Funeral Home is in charge.

Elijah Thomas

CONCORD — David Elijah Thomas, 20, 57 Circle Drive NE, died Saturday (Aug. 18, 2001) at Memorial Medical Center, Savannah,Ga.

Born June 18, 1981, in Cabarrus County, Mr. Thomas was a son of James Michael Thomas, Concord, and Desiree Starr Treece Chang, Matthews. He attended East Mecklenburg High School and was a graduate of Concord High School. A student at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, he was employed part-time at Kannapolis Country Club.

He was a member of Central Church of God,Charlotte, and had been on several mission trips to New York City and Ecuador.

Survivors, in addition to his parents, include stepfather Aaron Chang, Matthews; brother Daniel Chang, Matthews; sister Nikki Chang, Matthews; grandparents Linda and Charles Treece,Matthews, and Willie and Jay Nodine, Kannapolis; great-grandmother Mary Little, Kannapolis; and cousin Joe Liang, of the home.

Services: 2 p.m. Friday, Central Church of God, Charlotte, conducted by the Rev. Darrell Sutherland. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park, Kannapolis.

Visitation: 1-2 p.m. Friday at the church. At other times, his mother will be at 122 Chesney Glen Drive, Matthews, and his father will be at 1311 N. Main St., Kannapolis.

Whitley’s Funeral Home is in charge.

Memorials: Parkwood Baptist Church, Building Fund, 1069 Central Drive, Concord, NC 28027; or Christ Our Shepherd Ministries, 116 N. Ames St., Matthews, NC.

Geneva L. Thomas

The funeral will be Friday for Geneva Leonard Thomas, 87, Salisbury, who died Wednesday (Aug. 22, 2001) at Rowan Regional Medical Center after several months of declining health.

Born Feb. 5, 1914, in Rowan County, Mrs. Thomas, a daughter of the late Albert Bentley Leonard and Edna Walton Leonard Alley, was a 1932 graduate of Boyden High School. She retired from North Carolina Finishing Co. after 37 years.

She was a member of Trading Ford Baptist Church, Trading Ford Joy Club and North Carolina Finishing Company’s Twenty Five Year Club.

Her first husband, Carl Graham Massey, died in 1938, and her second husband, Charles Norman Thomas, died in 1995.

Survivors include son Charles Norman Thomas Jr., Salisbury; daughter Loretta Massey Earnhardt, Salisbury; brothers Jewel and Albert Alley, both of Salisbury; sisters Irmena Leonard Copley, Wilma Butler, Dorothy Butler and Swanna Cooper, all of Salisbury; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services: Graveside, 11 a.m. Friday, Rowan Memorial Park, conducted by the Rev. Mike Motley, pastor, Trading Ford Baptist Church.

Visitation: 7-8:30 tonight, Lyerly Funeral Home. At other times, the family will be at the home of Charles Norman Thomas Jr.

Memorials: Trading Ford Baptist Church, Building Fund, 3600 Long Ferry Road, Salisbury, NC 28146.

Dillon E. Whitley

OAKBORO — Dillon Efird Whitley, 78, 14170 McLester Road, died Tuesday (Aug. 21, 2001) at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte.

Services: 11 a.m. Friday, St. Martin’s Lutheran Church, Albemarle. Burial, church cemetery.

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

Memorials:St. Martin Church, 16592 St. Martin Road, Albemarle, NC.

Clyde L. Wilhelm

CLEVELAND — The funeral will be Friday for Clyde Lessley Wilhelm, 71, Cleveland, who died Wednesday (Aug. 22, 2001) at Davis Regional Medical Center, Statesville, after three years of declining health.

Born Dec. 10, 1929, in Rowan County, Mr. Wilhelm, a son of the late Lester Brown and Elizabeth Graham Wilhelm, was a graduate of the Rowan County schools. He owned and operated Wilhelm Oil Co. and later worked at NGK Ceramics in Mooresville

He was a member of Lebanon Lutheran Church.

Survivors include wife Peggy Adams Wilhelm, whom he married May 8, 1953; daughters Leslie G. Wilhelm, Orlando, Fla., and Christy E. Wilhelm, Cleveland; brother William F. Wilhelm, Cleveland; and sisters Ada Fleming, China Grove, Doris Harrison, Spencer, Ruth Martin, Salisbury, Anne Godwin, Charlotte, and Barbara Wilhelm, Cleveland.

Services: Graveside, 11 a.m. Friday, Lebanon Lutheran Church cemetery, conducted by the Rev. Carroll L. Robinson.

Visitation: The family will be at the home in Cleveland.

Summersett Funeral Home, Salisbury, is in charge.

Memorials: Lebanon Lutheran Church, Building Fund, 1200 Thompson Road, Cleveland, NC 27013.

Yesterday's obits