ALBEMARLE — The funeral will be Tuesday for Lillian Fox Kirk, 2309 Pecan Ave., who died Saturday (Dec. 8, 2001) at NorthEast Medical Center, Concord.

Services: 11 a.m. Tuesday, Stanly Funeral Home chapel. Burial, Stanly Gardens of Memory.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight at the funeral home.

Rev. Willie Aldrich

The Rev. Willie Lee Banks Aldrich, 78, 405 Milford Hills Road, died Sunday (Dec. 9, 2001) at her home after several months of declining health.

Born Sept. 9, 1923, in Cleveland, Ohio, Mrs. Aldrich was a daughter of the late Alfred and Hattie Ross Banks. She was educated in the Grand Rapids, Mich., schools and a graduate of South High School. She received a bachelor’s degree in English from Livingstone College, a master’s degree in library science from the Atlanta School of Library Science, and a master’s of divinity degree and certificate of religious education from Hood Theological Seminary Salisbury. She did additional studies at New YorkUniversity and at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Retired, she was formerly head librarian at Hood Theological Seminary and director of Heritage Hall at Livingstone College. She had earlier taught at Cleveland High School, Shelby, and at Dunbar High School in East Spencer.

An ordained elder in the AMEZion Church, she was a member and the assistant to the pastor at Moore’s Chapel AMEZion Church. At church, she was a member of WHOMS, Stewardship Board and the Lay Council. She was a Sunday school teacher and former director of Christian education.

She was director of Christian education of the Salisbury District for 30 years and the Western North Carolina Conference for 15 years. The first Episcopal director of education to serve under Bishop Raymond L. Jones and William M. Smith, she was a national chairperson of children’s work for the AMEZion Church.

Mrs. Aldrich was a member of Varick Christian Endeavor; an active member and chaplain with Church Women United; a member of the board for Habitat for Humanity, United Way, and Salisbury-Rowan-Davie AlumniChapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority at Livingstone College; charter member, Modern Wives Club; advisor to the student government of Hood Theological Seminary. For 35 years, she was advisor for Livingstone College Prayer Meeting Choir, the college’s national touring gospel choir that served as major recruitment effort and provided spiritual guidance for students.

Survivors include husband of 54 years Thomas N. Aldrich; foster daughters Delores Bowman Peterson, Upper Marlboro, Md., and the Rev. Alisa Wilson Greene, Charlotte; four foster grandchildren; and two foster great-grandchildren.

Mitchell and Fair Funeral Service is in charge.

The family will be at the home on Milford Hills Road.

Memorials: Moore’s ChapelAMEZion Church, P.O. Box 545, Salisbury,NC 28145.

Condolences may be sent by email to: mitfair@bellsouth.net  or www.mitfair.net .

Ruth Abernathy Bush

Ruth C. Abernathy Bush, 80, Lutheran Nursing Home, died Monday (Dec. 10, 2001) at the nursing home after several months of declining health.

Mitchell and Fair Funeral Service is in charge.

Hilda Champion

CONCORD — The funeral will be Wednesday for Hilda Fields Champion, 92, Cox Mill Road, who died Saturday (Dec. 8, 2001)at NorthEast Medical Center.

Services: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Lady’s Funeral Home chapel, Kannapolis. Burial, 2 p.m. Wednesday, Elmwood Cemetery, Charlotte.

Visitation: 10-11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Frances B. Gaither

Frances Breerwood Gaither, 92, Plantation Estate Drive, Matthews, formerly of College Heights, Hyattsville, Md., and Deerfield Beach, Fla., died Sunday (Dec. 9, 2001) at Presbyterian Hospital, Charlotte. Her son, Dr. Robert H. Gaither, is a resident of Albemarle.

Services: Graveside, 10 a.m. Wednesday, Fort Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, Md.

Visitation: 9-10 a.m. Wednesday, Gasch’s and Suns Funeral Home, Hyattsville, Md.

Stanly Funeral Home, Albemarle, is in charge of local arrangements.

Memorials: First Presbyterian Church, Second Century Fund, 126 W. North St., Albemarle,NC 28002; or Stanly Memorial Hospital Foundation Fund, P.O. Box 254, Albemarle, NC 28002.

Elijah Hackett Jr.

CHARLOTTE —Elijah Hackett Jr., 59, Charlotte, died Sunday (Dec. 9, 2001) at Mercy Hospital, Charlotte.

Noble and Kelsey Funeral Home, Salisbury, is in charge.

Nettie Earl Hipps

The funeral will be Wednesday for Nettie Earl Hipps, 81, 2857 Hollywood Drive, who died Thursday (Dec. 6, 2001) at Rowan Regional Medical Center after four days of serious illness.

Born May 24, 1920, in Gainsville, Ga., Mrs. Hipps was a daughter of the late Henry and Daisy Lattner Earl, was educated in the Gainesville, Ga., schools. She was employed at Henry Link Furniture Factory in Lexington.

A member of Holy Tabernacle of Jesus Christ, she was Mother of the Church and a member of the kitchen committee.

She was preceded in death by children, Kelly and Eddie Hipps and Bettye Hipps Long.

Survivors include son Anthony J. Hipps, Raleigh; daughters Brenda L. Greshan, Far Rockaway, N.Y., the Rev. Pricilla Overstreet, East Spencer, and the Rev. Johnnie Davis and Evangelist Doretha Reddick, both of Salisbury; 19 grandchildren; and 31 great-grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Wednesday, Holy Tabernacle of Jesus Christ, conducted by the Rev. Jackie Gayles of Emmanuel Temple,Catawba County. Burial, Oakwood Cemetery.

Visitation: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the church.

Noble and Kelsey Funeral Home is in charge.

Ruth Hancock Lee

KANNAPOLIS — The funeral will be Tuesday for Ruth Gades Hancock Lee, 80, 65 E. 12th St., who died Friday (Dec. 7, 2001)at NorthEast Medical Center, Concord.

Born March 26, 1921, in Stanly County, Mrs. Lee was a daughter of the late Archie and Minnie Lee Hancock. She was a homemaker.

Her husband, James Melvin Lee, died Dec. 19, 1980.

Survivors include daughters Melba Kramer,China Grove, and Brenda Jordan, Kannapolis; sons Archie B., Gary D. and James “Bo” Lee, all of Kannapolis; brother Fred Hancock, Norwood; sister Carol Sanders, Albemarle; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Tuesday, Whitley’s Funeral Home chapel, conducted by the Rev. John Ontko. Burial, West Lawn Memorial Park, China Grove.

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

Mark Miller

Mark Miller, 29, Salisbury, died Sunday (Dec. 9, 2001) at Rowan Regional Medical Center.

Powles Funeral Home, Rockwell, is in charge.

Brady Wise

Brady Wise, 81, Goodnight Road, died Sunday (Dec. 9, 2001) at his home.

Born June 4, 1920, in Rowan County, Mr. Wise, a son of the late Lonnie and Dora Neal Wise, was educated in the Rowan County schools. He retired after 45 years from Cannon Mills plant 1 No. 6 weave room, Kannapolis.

He was a member of Salem Lutheran Church.

Survivors include wife Mattie TillBelk Wise; sons Phillip and Randy Dale Wise, both of Salisbury, and Steve Wise, Fincastle,Va.; sisters Sara Liverman,Kannapolis, and Ruby Ingle, Salisbury; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Tuesday, Salem Lutheran Church, conducted by the Rev. Clarence Sifford and Dr. William Johnson. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight, Linn-Honeycutt Funeral Home, China Grove.

Memorials: Rowan Regional Home Health and Hospice, 825-A W. Henderson St., Salisbury,NC 28144; or ARC of Rowan, 1918 W. Innes St., Salisbury, NC 28144.

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