Walter Taft Beck, 92, 329-A Raymond St., died Wednesday (Jan. 10, 2001)at his residence.

Born Sept. 15, 1908, in Davie County, Mr. Beck was a son of the late William A. and Lula Bowles Beck. Retired from L.A. Reynolds Construction, where he was a truck driver for 28 years, Mr. Beck was a member of the Chestnut Grove Methodist Church. He was a lifelong member of the DAV.

Survivors include wife Margaret Moore Beck; sons Mickey Walter and Stacy A. Beck, both of Mocksville; daughters Brenda Beck Huff, Dorothy M. Cranfill and Peggy Beck Whitaker, all of Mocksville; brother Noah F. Beck, Mocksville; 13 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.

Services:8 tonight, Davie Funeral Service, conducted by the Rev. Brad Holliman and Tim Starbuck. Burial, 11 a.m. Friday, Chestnut Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery.

Visitation: 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.

Memorials: Chestnut Grove Methodist Church, Attn. Kenny Harpe, 1813 U.S. Highway 601 N., Mocksville, NC 27028.

Berenza ‘Usher’ Butler, 108

The funeral will be Saturday for Berenza Virginia Howell “Usher” Butler, 108, 512 Best St., who died Saturday (Jan. 6, 2001)at Rowan RegionalMedical Center.

Services:3 p.m. Saturday, Mount Zion Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Nilous Avery, pastor. Burial, Oakdale Cemetery.

Visitation: 7-8 p.m. Friday, Noble andKelsey Funeral Home.

Marvin Carriker

CONCORD —Marvin L. Carriker, 77, Fleetwood Drive, died Monday (Jan. 8, 2001) at his home.

He was the father of, Linda Troutman, Kannapolis.

Services:Graveside, 1 today, West Concord Cemetery.

Memorials:Meals on Wheels, 212 LePhilip Court No. 202, Concord, NC 28025.

Wilkinson Funeral Home is in charge.

Henry Preston Giles

HIGH POINT — The funeral will be Friday for Henry Preston Giles, 70, 140 Spring Garden’s Circle, formerly of Salisbury, who died Sunday (Jan. 7, 2001) at High Point Regional Medical Center.

Born Nov. 17, 1930, in Philadelphia, Pa., Mr. Giles was a son of Robert Giles and Estella Thompson Giles Bush. Educated in Philadelphia public schools, Mr. Giles was a U.S. Air Force veteran and retired from the U.S. Interior Department. He was a former member of Miller’s Chapel AME Zion Church and Lion’s Club of Taiki Taiki Ka, S.C., and J.C. Price American Legion Post 107.

Survivors include son John Reddick, High Point, and Warren P. Giles, Atlanta, Ga.; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services:1 p.m. Friday, Noble and Kelsey Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Hezekiah Lawson. Burial, U.S. National Cemetery, with military rites by Salisbury-Rowan Veteran’s Council.

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

Jerry Lee Holshouser

HAPPY VALLEY, Calif. — Jerry Lee Holshouser, 70, of Happy Valley, Calif., formerly of Rockwell, N.C., died Monday (Jan. 8, 2001) at Mercy Medical Center, Redding.

Born March 27, 1930, in Charlotte, N.C., Mr. Holshouser served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, and was a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He was a member of VFW Anderson, and of the Navy Fleet Reserve. He owned and operated Jerry’s Lawn Service, Anderson.

Survivors include wife Laura Holshouser, Happy Valley; son Bill Holshouser, Happy Valley; daughters Laura Marie Brown, Anderson, and Theresa Pague, Fullerton; brothers Charles Holshouser, Greenville, Bill Holshouser and Van Holshouser Jr., both of Rockwell, N.C., and B.K. Holshouser, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; sisters Fay Corl, and Barbara Witley, both of Rockwell, N.C., and Betty Freeman, Kannapolis, N.C.; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Services:Memorial, 2 p.m. Saturday, Happy Valley Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Dennis Benfield.

Allen and Dahl Funeral Chapel is in charge.

John H. Joyce

John H. Joyce, 91, 319 Idlewood Drive, died Thursday (Jan. 11, 2001) at his residence.

Summersett Funeral Home is in charge.

Earl Lentz

KANNAPOLIS —A memorial service will be held later for Earl William Lentz, 61, 6001 Turkey Road, who died Tuesday (Jan. 9, 2001) at his residence.

Born Oct. 4, 1939, in Rowan County, Mr. Lentz was a son of the late William Cody and Ora Gertrude Troutman Lentz. He retired as a security guard from Cannon Mills.

Survivors include wife Marlene “Bessie” Clemmons Lentz; sons Dennis Lentz, Mount Pleasant and Joel Lentz, Concord; sister Minnie Belle Menius, Rockwell; brothers Ray Lentz, Concord, and Charles Lentz, Rockwell; and four grandchildren.

Services: A memorial service will be held later.

Lady’s Funeral Home is in charge.

Elyse Marilyn Reece

Elyse Marilyn Reece, Wallace, formerly of Salisbury, died Wednesday (Jan. 10, 2001)at New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

Services:Memorial, 11 a.m. Friday, St. Andrews On-the-Sound Episcopal Church, Wilmington.

Andrews Mortuary, Wilmington, is in charge.

‘Ed’ Gilmer Shomaker

The funeral will be Saturday for Edward “Ed” Gilmer Shomaker, 78, Emerald Avenue, who died Tuesday (Jan. 9, 2001)at Rowan Regional Medical Center after a period of declining health.

Born Aug. 20, 1922, in Lebanon, Va., Mr. Shomaker was a son of the late R.S. and Katheryn Livsay Shomaker. Educated in the Elon township, Mr. Shomaker was a graduate of Elon College. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, with the 104th Infantry Timberwolves. He was a North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper for 32 years, retiring in 1984.

Survivors include wife Dorothy McQuay Shomaker; sons Todd Shomaker and Edward Shomaker Jr., both of Salisbury; daughter Kathy S. Grubbs, Cary; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services:1 p.m. Saturday, Summersett Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Chuck Brawley, pastor, Faith Baptist Church. Burial, City Memorial Park Cemetery, with honors by the N.C. Highway Patrol Honor Guard.

Visitation:7-8:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral Home.

Elizabeth Torrence

MOORESVILLE —The funeral will be Saturday for Elizabeth Robinson Torrence, 80, 2215 Bradshaw Road, who died Tuesday (Jan. 9, 2001) at Brian Center Health and Rehabilitation, Salisbury, after several years of declining health and two weeks of serious illness.

Born Nov. 11, 1920, in Blackstock, S.C., Mrs. Torrence was a daughter of the late John Robinson and Lula Rice Robinson Carr. A graduate of Rowan County public schools, Mrs. Torrence was a homemaker. She was a member of Sills Creek AME Zion Church, Salisbury, the Deaconness board, stewardess board No. 1, an adult Sunday school teacher and member of Parent Body Missionary Lay Council.

Her husband, Berlin T. Torrence, died Oct. 10, 1994.

Survivors include Norris and John E. Torrence, both of Kannapolis, and Berlin T. Torrence Jr., Salisbury; daughter Phyllis T. Cornelius, Mooresville; brother Carl E. Carr, Brooklyn, N.Y.; sister Josephine Leach, China Grove; stepsisters Irene Frisby, Pomona, N.Y., Esther Brotherton, Las Vegas, Nev., and Jennie Mae Holt, Astoria, N.Y; granddaughters reared in the home Tonya and Robin Cornelius, both of Mooresville; and eight additional grandchildren.

Services:2 p.m. Saturday, Sills Creek AME Zion Church, Mooresville, conducted by the Rev. Michael Neal, pastor. Burial, church cemetery.

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

Noble andKelsey Funeral Home is in charge.

Lola Miller Varnadore

The funeral will be Friday for Lola Beaver Miller Varnadore, 82, Rockwell, who died Wednesday (Jan. 10, 2001)at the Laurels of Salisbury.

Born March 17, 1918, in Rowan County, Mrs. Varnadore was a daughter of the late Robert and Elizabeth Miller Beaver. Educated in Rowan County schools, she was a homemaker and a member of Phaniels Baptist Church.

Her first husband, Joe Miller, died Oct. 7, 1968;her second husband, Hayden Varnadore, also preceded her in death. A son, Alvin Miller, died in 1973.

Survivors include sons Donnie, Lonnie, Billy and Terry Miller, all of Rockwell; daughters Betty M. Keever, Kaye M. Edwards, Gaye M. Lail, and Shelva M. Carter, all of Rockwell; brother Harry Beaver, Rockwell; sisters Cleo Overcash, Rockwell, Hester Surratt, Denton, and Doshia Shoe, Mount Pleasant; 17 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

Services:2 p.m. Friday, Phaniels Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Dr. Michael Taylor, pastor. The body will be placed in the church at 1:30. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight, Powles Funeral Home. At other times the family will be at the home of son Donnie Miller, Rockwell.

Memorials:Phaniels Baptist Church, 2685 Phaniels Church Road, Rockwell, NC 28138.

Georgia Jones Williams

KANNAPOLIS —Georgia Elizabeth Jones Williams, 85, 106 W. Universal St., died Wednesday (Jan. 10, 2001)at Brian Center, Concord.

Born May 8, 1915, in Chatham County, Mrs. Williams was a daughter of the late George W. and Sarah Berta Clark Jones. She retired from Willis Hosiery Mills, Concord, and was a member of Central Baptist Church.

Her husband, Zedia Eldon Williams, died in 1977.

Survivors include daughters Mary Williams, Oakboro, and Brenda W. Cobb, Kannapolis; son Larry J. Rush, Wichita, Kan.; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Services: 3 p.m. Saturday, Central Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Curtis Parker. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park.

Visitation: 7-9 p.m. Friday, Whitley’s Funeral Home. At other times the family will be at the the home.

Memorials:Central Baptist Church, 1810 Moose Road, Kannapolis, NC 28083.

Edith Smith VonCannon

ALBEMARLE — Edith McRae Smith VonCannon, 81, 655 N. Seventh St., died Tuesday (Jan. 9, 2001)at Forrest Oakes Healthcare Center.

Born June 26, 1919, in Albemarle, she was a daughter of the late Earl Basil and Molly Lou McRae Smith.

A 1936 graduate of Albemarle High School, she attended Woman’s College, Greensboro, and was a graduate of Morgan Business College. She retired as office secretary from Standard Office Equipment Co. after 30 years. She was a member of Central United Methodist Church, the Golden Rule Sunday School Class and the United Methodist Women.

Survivors include son Arvil E. “Butch” VonCannon, Jamestown; sister Maston S. Parkham, Morganton; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Services: 11 a.m. Saturday, Central United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Ben Wilson, and the Rev. Dr. Robert L. Williams. Burial, Stanly Gardens of Memory, Albemarle.

Visitation: 7-9 p.m. Friday, Hartsell Funeral Home. At other times the family will be at the home.

Memorials: Central United Methodist Church, 172 N. Second St., Albemarle, NC 28001.

Jessie Willard Yates

Jessie Willard Yates, 74, Salisbury, died Thursday (Jan. 11, 2001) at his residence.

Lyerly Funeral Home is in charge.