CHINA GROVE — The funeral will be Saturday for Elijah “Doc”Blakeney, 91, 568 Westside Circle, who died Wednesday (July 25, 2001) at his home.

Born March 28, 1910, in Pageland, S.C., Mr. Blakeney, a son of the late Malachi and Rebecca McManus Blakeney, attended the Pageland schools. He was employed with Southern Railway and the town of China Grove and was a former member of the Brothers of Scottish Rites and the Negro Civic League.

His first wife, Odessa Knox Blakeney, died in November 1983.

Survivors include wife Betty Lou Blakeney; daughter Rebecca B. Stinson, East Spencer; stepsons John Brown, Mooresville, Vonell and Tyrone Isom, both of Salisbury, and Randall and Stanford Isom, both of Concord; stepdaughters Sharon Robinson and Charlotte Moore, both of Kannapolis, and Tina Muskelly, Concord; sisters Alice B. Saunders, Mamaronck, N.Y., and Lula B. Summers, Washington, D.C.; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; 32 stepgrandchildren; and 16 stepgreat-grandchildren.

Services: 3 p.m. Saturday, Noble and Kelsey Funeral Home chapel, Salisbury, conducted by Elder Otis Smith and the Rev. James Smith. Burial, Oak Grove Baptist Church cemetery.

Visitation: 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

O. Grant Bost

LANDIS — O. Grant Bost, 90, formerly of South Main Street, died Friday (July 27, 2001) at Concord Place Assisted Living, Concord.

Linn-Honeycutt Funeral Home, Landis, is in charge.

Juanita Christenbury

MOORESVILLE — Juanita Jordan Christenbury, 78, 117 Nance Farm Road, died Thursday (July 26, 2001) at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center.

Services: 11 a.m.Saturday, Rockwell Baptist Church. Burial, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Evergreen Cemetery, Mint Hill.

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

Neill Funeral Home is in charge.

Bessie D. Fesperman

ALBEMARLE — Bessie Lee Dennis Fesperman, 80, 306 N. East Connector, died Thursday (July 26, 2001) at Stanly Memorial Hospital.

Services: 2 p.m. Saturday, Hartsell Funeral Home chapel.Burial, Stanly Gardens of Memories.

Visitation: 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.At other times, the family will be at the home of daughter Carol Hatley, 306 N. East Connector, Albemarle.

Carl Isaac Hodge

Carl Isaac Hodge, 85, Salisbury, died Thursday (July 27, 2001) at Genesis Eldercare of Salisbury.

Lyerly Funeral Home is in charge.

Ruth L. King

LEXINGTON — Ruth McCulloch Leonard King, 90, Lexington, died Wednesday (July 25, 2001) at Genesis Eldercare, Salisbury.

Services: 2 p.m. Saturday, St. Timothy’s United Methodist Church. Burial, Lexington City Cemetery.

Visitation: 1-2 p.m. Saturday at the church.

Davidson Funeral Home is in charge.

Nelle R. Lilly

Nelle R. Lilly, 89, Sarasota, Fla., formerly of Salisbury, died Monday (July 23, 2001)at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Born March 24, 1912, in Athens, Tenn., Mrs. Lilly was a daughter of the late Charles and Sarah Foree Mashburn. She resided in Salisbury and Rock Hill, S.C., before moving to Sarasota, Fla.

Survivors include daughter Margaret Arnold, Sarasota, Fla.; son Tom Lilly, Dallas, Texas; seven grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

Graveside services were held this morning at Sharon Memorial Park, Charlotte.

McEwen Funeral and Cremation Service, Charlotte, was in charge.

Weldon Massey Jr.

ALBEMARLE — Weldon O. “Pat” Massey Jr., 77, 902 Mascot Drive, died Wednesday (July 25, 2001) at his home.

Services: 4 p.m. Sunday, First Lutheran Church. Burial will be in Morrilton,Ark.

Visitation: None. The family will be at the home on Mascot Drive. Hartsell Funeral Home is in charge.

Memorials: Hospice of Stanly County, 960 N. First St., Albemarle, NC 28001; First Lutheran Church, Renovation Fund, 230 S. Second St., Albemarle, NC 28001; or donor’s choice.

Ricky Eugene Menius

KANNAPOLIS — Ricky Eugene Menius, 45, 901 Cedar Park Drive, died Thursday (July 26, 2001).

Born Feb. 20, 1956, in Cabarrus County, Mr. Menius, a son of Thomas Eugene and Barbara Lambert Menius of Kannapolis, was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He was formerly employed as a machinist with Mid-State Machine Co., Mount Ulla.

Survivors, in addition to his parents, include daughter Amanda Menius, Kannapolis; and sister Nadine Wilbanks, Kannapolis.

Services: 2 p.m. Saturday,Whitley’s Funeral Home chapel, conducted by the Rev. Leon Smith.Burial,Carolina Memorial Park.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight at the funeral home. At other times, the family will be at the home of Gene and Barbara Menius, 1312 West A St.

Byron ‘Gene’ Moore

KANNAPOLIS — Byron Eugene “Gene” Moore, 54, 8201 Smith Road, died Thursday (July 26, 2001).

Whitley’s Funeral Home is in charge.

Rufus A. Morris

MOCKSVILLE — Rufus A. Morris, Godbey Road, died Thursday (July 26, 2001) at Autumn Care of Mocksville

Eaton Funeral Service is in charge.

Dessie Mills Smith

KANNAPOLIS — Dessie Mary Mills Smith, 89, 1700 Clay St., died Thursday (July 26, 2001) at University Memorial Hospital, Charlotte, after five days of illness.

Born July 16, 1912, in Union County, Mrs. Smith was a daughter of the late Grover and Gay Thomas Mills. She was a homemaker and attended High Ridge Primitive Baptist Church, Marshville.

Her husband, Thomas Byron Smith, died March 12, 1991.

Survivors include daughters Christine Tucker, Jeanette Eagle, Annie Gay Jordan and Linda Lowe, all of Kannapolis, and Josephine Rollings, Jefferson, S.C.; sons Kermit and Ed Smith, both of Kannapolis, and Kenneth Smith, Kissimmee, Fla.; sister Trolley V. Stamey, Kannapolis; 21 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Services: 11 a.m. Saturday, Whitley’s Funeral Home chapel, conducted by the Rev. James Pauley and the Rev. Everette Cox. Entombment, Carolina Memorial Park Mausoleum.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight at the funeral home. At other times, the family will be at the home of Linda Lowe, 522 Carolyn Ave.

Doris Kirk Stanley

CARY — Doris Kirk Stanley, 73, Cary, a Rowan County native, died Wednesday (July 25, 2001) at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, after five months of declining health.

Mrs. Stanley was a daughter of the late John Robert and Jessie Johnson Kirk. A nurse for 45 years, she had worked at George Washington University Hospital and Alamance Memorial Hospital.

She was an Episcopalian and served as a missionary nurse in Paraguay, South America, for three years. She was a volunteer with Hospice.

Her husband, Benjamin Ray Stanley, died in 1997.

Survivors include son Mark Stanley, Wirtz, Va.; and two grandchildren.

Services: Memorial, 11 a.m. Saturday, Episcopal Church of The Holy Comforter, Burlington, conducted by the Rev. Deven A. Hubert, associate rector. Graveside, 5 p.m. Saturday, Sandy Ridge Baptist Church cemetery,Wirtz, Va., conducted by the Rev. Joe Dillon.

Visitation: 6:30-8:30 tonight, Lowe Funeral Home and Crematory, Burlington. At other times, the family will be at the home of a niece, Brenda Kracunas, 21 London Lane, Mebane.

Memorials: Donor’s choice.

Ernest Joseph Stoner

Ernest Joseph Stoner, 91, Salisbury, died Thursday (July 26, 2001) at Rowan Regional Medical Center.

Born June 20, 1910, in Rowan County, Mr. Stoner, a son of the late Charles Alexander and Mary Elizabeth Kesler Stoner, was educated in Rowan County schools and attended Flint Hill School. He grew up in the St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church area.

During World War II, Mr. Stoner was active in the Patriotic Order Sons of America. A master furniture maker, he retired after 40 years from Rowan Cotton Mills, where he was an overseer.

A member of Christiana Lutheran Church, he was treasurer of the Men’s Bible Class and a member of the cemetery and property committee. He was a former member of the church council and former caretaker of church grounds.

His wife of 54 years, Janice Brown Stoner, died Oct. 17, 1993.

Survivors include son Terry Stoner,Lexington; daughter Ann S. Kepley Carlan, Spencer; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services:11 a.m. Saturday, Christiana Lutheran Church, conducted by the Rev. Carl M. Haynes. The Men’s Bible Class will be seated as a group. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 6:30-8:30 tonight, Powles Funeral Home, Rockwell.At other times, the family will be at the home.

Memorials: Christiana Lutheran Church, 6190 U.S. Hwy. 52, Salisbury, NC 28146; or Rowan Regional Home Health and Hospice, 825-A W. Henderson St., Salisbury, NC 28144.