Ralph A. Bostian

GRANITE QUARRY — Ralph Alexander Bostian, 78, of Granite Quarry, died Monday (May 21, 2001) at Brian Center Health and Rehabilitation Center after a period of declining health.

Born Feb. 2, 1923, in Rowan County, Mr. Bostian was the son of the late William Russell and Nonie Roseta Cress Bostian. He was educated in Granite Quarry Schools, at Catawba College and the University of North Carolina. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he served in World War II.

Mr. Bostian retired from the Salisbury City School system after a career that included serving as principal at Overton, Henderson and A.T. Allen schools. He was a member of First United Church of Christ, where he was organist for 42 years and was honored as “Organist Emeritus.”

He was also a member of the Salisbury Civitan Club and was a Mason.

Survivors include wife, Louise Lyerly Bostian, whom he married April 20, 1947; daughters Leisa Davenport, Rockwell, and Hedi Bostian, Granite Quarry; sisters Geneva B. Kirk, Raleigh, and Sadie B. Husbands, Clearwater, Fla.; and one granddaughter.

Services: 11 a.m., Wednesday, First United Church of Christ in Salisbury, conducted by the Rev. David Crook, pastor. Burial, Christiana Lutheran Church cemetery.

Visitation: 7-8:30 p.m., today, Lyerly Funeral Home, Salisbury. At other times the family will be at the residence.

Memorials:First United Church of Christ, 207 W. Horah St., Salisbury, NC 28144; or to Nazareth Children’s Home, 825 Crescent Road, Rockwell, NC 28138.

Walter Brooks

CHINA GROVE — Walter Brooks, 72, 605 Bostian Road, died Monday (May 21, 2001) at his home.

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

Carolyn Conrad

OAKBORO — Carolyn Dean Knuckles Conrad, 49, 20119 Tucker Road, died Monday (May 21, 2001) at her home.

Services: Memorial, 3 p.m., Thursday, Garr Memorial Baptist Church, Charlotte, conducted by the Rev. Steve Byrd.

Visitation: Thursday, in the church foyer following the service.

Hartsell Funeral Home, Albemarle, is in charge.

Memorials: Pregnancy Resource Center of Stanly County, 124 E. North St., Albemarle, NC, 28001; or BBN, P.O. Box 7300, Charlotte, NC, 28241-7300.

Jessie Cooper Jr.

LEXINGTON — Jessie Cooper Jr., 78, 414 Pine St., died Monday (May 21, 2001) at his home after an extended illness.

Morrison-Studevent Funeral Home is in charge.

Joseph Dowd Jr.

LEXINGTON — Joseph Dowd Jr., 59, 117 Arcadia Lane, died Monday (May 21, 2001) at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

The family will be at the home of a sister at 113 Foyell St.

Morrison-Studevent Funeral Home is in charge.

Denise S. Helms

CHARLOTTE — Denise Scarboro Helms, 48, 4100 Fordyce Court, died Monday (May 21, 2001) at Britthaven of Charlotte after a lengthy illness.

Born Feb. 2, 1953, in Cabarrus County, Mrs. Helms was a daughter of David and Margie Helms Scarboro, Kannapolis. She was a graduate of Northwest Cabarrus High School.

A lifelong resident of the area, she was employed as a vendor receiver for 30 years with Harris-Teeter. She was a member of Kannapolis Church of God.

Survivors, in addition to her parents, include husband Archie Monroe Helms; son Kevin E. Helms, Charlotte; daughter Jennifer Helms Hollis,Concord; brother Gary Scarboro, Kannapolis; and sister Cynthia Holder, Kannapolis.

Services: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Kannapolis Church of God,Kannapolis, conducted by the Rev. Sam Crisp. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park, Kannapolis.

Visitation: 6-8 tonight, Whitley’s Funeral Home,Kannapolis.

Colene L. Perry

KANNAPOLIS — Colene Lowery Perry, 94, formerly of 564 Centergrove Road, died Sunday (May 20, 2001) at Transitional Health Services.

Born March 31, 1907, in Blacksburg, S.C., Mrs. Perry was a daughter of the late John W. and Lucy Starnes Lowery.

She was a cook at the YMCA and a member of the Marable Memorial AME Zion Church. She was a missionary and life member of the church council.

Survivors include four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Wednesday, Marable Memorial AME Zion Church, conducted by the Rev. Grant Harrison. Burial, Rutherford Memorial Cemetery.

Visitation: 1-2 p.m. Wednesday at the church. Other times the family will be at the home of a granddaughter, Martha Gregory, 1615 Coliseum St, Kannapolis.

Clark Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

‘Donnie’ Plummer

LEXINGTON — Donald Ray “Donnie” Plummer, 38, 124 Southland Drive, died Monday (May 21, 2001) at Carolinas Medical Hospital, Charlotte.

Born June 13, 1962, in Salisbury, Mr. Plummer was a son of C.J. “Click” and Betty Doby Plummer of Churchland. He graduated in 1980 from West Davidson High School and served in the U.S. Navy for four years and in the U.S. Air Force Reserves for five years.

Mr. Plummer worked for R.D. Franklin Electric in Concord. He was a Baptist.

Survivors, in addition to his parents, include sons Donnie and Kenny Plummer, both of New Jersey; and brothers Ben Plummer, Herndon, Va., David Plummer, Churchland, and Barry Plummer, Lexington.

Services: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Summersett Funeral Home chapel, Salisbury, conducted by the Rev. Jimmy Green, pastor, East End Baptist Church. Burial, Rowan Memorial Park.

Visitation: 7-8:30 p.m. today, Summersett Funeral Home, Salisbury.

Memorials: Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Western North Carolina Inc., 200 Centreport Drive, Suite 300, Greensboro, NC, 27409-1409.

Ralph Remeschatis

PHIPPSBURG, Maine —Ralph E.C. Remeschatis, 88, of Phippsburg, formerly of Salisbury, N.C., died Saturday (May 19, 2001) at a Yarmouth nursing home after an illness of three years.

Born Aug. 27, 1912, in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mr. Remeschatis was the son of the late Henry F. and Bertha Remeschatis. He was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School and graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., in 1935. While in high school, he was a member of the Brooklyn and Queens champion swim team.

While in college, he participated in soccer, winning a college letter in 1932 and 1933, and also played lacrosse, winning a college letter in 1934. He was made a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity on May 12, 1933.

A professional engineer, he had held various positions throughout the Northeastern United States. At the time of his retirement in 1977, he was chief engineer of the White House Milk Division of the A&P Supermarket chain. He attended Phippsburg Center Congregational Church.

He had been a member and active volunteer with First Presbyterian Church in Salisbury, N.C. He designed flower beds and other plantings in North Carolina and Maine. He also was active during his retirement years, building homes with Habitat for Humanity in Salisbury, N.C.; and with his wife, delivered for Meals on Wheels in Salisbury, N.C.

Mr. Remeschatis was an amateur photographer, specializing in travel photographs. He also dabbled in furniture building.

His wife, Ellen Slocum Remeschatis, whom he married in 1931, died Jan. 24, 1995, in Salisbury.

Surviving are daughter Mary Ellen Cummings, Phippsburg, with whom he had recently made his home; son Frederick Remeschatis, Madison, Wis.; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Salisbury, N.C., in June. A graveside service will also be scheduled for Morningside Cemetery in Phippsburg at a later date.

Daniel Sledd

CAMDEN, S.C. — Daniel Sledd, brother of Myrtle Phillips, Landis, died Thursday (May 17, 2001).

Services: Memorial, 2 p.m. Thursday, Kornegay Funeral Home chapel, Camden.

Viola Little Tillman

ALBEMARLE —Viola Little Tillman, 87, of 1037 Martin Luther King Drive, died Sunday (May 20, 2001) at Stanly Memorial Hospital.

Services: 3 p.m., Thursday, Greater Mount Zion Ministry, conducted by Bishop James T. Worthy, pastor. Burial, church cemetery.

Kelsey Funeral Home, Albemarle, is in charge.

Visitation: 2:30 p.m., Thursday at the church.

Walter ‘Pete’ Williams

LEXINGTON — Walter Glenn “Pete” Williams, 66, Walser Road, died Monday (May 21, 2001) at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center after a critical illness of six months.

Born June 24, 1934, in Davie County, Mr. Williams was a son of the late Spencer Franklin and Martha Ireland Williams.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1959 and retired from Lexington Furniture After 44 years of service. Mr. Williams was currently employed by City Motors in Greensboro.

Survivors include wife Eveline Karl Williams; sons Joe, Randall “Hoss” and Michael R. Williams, all of Lexington; daughters Sindy Clay and Diana Evans, both of Lexington; brothers Billy and Gurney Williams, both of Mocksville, and Nathan and George Williams, both of Lexington; sisters Virginia Beachamp, Mocksville, Coleen Vestal, Arcadia, and Alice Rummage, Lexington; and five grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Wednesday, Davidson Funeral Home chapel, conducted by the Rev. David Robinson. Burial, Forest Hill Memorial Park Mausoleum, with military graveside rites by Fort Bragg Honor Guard.

Visitation: 6-8 tonight at the funeral home. At other times, the family will be at the home on Walser Road.

Memorials: Madison Heights Freewill Baptist Church, 214 Andrew Sink Road, Lexington, NC 27295.

Jay Dee ‘J.D.’ Wong

EAST SPENCER — Jay Dee “J.D.”Wong, 70, 412 Robinson Road, died Monday (May 21, 2001) at Rowan Regional Medical Center, Salisbury.

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

Margaret South Pitts

KANNAPOLIS — Margaret South Pitts, 81, 1316 S. Bailey St., died Monday (May 21, 2001) at NorthEast Medical Center, Concord, after three years of declining health.

Born Dec. 20, 1919, in East Molene, Ill., Mrs. Pitts was a daughter of the late Lonnie O. and Mary Boyd South. She was employed at Andmore Sportswear, Port Jervis, NY for 30 years until her retirement. She was a member of the Methodist faith.

Survivors include two nieces.

Services: 4 p.m. Wednesday, Whitley’s Funeral Home chapel, conducted by the Rev. Mary Arnette. Inurnment will be at a later date at the Carolina Memorial Park Plaza Mausoleum.

Visitation: 3 to 4 p.m., Wednesday at the funeral home.

Memorials: God’s Remnant Church, 801 Kluttz Street, Kannapolis, NC 28081.