Helen C. Brown

LEXINGTON — Helen Louise Collins Brown, 81, Vanmar Drive, died Wednesday (Sept. 26, 2001) at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Durham, after two weeks of serious illness.

Services: 11 a.m. Saturday, Davidson Funeral Home chapel. Burial, Lexington City Cemetery.

Visitation:6:30-8:30 tonight at the funeral home.

John Henry Cranford

ALBEMARLE —John Henry Cranford, 83, 1623 W. Park Ave., died Thursday (Sept. 27, 2001) at Britthaven of Piedmont.

Born Sept. 23, 1918, in Lexington, Mr. Cranford was a son of the late Ad Lee and Della Michael Cranford. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Army in Private Co. C, 56th Infantry.

He retired after 22 years from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, where he was a road maintenance equipment supervisor. A member of Friendship United Methodist Church for 50 years, he was active in all phases of the church.

A member of the Advisory Committee of Centralina Council of Government Agency on Aging, he was on the regional and area aging committee from 1980-1985. He was on the Stanly County Board of Directors Council on Aging, the Stanly County Chapter 12 DAV and the North Carolina Teachers and State Employees Association.

A lifetime member of Albemarle Civitan Club, he attended for 22 years and had 16 years of perfect attendance. He received the Honor Key in 1982 and Citizen of the Year in 1975 by Civitan International. He served on the board of directors and on numerous committees through the years.

He was a charter member of Plyler Community Fellowship Club, serving as president from 1975-1977 and from 1978-1981. He was also a member of the Association for Retarded Citizens and Stanly County Mental Health Association, where he was on the board of trustees from 1984-1987 and from 1989-1992.

Mr. Cranford was honored by Governor and Mrs. Jim Hunt as Senior Citizen Volunteer of the Year and received an honorary plaque as Volunteer of the Year in 1990. In 1988, he received the Achievement to State and National Organization award from the DAV.

A member of the North Carolina Easter Seals advisory committee, he assisted with the Easter Seal Telethon for two years. He was the first president of Stanly County Senior Citizens Inc. and volunteered with Industrial Services Inc., Greenwood Center, Stanly County Heart Fund and National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Survivors include wife of 59 years Eula Forrest Cranford; daughters Brenda C. Couick, Albemarle, and Gail C. Childers, New London; brother Thurman B. Cranford, New London; sisters Mable C. Troutman, Gold Hill, and Martha C. Bowers, Albemarle; three grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Saturday, Friendship United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Roy Sides. Burial,Stanly Gardens of Memory. Military rites by Albemarle Stanly County DAV.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight, Hartsell Funeral Home. At other times, the family will be at the home on West Park Avenue.

Memorials: Hospice of Stanly County, 960 N. First St., Albemarle, NC 28001; or Friendship United Methodist Church, 24712 Hwy. 73 W., Albemarle, NC 28001.

Kathleen M. Farmer

Kathleen Miller Farmer, 82, 1303 Arbor Drive, died Thursday (Sept. 27, 2001) at Rowan Regional Medical Center.

Summersett Funeral Home is in charge.

Ruth Shepherd Propst

Ruth Shepherd Propst, 96, Salisbury, died Thursday (Sept. 27, 2001) at Rowan Regional Medical Center.

Lyerly Funeral Home is in charge.

Margaret Smith Regan

LINWOOD — Margaret Louise Smith Regan, 70, 541 Tater Bug Drive, formerly of Conway, S.C., died Wednesday (Sept. 26, 2001).

Services: Memorial, 2 p.m. Saturday, Piedmont Funeral Home chapel.

Visitation: 1-2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. At other times, the family will be at the home of a son, 952 Sink Farm Road, Lexington.

Donald B. Strayhorn

Donald Burns Strayhorn, 85, Salisbury, died Thursday (Sept. 27, 2001) at Rowan Regional Medical Center.

Born Dec. 26, 1915, in High Point, Mr. Strayhorn was a son of the late Lacy Byron and Nora Burns Strayhorn. He served in the Civil Conservation Corp.

In 1978 he retired after 40 years as an engineer with Southern Railway and was the oldest living retired engineer of the Danville Division. He was a member of West Innes Street Church of Christ.

Survivors include wife of 63 years Charlotte Verne Odrosky Strayhorn; daughters Val S. Erranton, Dickson, Tenn., and Connie S. Nelson, Roswell, Ga.; brothers Thornton Strayhorn, Asheboro, William Strayhorn, Columbia, S.C., and Darrell Strayhorn, Oxford, Miss.; sisters Jacqueline S. Davidson,Asheboro, and Golda S. Fountaine, North Abington, Mass.; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Services: 3 p.m. Saturday, Summersett Funeral Home chapel, conducted by Dan Erranton, Dickson, Tenn., and Steve Nelson, Roswell, Ga., sons-in-law of Mr. Strayhorn.

Visitation: 1-3 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Memorials: Donor’s choice.

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