NORWOOD — Elsie Pauline Whitley Howard, 84, 32153 Bethlehem Church Road, died Wednesday (Nov. 24, 1999) at Stanly Memorial Hospital.

Born Jan. 5, 1915, in Albemarle, Stanly County, Mrs. Howard was a daughter of the late Ossie Lee Cline and Kelcie Ervin Whitley. A homemaker, she was a charter member of Bethlehem Baptist Church. She served as a Sunday school teacher, choir member and was active in the WMU.

Her husband, Huffman H. Howard, died April 7, 1993.

Survivors include daughter Barbara H. Garrett, Norwood; son Ervin M. Howard, Norwood; sisters Evelyn W. Harkey, Lillie W. Hinson, and Ruby W. Litaker, all of Albemarle; brothers Grady L. and Pete Whitley, both of Albemarle; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Friday, Bethlehem Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Lowell Brown. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Hartsell Funeral Home, Albemarle. At other times the family will be at the home of daughter Barbara H. Garrett, 32150 Bethlehem Church Road, Norwood.

Memorials:Bethlehem Baptist Church, 32283 Bethlehem Church Road, Norwood, N.C. 28128.

Charles T. Leonard Jr.

SENECA, S.C. — Charles Thomas Leonard Jr., formerly of Salisbury, N.C., died Wednesday (Nov. 24, 1999) at Oconee Memorial Hospital, Seneca.

Summersett Funeral Home is in charge.

‘Red’ Ullrich Melchor

MOORESVILLE — Gibbs “Red” Ullrich Melchor, 87, Mooresville, died Tuesday (Nov. 23, 1999) at his residence.

Born April 8, 1912, in Mooresville, he was a son of the late Watson Wharton and Mary Ellen Ludwig Melchor. Mr. Melchor and John Cashion operated two Esso service stations in Mooresville during the 1930s and 1940s. He later founded and owned Tar Heel Tool Supply Warehouse in Mooresville. He was a member of Mooresville Masonic Lodge 496 for over 50 years; a charter member of Adah, chapter 258, Order of the Eastern Star, a member of the Charlotte Chapter Scottish Rite and a lifetime member of Oasis Shrine of Charlotte. Mr. Melchor was a lifetime member of First Presbyterian Church in Mooresville.

Survivors include wife Bernice Mundell Melchor, Mooresville; daughters Evelyn Melchor Weatherman and Ruth Melchor Goodrum, both of Mooresville; and four grandchildren.

Services:2 p.m. Saturday, First Presbyterian Church, Mooresville, conducted by the Rev. Dr. Fred A. Coates and the Rev. Dr. S. Edwin Lewis. Burial, Glenwood Memorial Park, following the service, with Masonic graveside rites.

Visitation: 1-2 p.m. Saturday, First Presbyterian Church parlor.

Memorials:Hospice of Iredell County, P.O. Box 822, Statesville, N.C. 28677-0822; Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, c/o Oasis Temple, P.O. Box 560666, Charlotte, N.C. 28256; or First Presbyterian Restoration Fund, 249 W. McLelland Ave., Mooresville, N.C. 28115.

Cavin Funeral Home is in charge.

Russell Strode Robertson

Russell Strode Robertson, 91, formerly of Trinity Oaks Retirement Center, Salisbury, died Monday (Nov. 22, 1999) at Salisbury Lutheran Home following a long illness.

Born March 21, 1908, in Buckingham County, Va., he was a son of the late Alice Bettie Wright and Elsworth T. Robertson. Educated in Lynchburg, Va. and Spencer schools, he was a graduate of Spencer High School and Coyne Electrical in Chicago, Ill., in 1928. Mr. Robertson retired from Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va., after more than 40 years. He was a member of Union Lutheran Church for many years.

His wife, Elva Mahaley Robertson, preceded him in death.

Survivors include daughters Betty R. Trice, Rockwell, and Genelda R. Harris, Charleston, W.Va.; four grandchildren; and four great grandchildren.

Services:11 a.m. Saturday, Union Lutheran Church, conducted by the Rev. Darrell Norris.

Visitation: At the church fellowship hall one hour prior to the service.

Memorials:Union Lutheran Church, 4770 Bringle Ferry Road, Salisbury, N.C. 28146.

Summersett Funeral Home is in charge.

William A. ‘Billy’ Rock III

KANNAPOLIS — William A. “Billy”Rock III, 49, 1466 Oakwood Ave., died Wednesday (Nov. 24, 1999) at Presbyterian Hospital, Charlotte.

Whitley’s Funeral Home is in charge.

Mary Sellers Mullis

CONCORD — Mary Louise Sellers Mullis, 83, 430 Brookwood Ave., died Tuesday (Nov. 23, 1999) at Concord Nursing and Rehab Center.

She was a spinner at Cannon Mills for 37 years.

Services: 2 p.m. Friday, Hartsell Funeral Home Chapel, Concord, conducted by the Rev. Fenton Jones. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park, Kannapolis.

Visitation: 1-2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Memorials: Coltrane Life Center, Adult Day Care Center, 321 Corban Ave. S.E., Concord, N.C. 28025.

Lenora ‘Skin’ Swann Rice

Lenora Torrence “Skin” Swann Rice, 80, 615 W. Fisher St., died Wednesday (Nov. 24, 1999) at Rowan Regional Medical Center after being seriously ill for three days.

Born Aug. 15, 1919, in Cabarrus County, Mrs. Rice was a daughter of the late George Hoover and Illa Howard Torrence. Educated in the public schools of Cabarrus County, she was a retired employee of Marsh Furniture Store, HighPoint and a former member of Macedonia Baptist Church, Concord.

She is survived by sisters Ernestine Hunter and Mildred Robbins, both of Salisbury, and Mary Lou Phillips and Naomi Lipscomb, both of Kannapolis.

Services: 2 p.m. Saturday, Macedonia Baptist Church, Concord, conducted by the Rev. John Leazer Jr. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Macedonia Baptist Church. At other times the family will be at the home of sister Ernestine Hunter, 717 Partee St.