LARKIN H. NELSON Sr.
LENOIR - Larkin H. Nelson Sr., 74, of Circle Drive, Hudson, died Feb. 9, 2001, at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory. Born Nov. 29, 1926, in Caldwell County, he was a son of the late William B. and Mabel Ernest Nelson. A member of Miller Hill Baptist Church, he was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and retired from Bernhardt Furniture Company. He was preceded in death by a brother, Avery Nelson. Survivors include his wife, Mildred Adkins Nelson of the home; three sons, Hugh Nelson of Lenoir, Neil P. Nelson of Hudson and E. Dennis Nelson of Houston, Texas; a daughter and son-in-law, Mary B. and Pat Benfield of Granite Falls; two sisters, Kathryn Bowman of Custer, S.D., and Barbara Marshall of Troutman; seven grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. The funeral will be conducted by the Rev. Carl W. Hamm at 2 p.m. Tuesday at his church. Burial will be in Blue Ridge Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Todd Nelson, Sid Adkins, Ray Adkins, Bruce Adkins, Terrell Adkins and John McCarson. The family will be at Greer-McElveen Funeral Home from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday. Memorials may be made to Miller Hill Baptist Church, 1230 Virginia St., Lenoir, N.C. 28645.

EDNA G. LAFONE
HICKORY - Edna Garrison LaFone, 94, of Renolda Road, Renolda Park, formerly of Hickory, died Feb. 10, 2001, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem. Born April 28, 1906, in Burke County, she was a daughter of the late Charles and Fannie Garrison. A member of First Church of God, she was a homemaker and also a member of the garden club. She is preceded in death by her husband, Vernon Lafone. Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Ben and Betty LaFone; a daughter and son-in-law, Bonnie and A.C. Larrimore; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Ollie and Garland Griffin of Drexel and Cleo and Tom Sabastian of Santa Fe, New Mexico; a niece, Imo Gene May of Drexel; five grandchildren, four great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. The funeral will be conducted by the Rev. Smith at 2 p.m. Monday at her church. The body will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service. Memorials may be made to First Church of God, 306 Fourteenth St., SW, Hickory 28602. Bass-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangments.

MAYBELLE N. HERRON
HICKORY - Maybelle Nations Herron, 99, of Thirty-ninth Street Place, SW, died Feb. 10, 2001, at her residence after a period of declining health. Born March 2, 1902, she was a daughter of the late Jerry Nations and Bessie Ledford. A member of Connelly Springs Freewill Baptist Church, she retired as a knitter from Burke Hosiery Mill. She is preceded in death by her husband, Daniel Herron. Survivors include three sons, Lonzo Herron, Cletus Herron and Joey Herron of Hickory; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Odelia Birchfield of Bryson City, Ofelia Mary Leasure of Lenoir and Della and Norman Cook of Long View; three brothers, Robert Nations of Atlanta, Ga., and Ed Nations and Hoover Nations of Bryson City; a sister, Gladys Holder of Hazelwood; 20 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren. The funeral will be conducted by the Revs. Leonard Lindsey and Joel Cook at 2 p.m. Monday at her church. The body will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The family will be at the funeral home from 7 to 8:30 tonight. Hickory Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

ARTHUR T. LACKEY
STONY POINT - Arthur Thomas Lackey, 80, of Sharpe Mill Road, died Feb. 9, 2001, at his residence after a period of declining health. Born May 7, 1920, in Alexander County, he was a son of the late George H. Lackey and Lois Head Lackey. A member of Sulphur Springs Baptist Church, he retired as an automobile and airplane mechanic. A U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II, he was also a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10,000 in Hiddenite and American Legion of Alexander County. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Linda Lackey; and a brother, Donald Lackey. Survivors include his wife, Elaine Rosenthal Lackey; four daughters, Janet Lisi of Stanton Island, N.Y., Barbara Heid of Houston, Texas, Carolyn Trilli and Marilyn Santangelo of Brooklyn, N.Y.; four brothers, Gilbert Lackey, Roger Lackey and Dover Lackey of Hiddenite and Hayden Lackey of Taylorsville; a sister, Linda Lee of Mobile, Ala.; seven grandchildren, Jacqui Boyle of New Jersey, Christine Weltzbarker, Richard Heid and Karen Heid of Texas, Joseph Trilli, Michelle Tilli and Dana Santangelo of New York; and eight great-grandchildren. The funeral will be conducted by the Rev. Steve Parks at 2 p.m. Monday at his church. The body will be placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the service. Burial will be in the church cemetery with military rites conducted by members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10,000 in Hiddenite. The family will be at Chapman Funeral Home from 7 to 8:30 tonight. Memorials may be made to Sulphur Springs Baptist Church, 116 Patterson Road, Hiddenite, N.C. 28636; or Hospice of Alexander County, 50 Lucy Echerd Lane, Taylorsville, N.C. 28681.

KATHERINE F. CLARK
GRANITE FALLS - Katherine Fowler Clark, 82, formerly of Lenoir, died Feb. 9, 2001, at Valley Nursing Center. Born May 6, 1918, in Burke County, she was a daughter of the late David M. and Mattie Weaver Fowler. A homemaker, she attended Laytown Baptist Church. She is preceded in death by her husband, Alden D. Clark; and two daughters, Geraldine Edwards and Shirley Clark. Survivors include two daughters, Linda Brooks of Sawmills and Frankie Crew of Rehoboth, Del.; a brother, Clifford Fowler of Valdese; eight grandchildren; 22 greatgrandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. The funeral will be conducted by the Rev. Danny Murphy at 2 p.m. on Monday at Mackie-High Funeral Home. Burial will be in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Lenoir. The family will be at funeral home from 7 to 8:30 tonight.

GARY L. ICENHOUR
TAYLORSVILLE - Gary Lee Icenhour, 53, of Millersville Road, died Feb. 8, 2001, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Born April 11, 1947, in Iredell County, he was a son of Thad and Mary Sue Hammer Icenhour of Taylorsville. A graduate of Hiddenite School, he was a self-employed farmer. He was preceded in death by a brother, Ned Icenhour. Survivors, in addition to his parents, include his wife, Patsy Bentley Icenhour; two daughers and sons-in-law, Dawn and Todd Rogers of Hiddenite and Dixie and James Caskaddon of Taylorsville; one grandaughter, Erica Dawn Rogers; and an expected grandchild, Carlee Darielle Caskaddon. The funeral will be conducted by the Revs. Don Dennis, Tom Campbell and Jerry Chathan at 2 p.m. Monday at Adams Funeral Home. Burial will be in Iredell Memorial Gardens. The family will be at the funeral home from 7 to 9 tonight and at his residence at other times.

MAMIE M. ISENHOUR
TAYLORSVILLE - Mamie McLelland Isenhour, 85, of Spencer Health Care in Spencer, formerly of Taylorsville, died Feb. 9, 2001, at Spencer Health Care after a period of declining health. Born May 11, 1915, in Alexander County, she was a daughter of the late Pink and Darcus Goodin McLelland. A member of White Plains Baptist Church, she was a member of the ladies adult Sunday school class. She retired from Worth Spinning Company in Stony Point. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Isenhour; two brothers, Bill McLelland and Ed McLelland; and two sisters, Amy Earp and Octavie Sloop. Survivors include three half sisters, Marie Fox, Ruth Billings and Pearl Herman of Taylorsville. The funeral will be conducted by the Revs. Tony Daniels and Allie Walker at 4 p.m. Monday at Adams Funeral Home. Burial will be in the church cemetary. The family will be at the funeral home from 7 to 8:30 tonight.

VERA SIMMONS
NEWTON - Vera Marie Fenton Simmons, 72, of Lenoir Health Care, formerly of Newton, died Feb. 10, 2001, at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory. Born Jan. 21, 1929, in New York, she was a daughter of Warren Fenton of Penn Yan, N.Y. and the late Gladys Newman Fenton. A retired nurse, she attended Trinity Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by a son, Richard Warren Simmons; and a brother, William Fenton. Survivors, in addition to her father, include a son, Daniel Brian Simmons of Newton; two daughters, Connie Yancey of Newton and Susan Jackson of Dodgeville, Wis.; 17 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. The funeral will be conducted by Pastor Daniel Brian Simmons at 7 p.m. tonight at Willis-Reynolds Funeral Home. Burial will be in Lake View Cemetary in Penn Yan, N.Y. The family will remain at the funeral home after the service.

LORA M. COOK
Lora Marie Cook, 70, of Hickory, died Feb. 9, 2001, at Catawba Memorial Hospital. The funeral will be conducted by the Rev. Tom Stanford at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Bass-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Pallbearers will be James Cook, Larry Cook, Jeff Cook, Steve Cook, Doug Rocque and David Maskewitt. The family will be at the funeral home one hour prior to the service. Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association.

MILDRED B. FUSCO
Mildred B. Fusco, 82, of Sixteenth Street, died Feb. 9, 2001, at her residence. Born April 4, 1919, in Catawba County, she was a daughter of the late John and Hessie Canipe McDaniel. A member of Sandy Ridge Wesleyan church, she retired as a knitter from Hollars Hosiery. She was preceded in death by her husband, Mike Fusco; four brothers, William McDaniel, Marvin McDaniel, Warren McDaniel and Elmer McDaniel; and a sister, Cora Martin. Survivors include two sons and a daughter-in-law, Mike Fusco and Lindy and Linda Fusco of Hickory; three brothers and sisters-in-law, D.C. and Barbara McDaniel, Junior and Ruth McDaniel and Larry and Kathy McDaniel; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Zelda and Joe Kleya and Mae and Lowell Short of Hickory and Janette and Joe Tucker of Alabama; four grandchildren, Mathew Fusco, Sara Fusco, Crystal Fusco and Clarissa Fusco; a great-grandson, Duncan Fusco; and a number of nephews, nieces and other relatives. The funeral will be conducted by the Rev. Scott Howard at 3 p.m. Monday at her church. The body will be placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the service. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery. The family will be at Bass-Smith Funeral Home from 7 to 8:30 tonight.

JIMMY C. COFFEY
LENOIR - Jimmy Charles Coffey, 65, of Delgany Drive, Charlotte, died Feb. 9, 2001, at his residence. Born Dec. 24, 1935, in Avery County, he was a son of Cleo Miller Coffey of Charlotte and the late Benson F. Coffey. A member of New Hopewell Baptist Church, he retired from the U.S. Army and as a captain with the Charlotte Fire Department. He is preceded in death by his wife, Janet Polk Coffey; and two sisters, Miriam C. Cornett and Patricia C. Gragg. Survivors, in addition to his mother, include three daughters, Prudence Marie Coffey of the home and Penelope Roxanne Coffey Hunt and Patricia Faye Coffey of Charlotte; three sisters, Jacqueline C. Davidson, Joyce C. Dieringer and Carolyn C. Nash of Charlotte; six grandchildren; six nephews; and a niece. The funeral will held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at his church. The body will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in Coffey Family Cemetary. The family will be at the church one hour prior to the service. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Charlotte. Pendry's Lenoir Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

LILLIE P. SIGMON
CONOVER - Lillie Punch Sigmon, 88, of Old Conover-Startown Road, Newton, died Feb. 12, 2001, at Catawba Memorial Hospital after a period of declining health. Born Feb. 11, 1913, in Catawba County, she was a daughter of the late Pinkney H. and Mary Anna Sigmon Punch. A member of Fairgrove United Methodist Church, she retired from Southern Furniture. She was preceded in death by five brothers; and four sisters. Survivors include her husband of 67 years, Carroll M. Sigmon; a son and daughter-in-law, Jack M. and Shirley Sigmon of Newton; a daughter and son-in-law, Vera and Frank Withers of Claremont; a sister and brother-in-law, Eva and Thurman Abernethy of Hickory; four grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. The funeral will be conducted by the Revs. Zella Sparks Carpenter and Dean Kelly at 11 a.m. Thursday at her church. The body will be placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the service. Burial will be in Catawba Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Herbert Punch, Boyd Punch, Jerry Sigmon, Joshua Hefner, William Spivey and Lance Abernethy. The family will be at Drum Funeral Home from 7 to 8:30 tonight. Memorials may be made to Fairgrove United Methodist Church, 1800 Fairgrove Church Road, Hickory, N.C. 28601.

BOBIE K. GREENE
LENOIR - Bobie K. Greene, 59, of N.C. 268, died Feb. 12, 2001, at his residence. Born Oct. 15, 1941, in Caldwell County, he was a son of the late Roland H. and Johnsie Link Greene. A member of Yadkin Baptist Church, he retired from Winn-Dixie. He was preceded in death by a sister, Kay Brown. Survivors include his wife, Myra Miller Greene; a son, C. Kent Greene of Eden; a daughter, C. Kim Greene McClure of Lenoir; two brothers, R. Billy Greene of Drexel and W. Larry Greene of Newton; three sisters, Gail G. Johnson of Morganton, Joan G. Robbins of Lenoir and Sherry G. Jones of Orlando, Fla.; and three grandchildren. The funeral will be conducted by the Rev. Robert B. Livingston at 11 a.m. Thursday at his church. The body will be placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the service. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Pallbearers will be Roy Barlow, Riley Todd, Jesse Suddreth, Jay Suddreth, Gary James and Bruce Hamby. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Isaac and members of his Sunday school class. The family will be at Greer-McElveen Funeral Home from 7 to 8:30 tonight. Memorials may be made to Yadkin Baptist Church, P.O. Box 37, Patterson, N.C. 28661; or Caldwell County Hospice, 902 Kirkwood St., Lenoir, N.C. 28645.

VIVIAN S. WILLIAMS
MAIDEN - Vivian Sanders Williams, 68, of East Main Street, died Feb. 12, 2001, at Catawba Memorial Hospital. Born Aug. 7, 1932, in Greenville, S.C., she was the daughter of the late Ervin and Alma Thomas Sanders Moore. A lifelong member of First Baptist Church, she was a choir member. A homemaker, she was a 25-year member of The Eastern Star. She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Streta Timothy Williams. Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Stephen and Rene Williams of Maiden; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The funeral will be conducted by the Rev. Jeff Clark at 4 p.m. today at her church. Burial will be in Maiden City Cemetery. Pallbearers will be her nephews. The family will be at the church one hour prior to the service. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 338, Maiden, N.C. 28650. Burke Mortuaries is in charge of arrangements.

SHELTON W. THOMASON Sr.
WILMINGTON - Shelton William Tony Thomason Sr., of Topsail Beach and Abernethy Retirement Home, died Feb. 11, 2001, at Cape Fear Memorial Hospital. Born Jan. 31, 1924, in Hickory, he was a son of the late George A. and Vera Lee Winkler Thomason. A member of First Presbyterian Church, he was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and served as a fighter pilot stationed on the Aircraft Carrier USS Hornet. A member of the Senior Men's Golf Group, he retired as a mechanical engineer with Siecor in Hickory after 40 years of service and was active with Emma Anderson Memorial Chapel in Topsail Beach. Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Jo Thomason; two sons and daughters-in-law, Shelton W. and Cyndi Wadsworth Thomason Jr. of Blowing Rock and W. George and Linda Thomason of Chapel Hill; four grandchildren, Sarah, Tyler, Ben and Geoffrey; and a number of nephews and nieces. A memorial service will be conducted by the Rev. Thomas Fairley at 11 a.m. today at Emma Anderson Memorial Chapel. Memorials may be made to Emma Anderson Memorial Chapel, Building Fund, 1100 South Anderson Blvd., Topsail Island, N.C. 28445. Andrews Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

IRENE R. WRIGHT
MORGANTON - Irene Ross Wright, 65, of Woodside Drive, died Feb. 12, 2001, at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory. Born in Burke County, she was a daughter of Beatrice Orders Ross of Morganton and the late Lenoir P. Ross. A member of Burkemont Baptist Church, she retired from Western Carolina Center. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Jimmy Wright; and a brother, Dewey Ross. Survivors, in addition to her mother, include a sister and brother-in-law, Christine R. and Oren Frye of Drexel; three neices, Donna Ross of Morganton, Trina Farris of Rutherford College and Jennifer Frye of Drexel; a great-nephew, Alex Farris; and a great-neice, Shanda King. The funeral will be conducted by the Revs. Arnold Bell and Eddie Bunton at 3 p.m. Thursday at Kirksey Funeral Home. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. The family will be at the funeral home from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Thursday. Memorials may be made to Burkemont Baptist Church, Building Fund, 4668 Burkemont Road, Morganton, N.C. 28655.

MOSES G. YARBROUGH
MAIDEN - Moses Gilbert Gib Yarbrough, 71, of Zeb Haynes Road, died Feb. 12, 2001, at his residence. Born Dec. 25, 1929, in Lincoln County, he was a son of the late Moses L. and Hollie Williams Yarbrough. He retired as a supervisor at Carolina Mills. Survivors include his wife, Elsie Yarbrough; two sons and daughters-in-law, Roger E. and Trish Yarbrough of Burlington and Mark A. and Connie Yarbrough of Denver, N.C.; and three grandchildren, Jennifer Yarbrough, David Yarbrough and Rebecca Yarbrough. The funeral will be conducted by the Rev. John McMahan at 8 tonight at Burke Mortuaries. A private graveside service will be held Thursday at Maiden City Cemetery. The family will be at the funeral home from 6:30 to 8 tonight. Memorials may be made to American Diabetic Foundation, 3109 Poplarwood Court, Suite 125, Raleigh, N.C. 27604-1043.

FLORENCE M. WILLIAMS
LENOIR - Florence Margaret Williams, 88, of Falcon Ridge Road, died Feb. 11, 2001, at her residence. Born Jan. 24, 1913, in Arlington Height, Ohio, she was a daughter of the late Frederick and Florence Harvey Zoller. She retired from the classified department of the newspaper industry. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Edward Williams; and a brother, Charles Zoller. There will be no services at this time. Pendry's Lenoir Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

OPHELIA B. HILDEBRAND
MORGANTON - Ophelia Berry Hildebrand, 100, formerly of John Byrd Road, Drexel, died Feb. 12, 2001, at Autumn Care of Drexel after a period of declining health. Born March 29, 1900, in Buncombe County, she was a daughter of the late C.S. and Lillie Rowe Berry. A former member of Enon Baptist Church, she retired from The Martin Aircraft Co. in Balitmore, Md. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Andrew Hildebrand Sr.; two sons, Bruce A. Hildebrand Sr. and Frank A. Hildebrand Jr.; a daughter, Margaret H. Berry; and a grandson, Kenneth E. Berry. Survivors include a son-in-law, Vurland Berry of Drexel; a daughter-in-law, Joyce B. Hildebrand of Lilly Chapel, Ohio; four grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. The funeral will be conducted by the Rev. Ernest Richards at 3 p.m. Thursday at Sossoman Funeral Home. Burial will be in Drexel Memorial Park. The family will be at the funeral home one hour prior to the service.

SAMUEL H. ELLIOTT
Samuel Hicks Elliott, infant son of James and Mary Hicks Elliott II of Hickory, died Feb. 11, 2001, at Frye Regional Medical Center. Survivors include paternal grandparents, Jim and Hilda Elliott of Newton; and maternal grandparents, Harold and Sadie Hicks of Lenoir. A graveside service will be conducted by the Rev. William W. Leathers III at 11 a.m. Thursday in Catawba Memorial Park. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church in Hickory. The family will remain at the church after the service. Memorials may be made to March of Dimes, P.O. Box 347, Statesville, N.C. 28687. Catawba Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

CAIRO A. IJAMES
Cairo Alexander Ijames, infant daughter of Jonathan Fitzgerald Ijames and Nichole Anthonette Richardson of Conover, died Feb. 12, 2001, at Catawba Memorial Hospital. A graveside service will held at 2 p.m. Thursday in Catawba Memorial Park. The family will be at Catawba Funeral Home 30 minutes prior to the service.