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Maxine Smith Benson
Maxine Smith Benson, 81, of Benson went home to be with her Lord on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2007 from the E. Carlton Powell Hospice Center in Lillington. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29 at Elevation United Methodist Church in Benson. Officiating will be the Rev. Ron Gurganus. Burial will follow in Devotional Gardens in Dunn.
Benson was born March 28, 1926 in Johnston County to the late Pinkney Thurman and Bertha Hamilton Smith. She was preceded in death by her husband Tom Garland Benson and granddaughter Dawn Byrd. Benson was a homemaker and a member of Elevation United Methodist Church for 64 years. She supported and served the church in many capacities and was also a member of the United Methodist Women’s Organization.
Survivors include daughter Judy B. Massengill of Cary. son Gary T. and his wife Linda of Benson, sister Shirley S. Joyner of Caswell Beach, and grandchildren and spouses: Meghan D. Massengill, Brent and Shannon Massengill, David and Christy Massengill and Sandy M. and Danny Barnes. She is also survived by six great-grandchildren and many special friends, especially Joyce Sorrell of Benson.
The family will receive friends at Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Benson from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28.
Memorials may be made to Elevation United Methodist Church, 5101 Elevation Road, Benson, NC 27504.
Edward Joseph Wentzler
Edward Joseph Wentzler, 62, of Cary, died unexpectedly on Friday, Dec. 21, 2007 at his residence.
A native of Bronx, NY, he was born on Nov. 17, 1945 to the late Edward Henry and Jane Hughes Wentzler. Ed served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He and his wife moved to North Carolina 14 years ago to work for Electronic Data Services, from which he retired.
Surviving are his wife of 37 years Katherine Wentzler, his son Eddie, his brother Kenneth and his wife Virginia of New Jersey.
A prayer service will be held on Thursday, Dec. 27, at the chapel of Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard Road, Cary.
The family received friends on Wednesday evening at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
John B. Cuthbertson
John Bunyan Cuthbertson, 76, of Indian Trail, died Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007.
Cuthbertson was born Dec. 7, 1930 in Union County.
He served in the U.S. Air Force. He worked in aircraft maintenance for Celanese Corp.
Cuthbertson was a member of Bethlehem Presbyterian Church in Monroe.
He was preceded in death by his father, Vann Ashcraft Cuthbertson; mother, Mary (Austin) Cuthbertson; his first wife, Audrey (Reed) Cuthbertson; and brother, George Cuthbertson.
Survivors include his wife, Patsy; daughter Robin C. Hightower and husband Joe of Cary; stepdaughters Molly Davis of Seattle, Wash. and Laura Wormick of Indian Trail; grandson, Jason Hightower; and sister, Vivian Halcom of Monroe. Visitation was held Thursday, Dec. 6 at Hartsell Funeral Home in Midland.
The funeral was held Friday, Dec. 7 at Bethlehem Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Nathan Wheeler officiated.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
There were Masonic rites at the graveside performed by the Excelsior Lodge of Charlotte and military rites performed by Disabled American Veterans Chapter 27.
Memorials may be made to Bethlehem Presbyterian Sidewalk Fund, 7608 Concord Highway, Monroe, NC 28110.
Marie Roemer Bobalek
Marie Roemer Bobalek, 89, died Dec. 11, 2007. She was born on Sept. 2, 1918 in Madison Lake, MN to Joseph and Elizabeth Roemer.
Bobalek is survived by son John Bobalek and his wife Donna of Vienna, VA, son Stephen Bobalek and his wife Sharon of Topsham, ME, son Thomas Bobalek of Raleigh, son Charles Bobalek of Raleigh, and son Philip Bobalek and his wife, Lorna of Wilmington, daughter Margaret King and her husband Robert of Derry, NH, brother Theodore Roemer of Madison Lake, MN, nine 9 grandchildren - Edward Guy, Laura, Michael, Alice, Ari, Anna, Catherine, Mark, and Luke - and two great-grandchildren - Kayla and Dominic.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Edward Bobalek.
A funeral mass will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, 804 High House Rd., Cary.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14 at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard Rd., Cary.
John Francis Heckinger
John Francis Heckinger died on Jan. 2, 2008 at Rex Hospital, following a lengthy battle with cancer. Born on June 25, 1924 in Chicago, Illinois, he served his country in WWII in the European theatre. Following retirement in 1989 as a Business Executive in Higher Education, John and his wife traveled extensively.
John is survived by his wife Anita; son J. F. Jr. and his wife Joanne, of Rockford, IL, son Michael and his wife Christine of Seattle, WA, son Matthew and wife Lonnie, of Camas, WA, daughter Peggy Leonardo and her husband Jim of DesMoines, IA, daughter Dorothy Kamykowski and her husband Stephen of Warren, OH, daughter Mary Martha Kornak of Crystal Lake IL, daughter Lyn Winegar and her husband Thomas of Marietta, GA and daughter Lee Ann Devin and her husband Daniel, of Knightdale, brothers Thomas Heckinger and his wife Marie of Rockford, IL, brother Robert Heckinger and his wife Marge of Sarasota, FL, sister Marge Recker and her husband Rick of Pro Rancho NM. John leaves a legacy of 21 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Jeffrey Crane and everyone associated with the Rex Cancer Center for all the kind, considerate care throughout his battle with cancer.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008 at 2 p.m. at St. Marks Episcopal Church 1725 New Hope Road in Raleigh. In lieu of flowers, contributory memorials can be made to St. Marks.
Arrangements made by the Cremation Society of the Carolinas.
William Howard Van Dyke
William Howard Van Dyke, age 84 of Tazewell, VA died Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008 at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, VA. Born July 25, 1923 in Bluefield, WV, he was a son of the late Rufus Oscar (R.O.) Van Dyke and Mary Elizabeth Hubbard Van Dyke.
Van Dyke was a quiet, gentle and unassuming man who has, all of his life, served this community, where he lived most of his life. He attended public schools in Tazewell and graduated from Tazewell High School. His student days at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, now Virginia Tech, were interrupted by World War II. Van Dyke served in the Pacific Theater as a member of the United States Navy. After the war, he returned to VPI (Virginia Tech), where he graduated in 1948 with degrees in both Electrical Engineering and Mining Engineering.
After his graduation from VPI, Mr. Van Dyke went to work for General Electric Corporation in Pennsylvania. After several years, during which he lived in both Erie and Philadelphia, he returned to Tazewell, VA where he joined his father in the coal mining industry as an engineer for the Holston Corporation, Swords Creek, VA. His career as an engineer spanned many years. Although retired, he was still associated with the Candlewax Smokeless Fuel Company in Tazewell, VA.
He was a lifelong member of the Main Street United Methodist Church where he taught the Men’s Bible Class. He also served on the board of the church and as president of its Men’s Club which was a service organization. Van Dyke served on the Tazewell Town Council 13 years, was a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Tazewell County for 40 years, and served as a trustee for the Hugh MacRae Land Trust Company. He has also worked with Boy Scouts of America.
From it conception, he was a driving force in the development and growth of Tazewell Community Hospital. He was a member of the original board of directors for the hospital and served as chairman for 12 years. Van Dyke was very quiet in all he did and never expected a word of praise.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Edward Ralph Van Dyke.
Survivors include his wife Suzanne Litz Davis Van Dyke with whom he resided in the Van Dyke homeplace, son Dr. William H. Van Dyke Jr. and his wife Patricia Gleason of Lynchburg, VA, son Dr. Thomas Rufus Van Dyke and his wife Ellen Edwards of Damascus, VA, and son Dr. James Luther Van Dyke and his wife, Gail Ilse of Lynchburg, VA, daughter Mary Sue Van Dyke Niles and her husband Dr. Robert L. Niles of Cary and daughter Margaret Anne Van Dyke Warren and her husband John Gregory Warren of Winston-Salem, sister Mary Elizabeth Van Dyke of Greensboro, sister Virginia Mae Van Dyke Kinney of Tazewell, VA and Bradenton, FL, brother Claude Harrison Van Dyke and his wife Bette of Tazewell, VA and brother Dr. R. O. Van Dyke Jr. and his wife Bonnie of Orlando, FL, and 21 grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted Saturday, Jan. 12 at the Main Street United Methodist Church in Tazewell, VA with the Rev. Kathie Wilson-Parker and Dr. Thomas A. Conley officiating. Burial followed at the Maplewood Cemetery in Tazewell, VA. Pallbearers were George Van Dyke, Mike Brooks, Jimmy Van Dyke, Heath Van Dyke, Danny Surface, Nikola Hrabar, William Hart Jr., and Bobby Brittain. Honorary pallbearers were Adam Niles, Bill T. Peery, Dick Royall, Bob White, Bill Jackson, Dr. Ned Litz, David G. Altizer, George Williams, Jack Chambers, Dr. Stephen Rinehart and Dick Rauscher.
The family received friends at Peery & St.Clair Funeral Home in Tazewell, VA on Friday, Jan. 11.
Memorial donations may be made to Four Seasons Wellness Center of Tazewell Community Hospital, PO Box 625 Tazewell, VA 24651 or to Main St. United Methodist Church 315 E. Main St. Tazewell, VA 24651.
