Gloria Ann Underwood
Gloria Ann Underwood, 73, of Raleigh, died Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2006, in WakeMed Cary Hospital.
A funeral service was held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 27, in the Apex Funeral Home Chapel, 550 W. Williams St. (N.C. 55), Apex. Officiating the service was the Rev. Roger Thompson. Burial followed in the Underwood Family Cemetery, Rolesville.
Mrs. Underwood is survived by her sons, Albert Edward Underwood III and wife, Vicki C. of N. Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Tony Underwood and wife, Dawn of Apex; sister, Mary Ruth Hailey of Oxford; and grandchildren, Justin Michael Underwood, and A. E. "Win" Underwood IV.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Albert Edwin Underwood Jr. The family received friends Thursday evening, Jan. 26, at Apex Funeral Home.
The family wishes to express a special thanks to Ruth Buelto at Raleigh Rehabilitation for the care given to their mother.
Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 1131, Fairfax, VA 22038-1131,(www.diabetes.org).
Verlon Albert "Shorty" Thornbrough
Verlon Albert "Shorty" Thornbrough, 76, of 7708 Bigelow Road, Cary, died Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006, at Rex Hospital. Mr. Thornbrough served in the U.S. Army in Japan during World War II. After retiring from the U.S. Army he was employed with N.C. Department of Transportation.
Shorty and his wife, Kiyoko, owned and enjoyed their businesses for 20 years at Watson’s Flea Market and several other markets.
He is survived by his wife, Kiyoko Thornbrough; son, Floyd Thornbrough and his wife, Susan, of Angier, and daughter, Jannette Pennington of Willow Spring; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
The family received friends Saturday morning, Jan. 28, until service time and also following the service.
The memorial service was held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in Apex Funeral Home Chapel, 550 W. Williams St. (N.C. 55), Apex. Inurnment was at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in Restlawn Memorial Park, 7600 ACC Blvd., Raleigh.
Louise M. Nelson
Louise M. Nelson, 95, of Clearwater, Fla., died Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2006, at The Oaks of Clearwater.
She was born in Chicago, Ill., and moved to Clearwater in 1970. She was a member of 1st Unted Methodist Church of Clearwater.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold F. Nelson; brother, Melvin Maurer; two sisters, Minnie Maurer and Elsie Goeb; and great-granddaughter, Christa Roses Gibbs.
Survivors include her daughter, Janet Fantz, and husband, Paul, of Cary; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Woodhaven Baptist Church, 4000 Kildaire Farm Road, Holly Springs.
Moss-Feaster Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Clearwater are in charge of arrangements.
Robert M. Pike
Robert M. Pike, 58, of Morrisville died Friday, Feb. 3, 2006, at WakeMed Cary Hospital.
He was born Jan. 28, 1948, to Dorothy Maxine (Davis) Pike and Clarence Everitt Pike in La Porte, Ind.
He moved to North Carolina 18 years ago from La Porte. He worked for AP Parts for 20 years as a warehouse manager.
He was an athlete and avid golfer.
Survivors include two sisters, Imogene Gemberling of La Porte and Carolyn (Ronald) Wolf of Elkhart, Ind.; two brothers, Larry Pike of La Porte and James Pike of Knox, Ind.; a nephew, Roger (Jane) Gemberling of Columbus, Ind.; and a great-niece, Katie Gemberling of Columbus. He was preceded in death by his parents.
A service will be held at Haverstock Funeral Home, 602 Maple Ave., La Porte on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 2:30 p.m. The Rev. Freeman Schrock will officiate. Visitation will precede the service at the funeral home from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Burial will be at Patton Cemetery in La Porte.
Viola Mae Miller
Viola Mae Miller, 96, died at Carolina House of Cary on Feb. 5, 2006. Viola was born on April 6, 1909, in Cameron, Pa. Her husband, Roy Miller, preceded her in death in 1954. She was a devoted and unselfish mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.
Vi is survived by her children, Joy Mellon and husband, John, of Cary, and her son, John Miller and wife, Stephanie, of Holly Springs; five grandchildren, John Miller, Erica Miller, Chad Miller, David Mellon and Jennifer Mellon; and six great-grandchildren. Also surviving is June Wagner and Pearl Herr. Brothers and sisters preceding her in death were Raymond Barger, William Barger, Isabel Johnson and Beverly Ress. Viola was the adored aunt of twenty-one nieces and nephews.
Viola worked at South Side Hospital as a secretary in the Outpatient Clinic for 18 years, retiring in 1974. Following her retirement she found delight in babysitting for many Youngstown and Canfield families. Moving to Cary in 2003, Vi continued to enjoy needlework and became active in the Cary Senior Center and attended Colonial Baptist Church.
A service celebrating a life centered on love will be held on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 11 a.m. at Calvary Baptist Church, 1463 Shields Road in Youngstown. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lane Funeral Home in Canfield on Friday, Feb. 10, and one hour prior to the Memorial Service on Saturday. Interment
will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Wake County—1300 St. Mary's St., Raleigh, NC 27605, or Calvary Baptist Church, 1463 Shields Road, Youngstown, Ohio 44511 or the Center for Volunteer Caregiving, 975 Walnut St., Cary, NC 27511.
Col. Samuel Waynne Smithers Jr., (U.S. Army, Ret.)
Samuel Waynne Smithers Jr., 78, a retired U.S. Army colonel, died Jan. 2, 2006, at his home in Arlington, Va., after a stroke.
The son of an Army officer, Col. Smithers was born at Fort Benning, Ga., and was a 1950 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. As with many of his classmates, he was sent directly to Korea after graduation. He went into combat with the Third Armored Division leading a platoon of 12 Americans and 41 South Koreans, none of whom spoke English. He led his platoon in the evacuation of Hungnam, and he received the Silver Star for his actions during an attack north of Pusan.
He later served two years in the Vietnam War and commanded a brigade in the 3rd Armored Division in Germany. His final active-duty assignment, in 1977, was Chief of Staff of the Military District of Washington.
During his military career, he was a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, the Army War College and the Special Forces school at Fort Bragg, N.C., among other schools.
His other decorations included the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.
After retiring, he helped open the Washington, D.C., office of Sullivan & Cromwell, a New York law firm, and introduced automation to the accounting and billing work. He retired in the early 1990s from the firm Haynes & Miller.
He was a member and former Senior Warden at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Arlington and a former board member of the Goodwin House assisted living facility in Alexandria, Va. He was a member of the Arlington Rotary Club and volunteered with the West Point Society of D.C.
In 1996, he organized a trip of his West Point class to place a memorial at the Korean Military Academy in Souel, Korea in honor of 41 classmates who died in the war, three of whom were his roomates.
Col. Smithers will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. The burial will immediately follow a memorial service at the Chapel on Ft. Myers in Arlington, Va.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Tillie James Smithers of Arlington; two children, Robin Smithers Jones of Cary, and Navy Capt. Samuel J. Smithers of Fairfax County; a brother Charles of Sacramento, Calif.; and five grandchildren.
Kathleen P. "Totsie" Jones
Kathleen Poteat "Totsie" Jones of Cary, passed away Feb. 5, 2006, at the Blue Ridge Health and Rehabilitation Center in Raleigh, after several months of illness.
Kathleen was born Oct. 12, 1910, to James Allen and Laura Foster Poteat in Yanceyville. She was the 12th of 13 children.
Mrs. Jones is survived by her son, Cassell William Jones Jr. and wife Shelby of Wake Forest, and daughter, Laura Ann Brann and husband, N. Maitland Brann of Cary. She had four grandchildren; N.M. (Nim) Brann Jr. and wife Kelly, Kathy Brann, Cassell William Jones III (Bill) and wife Gabi, and Kimberly Jones Ross and husband James M. Ross II. She had five great-grandchildren; Cassell William Jones IV, Jessie Jones Ross, Sasha McCausland Ross, Coleman Maitland Brann and Gordon Vincent Brann.
Kathleen graduated from Bartlett Yancey High School in 1927 and married Cassell W. Jones of Danville, Va., the co-founder of Jesse Jones Sausage Company, in 1927.
She was instrumental in the development of that company for many years. She enjoyed golf, reading and many crafts. She was active in the Senior Citizens of Danville, Va., the XYZ (Extra Years of Zest) of Cary, and the MacGregor Downs Garden Club.
She was a member of Calvary Methodist Church in Danville, Va., and after moving to Cary in 1980, was a member at White Plains United Methodist Church.
A service was held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7, in the Apex Funeral Home Chapel, 550 W. Williams St. in Apex. The family received friends at the Apex Funeral Home for an hour prior to the funeral service, from 10 to 11 a.m. Burial and graveside rites were at Highland Burial Park in Danville, Va., at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Memorials may be made to Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center at DUMC 3828, Durham, NC 27710, or to a charity of your choice.
Henry B. Horton
Henry B. Horton, 77, of 3900 Old U.S. 1, New Hill, went home to be with the Lord Saturday morning, Feb. 4, 2006. Henry was a lifelong farmer, and an avid golfer. He also carried the mail for New Hill for more than 20 years. He loved his family, his friends and his church very much. Henry was preceded in death by his first wife, Pattie Mae Horton, in 1987.
A service celebrating his life and homegoing was held on Monday, Feb. 6, at 3 p.m. in the New Hill Baptist Church. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Henry is survived by his wife, Kathy M. Horton of the home; two daughters, Joice H. Mills, and Peggy H. Holton, both of New Hill; two granddaughters, Jenifer L. Blanks of Jupiter, Fla., and Amanda L. Holton of New Hill; and a great-grandson, Jackson Blanks. Also surviving are two brothers, Vernon Horton of Jacksonville, Fla., and Max Horton of New Hill; and a sister, Sally R. Peeler of Charleston, S.C.
The Horton family received friends from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5, at the Apex Funeral Home, 550 W. Williams St. (N.C. 55) in Apex, and other times at his home in New Hill.
Those desiring to do so should make memorials to the New Hill Baptist Church in his honor and mail to P.O. Box 74, New Hill, NC 27562.
Louise M. Nelson
Louise M. Nelson, 95, of Clearwater, Fla., died Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2006, at The Oaks of Clearwater.
She was born in Chicago, Ill., and moved to Clearwater in 1970. She was a member of First United Methodist Church of Clearwater.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold F. Nelson; brother, Melvin Maurer; two sisters, Minnie Maurer and Elsie Goeb; and great-granddaughter, Christa Roses Gibbs.
Survivors include her daughter, Janet Fantz, and husband, Paul, of Cary; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial services were held Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Woodhaven Baptist Church, 4000 Kildaire Farm Road, Holly Springs.
Moss-Feaster Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Clearwater are in charge of arrangements.
Jerome M. "Jerry" Pople
Jerome M. "Jerry" Pople, 52, of Cary, died Sunday, Feb. 5, 2006. He was born in Blue Island, Chicago, Ill., on April 30, 1953, to the late George and Elaine Sobczak Pople.
Jerry will be missed by his wife, Mary Feerick Pople; his daughters, Allison Pople George and husband, Jeffrey Scott George and Bridget Elaine Pople; mother of his children, Deborah Ann Pople; grandson, William Ryan George; sister, MariAnn Mailhoit, and members of the Feerick, McCormack, Moss, Ryan and Mailhoit families.
A memorial Mass was held at 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 10, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Cary. The family received friends following the Mass.
The Pople family would like to thank Dr. Ian Grimm of UNC-Chapel Hill Medical Center for his outstanding work in pancreatic and digestive diseases. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The GI Education Fund, Medical Foundation of North Carolina, 800 Martin Luther King Blvd., Chapel Hill, NC 27514 or www.medicalfoundationofnc.org so that Dr. Grimm and his colleagues can continue to fight this devastating disease.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.brownwynne.com.
Alvin D. "Tex" Murtha
Alvin D. "Tex" Murtha, of 705 Summerwinds Drive, Cary, died unexpectedly Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 8, 2006. He was 61 years old.
Tex was an avid golfer and dancer. He was a fierce competitor whose infectious personality gained him many friends and a loving family.
A service celebrating his life and homegoing was held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, in the Apex Funeral Home Chapel, 550 W. Williams St. (N.C. 55) in Apex. Burial was in the Apex Cemetery, and Bishop Charles Anderson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints officiated. The family received friends for two hours preceding the funeral service on Saturday at the Apex Funeral Home.
Surviving are his wife, Christine T. (Chris) Murtha; two sons, Ryan Murtha of Raleigh, and Michael Murtha of Wilmington; and five stepchildren, Cheri DeMucha of Lancaster, Calif., Jay Martin of Asheville, Ashley Keller of Raleigh, Kimberly Blair Martin of Las Vegas, Nev., and Amanda Fellingham of Lehi, Utah. Also surviving are his parents, Alvin D. Murtha Sr. and his wife Ruth of Indiana, Pa.; two sisters, Jeanne Zelenak of Punxsutawney, Pa., Janet Murtha of Indiana, Pa., and seven grandchildren.
Those desiring to do so should make memorials in his honor to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058-5216.
Rebecca Norma Beal Crook
Rebecca Norma Beal Crook, 99, died Friday, Feb. 10, 2006. Mrs. Crook was born in Raleigh on Aug. 20, 1906, to the late Nathaniel and Bessie Smith Beal. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Cary for more than 50 years and retired from Raleigh Letter Writers after many years of service.
Surviving are her children, William N. Crook and wife, Naomi of Kernersville, Robert Lee Crook of Richlands, Mary Jane Coppedge and husband, Bill of Garner, and George H. Crook and wife, Joyce of Monroe; grandchildren, Becky Allen of Wilson, Randy Coppedge of Greensboro, and Denise Hawse of Charlotte; sisters, Sallie Rhodes of Raleigh and Bessie Turner of Oriental; seven great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard P. Crook; grandson, Bobby Crook; three sisters; and one brother.
A graveside service was held at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 13, at Restlawn Memorial Gardens in Raleigh.
Flowers are appreciated or memorial contributions may be made to one's charity of choice.
Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 S.E. Maynard Road, Cary, is in charge of arrangements.
Tributes and condolences may be sent to the family at www.brownwynne.com.
Richard Earl "Rick" Goheen
March 27, 1958 – Feb. 13, 2006
On Monday, Feb. 13, 2006, family and friends said goodbye to Rick of Fuquay-Varina after a courageous, six-month struggle against cancer. Rick is survived by his wife of 25 years, Mary Maguire and daughter Caitlin Rose Goheen; his mother Bernice Halbeisen Betts; sisters: Lorraine Polsley, Catherine Atrip and Carol Goheen; nieces Tressa, Melissa, Shila and Tera; and nephews Rick, Brad and Clayton all of Omaha, Neb.; brother Scott Goheen of Youngsville; father and mother-in-law, Bernard and Helen Maguire; brother-in-law, Kevin Maguire; sister-in-law Bernadette Maguire and husband Barry and niece Emma Fagnano of Raleigh. Rick is predeceased by his father, Hal Goheen.
As Rick was an avid boater and fisherman, Rolling View Community Building at Falls Lake State Park has been selected for a gathering in celebration of Rick's life. All are invited to attend on Sunday, Feb. 19, between 1 and 4 p.m. Mary and Caitlin wish to acknowledge family and friends and Rick's co-workers at High House Crossing Harris Teeter for their loving support. Also, many thanks to Dr. Ken Zeitler and Rex Oncology Associates and the nursing staff on Rex Hospital's Oncology Floor for their compassionate care.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Lung Cancer Alliance, 888 16th St., N.W., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20006.
Cecilia Drotar Lesko
Cecilia Drotar Lesko, 90, of Cary, formerly of Endwell, N.Y., died Monday, Feb. 13, 2006, in Windsor Point of Fuquay-Varina. A funeral Mass will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 804 High House Road, Cary. Burial will be at a later date in St. Cyril's, Binghamton, N.Y.
Mrs. Lesko is survived by her devoted husband of 68 years, Robert O. Lesko of Cary; children, Rita Donahue Grillo and husband, Dominic of Easton, Pa., Robert D. Lesko and wife, Marsha of Apex; and Deborah Coleman and husband, Stephen of Avon, N.Y.; grandchildren, Doreen Donahue, Joseph Donahue, Shawn Donahue, Tricia Chissman, Russell Lesko, Nikki Perry, Steve Coleman and Kelly Coleman; and five great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Community Home Care and Hospice, 7714 Chapel Hill Road, Raleigh, NC 27607.
Arrangements are entrusted with Apex Funeral Home, 550 W. Williams St. (N.C. 55), Apex, NC 27502.
Jennifer Leeann Stewart
Jennifer L. Stewart, 19, died Feb. 11, 2006. She was born April 14, 1986, to James and Lori Ann Fisher Stewart in Nurenberg, West Germany.
Jennifer is survived by her parents, James and Lori Stewart of Cary; three sisters, Jessica, Jacqueline and Staci Stewart, all of the home; maternal grandmother, Sandra Fisher of Sacramento, Calif.; paternal grandparents, Robert and Jacqueline Stewart of Aberdeen, S.D.; great-grandmother, Angelina Fisher of Sacramento, Calif.; many aunts, uncles, cousins and good friends.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006, at St. Francis United Methodist Church on Kildaire Farm Road in Cary. The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the church.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.brownwynne.com.
John Eugene Roger Harrison
John Eugene Roger Harrison of Fuquay-Varina, born Sept. 20, 1931, in Manitoba, Canada, passed away peacefully after a prolonged illness on Feb. 11, 2006, at his daughter's home in Zebulon.
Gene is survived by his wife, Marjorie Keith Harrison, of Fuquay-Varina. He is also survived by his five children, Kevin Harrison and Mary Munson of Canandaigua, N.Y., Robert Harrison of Hatteras, Ann Harrison Barker of Zebulon, and Molly Harrison of Nevada City, Calif. Gene is survived by 14 grandchildren: Wesley, Brian, Cameron and Rosalie Harrison; Phillip and Sarah Munson; Robert Jr., Graham, and Alana Harrison; Roger and Emily Barker; Tiffany Hopkins, Hannah and Amara Harrison Pfahl. He is also survived by his brother, Dr. James Harrison of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as many friends all over the world.
Along with being a wonderful father, Gene had a long and successful career. He had a deep interest in making radios as a boy and attended the Colorado School of Mines as a young man. He was a ham radio operator for many years. Gene was married for 20 years to Joan Faulkner Harrison. He and his young family emigrated from Canada to Massachusetts in 1956. Gene worked as an electronics engineer for General Dynamics Corporation in Rochester, N.Y., from 1958 until 1960. One of the highlights of his career was being asked to be part of a new company named RF Communications, where he obtained several patents for electronic communication devices, including digital tuning. Gene was also in charge of government contracts and traveled worldwide.
In 1976 Gene moved to Escondido, Calif., to run South Com International Inc. His daughters Ann and Molly both followed him to California and worked along side their father for several years. A few years later Gene "retired" to Apex, and started a land development company with his son, Robert, near Jordan Lake, in Pittsboro. Here he met Marjorie, and they were married in May of 1993. Marjorie and Gene enjoyed taking trips, especially to the beach.
He deeply enjoyed farming, building and running heavy equipment. He also enjoyed driving Jaguars and riding motorcycles. He bought a large farm in Bristol, N.Y., where his daughter and her husband, Mary and Mark Munson, still farm today with their son and his wife, Phillip and Sandy Munson. Gene ran his 500-plus acre farm while working full time until 1973. His sons Kevin and Robert worked with him when not in school.
Gene was an avid hunter and fisherman, as well as being a sharpshooter, and a gun and coin collector. He shared these passions with his children and grandchildren. Gene also built three homes in his leisure time. While Mary lives on the original family farm, Kevin and his wife, Mary, live in another home Gene built just a few miles away in Canandaigua, N.Y.
It seemed there was nothing Gene could not design, build or fix. He loved a challenge, loved to work with his hands and to problem solve with his mind. Gene will be deeply missed by his friends and family. There will be a memorial service at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, in the Chapel of Windsor Point, 1221 Broad St., Fuquay-Varina.
Inurnment will follow in Restlawn Memorial Gardens, 7600 ACC Blvd, Raleigh. Flowers are welcome or memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer's Association, Eastern North Carolina Chapter, 400 Oberlin Road, Suite 220, Raleigh, NC 27605-1351.
Arrangements are entrusted with Apex Funeral Home, 550 W. Williams St. (N.C. 55), Apex, NC 27502.
