Gates County Index

April 10, 2002

Etta M. Bailey
SUNBURY - Etta Mae Bailey, 65, of Cooper Loop Road, died March 29, 2002.

A funeral was held April 10, 2002 at St. John AME Zion Church.

Rufus Bembry
GATES - Rufus Bembry, 91, of Gates Bank Road, died March 28, 2002.

A funeral was held April 4, 2002 in First Baptist Church, Gates.

William T. Shean
FORSYTH - William Thomas "Billy" Shean, a native of Perquimans County, died March 14, 2002.

A funeral was held March 17, 2002 at Maynard Baptist Church with Dr. Marvin Lee officiating. Burial was in East Juliette Baptist Church Cemetery, Juliette, GA.

Shean was the son of the late Thomas Howard Shean. He was a veteran of the United States Army serving in Vietnam and was a plantation manager.

Survivors include his wife, Nancy Buchanan Shean; four sons, Bill Shean and Nick Shean, both of Plymouth and Gabe McClure and Matt McClure, both of Oakwood; three daughters, Amy Shean, of Plymouth; Alicia Shean of Forsyth and Crystal McClure of Oakwood, his mother, Clarine Whedbee Stallings of Sunbury; one sister, Brenda S. Stallings of McDonnough; his grandmother, Minnie Whedbee of Hertford; and one grandson.

Nelson B. Cox
EURE - Nelson Bruton Cox, 87, a native of Richmond County, NC, died March 28, 2002 in Louise Obici Memorial Hospital, Suffolk.

Cox was the son of the late William A. and Fannie Bruton Cox. He retired from the Public Works Division of Little Creek Amphibious Base, and was a member of Gatesville Baptist Church, where he formerly taught Sunday School for more than 30 years. Cox had served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II.

A funeral was held March 30, 2002 in Gatesville Baptist Church by the Rev. Gene Asbil. Burial was in the Gatesville Cemetery.

Survivors include his wife, Ora Lee Lowdermilk Cox; two daughters, Billie C. Harrell of Gatesville and Mary C. Pirece, also of Gatesville; a son, Terry G. Cox of Murfreesboro; a sister, Frances Grose of Chesapeake; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.