Gates County Index

April 17, 2002

Stanley E. Hughes Sr.
PORTSMOUTH, VA - Stanley Eugene Hughes Sr., 79, a native of Portsmouth, died April 7, 2002 in a Portsmouth hospital.

Hughes was a retired pipefitter of Norfolk Naval Shipyard. He was a World War II and a Pearl Harbor survivor. He was a member of Portsmouth DAV Chapter 22 and VFW.

A graveside service was held April 10, 2002 in Olive Branch Cemetery with military honors.

Survivors include his wife, Alma G. Hughes; four daughters, Linda Fulmer of Virginia Beach, Sandra Duncan of Moyock. April Hughes of Windsor, Va. and Bambi Bennett of Gates County: one son, Stanley E. Hughes Jr. of Williamsburg, a brother, Arthur A. Hughes of Portsmouth; eight grandchildren.

Bertha S. Costen
SUNBURY - Bertha Sue Costen, 86, of 231 Highway 32 died April 7, 2002.

A funeral was held April 11, 2002 at St. John AME Zion Church.

Elizabeth I. Braford
SUFFOLK, VA - Elizabeth Irene Braford, 45, a native of Suffolk, died April 9, 2002 at her residence

Braford worked for seven years as a teacher's aide at Mount Zion Elementary School. Braford loved playing hand bells with the Hand Bell Choir at St. Paul's Episcopal Church and singing in the Chancel Choir.

Braford was the daughter of Rose Fravel Cook and the late Otis Aldine Fravel.

A funeral was held April 12, 2002 in St. Paul's Episcopal Church by the Rev. Vance Mann. Interment was in Holly Lawn Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church's Hand Bell Choir or the American Cancer Society

Survivors include her husband, Paul H. Braford of Suffolk;two sons, Christopher Hunter Biaford and Jarrett Paul Braford: mother and stepfather, Rosa Fravel Cook and Roger Cook of Corapeake; a sister, Rosafee Gardner of Suffolk; best friend and adopted sisters, Kathy Runyon and Cindy Moegenberg of Suffolk: five brothers, Charles Fravel of Eure, Donald Fravel of Harrisonburg, Paul Fravel of Mannington, WVa., Robert Fravel of Cumberland, Md., Ronald Fravel of Alma, Ark; two stepbrothers, Roger M. Cook of Colonial Heights, Bobby Cook of Windsor; and one ,stepsister, Delores Cook of Petersburg.

Flora R. Carter
SUNBURY - Flora Rountree Carter, 88, a native of Gates County, died April 10, 2002 in Down East Health and Rehab Center in Gatesville.

Mrs. Carter was the daughter of the late Sornie Ralph Sr. and Aurelia Stallings Rountree. Receiving her certification from UNC-CH, she had retired in 1981 after 20 years as a public health nurse serving the Perquimans County Health Dept., the Hertford-Gates Health Dept. and the Elizabeth City District Health Dept. Prior to that, she had worked as a nurse at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie. She was a member of Damascus Christian Church and was also a member of the NC Public Health Association and the NC State Retirees Organization.

A funeral was conducted April 13, 2002 in Damascus Christian Church by the Rev. Forrest Guthrie. Entombment followed in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Damascus Christian Church, Sunbury 27979 or Gates County Rescue Squad, Gatesville, NC 27938.

Survivors include her husband, Wilbur Brooks Carter; two daughters, Carole C. Smith of
Gates and Alice C. Moore of Sunbury; two sons, Johnny Carter of Sunbury and Dr. Wilbur B. "Bill" Carter Jr. of Chapel Hill; three sisters, Carmen Hilton of Suffolk, Virginia Snipes of Portsmouth and Helen Taylor of Virginia Beach; two brothers, Robert Rountree of Laurel, Md.: Herbert D. Rountree of Gatesville; and six grandchildren.

Miles C. Welch
CORAPEAKE - Miles C. Welch of Adams Swamp Road, died April 9, 2002 in Louise Obici Memorial Hospital, Suffolk.

Welch was the son of the late Christopher and Elizabeth Jordan Welch and the widower of Georgia Welch. He was a truck driver and retired from Perry Lumber Co.

A memorial service was held April 13, 2002 in Crocker Funeral Home, Suffolk.

Survivors include a daughter, Margaret Witherspoon of Corapeake; a son, Otis Welch of Franklinton, NC; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Gary L. Van Horn Sr.
CHESAPEAKE, Va - Gary Lee Van Horn Sr., 47, of the 2000 block of Wingfield Ave., died April 13, 2002 at his residence.

He was the son of the late Manvin L. Van Horn.

A graveside service will be held at 11a.m. April 17, 2002 in Riverside Memorial Park, Norfolk, with the Rev. William G. Beagle officiating.

Survivors include his mother, Mildred C. Van Horn; a son, Gary Lee Van Horn Jr., a daughter, Michele L. Mclnnerney, all of Chesapeake; two sisters, Debbie Lewis of Chesapeake and Brenda Dial of Sunbury; and two grandchildren.

Dorothy J. Williams
EURE - Dorothy Jean Williams, 68, died April 6, 2002, at RCH in Ahoskie

A graveside service was conducted April 14, 2002 at Bethel Cemetery.

Williams worked at Edgecombe General Hospital, Tarboro and at the hospital in Chico, Calif., for a number of years.

Survivors include a number of nieces and nephews.

Bertha S. Costen
SUNBURY - Bertha Sue Costen, 86, a native of Gates County, died April 7, 2002, at Winslow Memorial Home.

A funeral was conducted April 11, 2002 at St. John AME Zion Church by pastor Willie A. Littlejohn. Entombment was in St. Johns Drake Memorial Cemetery.

Survivors include her husband, Everett Russell Costen: a daughter, Felicia A. Baker of Bridgeport, Conn.; one sister, Catherine Hoffler of Sunbury; two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.