Gates County Index

Sept. 25, 2002

Vilma E. Smith
NORFOLK, Va. - Vilma Etheline Smith, 87, of the 4800 Block of Robin Hood Road, died Sept. 17,2002.

Smith was the founder and pastor of Bethel Praise and Worship Center in Norfolk. She was the widow of Charlie A. Smith.

A funeral was held Sept. 20, 2002 in Bethel Praise and Worship Center by the Rev. Eleazer A. Tillett Sr. Burial was in the Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations may be made to Bethel Praise and Worship Center Building Fund.

Survivors include two brothers, Loren E. Tillett Jr. and Eleazer A. Tillett Sr.; and five sisters, Corrine Sawyer, Anna Mae Hickman. Esmeralda Watson, Lioma Johnston, all of Norfolk and Merle Hale of Eure.

Roger M. Sayward
GATES - Roger Melvin Sayward, 76, a native of Portland, Maine, died September 20, 2002, at Louise Obici Memorial Hospital, Suffolk, Va. He was the widower of Ruth May Sayward.

A memorial service will be conducted Saturday, September 28, 2002, in New York. Burial will be in New York. Garrett Funeral Home, Ahoskie, is in charge.

Sayward was a retired buffer with Leather Tanning.

Survivors include four daughters, Ruth M. Harvey of Gates, Rhoda M. Smith of Delevan, N.Y, Ronna M. Wickham of Brocton and Rhua M. Dixon of Pompano Beach, Fla.; one sister, Wanita Warren of Maine; one brother, Wendall Sayward of Maine; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Mozelle H. Rountree
HOBBSVILLE - Mozelle Hofler Rountree, 95, a native of Gates County, died September 21, 2002, in Albemarle Hospital, Elizabeth City. She was the widow of Ned Rountree.

A funeral was conducted Wednesday at Hobbsville Baptist Church by Dr. Stephen E. Loftis and the Rev. Terry Jones. Burial followed at the Rountree family cemetery.

Mrs. Rountree was a member of Hobbsville Baptist Church, she had worked in the Gates County School System and with the U.S. Postal Service. She was also a member of Hobbsville Home Demonstration Club.

Survivors include a daughter, Nancy R. Eure of Hampton, Va.; a sister, Margaret H. Spivey of Augusta, Ga.; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Mildred S. Smith
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Mildred Stallings Smith, 87, a native of Gates County, died September 21, 2002 at a Virginia Beach nursing facility. She was the widow of Carlton Elhue Smith.

A graveside service was conducted Tuesday at the King family cemetery, Gates County, with pastor Tom Potter. Twiford's Colonial Chapel, Chesapeake, was in charge

Mrs. Smith was a member of Sandy Cross Baptist Church.

Survivors include two sons, Carl Smith of Virginia Beach and Clinton Smith of Chesapeake; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a great- great-grandchild.

Willie G. Joyner
TYNER - Willie Gordon Joyner, 84, a native of Northampton County, died September 19, 2002, in the Skilled Nursing Facility of Chowan Hospital, Edenton.

A funeral was conducted Sunday at Ballard's Bridge Baptist Church by the Rev. John D. Wilkinson. Burial followed at the church cemetery. Miller Funeral Home, Edenton, was in charge. Memorial donations may be made to the church memorial fund at Ballard's Bridge Baptist Church, 3025 Virginia Road, Tyner, NC 27980.

Joyner moved to Chowan County in 1948 as a dealer for J.R. Watkins Co. and later worked as an electrician with Norfolk Naval Yard. In 1953 he began farming and for many years served as a committeeman on the ASCS-USDA Board in Chowan County. A member of Ballard's Bridge Baptist Church, he served as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and trustee. He was also a charter member of, both the Center Hill-Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department and the Chowan Ruritan Club.

Survivors include his wife, Frances Jane Morris Joyner; two brothers, Clarence M. Joyner of Edenton and Bernard 0. Joyner of Sun City, Ariz.; and two grandsons.