Bonnie Auman Hunt Dies

Bonnie Auman Hunt, age 95, passed Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at her home. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2011 at 2:00 PM at the Pugh Funeral Home Chapel with Elder Richard Kirby officiating. Burial will follow in the Pleasant Hill Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. Born on January 2, 1916 in Seagrove to Pearson and Jennie Cornelison Auman; preceded in death by her husband Thomas Reid Hunt and twelve brothers and sisters. Survived by her daughter, Elaine Richardson and her husband Harvey of Seagrove, NC; sons, Larry Hunt of Seagrove, NC, Steve Hunt and his wife Mary of Seagrove, NC; grandchildren, Renee Richardson Auman of Seagrove, NC, Krystal Richardson of Seagrove, NC, Todd Hunt and his wife Jennifer of Asheboro, NC, Brian Hunt and his wife Carla of Seagrove, NC; great grandchildren, Chelsey Auman, Hagen Auman, Thomas Hunt, and one on the way in August.

James Albert Briles Dies

Dr. James Albert 77 passed May 05, 2011. Born on May 03, 1934, in Seattle to James Alexander Briles and Dorothy Dunseath Briles, Jim attended Grant High School (1952), UO, and completed his post-graduate studies at OHSU, where he earned his D.M.D. He married Judith Maria English, in 1959, and they had 4 children, James C. Briles, Dr. John N. Briles, Jennifer L. Loomis and Jill M. Parisi. Jim married Mary Ellen Ede and her sons, Robert, Bill and Chris McMullen, in 1979. Jim is survived by his wife of 32 years, Mary Ellen Briles; sister, Beverly Joan Niedermeyer; 7 children; and 17 grandchildren. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 4, 2011, at the World Forestry Center, Cheatham Hall, 4033 S.W. Canyon Road, Portland. Arrangements by Springer and Son Aloha Funeral Home, 503-356-1000.

Lester Warren Rush Passes

Lester Warren Rush, age 89, of Troy passed Thursday, May 19, 2011 at First Health Moore Regional Hospital, Pinehurst. Family will receive friends Saturday from 6-8 pm at Pugh-Troy Funeral Home, 211 North Main Street, Troy; other times at the home. The funeral will be Sunday at 3:00 pm at First Wesleyan Church, 1368 NC Hwy 134N, Troy with Pastor Jeff Ray, Rev. Grady Blakely and Rev. William Saunders officiating. Burial will be in First Wesleyan Church Cemetery. Born January 5, 1922 in Randolph County, NC, the son of Jeff H. and Nannie Miller Rush. Survived by his wife: Beulah Shelton Rush of Troy; two daughters: Vada R Whitaker of Troy, Glenda R Spaugh of Phafftown; four sons: Harold D Rush of West End, Darrell W Rush of Troy, Farrell Rush of West End, James Allen Rush of Bear Creek; two sisters: Leona Wood of Trinity, Lalah Bowman of Sophia; eighteen grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild and 5 step-grandchildren.

Albert Eugene "Boss" Hepler Dies

THOMASVILLE-Albert Eugene "Boss" Hepler, 68, passed away Saturday, May 7, 2011 at Thomasville Medical Center. Family will receive friends Saturday, May 14, 2011 from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. at Thomasville Funeral Home. A Memorial Service, with Military Honors, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in the chapel between the visitation hours with Pastor Ricky Manring officiating. Born January 12, 1943 in Davidson County to the late Reid and Claudia Scarlett Hepler. He married Linda Holt July 8, 1975. Preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Linda McGee; brother, Hollis Hepler and a nephew, Tony Hepler. Survived by his beloved wife, Linda Holt Hepler; Cynthia Collins and husband Robert of Magnolia, TX, Susan Miller of Thomasville; son, Gerald Spencer and wife Michelle of Welcome; granddaughters, Brooke Collins, Crystalynn Aoutler of Katy, TX, Amelia Spencer of Welcome; grandsons, Bryce Collins of Magnolia, TX, Garrett Spencer of Welcome; sisters, Clara Phillips and husband James, Doris Duncan and husband Hardin, Inez Swing, all of Thomasville; brothers, Lloyd Hepler and wife Norma, Fred Hepler and wife Ellen, all of Thomasville; several nieces and nephews and lots of very dear friends.

Clara Wilson Briles Dies

Clara Ruth Briles, 91, of DeKalb, passed away Saturday, May 7, under the tender care of the DeKalb County Hospice at the DeKalb County Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, DeKalb. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, June 5, in the Hearthside Room in the Visitors' Center of the Ellwood House, 509 W. First St.,, DeKalb. Preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Robert Pierce Wilson II, Travis Hudson Wilson I, Ida Gertrude Krebs, Charlotte Josephine Cochran, Sarah Elizabeth Quinlan and Jesse Rodman Wilson Sr.; and her brothers-in-law, Connally Oran Briles, Van Gordon Briles and Jack David Briles.

Born Nov. 9, 1919, in Riverside, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, Ruth was the daughter of Robert Pierce and Ida (Hightower) Wilson. She married Worthie Elwood Briles on June 6, 1941, in Austin, Texas, while the two of them were attending the University of Texas. Later that summer, Ruth and Elwood received their Bachelors of Arts degrees in zoology from UT. They then went to the University of Wisconsin at Madison to begin work on their advanced degrees. However, those efforts were set aside so that Elwood could serve in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.

Following World War II and the births of their first two children (Susan and David), Ruth and Elwood returned to Madison where they received their advanced degrees in immunogenetics in 1948 (Ruth: M.S., Elwood: Ph.D.). The family then moved to College Station, Texas, where Elwood was a faculty member in the Poultry Science Department at Texas A&M and where their younger daughter Sara was born. After the family moved to DeKalb in 1957, Ruth worked with Elwood at the DeKalb Agricultural Association as a research associate in immunogenetics research from 1958-1968. From 1968-1970, Ruth was an Instructor in biological sciences at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. From 1970-2000, Ruth again worked with Elwood, this time as a research associate for immunogenetics research in the Biology Department at NIU. On October 9, 2004, Elwood and Ruth were recognized for their contributions to avian genetics by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Ruth was active in the American Association of University Women, volunteered at the Ellwood House and served for several years as the superintendent of the Sunday school at First Congregational Church in DeKalb. She is survived by her husband, Elwood; children, Susan Marie (Duane) Kniebes of Boulder, Colo., David Elwood (Marilyn Crain) Briles of Birmingham, Ala. and Sara (Richard Briles Moriarty) Briles of Madison, Wis.; grandchildren, Dustin Lincoln (Dana Churness) Briles Moriarty of Herbster, Wis., Rachel Florence (fiance Duy Hoang) Briles of Austin, Texas and Travis Crain Briles of Boulder, Colo.; step-grandchildren, Linda (Kniebes) Kozak and Carrie (Steve) Swift (Kniebes) of Lisle, Ill. and Van Kniebes of Boulder; great-grandchildren, Wylder Lee and Olin Elwood Moriarty of Herbster; and numerous nephews, nieces, grandnieces and grandnephews, including especially nephews, Jesse Rodman Wilson Jr. (Cathy) of Cold Springs, Nev., Hal (Claudia) Cochran of West Covina, Calif., Dale (Jacqueline) Cochran of San Clemente, Calif. and Roy (Therese) Krebs of Alexandria, Va.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the DeKalb County Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, 2600 N. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb, IL 60115, or the DeKalb County Hospice, 2727 Sycamore Road, Suite 1B, DeKalb, IL 60115. The family wishes to thank both organizations for the professional and extremely kind care that they provided Ruth in her last months and days.

Harvey L. Briles Dies

Harvey Briles, 82, of Creston, passed Saturday, May 7, 2011 at Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston. A Celebration of life memorial service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at the Chicken Inn, 2 miles west of Creston. Pastor Diana Clark will officiate. A graveside committal service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 9, 2011 at the Maple Hill Cemetery, north of Cromwell. Son of Edward Louis Briles and Doris Irene (Simpson) Briles, was born on Feb. 23, 1929, west of Prescott. In 1950, he married Doris White. Together they had four children. They later divorced. Preceded in death by his parents, and his brother, James Briles.Survivors include his wife, Pat Briles of Creston; three daughters, Sandy Manrose of Papillion, Neb., Cathy (fiance Jerry Balius) Hayes and Debbie (husband Kevin) Glick, all of Creston; a son, Jeff (wife Brenda) Briles of Perry; a step-daughter, Sandy (husband John) Schulte of Maryville, Mo.; and step-son, John (friend Paula Zillmer) Bantz of Glenwood; 9 grandchildren, Ryan (fiance Julie Kroeger) Manrose, Shawn Manrose, Jason (wife Wendy) Hayes, Nicki Hayes, Chad and Cody Means, and Davin, Larissa and Beau Briles; 5 step-grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and three step-great-grandchildren.

Bessie Southern Hoover Dies

SOPHIA- Bessie M. Hoover, age 73 passed away May 7, 2011. A graveside service will be Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 11:00 am in Floral Garden Memorial Park Cemetery in High Point with the Reverend Jeff Martin officiating. The family will receive friends on Tuesday evening from 7:00 until 8:30 pm at Sechrest Funeral Service in Archdale.
Born December 3, 1937 in Surry County to Wakefield and Myrtle Southern. She married Van Garner Hoover, who survives of the home. Also surviving are daughters and sons-in-law: Susan Simmons and husband Ron; Teresa Sinquefield and husband Keith; Pam Elliott and husband Lou and a son, Ray Hoover. Mrs. Hoover has two sisters; Frances Cox and JoAnn Gardner and five brothers: Reid, Donnie, Ronnie, Herb, and Jimmy Southern. There are seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Coy Loflin Passes

Coy Brown Loflin, 87, passed Monday, May 9, 2011 at The GrayBrier Nursing & Retirement Center. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 2:00 PM at Westfield Baptist Church with Rev. Doug Stevens and Rev. Terry Boles officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Born on August 6, 1923 in Randolph County to Cepha Milton Loflin and Nannie Hancock Loflin. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ida Mae Gordon Loflin on October 16, 1978; brothers, Roy and Eugene Loflin; and great-granddaughter, Alexis Lynn Loflin. Surviving are his sons, Donald Loflin and wife Sharon, and Jimmy Darrel Loflin, all of Thomasville; sister, Ruby Lee Noah and husband Bill of Thomasville; brother, Billy Loflin and wife Farrist of Thomasville; two grandchildren, Misty Owens and husband Vann of Trinity, and Derrick Gordon Loflin and wife Amy of Thomasville; and four great-grandchildren, Brent Andrew Owens and Erica Shay Owens, both of Trinity, and Cameron Maddox and Eleanor Leigh Loflin, both of Thomasville.

Blanche Byerly Miller Dies

THOMASVILLE-Blanche Noble Byerly Miller, 91, a resident of Thomasville, NC passed today May 9. 2001 in the Abbott’s Creek Care & Rehabilitation Center in Lexington. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday May 12, 2011 in the Greenwood Baptist Church with Rev. Michael Ferguson, Rev. Tim Miller and Rev. John Miller officiating. Interment will follow in the Holly Hill Memorial Park Cemetery. Born July 9, 1919 in Davidson County, a daughter of the late John Thomas Byerly and Allie Hill Byerly. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by a son; Leroy Miller, sisters; Cathleen Benton, Venetia Gallimore, and brothers; Walter Byerly, Robert Byerly, Dolan Byerly and Jack Byerly. Blanche was married to Jesse Franklin Miller who died March 18, 1980. Surviving is her son; Rev. Tim L. Miller and wife Vickie of Thomasville, grandchildren; Jennifer Harlow, John Miller, Austin Miller, great-grandchildren; Erika Williams Morgan Williams, Skyler Harlow and Abbey Miller, sisters; Mary Woodard and husband Bill of Greensboro, NC, Mozell Scarlett of Lexington (Silver Valley Community), Sarah Craver and husband Dale of Thomasville, and Ellerae Lambeth and husband Tommy of Lexington (Silver Valley Community).

Shirley Ann Gallimore Hedrick Dies

Shirley Gallimore Hedrick, 74, passed Wednesday, May 4, 2011. Family will receive friends from 6:00 - 8:00 pm Sunday, May 8, 2011at Thomasville Funeral Home. A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 pm Monday, May 9th at Tabernacle United Methodist Church with the Reverends, Brian Workman and Bill Foust officiating; interment will follow at the church cemetery. Born March 7, 1937 in Randolph County to the late Troy Edward and Bessie Edith Loflin Gallimore. Preceded in death by her brother, Troy Gallimore, Jr. and sister, Jacqulin Gallimore. Survived by her loving husband, Vann A. Hedrick of Tabernacle Comm.; son, Adrian Hedrick and wife Cindy of Summey Town; daughter, Dianne Cagle and husband Jimmy of Asheboro; grandson, Lucas Hedrick and wife Emily; granddaughter, Hannah Cagle; sister-in-law, Helen Gallimore; sisters, Joyce Lambeth, Lois Parrish, Norma Hall and husband Sidney, Peggy Lambeth and husband Larry; brothers, Joe Don Gallimore and wife Trish, Jerry Gallimore and wife Nancy.

Nell Mae Leonard Welborn Dies

THOMASVILLE-Nell Mae Leonard Welborn, 76, passed Sunday, May 1, 2011 in the Hospice Home at High Point. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 11 A.M. in Hilltop Baptist Church with Rev. W.A. “Junior” A. Seawell, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Born April 25, 1935 in Davidson County, a daughter of the late Raymond and Daisy Leonard. On July 3, 1976 she was married to Jerry Welborn, who survives of the home. Also surviving are daughters, Tara Fox Bowers and husband Twig and Lori Ann Fox, both of Thomasville; step-mother, Velna Leonard of High Point; sister, Nancy Coker of Thomasville; a brother, Charles A. Leonard and wife Arlette of Thomasville; mother-in-law, Catherine Welborn of Trinity; a great-niece, Nicole Welborn of the home; step-brothers, Ron Black and wife Ramona of Maryland and Paul Hill and wife Carol of High Point and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by a brother, Rayborn Leonard.

Eva Mae Johnston Skeen Floyd

Eva Mae Floyd, 90 passed Saturday, April 30, 2011. Family will receive friends from 12 to 2 PM on Monday May 2, 2011 at Thomasville Funeral Home with a funeral service at 2 PM in the chapel with Reverend Jody Harrison officiating followed by entombment in Holly Hill Memorial Park Mausoleum. Born on May 1, 1920 in Lexington, Kentucky to Nellie Johnston , preceded in death by her husband James Colon Skeen and grandchild Renee' Varner Floyd. Survived by son Waymon Skeen of the home, daughters; Wanda Colleen Varner and her husband George, Karen S. Miller, Vickie S. Summey and her husband Reverend Darrell Summey, all of Thomasville, brother Willie Johnston and wife Vida of Jamestown, grandchildren; Rodney Skeen and wife Karen, Crystal Skeen, Danny Varner, Wendy Goodwin and husband Stacy, Scott Skeen, Dwayne Summey, great grandchildren; Joseph and Daniel Skeen and Joseph Goodwin.