Mary Elizabeth Floyd Watkins

Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Floyd Watkins, 75, passed away Saturday, October 3, 2015 at W.F. Baptist Medical Center. A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Born in Randolph County, August 7, 1939, a daughter of Robert and Mattie Varner Floyd, preceded in death by her husband of forty five years, Andrew Watkins, and a son, Robert Watkins. Surviving are two daughters, Mary Watkins Davis and husband Robert and Karen Lynn Watkins; a son, John Scott Watkins; ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and special friends, Cindy, Bill and Judy. Great grandmother is Fatima Briles Floyd

Son of Lena Briles Elbertson Dies

Clayton Thomas Elbertson, 71, passed Friday, September 25, 2015 at the Hinkle Hospice House with his family by his side. Funeral service will be held at 2 pm Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Amazing Grace Baptist Church, 661 Light Road, Thomasville, with Rev. Hillis Burton officiating. Burial will follow in Holly Hill Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 pm Monday, Sept. 28 at Thomasville Funeral Home, 18 Randolph Street. Born March 17, 1944, in Trinity, NC to Tillet and Lena Briles Elbertson. Surviving are Virginia Sexton Elbertson of Thomasville; children, Dale Elbertson and wife Lynn Dunn Elbertson of Thomasville, Teresa Elbertson Black and husband Michael Black of Advance, and David Elbertson and wife Shana Bizzell Elbertson of Thomasville; grandchildren, Timmy Gobble, David McGee, Jon Gobble, Brandi Doby, Chris Gobble, Marisa Elbertson and Raylan Elbertson ;six great grandchildren; and sisters, Lois Elbertson Ashley and husband Vince of Thomasville and Mattie Elbertson Yates and husband Allen of Lexington.

Betty Lear Briles

Betty Louise Briles, 82, of Jeffersonville, IN, passed Monday, September 21, 2015. Funeral will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at Walnut Ridge Cemetery in Jeffersonville, IN, with burial to follow. Visitation will be held from 2 to 8 PM on Thursday at Legacy Funeral Center in Jeffersonville, IN. Preceded in death by her parents, John and Opal Lear; two brothers, Jesse Lear and Edward Reynolds; and sister, Virginia Lamb. Survived by her loving husband of 65 years, Jack Edward Briles Sr.; four children, Jack Briles Jr., Virginia Goodhue, Jay Robert Briles and John Evanston Briles Sr.; 19 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews.

Kenneth Ray Ridge Dies

ARCHDALE-Kenneth Ray “Ken” Ridge, 77, passed today, Thursday, September 17th, 2015, at 2:15 am. A service to celebrate Ken’s life will be held on Saturday, September 19th, at 2:00 pm in the Chapel of Cumby Family Funeral Service, Archdale, with Pastor Bobby Loving officiating. His family will receive  friends on Saturday from 12:45 until 1:45 pm at the funeral home. Born in Guilford County, on August 29th, 1938 to the late Robert and Vivian Kiger Ridge. In addition to his parents, preceding him in death was a sister, Ann Gaddy. Survived by his wife of 56 years, Yvonne Williard Ridge; his daughters, Kim Morgan and her husband Scott, Tammy Fulp and her husband Philip; his brother, Bob Ridge and his wife Melinda; his sister, Betty Robertson and her husband Stuart. Also surviving are his grandchildren, Ashley Morgan, Dylan and Connor Fulp.


Direct line to Mary Briles Pearce

Doris Marie Farlow Lilly

Doris Marie Farlow Lilly, 74, passed Friday, September 11, 2015 at the home of her son. Funeral services will be held on Monday, September 14, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. at Trinity Holiness Church, 4997 Plainfield Road, Sophia, NC 27350, with Rev. Tim Cole officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Born March 1, 1941 in Guilford Co., NC, daughter of the late Allen Farlow and Millie Sink Farlow. She was married July 25,1964 to Rev. James Walter Lilly who preceded her in death May 9, 2014. Also preceding her in death was her parents; a sister, Louise Wall; and a brother, Donald Farlow. Surviving are her daughters, Diane Spangler and husband Jeff of Thomasville, and Carolyn Lane and husband Wade of Lexington; sons, James Lilly and wife Angela of Hutsonville, IL, David Lilly and wife Dana of Lexington, NC, Tom Lilly and wife Danelle of Lexington, NC, and Tim Lilly and wife Rebecca of Jackson, MI; sister, Phyllis Lowdermilk and husband Roy of New Salem, NC; brother, Willie Farlow of Archdale; seventeen grandchildren, Grayson Marshall Lilly, Mamie Kimberlin Lilly, Bradley Dean Davis, Hunter Alan Spangler, Anne Marie Lane, Sean Lyman Lane, Taylor Jordan Lilly, Jackson David Lilly, Victoria (Tori) Bryson Lilly, Micah Emerson Lilly, Riley Jacob Hershberger, Alexis Brie Lilly, Addison Beret Lilly, Lincoln Marshall Lilly, Maddox Thomas Lilly, Adrianna Rose Lilly and Lauraina Marie Lilly. 

Great Grandmother is Mary Briles Sawyer

Jesse Obed Briles

Jesse Obed Briles, 92, of Westlake, passed away August 24, 2015 in Westlake, Ohio.Visitation at 2:30pm followed by a memorial service at 3:30pm Sunday, September 6, 2015 At Busch Funeral Home, 21369 Center Ridge Road, Fairview Park, OH 44116. Private burial at Resthaven Memory Gardens. Born July 4, 1923 to the late Ninevah Rush & Eulah Horney Briles.  Surviving will be wife of 68 years Ruby J. Briles (nee Gee); loving father of Londa Foster (Charles), Brenda Freeman (Dan) and Rev. Johnny Briles (Joyce); grandfather of Michelle Fluet (Matt), Sonya Judkins (Kevin), Julie Farr (Daniel), Amy Lawson (Geoff), Sarah Freeman (fiance-Andrew Bryant), Jesse Briles (Jenna), and Bennett Briles (Olivia). Great grandfather of 10; dear brother of Juana Mase, David Briles, and the late Philip and Peter Briles and Susan Smits. 

Virginia Dare Briles Snider Dies

Mrs. Virginia Briles Snider, formerly of Brewer Street, died August 29, 2015 at Pine Ridge Health and Rehabilitation after several years of declining health. She was born on November 13, 1920 to Virgil Strickland Briles and Pansy Jordan Briles. On July 6, 1940 she married Jesse Gray Snider who preceded her in death in 1994.  She lost her only child Bonnie Snider Jones in 2013. Surviving are sister Dorothy Hunt of Thomasville, grandsons James G. Jones of Thomasville and Benjamin C. Jones of Lexington, and great grand daughters Megan and Melissa Jones of Winston Salem. The family will be at J.C. Greens funeral home, 122 West Main St, Thomasville on Wednesday at 3:00PM for visitation. A memorial service will follow at 4pm.

Holly Skeen, Descendant of Mary Briles Pearce & Rachel Briles Hoover Dies

Holly Elizabeth Skeen, 45, of Asheboro, died Tuesday, August 25, 2015 at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem. Wake: 12:30 to 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 29, 2015 at Ridge Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 29, 2015, at Ridge Funeral Home Chapel with Mr. Charles Reeder officiating. Burial will follow at Randolph Memorial Park. A native of Randolph County, born February 28, 1970 to the late J.D. and Donna Hoover Skeen. Survived by her sister, LeAnn Skeen Marsh and husband, Tom of Winston-Salem; brother, Rick Skeen and wife, Linda Latham Skeen of Asheboro.


Descendant of Mary Briles Pearce & Rachel Briles Hoover

Wife of World War II/MoH Receipt Hero Dies

Wilma F. Briles age 95 of Mitchellville, passed away on Saturday, August 22, 2015, at Mercy Hospice in Johnston. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, August 27, 2015, at 10:30 a.m. at the Mitchellville United Methodist Church, with burial following at Waveland Cemetery in Prairie City. Visitation will take place on Wednesday, August 26, 2015, from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Coburn Funeral Home in Colfax. The family will greet friends from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Memorials may be directed to Mitchellville United Methodist Church or the Wounded Warrior Fund. The daughter of Walter J. and Mildred (Offill) Telfer, Wilma was born on January 21, 1920 in Prairie City. She graduated from Prairie City High School in 1937. On January 27, 1946 she was united in marriage to Herschel F. "Pete" Briles at the Methodist Church in Prairie City. Those left to honor her memory include her three sons, James (Judy) Briles of Johnston, Jerry (Sharon) Briles of Prairie City, and Randy (Polly) Briles of Waterloo, Nebraska; seven grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; two sisters, Lois Stoner of Oregon and Trula Telfer of Urbandale; and two brothers, Ronald Telfer and Wilbur (Dodie) Telfer both of Newton. Preceding her in death were her parents, Walter and Mildred, step mother, Myrna, husband, Pete in 1994 seven sisters, Edith Moore, Elsie Fatka, Irma Telfer, Vera Telfer, Marilyn Elrod, Myrna Schmitt and Grace Shuey and two brothers, Merwyn Telfer and Robert Telfer.

Beverly Briles Herring Dies

Beverly J. Herring, 85, passed away at 7:20 p.m. at Wesleyan Health and Rehab, Marion. Visitation: 2-8 pm, Wednesday, July 1, 2015, Jones-Smith Funeral Home, 259 N. Main St., Upland, Indiana .Funeral Service: 10:00 AM, Thursday, July 2, 2015, Jones-Smith Funeral Home, 259 N. Main St., Upland, Indiana; Officiating; Rev. Robert Van Cise Interment: Jefferson Cemetery, Upland, Indiana. Daughter of the late Glen and Beatrice (Stephenson) Briles, she was born April 14, 1930 in Blackford County. She married Robert Herring on December 27, 1947 in Upland. He survives. Survivors include her husband of over 67 years, Robert Herring; two sons, Michael (Carol) Herring, Keystone, David (Cheryl) Herring, Hamilton, OH; a daughter, Susan (Bob) Southworth, Upland; a brother Steve Briles, Hartford City; two sisters, Rita (Jerry) Morris, Texas, Beth (Ron) Bennett, Florida; 10 grandchildren; and 20 great grandchildren. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by siblings: Bill Briles, John Briles, Joan Conner.