Gary Ray Trivette, 40, of Millersville Road, Taylorsville, died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville.

He was born in Ashe County August 27, 1967, the son of Mae Trivette Sheets of Taylorsville and the late Kenneth Sheets. He was a furniture worker and was of the Baptist faith. He enjoyed racing and was a 1997 Track Champion of the Taylorsville Speedway.

Survivors, in addition to his mother, include his wife, Sherry Lynn Earp Trivette of the home; two sisters, Shelia Smith of Stony Point and Cathy Lankford of Millers Creek; three brothers, Ricky Trivette and wife Jodie of Pleasant Garden and Kenny Sheets and Eddie Sheets, both of West Jefferson; his mother and father-in-law, Red and Irene Earp of Taylorsville; a brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Jewel Earp of Taylorsville; a favorite uncle, Jesse Trivette of Virginia; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be conducted at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at White Plains Baptist Church with Rev. Tony Daniels officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Notes of sympathy may be e-mailed to the Trivette Family at www.adamsfunerals.com.

Adams Funeral Home of Taylorsville is serving the Trivette Family.

Woodrow Franklin Millsaps, 76, of Rocky Springs Road, Taylorsville, died Friday, May 2, 2008, at Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville.

He was born in Alexander County November 5, 1931, the son of the late Amos Millsaps and Ruth Davis Millsaps. He was a retired truck driver and a member of Macedonia Baptist Church, where he served as a trustee and sang in the choir. Mr. Millsaps was also a member of the Gospel Echoes and the Alexander Community Choir. He had a great passion for music and enjoyed singing and playing the guitar. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he served during the Korean Conflict.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Naomi Jones Millsaps; a sister, Louise Millsaps; and four brothers Booker T. Millsaps, Jay Lee "Skip” Millsaps, Amos Dollie Millsaps, and an infant brother.

Survivors include two daughters, Cheryl Millsaps of the home and Marilyn Sherrill of Taylorsville; a brother, Rev. James Millsaps and wife Rachel of Taylorsville; a sister-in-law, Willie Mae Millsaps of Charlotte; three grandchildren, Frankie Millsaps, Connor Millsaps, and Vakala Sherrill; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were conducted Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at Macedonia Baptist Church with Rev. Carl Williams officiating and Rev. William Roy Brown, Sr., delivering the eulogy. Burial followed in the church cemetery with Military Rites conducted by D.A.V. Chapter 84 of Taylorsville.

Notes of sympathy may be e-mailed to the Millsaps Family at www.adamsfunerals.com. Adams Funeral Home of Taylorsville was in charge of arrangements.

Rose Ella Lonberger Taylor, 55, of Mountain View Drive, Taylorsville, died Friday, May 2, 2008, at her residence.

She was born July 7, 1952, in Athens County, Ohio, the daughter of the late Virgil Lonberger and Elizabeth Julia Hunnicutt Lonberger. She was a retired cook from Wendy’s.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Donald Lonberger, and a grandson, Donald Alan Helms.
Survivors include her husband, Shelton James Taylor of the home; a daughter, Tina Echerd and husband Steven of Taylorsville; a son, Donald Helms of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; a sister, Carolyn Lynd of Ohio; a brother, Van Lonberger of Raleigh; and three grandchildren, Jenna and Justin Echerd and Lorelai Rose Helms.

Funeral services were conducted Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Promised Land Ministries with Rev. Bill Honeycutt officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Notes of sympathy may be e-mailed to the Taylor Family at www.adamsfunerals.com.

Adams Funeral Home of Taylorsville was in charge of arrangements.

Frances Mayberry Sharpe, 84, of Hwy. 90 East, Hiddenite, passed away Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville.

She was born in Alexander County August 19, 1923, the daughter of the late Talmadge Mayberry and Ethel Norton Mayberry. She was a homemaker and a member of the Stony Point Baptist Church.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Bill Sharpe; two brothers, Bill Mayberry and Donald Mayberry; one sister, Catherine Mayberry; and a great-grandson, Rhondle Eugene Mays, II.

She is survived by two sons, Gale Sharpe and wife Janice of Hiddenite and Larry Sharpe and wife Barbara of Statesville; six grandchildren, Curtis Sharpe, Kevin Sharpe, Ginger Sharpe, Scott Mays, Michael Mays, and Melissa Huffman; and twelve great- grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted at Stony Point Baptist Church Saturday, May 3, 2008, with Rev. Greg Barefoot, Rev. Mike Carr, and Rev. Scott Hammer officiating. Burial followed in the Hiddenite Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to Stony Point Baptist Church, PO Box 198, Stony Point, NC. 28678 or to the Hiddenite Cemetery Fund, 68 Waugh Lane, Hiddenite, NC 28636.

Notes of sympathy may be e-mailed to the Sharpe Family at sympathycfh@bellsouth.net.

Chapman Funeral Home of Stony Point was in charge of arrangements.

Leslie Ingram Gregory, 96, of Taylorsville Hwy., Stony Point, and formerly of Temple, Oklahoma, died Monday, May 5, 2008, at Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville.

He was born in Macon County, N.C., January 27, 1912, the son of the late Ingram Gregory and Margaret Fox Gregory. He retired ater twenty-eight years of service in the United States Army, retired after twenty-five years as a General Contractor, and in his later years, worked as a wheat farmer. Mr. Gregory was a member of Sulphur Springs Baptist Church.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three wives, Hattie Gregory, Bess Gregory, and Emo Crouch Gregory; three brothers, Arthur Glenn Gregory, Sumner Clingman Gregory, and Thomas Lee Gregory; and a sister, Lydia Alice Gregory.

He is survived by a son, Leonard Ray Gregory of Britthaven Rest Home and wife Evelyn; four grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and a number of nephews and nieces.

Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. at Sulphur Springs Baptist Church with Rev. Steve Parks and Rev. Mitch King officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military rites provided by V.F.W. Post 10,000 of Hiddenite and V.F.W. Post 5466 of Taylorsville. The body will lie in state thirty minutes prior to the funeral service.

The family will receive friends at the church following the service. At other times, the family will assemble at the home of Mr. Gregory’s nephew, Jimmy Gregory, at 472 East Lackey Farm Rd., Stony Point.

Memorials may be made to Sulphur Springs Baptist Church, 116 Patterson Rd., Hiddenite, NC 28636.
Condolences may be emailed to the Gregory Family at www.chapmanfuneralhome.com Chapman Funeral Home of Stony Point is serving the Gregory Family.

Kent Henry Abbes, 64, of Deer Haven Drive, Statesville, passed away Monday, May 5, 2008, at Iredell Memorial Hospital.

He was born December 6, 1943, in King County, N.Y. He was a bank manager and also served in the National Guard.

He is survived by his wife, Joan Gianino Abbes of the home.
No formal funeral services have been planned at this time.
Condolences may be e-mailed to the Abbes Family by visiting www.chapmanfuneralhome.com.

Chapman Funeral Home of Stony Point is assisting the Abbes Family.

Charles Austin Dodd, 69, of Mason Dixon Lane, Statesville, passed away Saturday, May 3, 2008, at Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville.

He was born September 14, 1938, in Berrien County, Michigan, the son of the late Marion Dodd and Helen Longfellow Dodd. He was a retired machine operator.

A cremation was chosen by the family. No formal funeral services have been planned at this time.

Condolences may be emailed to the Dodd Family by visiting our website at www.chapmanfuneralhome.com. Chapman Funeral Home of Stony Point is assisting the Dodd Family.

Randy Ralph Pennell, 60, of Taylorsville, passed away Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory.

He was born in Alexander County September 5, 1947, the son of the late Almalene Teague Pennell and the late Ralph Finley Pennell. He was a member of Antioch Baptist Church. He worked as a carpenter for White Fox Construction Company. He loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing and four-wheeling.

Loved ones left to cherish his memory include one son, Rodney Pennell and wife Veronica of Hickory; one grandson, Ryne Pennell of Hickory; one sister, Brenda White of Taylorsville; and a number of aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A memorial service was held Thursday, May 1, 2008, at the Alexander Funeral Service Chapel with Rev. Dennis Spivey officiating. Condolences to the Pennell Family may be emailed to alexfuneralsvc@bellsouth.net.

Alexander Funeral Service of Taylorsville was in charge of arrangements.

Cecil Chapman Lail, 85, of Wagner St., Troutman, died Sunday morning, May 4, 2008, at Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville.
Born in Alexander County March 16, 1923, she was a daughter of the late Lon Chapman and Lucy Teague Chapman. She was a member of Troutman Baptist Church and formerly sang in the Sherrill Quartet. Mrs. Lail was a homemaker and a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved singing in her church choir.

On October 11, 1945, she married Buck Lail, who died on January 1, 2006.

Left to cherish her memory are two sons, Charles Lail and wife Crystal of Troutman and Butch Lail and wife Dalia of Greenville, S.C.; a brother, Turner Chapman of Jacksonville, Fla.; two sisters, Faye L. Lail of Raleigh and Ann L. Gentry of Copper Center, Alaska; grandchildren, Thomas, Bradley, Jennifer, and Hana Lail; and great-grandchildren, Jordan, Morgan, Erin, Katelyn, and Brady Lail.
Services celebrating Mrs. Lail's life were conducted at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at Troutman Baptist Church with Rev. Paul Childers and Rev. Wayne Gentry officiating. Burial follow in Iredell Memorial Gardens.

Memorials may be given to Troutman Baptist Church, 305 Perry Rd., Troutman, N.C. 28166.

Condolences may be sent on-line to the Lail Family at www.mem.com.

Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home of Statesville was in charge of arrangements.

Mazo Hall Sigmon, 84, of the Bethlehem Community, passed away unexpectedly Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at her residence.
She was the widow of the late Cecil James Sigmon and was an active member of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by two daughters, Ruth Bowman and Betty Little.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later at Alexander Funeral Service in Taylorsville.

J.R. White, 76, formerly of the Bethlehem Community, died Thursday, May 1, 2008, at his residence following a period of declining health.

He was born in Caldwell County October 26, 1931, the son of the late Lewis White and Dora Bryant White. Mr. White was a retired fireman from the Bethlehem Fire Department and was the owner and operator of Hickory Septic Tank Service for over fifty years.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by six brothers, Talley, W.L., Roy, Boyd, Charlie, and Ralph White.

He is survived by his loving wife, Louise Combs White of the home; a son, Kenneth White and wife Diane of Hickory; a daughter, Becky Fox and husband Loyd; a grandson, Dalton White; a granddaughter, Riva Fox; a brother, Johnny White of Granite Falls; and a sister, Wavern White of Granite Falls.

Funeral services were conducted Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Oak Grove Baptist Church with Rev. Wayne White officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Bethlehem Fire Department, Teague Town Rd., Taylorsville, NC 28681 or to Palliative CareCenter and Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Rd., Newton, NC 28658.
The obituary may be viewed on line at www.mem.com.

Mackie-High Funeral Home of Granite Falls was in charge of arrangements.

Rena Kerley Kiziah, 83, of Hickory, passed away Monday, May 5, 2008, at her residence.

Born October 25, 1924, in Caldwell County, she was the daughter of the late Marce Kerley and Mattie Starnes Kerley. She was a member of Poovey's Grove Baptist Church in Granite Falls, where she served on the finance committee.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Kiziah.

Mrs. Kiziah is survived by three sons, Gregory Kiziah and wife Sonya of Taylorsville, Trent Kiziah of Los Angeles, Calif., and Brent Kiziah and wife Shari of Raleigh; a daughter, Jovita Morrison and husband Jack of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; a sister, Betty Jean Kistler of Granite Falls; a cousin, Moreda Fox Porter of Ft. Smith, Arizona; and seven grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday, May 9, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. at Poovey's Grove Baptist Church with Rev. David Jones officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends and relatives from 7:15 to 9:00 p.m. Thursday, May 8, 2008, at Bass-Smith Funeral Home in Hickory and from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. after the service on Friday at the home of Greg Kiziah, 3203 Paul Payne Store Rd., Taylorsville, NC 28681 (828) 632-7995.

Memorials may be made to Poovey's Grove Baptist Church, 4889 Poovey's Grove Church Rd., Granite Falls, NC 28630.

Bass-Smith Funeral Home and Crematory of Hickory is serving the family of Rena Kerley Kiziah.

Johnny William Davis, 54, of Blue Ridge Lane, Taylorsville, passed away Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at his residence following a period of declining health.

He was born January 29, 1954, in Alexander County, the son of the late Tom Davis and Rose Ada Teague Pennell. He was a member of Dudley Shoals Baptist Church and was employed in the furniture industry. Mr. Davis was also a veteran of the Vietnam War.
Surviving are two sisters, Brenda Boles and husband Keith and Kathy Pennell, both of Bethlehem; a brother, David Pennell of Bethlehem; stepfather, David Pennell, Sr., of Bethlehem; two nieces, Kendell Hill and Elizabeth Boles, both of Bethlehem; and a nephew, Victor Boles of Bethlehem.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, May 8, 2008, at Dudley Shoals Baptist Church with Rev. Don Ingle and Rev. Ron Winkler officiating. Interment will follow in the Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery with military rites provided by American Legion Post #48.

The family will receive friends Wednesday, May 7, 2008, from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Hickory Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Alexander County, 50 Lucy Echerd Lane, Taylorsville, N.C. 28681.

Hickory Funeral Home, 1031 11th Ave. Blvd., S. E. is in charge of arrangements.

Jerry Lynn Bumgarner, 54, of Claremont, passed away unexpectedly Friday, May 2, 2008.

Born April 3, 1954, in Catawba County, he was the son of Earl Richard Bumgarner and the late Mabel Isaac Bumgarner. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served for the National Guard for several years. Mr. Bumgarner was employed by Earl Bumgarner Lumber all of his life.

In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by a brother, Earl Allen Bumgarner.

He is survived by his father, Earl Richard Bumgarner and step-mother Helen Sigmon Bumgarner of Claremont; a daughter, Tanya B. Crowder and husband Philip of Hickory; one granddaughter, Gracie Lee Crowder of Hickory; two brothers, Wayne Bumgarner of Claremont and Rick Bumgarner of Conover; two sisters, Trelby B. Edwards of Dallas, Texas, and Linda B. Pike of Claremont; and a number of nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was conducted at Catawba Funerals & Cremations in Hickory Tuesday, May 6, 2008. On-line condolences may be left at www.catawbamemorialpark.

com. Catawba Memorial Park, Funerals & Cremations of Hickory was in charge of arrangements.

Sarah Lackey Ferrell, 91, former resident of W. Lynch Street, Durham, died Thursday evening, May 1, 2008, at Duke Medical Center. Mrs. Ferrell was born in Alexander County, the daughter of the late George W. Lackey and Flossie Head Lackey. She was a graduate of Grace Hospital School of Nursing. She had worked as a nurse at Duke Hospital, at Durham Veterans Hospital for thirty-two years, and with Durham Regional Hospital until retiring. Mrs. Ferrell will be remembered as a loving mother and grandmother, who enjoyed gardening and helping others. Her gentle spirit and loving smile will be missed by all who knew her. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William E. Ferrell, Jr.
Survivors include a daughter, Elizabeth F. Talcott of Greenwood, S.C.; two sons, William E. Ferrell, III, and wife Louise of Shelby and Thomas W. Ferrell and wife Jill of Winston-Salem; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; and two sisters, Kathryn Tonty of Baltimore, Md., and Ruby Little of Taylorsville.

Graveside services were conducted Sunday, May 4, 2008, in Maplewood Cemetery in Durham.

Memorials may be sent to the Duke University School of Nursing for scholarship support of nursing students, c/o Sallie Ellinwood, 512 S. Mangum Street, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27701.

On-line memorials may be sent to www.hallwynne.com. Select obituaries.

Hall-Wynne Funeral Service of Durham was in charge of arrangements.