Obituaries

Dec 22, 2020

New Bern- Cordelia Smithwick Willis “Dee”, 76, of New Bern went home to be with her Lord on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 after a long courageous battle with Pancreatic Cancer.

She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She enjoyed spending time with friends and family. She also loved shopping, gardening and learning about others....

Dec 21, 2020

Martha Jeanette Gregory Miske, 87, of Pamlico passed away Dec. 21, 2020 at Carolina East Medical Center. She was born Oct. 28, 1933.

Jeanette was preceded in death by her mother, Ida Woodard Gregory; father, Julian Gregory; brother, Louis Gregory; and nephew, Eugene Secord.

She is survived by her sister, Aileen Gregory Nuth; brother, Russel...

Dec 19, 2020

JERRY THEODORE BROTHERS, SR.

February 1, 1940 – December 19, 2020

Greenville, NC

Jerry Theodore (Tommy) Brothers was born February 1, 1940, in Aurora, NC, to Sarah Edna Mayo and Harvey Atlee Brothers, Sr.

Jerry/Tommy joined the United States Air Force (USAF) immediately after graduating from Aurora High School. He earned...

Dec 18, 2020

Clara Smith Boyd Welch, 90, of Grantsboro passed away Friday, December 18, 2020, at home.

She is a member of Faith FWB Church.

She is survived by sons, Dwayne Boyd and wife, Beth, and Donald Boyd and wife, Laurie; four grandchildren, Amanda Griffin, Jeremy, Nathan and Samuel Boyd; and five great grandchildren.

Her...

Dec 17, 2020

Martha Gray Moore Meskauskas Nov 7, 1944 - Dec 17, 2020

Martha Moore Meskauskas of Oriental, NC passed away Thursday December 17. 2020. She was the wife of John A. Meskauskas with whom she shared 33 years of marriage.

Born in Hagerstown, Maryland, she was the second daughter to the late Marguerite Van Buren Albert...

Dec 12, 2020

Charlie Gordon Cummings, 95, resident of Bayboro, passed away on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at Grantsbrook Nursing and Rehab Center. He was born on August 2, 1926 in Roanoke, Alabama to Wiley and Annie Cummings. He was a member of Stonewall United Methodist Church.

He served as a Seaman 1 st Class in the Navy enlisting in...

Dec 7, 2020

Grady M. O’Neal, age 93, longtime resident of Oriental, NC, died on December 7, 2020 at the Crystal Coast Hospice House in Newport, NC.

A private Graveside Service will be held in Hickory, NC. A public Memorial Service will be held at a later date in Oriental.

Grady Max O’Neal was born July 14, 1927,...

Dec 6, 2020

Melinda Sue Rains, 48, resident of Craven County passed away in the early morning hours on Sunday, December 6, 2020 after a long and hard battle with congestive heart failure.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date by her close friends and family. Melinda was born on May 17, 1972 in Beaufort South...

Dec 5, 2020

James Earl Cavanaugh

November 12, 1932 – December 5, 2020

James Earl Cavanaugh, 88, formerly of Hobucken, NC, passed away on Saturday, December 5, 2020, at Grantsbrook Nursing Home after contracting COVID-19 in November.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Effie Sadler, and his brother, Lennis Cavanaugh.

He is...

Dec 4, 2020

Letha Wells Forrest formerly of Vandemere, passed away peacefully on December 4, 2020 at Carolina East Medical Center. Letha was born in Wallace, NC, and lived much of her adult life in New Bern. Letha earned her RN Nursing Degree from Rex Hospital School of Nursing in Raleigh, where she met John Watts. They later married and settled in...

Nov 30, 2020

Peggy Jo Taylor Dunn, 78, of Bridgeton, passed away peacefully, Monday, November 30, 2020, at home.

She is a member of Faith FWB Church. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She was preceded in death by a great grandson, Zayn Ayala.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years,...

Nov 30, 2020

Dorothy Nell Mayo Lee born to Jesse and Agnes Mayo on April 14, 1941, in Hobucken, NC, passed away on November 30, 2020, in the comfort of her home alongside her family.

She was a lifelong resident of Goose Creek Island, Hobucken, NC. She married Nelson Ireland Lee Sr. on October 3, 1959; they were married for...

Nov 30, 2020

William Wallace Gaskins Jr., 82, of Stonewall, passed away Monday, November 30, 2020, at his son’s home in Arapahoe.

He retired from the U.S. Navy in 1976 after 21 years of service, serving from 1969-1970 in Vietnam on a River Patrol Boat. He then worked and retired from TexasGulf from 1976-1995.

He was preceded in...

Nov 29, 2020

Betty Ann Williamson Welch, 89 of Minnesott Beach went peacefully to her heavenly home the evening of November 29 th , 2020. She was born in Lumberton, NC, November 26, 1931, to Arthur W. Williamson, Sr. and Elizabeth Peal Williamson of Cerro Gordo, NC, both deceased.

She was affectionately known as “Miss Bett”, “Miss Betty” or “Nana”...

Nov 28, 2020

Lawrence Alan Rowe, 65, of Bayboro passed away Saturday, November 28, 2020, at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, NC.

He is a member of Mt. Zion OFWB Church. Lawrence loved photographing wildlife and nature. Besides his beautiful nature picture postings, he was also known for his corny jokes.  He was an avid Carolina Tarheel fan.

...

Nov 27, 2020

Patricia C. Avery, age 80, resident of Olympia, died peacefully on November 27, 2020 at Carolina East Medical Center.

A Memorial Service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 6, 2020 at Bryant Funeral Home.

Patricia Cahoon was born on August 6, 1940 in Arapahoe, NC to Erbol and Era Ensley Cahoon. She...

Nov 27, 2020

Samuel Baker Holt, age 91, of Bayboro, passed away peacefully on Friday, 27 Nov. 2020.

He was born July 4, 1929, hence nicknamed Uncle Sam, on Cape Cod Massachusetts, to Royal “Roy” and Florence (Wheeler) Holt. He married Barbara Armstrong his childhood sweetheart on February 20, 1954 shortly after joining the Army Air Corps. After retiring from...

Nov 26, 2020

Born in Akron Ohio September 7, 1923, the daughter of Italian Immigrants, Virginia Brenda Catalona French lived a remarkably long and extraordinary life, passing away peacefully at the age of 97, on November 26, 2020.

In her 97 years, Brenda lived through the Great Depression and WW II, serving her country as a Navy Wave. She was...

Nov 21, 2020

Mary Day Moore, age 96, of the Florence Community, died November 21, 2020, at CarolinaEast Medical Center after a brief five-day illness.

Born May 11, 1924, she was the daughter of Mart and Ida Caraway Day. She was predeceased by her husband, Wade Moore and by her two sisters, Beulah Day Williams and Emily Day Slade.

Nov 20, 2020

Margie Dixon Fritze, 73, of Reelsboro, passed away Friday, November 20, 2020, at CarolinaEast Medical Center.

She is a member of St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Parish in Oriental.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Zeb and Ruby Dixon; first husband, William “Billy” H. Phillips, brother, Cecil Dixon; stepchildren, John and Betty Ann...