He was born in North Carolina, son of the late Weldon and Julie Thomasson. He worked as a heavy equipment operator for 31 years. He was a member of Berea Baptist Church, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 77 and Berea’s singing group. He was preceded in death by his wife, Vida Mae Thomasson; three brothers; and a sister.

Surviving: sons, Robert S. Thomasson and wife Teresa of Florida, Ronald A. Thomasson and wife Sandra of Louisa, Weldon F. Thomasson and wife Doreen of Stafford County, Lawrence E. Thomasson and wife Kathleen of Crofton, Md.; sisters, Mary Rachel Potter and Darathy Mae Guillespie, both of North Carolina, Clara Louise Hamlin of Virginia; brothers, Edgar Allen Thomasson and Mahlon Russel Thomasson, both of North Carolina, Henry Grady Thomasson and Bernard Alderson Thomasson, both of Indiana; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to Berea Baptist Church General Fund, 28 Fleet Road, Falmouth, VA 22406. Arrangements by Found and Sons Funeral Chapels.

Gary K. Johnson
MIDDLESEX – Gary Keith Johnson, 48, died Dec. 25, 2007. Funeral was Dec. 28 at Watkins Chapel Baptist Church. Entombment was in the church cemetery. He was born Jan. 13, 1959. He was a heavy equipment operator with Fred Smith Construction and C.C. Mangum. He was preceded in death by his father, Theorus Johnson.

Surviving: mother, Ezelle Driver Johnson of Middlesex; brother, Roger Johnson of Middlesex.

Arrangements by Strickland Funeral Home, Wendell.

Mamie Wilder Creech
ZEBULON — Mamie Wilder Creech, 93, of 12382 N.C. 39, died Dec. 26, 2007. Funeral was Dec. 28 at Friendship Free Will Baptist Church. Burial was in the church cemetery.

She was born Nov. 13, 1914, in Johnston County, daughter of the late Connie and Harriett Corbett Wilder. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Thelbert Creech; son, Joel Creech; grandson, Daryl Creech; sisters, Dorothy Godwin, Viola Allen, Ella Fulghum, Creola Minton and Barbara Baucom; and brothers, Connie and Joshua Wilder.

Surviving: daughter, Hedy Creech of Zebulon; sons, Randy Creech and wife Joyce, and Doug Creech, all of Zebulon; daughter-in-law, Susan Creech of Zebulon; sister, Cassie Williamson of Hamlet; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson.

Memorials may be made to Friendship Free Will Baptist Church, c/o Terry Tippett, 532 Simon Road, Middlesex 27557. 

Arrangements by Strickland Funeral Home, Wendell.

William Roy “Skip” Kelsey
KNIGHTDALE — William Roy “Skip” Kelsey, 60, of 2016 Village Squire Circle, died December 26, 2007, at WakeMed. Memorial service was Dec. 29 at Beacon Baptist Church.

He was born Aug. 3, 1947, in Albion, N.Y., son of the late Adelbert Kelsey Jr. and Marion Frances Fox Kelsey. As long as his health permitted, he was in maintenance with the Wake County Public School System and was a member of Beacon Baptist Church. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Charles Kelsey.

Surviving: wife of 35 years, Doris Feil Kelsey; sons, Brian William Kelsey and wife Melissa of Holly Springs, Daniel Roy Kelsey and wife Natasha of Knightdale; grandchildren, Alec, Nathan, Joshua, Jasmine and Noah Kelsey, Caleb Gower; brothers, Richard Kelsey of Albion, N.Y., Jon Kelsey of Hamlin, N.Y., Ralph Kelsey of Rochester, N.Y., Gordy Kelsey of N.Y.

Memorial contributions may be made to Beacon Baptist Church Building Fund, 2110 Trawick Road, Raleigh 27604. Arrangements by L. Harold Poole Funeral Service and Crematory, Knightdale.

Mavis Bailey Sauls
KNIGHTDALE — Mavis Bailey Sauls, 89, of 1121 Bethlehem Road, died Dec. 21. Funeral was Dec. 23 at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Knightdale. Burial was in the church cemetery.

She was born in Wake County Jan. 8, 1918, daughter of the late Percy Eugene Bailey and Minnie Hunnicutt Bailey. She worked for over 20 years at WakeMed and was a lifelong member of Bethlehem Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Roscoe “Buck” Sauls; son-in-law, Edwin Hart; sisters, Placid B. Knott and Lucille B. House; and brothers, Willie Bailey, Kenneth Bailey, Kermit Bailey and Edgar Bailey.

Surviving: son, James Leonard “Jimmie” Sauls and wife Faye of Knightdale; daughter, Dena Rebecca “Becky” S. Hart of Wilmington; granddaughters, Amy Sauls of Emerald Isle, Beth Sauls Jackson and husband Brian of Swansboro; grandsons, Jonathan Hart of Wilmington, Jamie Hart of Acworth, Ga., Eddie Hart of Poulsbo, Wash.; eight great-grandchildren; brother, Paul Bailey and wife Alee of Angier; sister, Lela B. Turner of Clayton.

Memorial contributions may be made to Bethlehem Baptist Church Building Fund, 8400 Poole Road, Knightdale 27545. Arrangements by L. Harold Poole Funeral Service and Crematory, Knightdale.

Marjorie Smith Bryan
RALEIGH — Marjorie Smith Bryan, 89, died Dec. 22. A memorial graveside service will be held in Wheelersburg, Ohio, at a later date.

She was born in St. Helens, Ky., Sept. 29, 1918, daughter of the late Earl L. Smith and Nettie Hobbs Smith. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Wallace R. Bryan; and son, James M. Bryan.

Surviving: son, Larry Bryan and wife Suzanne of Raleigh; grandchildren, Colyn Johnson and Kelly Sigers; great-grandchildren, Bryan Scott, Seyla Cherie, Victoria Jordan Denhalter, Alyssa Danielle Ryan, Kiana Brooke Robinson, Lara Elizabeth, Triston James Sigers; great-great-granddaughter, Nora Anne Denhalter.

Local arrangements by L. Harold Poole Funeral Service and Crematory, Knightdale.

Maurice Eugene “Gene” Glasgow Jr.
RALEIGH — Maurice Eugene “Gene” Glasgow Jr., 77, died Dec. 22 at his home. Funeral was Dec. 26 at L. Harold Poole Funeral Service Chapel, Knightdale. Burial was at Brier Creek Memorial Gardens, Raleigh.

He was born Sept. 3, 1930, in Franklin County. He was preceded in death by his father, Maurice E. Glasgow Sr. He was retired with over 40 years of service with the U.S. Army. In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by a brother, Darrell Hayes Glasgow.

Surviving: wife, Rose Marie Hughes Glasgow; daughter, Donna Marie Glasgow of the home; mother, Alice Hayes Glasgow of Raleigh; two special aunts; numerous cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Wake County, 1300 St. Mary’s St., Fourth Floor, Raleigh 27605.

MacKenzie E. Bell
ZEBULON — MacKenzie E. Bell, infant, died Dec. 17. Graveside service was Dec. 22 at New Hope Christian Church cemetery. Arrangements by Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Wake Forest.

 

Lee A. Williams
ZEBULON — Lee A. Williams, 47, died Dec. 18. Funeral was Dec. 22 at William Toney’s Funeral Home chapel. Burial was at Pleasant Grove Annex Cemetery, Wendell.

David Walter Barbour
ZEBULON — David Walter Barbour, 64, of 7341 Mitchell Mill Road, died Dec. 23 at WakeMed. Memorial service was Dec. 27 at Beulah Christian Church, Zebulon. Inurnment was at Rolesville Baptist Church cemetery.

He was born in Norfolk County, Va., Feb. 27, 1943, son of the late James Rubin Barbour and L. Mildred Neville Barbour Fowler. He served his country in the U.S. Navy.

Surviving: wife, Barbara Pruitt Barbour; daughter, Angela Ellen Barbour of Raleigh; brother, Bobby Wayne Fowler and wife Angie of Lake Royale; uncles, B.W. Neville and wife Dot of Rolesville, Howard Barbour and wife Gladys of Beaufort; aunts, Ruth Carroll of Zebulon, Vera Cook of Panama City, Fla., Alavia Barbour of Fuquay-Varina; several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made to American Heart Association, 3131-100 RDU Center Drive, Morrisville 27560; or American Lung Association of NC, P.O. Box 27985, Raleigh 27611. Arrangements by L. Harold Poole Funeral Service and Crematory, Knightdale.

Eddie Mack Massey
SPRING HOPE — Eddie Mack Massey, 30, died Dec. 24. Funeral was Dec. 28 at Rocky Cross Baptist Church. Burial was in the church cemetery.

He was born in Wake County Feb. 18, 1977. He was a heavy equipment operator with S.T. Wooten.

Surviving: son, Paul Eddie Massey of Spring Hope; parents, Randy Mack Massey and Belinda Johnson Massey of Spring Hope; sister, Dawn Renee Driver and husband David of Spring Hope; paternal grandfather, Tommy Massey of Spring Hope;

Jack W. Richards
ZEBULON – Jack William Richards, 87, of 22 Jacks Way, died peacefully Dec. 13 at Duke Raleigh Hospital surrounded by his family. Funeral was Dec. 16 in the Strickland Funeral Home chapel, Wendell. Burial was in the Mitchell family cemetery, north of Zebulon.

A native of Wake County, he was born Feb. 3. 1920, son of the late John Eacho and Lucy Mitchell Richards. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Dobbin and was a survivor of Pearl Harbor. He was a member of Wakefield Masonic Lodge 155, the Zebulon Shriners and Sudan Temple, and a charter member of the Mudcats Booster Club. He was a Franklin County farmer and a bank courier for NCNB before retiring in 1985. He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Betty Joyce Wright Richards; half brother, Charles Warwick; and half sister, Louise Bryan.

Surviving: sons, William “Bill” Richards and wife Marie of Louisburg, Tracy N. Richards and wife Jewel of Louisburg; daughter, Lyn Richards Massey and husband Ray of Zebulon; half brothers, George F. Warwick and wife Martha of Wilmington, Bill E. Warwick of Lumberton; half sisters, Anne Van Nordheim and husband Ed of Wilmington, Nancy Shipley and husband Don of Jacksonville; grandchildren, Marlet M. Edwards and husband Michael, David B. Massey, Emerald N. Richards; great-granddaughter, Wallace C. Edwards.

Memorials may be made to Shiners Children’s Hospitals.

Martha O. Herring
KNIGHTDALE — Martha O. Herring, 79, of 303 Kingston Road, died Nov. 28. Funeral was Dec. 15 at Carlton L. Gray Funeral and Cremation chapel, Raleigh.

Bonnie Davis
ZEBULON — Bonnie Davis died Dec. 12. Funeral was Dec. 19 at William Toney's Funeral Home chapel. Burial was at Stokes Chapel Baptist Church cemetery.