Obituaries — Week of 5/7/08

Frances C. Bailey
Frances Louise Cornelius Bailey, 82, 200 E. 31st St., Kannapolis, died Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at Rowan Regional Medical Center, Salisbury.
Born April 18, 1926, in Rowan County, she was a daughter of the late James and Hassie Beatty Cornelius. She attended Rowan County schools and graduated from Aggrey Memorial High School.
She retired from Cannon Mills. A member of Sill’s Creek AME Zion Church, she was a Deaconess, life member and a member of the Parent Body Oversees Missionary.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Otis Bailey, in 1999.
Survivors include daughter Kay Frances Graham of Salisbury; brother John Bell Cornelius of Salisbury; sisters Viola McHenry of Philadelphia, Pa., Jessie Cornelius and Hazeline Brawley, both of Salisbury; one granddaughter; and one great-granddaughter.
A service was held Monday, May 5, 2008, at Sill’s Creek AME Zion Church, conducted by the Rev. Jordan Boyd. Burial, church cemetery.
Noble and Kelsey Funeral Home is in charge.

James R. Verdin
SALISBURY — James R. Verdin, 66, formerly of Salisbury, died April 29, 2008, after a battle with lung cancer.
He graduated from Weir High School, Weirton, W.Va., in 1959, and Marshall University in 1963. He was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.
He began showing dogs in 1966 and fostered many champion St. Bernards, English bulldogs and petite Bassett Griffon Vendeens through his life. He was president of Piedmont North Carolina Bulldog Club.
He was also president of Topsail Reef Home Owner’s Association and was vice president of Dolphin Shores Board of Directors.
He was an active participant and fund-raiser for Granville County Relay for Life. After being diagnosed with colon cancer in 1997, he carried the Torch of Hope several years.
He worked for several years at Clayton Homes in Oxford and had recently retired to Pinehurst.
Survivors include his wife Anne Culley Verdin, with whom he would have celebrated 45 years of marriage in June; father L. Charles Verdin, formerly of Weirton; daughters Meredith Hancock of Concord, Hillary Kessler of Telford, Pa., and Whitney Skeen of Oak Ridge; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
A service was held Saturday, May 3, 2008, at Lee & Martin Funeral Home, Burgettstown, Pa., followed by a burial service at Chestnut Ridge Cemetery, Florence, Pa.
Memorials: Relay for Life of Granville County, American Cancer Society Memorial Fund, Jim Verdin Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 1611, Oxford, NC 27565.

Delores A. Hiers
Delores Annette Boll Hiers, 70, 1902 Stonewyck Ave., Kannapolis, died Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at CMC-NorthEast.
Born Sept. 28, 1937, in Jacksonville, Fla., she was a daughter of Effie Staton Bell and the late Augusta Daniel Bell.
Survivors include husband Howard Marcy Hiers; son Robert Hiers of Aynor, S.C.; and daughter Marcie Lee Hiers Pack, Kannapolis.
A service was held Friday, May 2, 2008, at Whitley’s Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Rodney Taylor.

Joe Henry Beaver
Joe Henry Beaver, 82, 926 S. Walnut St., Kannapolis, died Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at CMC-NorthEast.
Born Oct. 7, 1925, in Rowan County, he was the son of the late George Henry and Ola Kathleen Cook Beaver. He retired several years ago as a weaver from Cannon Mills. He was an active member of Concord First Assembly. He served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Gladys Cruse Beaver; daughters Susan Beaver Livengood of Kannapolis and Joanne Beaver Plott of Las Vegas, Nev.; son Henry A. “Tony” Beaver of Concord; brother Ralph Beaver of China Grove; four grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
A graveside service was held Friday, May 2, 2008, at Carolina Memorial Park, conducted by the Rev. Tom Whidden, the Rev. Forest Jones and Kirk Sams. Military honors were given.
Memorials: Concord First Assembly, 150 Warren C. Coleman Blvd., Concord, NC 28027.

Inez Helms Scott
CONCORD — Inez Helms Scott, 88, 220 Bishop Lane, died Sunday, April 27, 2008, at Five Oaks Manor in Concord after a period of declining health.
Born Sept. 20, 1919, in Guilford County, she was a daughter of the late William Bryce and Mary Pearl Allred Helms. She retired as a supervisor from Cato Corp. in 1981 after 35 years of employment. She was a member of Southside Baptist Church in Concord.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard E. Scott, who died March 18, 1986.
Survivors include sons Jerry E. Cochran of Concord and Mickey Cochran of Miami, Fla.; brother Bobby Helms of Raleigh; sister Marie Arledge of Concord; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at Southside Baptist Church in Concord, conducted by the Rev. Robert Leonard and the Rev. Joey Morrison.
Memorials: Southside Baptist Church, 561 Union Cemetery Road S.W., Concord, NC 28027.
Whitley’s Funeral Home is in charge.

Pearl Sapp
CONCORD — Pearl Lorene Sapp, 92, of Cline School Road, died Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at her residence.
Born April 20, 1916, in Cabarrus County, she was daughter of the late Emmett and Ada Mollie Allman Sapp. She was a member of Boger United Church of Christ, where she taught Sunday school. She was a graduate of Mount Pleasant High School and retired from Kaysor Roth Hosiery Mill.
Survivors include brothers Emmett Sapp Jr. of Harrisburg, John and Mack Sapp, both of Concord.
A service was held Friday, May 2, 2008, at Boger United Church of Christ, officiated by the Rev. Dr. Donald McManus. Burial, church cemetery.
Memorials: Boger United Church of Christ, Scholarship Fund, 7313 Gold Hill Road, Concord, NC 28025.
Gordon Funeral Home, Mount Pleasant, was in charge.