Sgt. First Class Johnny A. White II

Sgt. First Class Johnny Anthony White II, 35, of Raeford, formerly of Orlando, passed away on Tuesday, October 17, 2017.

He is survived by his wife, Cerissa White of Raeford; his daughter, Hayden White of Raeford; his son, Jayden White of Raeford; mother, Deborah Troup Cherenfant of Orlando; sisters, Jacquelyn Palms and husband, Troy of West Lake, Louisiana, Jennifer White of San Antonio, Texas, Reba Lawson and husband, Cambric of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Whitney Grainger and husband, Glen of San Antonio; his father, Johnnie A. White Sr. of Orlando; a brother, Griff Brown of Orlando; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.\

The funeral with full military honors will be held at noon Tuesday, October 24, 2017 in Rogers and Breece Funeral Home Chapel with Minister Willie DeWitt Troup Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery. 

The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, October 23, 2017 at the funeral home.

David R. McNeill

David Russ McNeill, 57, of Hope Mills died Tuesday October 17 at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.

Born in Virginia, he was the son of the late Clifford and Frances McNeill. He was retired from the Hoke County Sheriff's Department. He was a Tar Heel fan, a Miami Dolphin fan, and a New York Yankee fan.

He is survived by his wife, Sheila McNeill; daughters, Kristina Martell and husband Manny of Georgia, Jessica McQueen and husband John of Wilmington, and Virginia McNeill of Hope Mills; sons, Stephen McNeill and fiancée Natalia of Richmond, Virginia, and Johnathan McNeill of Hope Mills; and grandchildren, Adam, Justin, Dominic and Bella.

He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

A memorial service was held Sunday, October 22 at 3 p.m. at Pinecrest Funeral & Cremation Services in Hope Mills.

Larry W. Collins

Larry Wayne Collins, 61, of Raeford passed away Monday October 16, 2017. 
He was born July 29, 1956 in Cumberland County. 
He is preceded in death by his father Roger Grantham Collins Jr. 
He is survived by his mother Bobbie Jean Collins of Raeford; two brothers, Roger E. Collins and Jimmy Collins of Raeford; two sisters, Cathy McMillan of Raeford, formerly of Whiteville, and Lisa Collins of Raeford; a nephew Hugh Brian McMillan of Supply; a niece, Dana Collins of South Carolina; and a special friend, Charles Adams of Raeford. 
A private service will be held at the Raeford Cemetery. 
Online condolences may be made at www.crumplerfuneralhome.com 

MayBelle Currie

MayBelle (Peg) Currie passed away on October 10, 2017. She was 96 when she died and had been living in the View Pointe Senior Living Facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado for the last three years.

She was born on May 6, 1921 in Grand Island, Nebraska. She spent most of her early years in Grand Island, graduating from Grand Island Sr High in 1939.  During World War II and the Korean War she worked at the Grand Island Munitions Depot making armaments to support the war effort.  In March of 1947 she married Robert (Bob) Henwood at Randolph Field outside of San Antonio, Texas. In January of 1950 she gave birth to her first child, Paul, at Offutt AFB, Nebraska.  In February of 1952 she and Bob divorced and Peg moved back to Grand Island.  Then in August of 1956, she married her long-lost sweetheart, David Currie, whom she had first met and dated in the early years of World War II when Dave was stationed at Kearney Field in Kearney, Nebraska.  They were married in Grand Island and moved to Chicago where Dave was stationed.  In December of 1957 she gave birth to her second child, Linda, at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. When her husband Dave retired from the Air Force in 1963, they moved back to Dave's hometown of Raeford, building their home on the family farm.  Dave died in September of 1990 and Peg remained in Raeford until 1996 when she moved close to her son, Paul, in Colorado Springs.

She was an outgoing loveable person who enjoyed life to the fullest; traveling and being with her family and friends.  She especially loved spending time with her two children and their spouses, plus her four grandchildren. She had many close friends whom she also dearly loved both in Raeford and in Colorado Springs.

She is survived by her son, Paul Currie and his wife Gayle of Colorado Springs, Colorado; their son Andrew Currie and his girlfriend Genevieve Lyells of Las Vegas, Nevada and their soon to be son, Colson Michael; her daughter Linda Brafford and her husband Paul of Marietta, Georgia; their son Will Brafford and his wife Amanda of Atlanta, Georgia and soon to be son, John Paul; and their daughter Jessica Hooker and her husband Chris of Dallas, Georgia and their son Scott Michael.

A graveside memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Raeford Cemetery, with the Rev. Dr. Steven Fitzgerald officiating. 

John W. Williams

John Wesley Williams IV, 41, passed away Thursday, October 12, 2017 in Asheville.

He will be remembered for his sense of humor, humble nature, and unending love for his children, family, and friends. He grew up in Raeford, surrounded in the love from his parents, sister, extended family and abundant friends.  He attended Raeford Presbyterian Church and was an active member in youth group and hand bell choir, and served as a camp counselor.  He graduated from Hoke County High School where he was a key member in the Drama program and Chorale.  He enjoyed music, performing in local plays and making people laugh. He parlayed his love for the dramatic arts into a stint in professional wrestling on several western N.C. professional circuits.  He enjoyed playing and watching sports, often organizing pick-up games of basketball or football with friends.  He continued his education in Boone, before moving to Asheville where he started his family.  He appreciated everything Asheville had to offer, from the arts to hiking in the beautiful mountain scenery.  He adored being silly with his children.  He taught them kindness and showed them how to love God and His creation.  He was known for his selfless compassion and loved serving others.  He continued growing his faith through worship at Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church in Swannanoa, and was loved by his church family.  

He is preceded in death by his father, John Wesley Williams III. Surviving are his wife, Kristin Williams and children, Allee, Evan, and Gretchen Williams of Swannanoa; mother, Linda Williams of Raeford; sister, Casey Seevers and husband, Travis of Morganton; brother-in-law, Jeremy Drake and wife, Lona of Boone; and nephews, Jackson Drake of Boone, and Robert and Joseph Seevers of Morganton.

A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Dr. Steve Runholt and the Rev. Grace Boyer officiating.

Condolences can be made to the family at www.ashevilleareaalternative.com

Amos Bryant

Amos Bryant, age 70, of Red Springs, passed away on Sunday October 8, 2017.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday October 12, 2017 in the Richard Boles Funeral Service Chapel with burial following in the family cemetery. Family will receive friends following the ceremony at the graveside.

Services are entrusted to Richard Boles Funeral Service.

Clayton E. Parks

Clayton E. Parks of Laurel Hill, passed away Sunday, October 8, 2017 at Scotland Memorial Hospital at the age of 73. 
He was born in Scotland County on April 27, 1944 to the late Robert Byron Parks and Wilda Collins Parks. He was a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather, and brother. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. 
He is survived by his wife of 53 years Mary E. Parks of Laurel Hill; two sons, Clayton E. Parks Jr., and Darian W. Parks both of Laurel Hill; a granddaughter, Candace Passaro (Mike); two great-grandsons, Grayson and Roman Passaro; two brothers, Robert L. Parks and Edwin B. Parks, both of Raeford; and two sisters, Carol P. Beaman (Jimmy) of Mt. Gilead, and Nan Worrell of Star. 
A visitation will be held 5-6 p.m. Thursday, October 12, 2017 at Crumpler Funeral Home 131 Harris Ave. Raeford. 
A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. with Pastor Mike Passaro officiating. 
Online condolences may be made at www.crumplerfuneralhome.com 

William Hodges

William 'Benton' Hodges, 48, passed away on October 1, 2017. 

Born July 23, 1969 in Sandwich, IL to the late Max R. and Jean H. Hodges, he had been a resident of Raleigh since 2003. 
He attended Hoke County High School. 
He enjoyed the outdoors where he felt most at home. Camping, fishing and wildlife knowledge were favorite pastimes. An amateur archaeologist, he spent countless hours combing the streams, lakes and forests in search of native artifacts and then researching their origin. He was a partner of The Garden Spot in West End. 
Never married, he loved his twin brother's children and his girlfriend, Tracy Riley's daughter, Hailey, as if they were his own.  
He is survived by his twin brother, William 'Dellus' Hodges, and sister, Janet R. Lee, both of Raleigh. Other siblings are Michael Hicks of Spring Branch, Texas, Lex Latham of York, PA, and Anna Hodges Smith of Fayetteville. He is also survived by his Aunt Robin Anselmini of Raeford, and numerous nieces and nephews. 
A memorial graveside service will be held at Raeford Cemetery, Thursday, October 12th, 2017 at 3 p.m. The Reverend Michael L. McGehee of Red Springs will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the NC Wildlife Endowment Fund, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, 1702 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1702.