Rose Hill-Betty Lou Simpson Brown, 89, of Rose Hill passed away Thursday, September 12, 2019 at the Lower Cape Fear Hospice Center of Wilmington.  Mrs. Brown was born in Duplin County January 8, 1930 to the late Maude Norris Simpson and Murphy Julian Simpson.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00pm Sunday, September 15, 2019 at Dobson Chapel Baptist Church.  Burial will follow in the Golden Grove Cemetery in Kenansville.  A visitation will be held at 1:00pm prior to the service.

Mrs. Brown is survived by sons, John L. Brown and wife, Loretta of Nashville, TN, Kenneth R. Brown and wife, Patricia of Rose Hill and Stephen P. Brown of Rose Hill; daughters, Sharon Kay Brown of Raleigh and Debra Brown Kinne and husband, Morgan of Hampstead; brothers, Joseph Avin Simpson and wife, Brownie of Beulaville, Harold Simpson and wife, Judi of Mobile, AL and Jerry Simpson and wife, Gwen of Beulaville; grandchildren, Kristen Hartmann, Kelsey Brown Nunn, Erica Brown Edwards, Russell Kinne and Ian Brown; great grandchildren, Corey Hartmann, Meagan Hartmann Sansom, Morrough Hartmann, Sadie Edwards, Oliver Edwards and Ada Nunn; great great-grandchildren, Kinleigh Sansom and Matthew Sansom.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Brown was preceded in death by husband, Russell Parker Brown, and brother and sister-in-law Delano Simpson and wife, Nancy.

Watha - Duncan Bitting, III, 73, died September 6, 2019 at Wallace Gardens Assisted Living in Wallace, NC.  Mr. Bitting was born July 12, 1946 to the late Numa Duncan Bitting, II and Ernestine Love Malone Bitting.

​Mr. Bitting is survived by his wife, Janet E. Bitting of the home; one daughter, Kelsey Bitting Edwards and husband, Kevin of Willard; one grandchild, Shiloh Edwards; and two brothers, Anthony Bitting and wife, Sylvia of Mexico and David Bitting of Columbia, SC.

A memorial service will be held 11:00a.m., Saturday, September 14, 2019 at Shiloh Baptist Church.  The family will greet guest following the service.

Julius Frank Steed, Jr. passed away peacefully at his home on Friday morning August 16, 2019 at the age of 88.  Frank was born in Siler City, NC to the late Julius Frank Steed, Sr. and Laura Melene Steed on November 1, 1930.  They moved to Warsaw in 1932 where J. Frank, Sr. operated Steed’s café on North Front Street.  Frank was the last surviving of five siblings, the late Peggy Lang of California, Katherine Leonard of Fayetteville, John Steed of New York, and Gertrude Marshburn of Clinton who predeceased him.

Frank graduated from Warsaw High School in 1948 and went on to marry Helen Sutton in 1954, that year they began Steed’s Tire Service.  

When Frank got the desire to go in the tire business, he wanted to specialize in retreading so he began studying.  Frank was a natural at business and Steed’s Tire Service became a success.  Frank soon moved from his first tire shop on the corner of North Front Street and Chelly Street to his new building on Hwy 117.  After 44 years in business, Frank and Helen retired in 1998.  Frank had such a passion for Steed’s Tire Service and the many people he met and served.  

Frank has a long record of service: he served in the National Guard, Frank was a member of the Warsaw Fire Department an excess of 30 years and acted as chief for 25 of those years, he served as a Warsaw town commissioner and Mayor pro tem for 13 years, and he was a Warsaw Jaycee president.  Frank also served on the board at Branch Banking & Trust until age 75. Frank loved Warsaw Baptist Church.  He would say, “My church and my God have been the cornerstone of my life”.  He was baptized in a revival service at Warsaw Baptist Church at age 11. He taught Sunday school to 6 year olds when he was a 22 year old.  Frank became a deacon for the first time in 1955 and went on to become the chairman of the board of deacons at age 27.  Since his start, he held many leadership positions within the church. Frank was committed to the betterment of his community.  He was also involved in the Warsaw Veteran’s Day parade.  Frank enjoyed his involvement in each of these to the fullest.  

He has been so blessed over the past several years when, in his time of need, many of the Warsaw Volunteer Fireman have shown up at his home to see if they could assist with any medical needs.  They have stood by him in so many moments of need.  Being a fireman has truly blessed him with a large community of care and compassion.

In Frank’s early years he had a hobby of taking and developing pictures.  He also took up woodworking and enjoyed making decorative shelves, benches, and folk art.  After retirement, he was very content to work on landscaping his yard.  He had a love of plants and especially loved bougainvillea, red roses, and dogwoods.

Frank and Helen were blessed to be able to travel over the years with her sister Rita and Gerald Quinn along with several couples.  They would load up in Gerald’s bus and travel all over the United States and Canada.

Franks greatest love of all was his wife Helen and their family.  Nothing delighted him more than their presence and the sound of their voices and laughter.

Frank is survived by the love of his life, Helen Sutton Steed; son, Frankie Steed and girlfriend Beth; daughter, Laura Steed Jones and husband Jay; granddaughter, Ashley Matthews, great grandson Gabriele Matthews; grandson, Jayme Jones and wife Ashley; great granddaughters, Arly Ana Jones, Aerilyn Belle Jones; granddaughter, Christa J. Burgette and husband David; great grandson, Brody Burgette; grandson Steed Jones and fiancé’ Hayley.  And a special daughter Tatiana Albuquerque their foreign exchange student from Brazil.

The Steed family is forever grateful to Ruby Sanderson, Connie Arnette, Kendall Boose, Patricia Mathis, and Shirley Whitehead for the love and compassion shown as they cared for our Dad.

Services will be held on Sunday, August 18 at Warsaw Baptist Church.  Visitation will be from 12:30-1:45 and the funeral will begin at 2:00.  Interment will follow at Devotional Gardens.  Flowers are welcome or donations to either Warsaw Fire Department, PO Box 483, Warsaw, NC  28398, or Warsaw Baptist Church.

Warsaw - Daryn Batts Edwards, 44, passed away Sunday, August 11, 2019 at her home.  She was born December 27, 1974 in Duplin County, NC.

She is survived by her daughter, Caitlin Edwards of Warsaw; parents, Bobby and Linda Clifton Batts of Warsaw; brother, Derek Batts and wife, Ashley; niece and nephew, Lexie and Colby Trantham. 

A funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m., Thursday, August 15, 2019 at Warsaw Baptist Church with visitation to follow the service in the parlor.  A graveside service will be held 11:00 a.m., Friday, August 16, 2019 in the Faison Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Daryn Batts Edwards Memorial Fund at Southern Bank, National MS Society, P. O. Box 4527, New York, NY 10163, Warsaw Baptist Church, 209 E. College Street, Warsaw, NC 28398 

​Goldsboro - Marty Leigh Herndon Pigford, 46, passed away Sunday, August 4, 2019. She was born February 25, 1973 in Virginia to Doug Bumgardner and the late Phyllis Herndon.

Marty is survived by her son, Arthur Pigford of Mount Olive; daughter, LoriBethe Pigford of Calypso; grandson, Levi Hardison, and brother, Rick Muller of Virginia.

She was preceded in death by sister, Chasity Michael Hammond.

A celebration of life service will be held 4:00 p.m., Saturday, August 10, 2019 at Calypso Presbyterian Church, with visitation to follow the service.

Beatrice Bostic Rivenbark, wife, mother, sister and Nana, was reunited with her beloved husband Raymond on Thursday, July, 31, 2019.  She passed peacefully at her home in Warsaw, NC. Ms Bea, or BeaBaby, as Raymond referred to her, was born in Duplin County on July 15, 1929. Her parents were the late Owen Thomas Bostic and Mattie Lanier Bostic. Beatrice graduated from Oxford Orphanage, John Nichols High School, and James Walker School of Nursing, in Wilmington, NC. She nursed at Duplin General Hospital, Duplin County Health Department, and for Dr. Straughn in Warsaw for years.   She enjoyed her nursing years, and loved to tell stories of her patients, and experiences.  Bea also enjoyed bowling and love making ceramic items for her family and Friends.

Beatrice was married to the love of her life, the late Raymond W. Rivenbark, they were married in November, 1952. They had four children, Debbie, Connie, Bonnie, and Ray Jr.

In addition to her husband, Raymond, Bea was preceded in death by brothers Larry Bostic, Marvin Bostic, Willie Bostic, Leon Bostic, Cecil Bostic, and Van Bostic. Also by sisters Mattie Howard, Tiny Ruth Henderson, and Retha Kornegay,


Those left to remember her are her four children, and spouses, Debbie Rivenbark, Cary, NC, Connie Carrol and husband, Frank, Hampstead NC, Bonnie Schechterly, and husband ED, Buchanan, VA. Ray Jr. and wife Janis, Blue Ridge, Va. In addition are 9 grandchildren and 10 Great Grandchildren, Ashley Moore and husband Dylan Holden, (Sarah).  Paxton Moore, (Katie, Emily).  Anna Campbell, and husband Wes (Rachel, Benjamin, Aubrey).   Joseph Willett and wife Alissa (Scarlett, Sydney, Salem) and Elizabeth Willett, (Isaac).  Jenna Barletta and husband Spencer, Jacob Merritt Rivenbark, Jessica Rae Rivenbark and Jackson Raymond James  Rivenbark.

Bea is also survived by her two sisters, Hazel Thomas, and husband Bill, and Pattie Sue Fields. In addition are two sisters in law, Juanita Brinkley, Cary, NC, and Emma Kennedy and husband Ben, Suffolk, VA.

Beatrice and Raymond traveled quite a lot during their years together, including trips to Hawaii, London, Australia, Greenland, Finland, Russia, Sweden and Scotland.  Beatrice’s favorite trips were to the Panama Cannel, and Hawaii, because of the beautiful flowers.

The Rivenbark family is forever grateful to Aline Williams, who took great care of their Mom, during her last five years, and to Debbie Wilson who cared for their mother at night the last two years of her life.  We are forever Grateful for the Love and Care these two wonderful ladies provided our mother in her final years.

Services will be held at Warsaw Presbyterian Church Saturday, August 3, 2019.  Visitation will be from 1:00 to 2:00 and the Funeral will begin at 2:00.  Interment will be at Devotional Gardens. Flowers are welcome, or donations may be made to Masonic Home for Children or Warsaw Presbyterian Church.

Spring Lake-Annie Byrd Duryea, 79, of Spring Lake formerly of Warsaw passed away Friday, July 19, 2019 at her home. Mrs. Duryea was born November 24, 1939 in Duplin County to the late John Byrd and Martha Hare Byrd.

A funeral service will be held Wednesday at 11:00 am at Community Funeral Home Chapel of Warsaw. A visitation will take place at 10:00am Wednesday prior to the service. Burial will follow the service in Faison Cemetery.

Mrs. Duryea is survived by husband, Richard Duryea of the home; daughters, Robin Neumann and husband, Robert of Hilton Head, SC, Stephanie Garner of Lillington and Michelle Harris and husband, Terry of Fayetteville; step daughters Darcey Martin and husband, Shawn of Manhattan, Kansas, Chelsee Bannon and husband, Rae of Douglass, Kansas; brothers, Henry Byrd and wife, Adelaide of Warsaw, and Luther Byrd of Seabrook, TX; sisters, Virginia Todd of Warsaw and Margaret Fields of Kenansville; grandchildren, Allison Roberts, Tyler Schaub, Dakota Schaub, Gabriele Folker and special grandchild, Zebby Schrump, and six step grandchildren; great grandchildren, Kingston Roberts, Julian Roberts and one step great grandchild; and special friend, Lounell Crumpler.

In addition to her parents Mrs. Duryea was preceded in death by great grandchild, Shayne Roberts.