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Clinton-Glenn Marvin Smith, 69, of Clinton passed away Thursday, February 10, 2022 at his home. Mr. Smith was born March 4, 1952 in Duplin County to the late Alfred Emanuel Smith and Clyde Cruse Smith.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00am Sunday, February 13, 2022 at the Pate Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 7 to 9pm Saturday, February 12, 2022 at Community Funeral Home of Warsaw.

Mr. Smith is survived by wife, Mavis Arnett Smith of the home; son, Glenn Marvin Smith, Jr. and Wendy Carter of Roseboro; daughters, Angela Lee Rickman and husband, James of Carolina Beach, Bronica Hope Cortes and Alvaro of Beulaville; step sons Marshall Bryant Register, Jr. and wife, Anna of TX, Jamie Roderick and wife, Beth of Florida; step daughters, Teresa Ann Maready of Wilson, Melissa Arizmendi and Ansel of Stedman, and Lisa Michelle Maready of Warsaw; brother Dewitt Smith of Warsaw; sisters, Maggie Carter and Frankie of Clinton, Brenda Kennedy and Pat Coltrane of Kenansville; twenty eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Inaddition to his parents, Mr. Smith was preceded in death by brother, Neal Austin Smith.

Linda Alline Boyette Batchelor, 81, passed away Thursday, February 10, 2022 at Mary Gran Nursing Center in Clinton, NC.   Mrs. Batchelor was born February 26, 1940 in Duplin County, NC to the late William Joseph Boyette and Jennie Mae Jones Boyette. 

A graveside service will be held 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 12, 2022 in Pinecrest Cemetery, Warsaw, NC.

Linda is survived by three sons, Benny Batchelor and wife, Andrea of Turkey, Tracy Batchelor of Clayton and Eric Batchelor and wife, Andrea of Clayton; five grandchildren, Benjamin Batchelor, Rachel B. Bostic and husband, Corey Bostic, Anna Denton, Bradley Denton and wife, Breanna, Cody Batchelor and great granddaughter, Madalynn Bostic.

In addition to her parents, Linda was preceded in death by her husband, Doctor Benjamin "DB" Batchelor; son, Kim Batchelor; brother, Joe Boyette; and sister, Grace Peterson

Flowers are welcome or memorials may be made to: Johnson Baptist Church, 477 Johnson Church Road, Warsaw, NC 28398. 

Due to COVID 19 and in an effort to protect family and friends, the family will not be accepting visitors at the home or gathering at anyone's home. 

Arthur Herbert Minshew, 74, passed away Thursday, February 10, 2022 at Vidant Duplin Hospital in Kenansville, NC.  Mr. Minshew was born September 13, 1947 in Duplin County, NC to the late Belton D. and Mattie Lee Minshew. 

Visitation will begin 1:00 p.m., Saturday, February 12, 2022 at Community Funeral Home of Warsaw. A funeral service will begin at 2:00 p.m., in the funeral home chapel and burial will conclude the service in Devotional Gardens.

Arthur is survived by daughter, Shelly M. Poplin and husband, Jimmy of Warsaw; grandchildren, Thomas Johnson, III of Apex and Lindsee Newell and husband, Greg of Fayetteville; great grandson, Allen Lee Newell and Logan soon to arrive in March 2022.  He is also survived by brothers, Kenny Minshew and wife, Pam of Prineton; nephews, Justin and Gentry of Goldsboro; Nieces Libby Ratliff of Johnson City, TN and Teresa Demarco of Wilmington; one step daughter and three step sons. 

​In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by wife, Willie Evelyn Minshew.

Betty Grace Lanier Bennett Long, 81, passed away February 5, 2022 at Vidant Duplin Hospital in Kenansville.  Betty was born October 16, 1940 in Duplin County, NC to the late Jimmy Dewey Lanier and Mary Alice Howard Lanier.

Betty is survived by her husband, Wilbert Long of the home; son Wayne Bennett of Galvaston, TX; daughters, Bernicee Desmond and Linda Watson both of Warsaw; sister-in-law, Donna Jean Lanier of Warsaw and niece, Gwen Grady.

In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by sons, Paul Bennett and Dennis Bennett; daughter, Jennifer Bennett; and brother, Joe Lanier.

In honor of her request their will be no services held. 

​Rose Hill-Elbert Johnson Wells of Rose Hill passed away Friday, January 28, 2022 at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville.  Mr. Wells was born in Duplin County August 12, 1959 to the late Eugene C. Wells, Sr. and Electra Johnson Wells.
Mr. Wells grew up in Rose Hill where he was a member of Boy Scouts of America Troop 45 where he earned his Eagle Scout.  He later became Scout Leader of Troop 50 in Kenansville.  He worked for Boy Scouts of America Tuscarora Council.  Elbert served his Country in the Marine Corp for 20 years.  After retiring from the Marines he became an over the road truck driver, working many years for D. T. Grantham.  Elbert was a Godly man serving as a member of Faith Independent Baptist Church where he considered Rev. Ray Kennedy as one of his closest friends.
A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p. m. Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at Rockfish Presbyterian Church Cemetery on Hwy 41, Wallace.
Mr. Wells leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Lisa N. Wells of the home; son, Samuel Wells of Idaho; daughter Lillian W. Rock and husband, Bradley of Idaho; step children, Mike Hale and wife, Annelisa of Bristol, TN, Aubrey Wagner of Damascus, VA, Charlene Gobble and husband, Jeffrey of Abingdon, VA;  grandchildren, Livionna Wells, Arthas Rock and Kaylee Rock and eight step grandchildren and one step great grandchild; brothers, E. C. Wells and wife, Faye, Dekalb Wells and wife, Benita, Lloyd Wells and wife, Tracy all of Rose Hill; sister Stella Rouse and husband, Hugh of Rose Hill.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Wells was preceded in death by brother, Lucian Wells and sister, Mary Elizabeth Wells.

Lillian Allen Lee Gurley, 93, died January 19, 2022 at her home. Mrs. Gurley was born January 14, 1929 in Johnston County, NC to the late Chester Allen and Eva Florence Adams Allen.

A funeral service will be held 7:00p.m., Tuesday, January 25, 2022 in Community Funeral Home Chapel, Warsaw, NC, with visitation to follow the service. A graveside service will be held 2:00p.m., Wednesday, January 26, 2022 in the Lee Family Cemetery, 2387 Thompson Rd, Four Oaks, NC.
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Mrs. Lillian is survived by sons, Vance Lee and wife, Jean of Warsaw, Gerald Lee and Rickey Lee both of the home, and Charlie Lee and wife, Tonu of Warsaw; daughters, Lois Straughn of Warsaw and Eva Cook and husband, Jeff of Warsaw; grandchildren, Vincent Lee, Ashley Sauls and husband, Jacob, Joe Kornegay and wife, Tina, Greg Lee and wife, Amanda, Gerald Lee, Jr. and wife, Edna, Brandy Lee, Lesia McKenzie and husband, Brian, Robin Harris and husband, Vincent, Bobby Straughn and wife, Jessica, Jessica Sawyer, Grant Lee and wife, Sarah, Graylie Carroll and husband, Justin, Gretta Lee, Hope Sessoms and husband, Justin, Craig Lee Kristen McDonald and husband, Daniel and Heather Cook; great grandchildren, Austin, James, Timothy, Briggs, Eli, Chloe, Jessiah, Brooklyn, Brooks, Bria, Falyn, John David, Miracle, Harleigh, Allyson, Walter, Isabell, Isabella, Jamila, Richard, Rhane, Nicholas, Stevie, Kylen, Carlie, Landon, Savanah, Jasmine, Tyler, Jaden, Hayden, Tanner, Sadie, Easton, Wyatt; and great-great-grandchildren, Jamison and Ezra.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Lillian was preceded in death by husbands, Rab Lee and Ernest Gurley, sons, Sammy Lee and Nelson Lee; daughter, Sylvia Lee; grandson, Timmy Lee, son-in-law, Bob Straughn and daughter-in-law, Mary Gray Lee.

Asa Andrew Lee, 71, passed away Monday, January 17, 2022 in New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington.   Asa was born September 25, 1950 in Duplin County, NC to the late Eddie James and Nancy Carolina Walton Lee.  

A funeral service will be held 6:00pm, Thursday, January 20, 2022 in Community Funeral Home Chapel in Warsaw.  Visitation will follow the service.  A graveside service will be held 11:00 am, Friday, January 21, 2022 in Pinecrest Cemetery, Warsaw, NC.

Asa is survived by his beloved wife, Doris A. Lee of the home; daughter, Cyndi Probasco and husband, Leon; son, Jamie Lee and wife, Kelly; grandchildren, Matthew Lanier, Mason Lanier and wife, Haley, Lawson Probasco, Connor Probasco, Brianna Lee, McKaylin Kearney and husband, A J, and Gavin Lee; great grandchildren, Sawyer, Everlee and Dean Lanier and sister, Kathy English and husband, Watius.

In addition to his parents, Asa was preceded in death by son, Mark Lee; sister, Faye Fortner, and brother, James Lee.

Magnolia--Lawton Easdus (L. E.) Brown, Jr. 80, passed away during the early evening of Sunday, January 16, 2022. Born on April 2, 1941, he was the son of the late Lawton Easdus Brown, Sr. and Ruth Kissner Brown. He was also preceded in death by two sisters, Mary Susan Brown Stroud and Nellia Faye Brown Usher Simmons.

​After graduating from East Carolina College, he served in the North Carolina National Guard. He was employed many years by J. P. Stevens Company in Wallace. One of his greatest joys was writing. He was a staff writer for several newspapers and retired in 2007 from The Sampson Independent in Clinton, NC.

After retirement, he continued to write part time for The Duplin Times in Kenansville, NC. He especially enjoyed writing stories about World War II and Vietnam Veterans.

His greatest joy, however, was his family. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Rita Baker Brown of the home; two sons, Richard Lawton (Richie) Brown and wife Tina of Hampstead, NC, and Andrew Jacob (Andy) Brown of Long Beach, CA; three granddaughters, Natalie Ann Brown, Mollie Victoria Brown, and Carrie Michelle Brown, all of Hampstead, NC; three sisters Emma Catherine Brown Usher of Wallace, NC, Hilda Grey Brown Fowler and husband Donald of Zebulon, and Patsy Ruth Brown Olive of New Hill, NC; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A service will be held to honor his memory on Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 11:00 am at Magnolia Baptist Church, Magnolia, NC officiated by Rev. Ricky Nelson Wood. The family will receive friends beginning at 10:00 am at the church. Burial will follow the service in Golden Grove Cemetery, Kenansville, NC.

The family will receive friends at other times at the home.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask that you consider donations to Magnolia Baptist Church. Please wear a mask if you will feel more comfortable.

Edna Gray Mathis Bass, 87, passed away Thursday, January 6, 2022 at her home surrounded by her loving family.  She was born April 18, 1934 to the late Archie Lewis Mathis and Alice Ezzell Mathis. 

A funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m., Sunday, January 9, 2022 at Mount Zion Presbyterian Church in Rose Hill.  Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the church.  Burial will follow the service in Rose Hill Cemetery. 

Edna is survived by her husband of 69 years, Alvin Joe Bass of the home;  son, Gary Bass of Rose Hill; sisters, Goldie Powell of Nashville, TN and Patricia Byerly of Archdale, NC two grandchildren, Chris Bass and CeCelia Costin; and seven great grandchildren and very best friends, Ricky and Peggy Fucili. 

​In addition to her parents, Mrs. Edna was preceded in death by son, Alvin Harold Bass;  brothers, Archie Lee Wells Mathis and Ivey Johnson Mathis; sisters, Minnie Johnson, Esther Parkhurst, Evelyn Ennis, Norma Croom, and Catherine Hines and grandson, Dylan Costin.

​Faison-Amanda Howard Hinton, 41, of Faison died suddenly December 23, 2021 at her home.  Amanda was born April 25, 1980 in Santa Anna, California to Howard Ray Hinton, Jr. and Linda Craft Hinton.

A graveside service will be held 3:00pm on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at the Rose Hill Cemetery.

Amanda leaves to cherish her memory, parents, Howard Ray Hinton Jr. and Linda Hinton of Faison; son, LaRico Hodges of Faison; daughters, Destyana Hinton of Faison, Konya Hinton and Chelsey Hodges of Warsaw ; sisters, Caroline Hinton of Swansboro, Joyce Marie Hinton of Richlands and Tanya Hinton of Faison; three grandchildren.

Amanda was preceded in death by brothers, Chadrick Hinton, Edward Veness Turner and sister, Jeannie Marie Hinton.

Kenansville - Paul Edward Dail, Jr. , 66, passed away suddenly at home Monday, December 27, 2021.  Mr. Dail was born December 9, 1955 in Duplin County, NC to the late Paul Edward and Celia Lanier Dail.

A funeral service will be held 11:00am,  Friday, December 31, 2021 at the Dail Farm, 556 South Dobson Chapel Road, Kenansville, NC.  Visitation will begin at 10 am at the farm.  Burial will follow the service in Golden Grove Cemetery, Kenansville, NC. 

Edward was a loving husband, father, and papaw. He was successful businessman and farmer, who never met a stranger.

Edward is survived by his loving wife, Cindy W. Dail of the home; son, Westley Dail and wife, Jamie of Kenansville; daughter, Shannon Dail Bell and husband, Nick of Kenansville, brother, Henry Dail and wife, Mary Sue of Kenansville, sisters, Denise Garner and Lynn Davis of Kenansville and four grandchildren, Laney Bell, Paul Halen Bell, Bennett Dail, and Will Dail.

Warsaw - Norwood Delano Atkinson, 85, passed away December 25, 2021 at his home.  Mr. Atkinson was born November 24, 1936 in Duplin County, NC to the late George Norwood Atkinson and Pauline Grady Atkinson.

A graveside service will be held 2:00p.m., Thursday, December 30, 2021 in Devotional Gardens, Warsaw, NC.

Mr. Atkinson is survived by son, Norwood D. Atkinson and wife, Sheri of Roseville, CA; daughters, Cynthia A. Leggett and husband, Huey of Louisana and Susan Garcia and husband, Patrick of Las Vegas; signifigant other,  Dora Moritz; brothers, Urbane Samuel Atkinson and wife, Jean of Greenville, SC and Douglas Atkinson and wife Helen of Sanford, FL; sister, Jeanette Raper and husband, Ken of Virginia Beach, VA and Linda Sue Acey of Richmond, VA; and three grandchildren, Ashley Lucia and husband, Zachary, Cassidy Atkinson, and Cheyenne Austin and husband, Jonathan.  

​In addition to his parents, Mr. Atkinson was preceded in death by wife, Betty Atkinson.

​Magnolia - Durwood "Rock" Alvin Powell, 67, passed away suddenly December 18, 2021. Mr. Powell was born September 24, 1954 in New Hanover County, NC to the late James Alvin Powell and Lela Tucker Powell.  
Mr. Powell is survived by sons, Justin Powell and wife, Rachael of Wallace, NC, and Ryan Powell and wife, Jenna of Winston Salem, NC ; grandchildren, Jackson, Allie, Bryson, Tucker,  and Phoebe Powell; nephew, Matthew Stokely and wife, Anne of Wilmington; and brother-in-law, Dr. Edward Weaver of Wilmington.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by sister, Sherry Powell Weaver. 
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at Rose Hill Baptist Church with visitation beginning at 1:00p.m.  A private burial will be held at Devotional Gardens, Warsaw, NC.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Rose Hill Baptist Church Playground Fund, P. O. Box 459 Rose Hill, NC 28458.

WARSAW — Clay Sutton Scott, 94, died Tuesday, December 7, 2021, just nine days prior to his 95th birthday, at Vidant Duplin Hospital in Kenansville with his children around his bedside.
Clay was born December 16, 1926 to Claude Southerland Scott and Hazel  Boyette Scott of Warsaw. He was the youngest of the family's seven children and is the last to leave us. 
He is survived by his wife, Margaret Carr Scott, “the prettiest girl he’d ever seen.” They were married for almost 74 years. His five children also survive him: Karrina Elaine Scott of Rose Hill; Gail S. Sikes (Sonny) of Rose Hill; Gary C. Scott (Debby) of Warsaw; Barbara S. Barwick (Wayne) of Kinston; and Russell H. Scott (Amy) of Richlands. Grandchildren are Clayton R. Sutton (Dee) of Bucklesberry; Marsha S. Turner (Beau) of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Alex G. Scott (Ryann) of Wilmington; Katie S. Owen (Thomas) of Warsaw; Ethan H. Scott (Sarah) of Morrisville; and Elliott T. Scott of Richlands. Great-Grandchildren are Grayson Sutton, Brinley-Grace Sutton, Cameron Sutton, Hayden Turner, Macy Turner, Atlas Turner, Emily Owen and Caroline Owen. A ninth great-grandchild he was looking forward to meeting is due in 2022. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Marshall M. Carr, Jr. and his wife June of Wilson. The family also acknowledges its special and close relationship with Clay’s caregiver, Ann (a.k.a. “Amy”) Faison of Warsaw.
In addition to his parents, Clay was pre-deceased by siblings Manley Elmore Scott of Warsaw and his wife Ann Sanzone Scott; Arlene Scott West of Warsaw and her husband, J.D. West; John Andrew Scott of Kenansville and his wife, Hazel; Emma Scott Lockamy of Warsaw, and her husband A.C. (Peanut); Marcus Williams Scott of Warsaw; and an infant brother.
Special thanks to the staff of Vidant Duplin Hospital and Vidant Hospice for their care in Clay’s final days.
Clay was educated at Warsaw High School, N.C. State University, and the University of Mount Olive.
He was highly and widely regarded by his peers in most every endeavor he pursued. He was an electronics engineer, TV/Radio service technician, Merchant Marine ship radio operator/officer, mathematician, amateur astronomer, philosopher, computer guru, craftsman, gardener, carpenter and furniture maker. He was also loved dearly as a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
Early on in life Clay came to acknowledge his uncertainty about some of the philosophical and religious matters of deep concern to life. He was a rationalist and a freethinker and lived a long satisfied life, comfortable with his personal philosophy. Some of the writers and thinkers he admired and followed included Robert Ingersoll, Bertrand Russell, Thomas Paine, Charles Watts, Carl Sagan, Thomas Hale, John Lydgate, Arthur Clarke, and Isaac Asimov, among others.
As a U.S. Merchant Marine, he served his country from 1944-1956, and was trained at Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. Because of his ROTC training received at N.C. State College (now NCSU), Clay was chosen as trainee petty officer for his unit. He served as the radio officer on several ships during and following World War II. This also gave him an opportunity to become a world traveler to places such as England, Belgium, Italy, Gibraltar, North Africa, Japan, Korea, Brazil, Greenland, Canada and other countries. 
In 1991, he was awarded an honorable discharge by the U.S Coast Guard for wartime service as radio officer in the U.S. Merchant Marines. During the "cold war" years in the late 1950's and early '60's, Clay was a participating member of the United States Information Agency. This was an agency that was responsible for the maintenance and the continuation of the communications facilities and resources of the U.S. Government and its agencies in the event of war or any other national catastrophe.
He was also a member of the Veteran Wireless Operators Association.
Clay was a constant student from an early age throughout his life. At age 14, he convinced his father to invest in an extensive 80-part radio electronics home study course for him from the National Radio Institute in Washington, D.C. and quickly completed the entire course—the first of a number of electronics home study courses he would go on to complete. 
A self-employed service technician for radio and television, he also worked during 1950’s and ’60’s as Engineer for WITN-TV, helping to build, install and operate the equipment for the station’s transmitter site near Grifton, N.C. Later, when Quinn Company was beginning a radio station for the Warsaw area in eastern North Carolina, Clay was hired to install the equipment for WTRQ Radio Station, and served as its engineer for several years.
He enthusiastically joined the personal computer revolution in its early years, studying the DOS operating system and becoming proficient in programming and online operations.  His programming for his wife Margaret’s genealogy research for the Scott-Boyette, Carr, and Taylor-Hill families was instrumental in the publishing of those and other related books.
Once, a teacher, when asking her students the occupations of her students' parents, was told by one of Clay's children that her father was a "jack of all trades." This was quite a true statement. He, though, was a "master of all" because he could find a way to make any kind of repair to nearly anything. He was a collector of many items that might be useful at a later time, and more often than not, he found a use for the many things he collected. If he did not have a part, he made the part — sometimes even making the tool — for both electrical and mechanical repairs. This was evidenced by his pride of keeping a lawn mower in good working shape for more than 60 years. His and other children and grandchildren brought their repairs to him. Once a young nephew and his young friend were seen coming down the road pulling a little red wagon. When they reached Clay's home, he saw that the wagon was loaded with their broken toys and they wanted Clay to "fix" them — which he did. 
He also believed in “having a spare” to make sure you were never short-handed.
Clay and Margaret were very concerned with their health and maintained a daily walking program for many years. Coupled with this program was their interest in nature, ecology, and the environment, so that on their daily walks, they always carried bags to collect roadside trash to be recycled or properly disposed. They became known as "the old couple" always seen on the road. People would say, "I saw you on the road" or ask, "Are you still walking?"
In addition to his love of reading and thinking, Clay was also a lover of music. He loved most all music, although classical and Big Band were his favorites. 
He thought deeply on matters of life and the concepts of Nature’s reality as he searched for understanding. He constructed a commercial telescope for his amateur study of astronomy which provided many hours of observing mostly the solar system in which we live as well as some more distant heavenly bodies.
While having grown up working on the family farm, Clay elected to spend his pursuits toward more technical and academic endeavors. Nevertheless, he continued for a number of years to provide fresh garden bounty for his family, as well as carpentry in structure and some furniture building for his home and family while also pursuing his other professional interests. 
Clay left us with some thoughts important to him:
*To live without belief in primitive superstitions is intellectually stimulating.
*To find one's own purpose and be responsible for one's own life is exciting.
*To be free of the imagined surveillance of good and evil spirits is liberating.
*To seek a peaceful world through work, friendship and civic action is life-affirming.
Clay’s was a life not wasted.


Memorials can be made to Vidant Home Health and Hospice, Well Care Home Health, or a charity or other good cause of the giver’s choosing. 
A memorial service remembering Clay’s life and accomplishments will be held Saturday, December 11, 2021 at Community Funeral Home, Highway 24/50, Warsaw, at 1:00 p.m. Visitation will follow immediately after the service. Visitors will also be received in the home.