Mr. Joe Louis Leigh, Sr., 67, of Swain Road, Halifax died Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was born in Halifax County, a son of the late Mr. Belgium Leigh and Mrs. Alice Edmonds Leigh. He was married to the late Mrs. Frances Crews Leigh and was a member of New Arbor Baptist Church. He is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Carolyn L. Logan and Ms. Sandora L. Leigh, both of Halifax; four sons, Mr. Joe L. Leigh, Jr., Mr.

Shirley L. Leigh and Mr. Thomas B. Leigh, all of Halifax and Mr. Mark W. Leigh of Bridgeport, CT; three sisters, Ms. Alice "Nell" Davis and Ms. Georgia Sims, both of Halifax, and Ms. Emma Chappell of South Boston; four brothers, Mr. Belgium "Ed" Leigh, Rev. Louis Leigh and Rev. John Leigh, all of Halifax, and Mr. Derwin Leigh of South Boston; 14 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, one God-daughter, Mrs. Lula Claiborne, one son-in-law, Major Thomas Logan, one daughter-in-law, Mrs. Gwendolyn Leigh, six sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law, other

relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by a sister, Mrs. Grace Hubbard and two brothers, Mr. William Leigh and Mr. Grover Leigh. Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 5 at 1:00 p.m. at New Arbor Baptist Church with Rev. Nelson C. Stamps officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel.

 

 Byron Leon Ragsdale

Mr. Byron Leon Ragsdale, 44, of 1120 Pine Height Trail, Halifax died Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at MCV Hospital, Richmond. He was born in Halifax County on August 12, 1963, a son of Mr. Harold Ragsdale, Sr. and Mrs. Mattie Pearl Brown Ragsdale and was a member of New Vernon Baptist Church. In addition to his parents, he is survived by a son, Mr. Gregory Ragsdale of Richmond; step-mother, Mrs. Martha Ann Ragsdale of Nathalie; two sisters, Ms. Tracey Y. Ragsdale and Mrs. Deborah D. Chandler, both of South Boston; four brothers, Mr. Harold E. Ragsdale, Jr. of Halifax, Mr. Chester B. Ragsdale of Danville, Mr. Kerein L. Ragsdale and Mr. Derrick M. Ragsdale, both of South Boston; one brother-in-law, Mr. Damon Chandler; devoted friends, Ms. Linda Miles,

Ms. Danielle Miles, Mr. D.J. Miles and Mr. Darrayn Miles, other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. with services at New Vernon Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Otis Dillard

officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.  

James Garfield Gillis

Mr. James Garfield Gillis, Sr., 89, of 1036 Union Avenue, Virgilina died Friday, March 28, 2008 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was born in Virgilina on March 19, 1919, a son of the late Mr. Mercy Gillis and Mrs. Mollie Royster Gillis. He was married to Mrs. Aileen Wilkins Gillis and was a member of First Baptist Church, Virgilina.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Nellie Gillis Waugh of Virgilina and Mrs. Margaret Gillis Swanson of Manalapan, NJ; two sons, Mr. Wallace Barnette of Sicklerville, NJ and Mr. James G. Gillis, Jr. of Vineland, NJ; three sisters, Mrs. Janie Ragland of Philadelphia, PA, Mrs. Clara Skipwith of Winston-Salem, NC

and Mrs. Shirley Hall of Cleveland, OH; 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren; one daughter-in-law, Mrs. Florence Gillis; one son-in-law, Mr. James D. Swanson, Sr.; one sister-in-law, one brother-in-law, special friends Mrs. Eldner Wiggins, Mrs. Mollie Ann Powell, Mrs. Goldie Bryant, other relatives and friends. He was

preceded in death by brothers Hayward Gillis, Albert Gillis, Alexander Gillis, Mercy Gillis, Jr. and Allen Gillis, Sr. and sisters Ann Rice, Pauline Person and Lucille Fitzgerald. Funeral services will be held Friday, April 4 at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Virgilina with Rev. Lorenzo Love officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at Jeffress Funeral Home tonight from 7:00-8:00 p.m.

 

 Howard  (TiP) Puryear

Mr. Howard Puryear (Tip) died Monday, March 31, 2008 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was born in Charlotte County on March 4, 1932, a son of the late Henry and Ethel Gilliam Puryear. He attended Charlotte County Schools, was a retired farmer and attended First Baptist Church, Wylliesburg. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Ruth P. Puryear of South Boston; three daughters, Mrs. Emma Ragland (Marvin) and Cynthia Puryear, all of South

Boston, and Miss Ruth Puryear of Orange; two sons, Donnell Puryear (Janie) of Chase City and Charles Puryear of South Boston; two step-sons, Roy Lee Pulliam (Lucille) and Herman Pulliam (Marjorie), all of Wilmington, DE; 13 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren; three brothers, Clarence Gilliam of Pamplin, Jerry Francis of Saxe and Bobby Gilliam of Newark, NJ; two sisters, Mrs. Martha Price of Brookneal and Mrs. Mary Morton of Camden, NJ; five sisters-in-law, three brothers-in-law, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death

by one daughter, one son, five brothers and three sisters. Funeral services will be held Friday, April 4 at 12:00 noon at Giles-Harris Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Chase City, with Rev. Dr. James E. Scott officiating. Burial will follow in First Baptist Church Cemetery, Drakes Branch. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Online condolences

may be expressed at www.harrisfhc.com.

 

 Alice B. Perez

Mrs. Alice B. Perez of New York, formerly of Halifax County, died Sunday, March 30, 2008 in New York at the age of 72. Born in Halifax County on September 14, 1935, she was the daughter of the late Mr. Clarence Britton and Mrs. Alice Lacks Britton. She was married to the late Mr. Luis G. Perez. Mrs. Perez is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Patricia Whipple of New York, four sons, Mr. Luis Perez, Jr., Mr. Eduaro Perez, Mr. Mario Perez

and Mr. Christopher Perez, all of New York, five grandchildren, Mr. Eduardo Perez, Jr., Mr. William Perez, Mr. Lil Louis Perez, Ms. Myra Perez and Mr. Brandon Whipple, all of New York, three sisters, Mrs. Martha Garner of Clover, Mrs. Maggie Ann Davenport and Mrs. Emma Lee Watkins, both of Scottsburg, a son-in-law, Mr. Barry D. Whipple, a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Linda Perez, a sister-in-law, Mrs. Alice Britton of South Boston, two brothers-in-law, Mr. Edward Davenport of Scottsburg and Mr. Ernest Garner of Clover, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. A funeral service for Mrs. Perez will be conducted on Friday, April 4 at 11 a.m. at the Bethel Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. William Hicks officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.