MARY BRUCE

Mrs. Mary Miot Buys Bruce, 97, of Lenoir died Wednesday, November 5, 2009 at the Shaire Center of Lenoir.

Mrs. Bruce was born in Belhaven, N.C., in 1912, daughter of the late William Anders and Hazel Old Buys. She was the wife and partner of Lenoir furniture manufacturer Hamilton Louden Bruce from 1942 until his death in 1967. Other than her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by one daughter, Sarah Bruce Whalen, her sister, Adelaide Buys McCarthy and brother, William O. Buys.

Mrs. Bruce graduated from the Davenport College of Lenoir in 1930. Until her death, she was the oldest living member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. She and her husband Hamilton were instrumental in the establishment of the church in the early 1940s.

She and Mr. Bruce started Hammary Furniture in 1943, the company name was a combination of their names: Hamilton (Ham) and Mary. She served as secretary of the corporation until the sale of the company in 1971. Mrs. Bruce started her career as a secretary to the president of Kent Coffey.

She and Hamilton designed and built Kenham Lodge, now Caldwell House, for lodging and entertaining during the annual furniture markets. She was a gracious hostess, noted for her creative cooking and entertaining. She was an avid reader and traveler. Mrs. Bruce won several awards for her poetry and could recite hundreds of poems and songs from memory. She was one of the founding members of the Lenoir Service League and a member of the Daughter's of the Confederacy. She loved to swim in the waters of North Carolina, from the Pamlico Sound to Wilson Creek. Her western N.C. friends often called her the "belle of Belhaven."

Surviving are three daughters, Katherine (Mrs. Thomas G.) Bruce Terrell of Lenoir; Mary Hamilton (Mrs. Cyril Joseph) Bruce Worm of Seattle, Wash.; Elisabeth (Mrs. David Cooper) Bruce Wall of Lenoir; one niece, Anne (Mrs. Rick) McCarthy Bartlett of Lenoir; 13 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

A Funeral Mass for Mrs. Bruce will be held 3 p.m. Sunday, November 8, 2009 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with the Rev, Julio C. Domingus officiating. Burial will follow in Belleview Cemetery.

The family will receive friends on Sunday from 2 until 3 p.m., one hour prior to the service in the Parrish Hall of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

Pallbearers will be Bill Tate Benfield, Charles E. Dobbin, David Hamilton Wall, Benjamin Lincoln Wall, Claude C. "Duff" Armfield and Basil Stephen Huntley.

The family respectfully requests memorials be made to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 328-B Woodsway Lane, NW, Lenoir, NC 28645 or to Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care, 902 Kirkwood Street, Lenoir, NC 28645.

Online condolences may be sent to the Bruce Family at www.evansfuneralservice.com.

Evans Funeral Service and Crematory is serving the Bruce family.

VALERIE JUSTICE

Valerie Justice, 55, of 1259 22nd St. NE, Hickory died Oct. 24, 2009 at Palliative Care Center and Hospice of Catawba Valley. Memorial service will be Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 1 p.m. at E.R. McGimpsey Sr. Memorial Chapel with the Revs. James Perkins, Martin Wilson, Dale Gibson and Kay Gamble officiating. Burial will be private. Ebony Funeral Service of Lenoir is serving the Justice family.

JOSHUA NELSON

Joshua Daniel Nelson, 22, of Lenoir passed away Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at his residence.

Josh was born in Valdese to Lola Nelson Sigmon of Catawba County and the late Monty Wayne Nelson. In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by a brother, Chad Nelson.

Josh was a construction worker.

Surviving, in addition to his mother, are his wife, Ina Gervais, his daughter, Jayci Nelson and his son, Monty Nelson, all of Lenoir; grandparents, Betty and Larry Pelley of Florida, and Bill Gervais of Missouri. and Kathy Craig of Lenoir; Aunt Kathy and Uncle Allen Blanton of Florida and also, grandma chicken in Missouri.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Whitnel with Pastor Bud Jernigan officiating and the Rev. Stewart White attending. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday, November 6, 2009 from 6 until 8 p.m. at Pendry's Funeral Home.

Serving as pallbearers will be A.J. Blanton, Grant Vines, Tony Mundy, Fred Gervais, Trey Martin and Bill Gervais.

Online condolences may be placed at www.pendrysfuneralhome.com.

Pendry's Funeral Home is honored to be assisting the Nelson family with arrangements.

JOHN SCHENO

John Scheno, 84, of Lee Roy Lane, Lenoir, died Thursday, November 5, 2009 at Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Greer-McElveen Funeral Home and Crematory.