1932 – 2025      Willard “Bill” Thomas Cox of Ocean Isle Beach died March 7. He was 93.      Born in Columbus County on Jan. 26, 1932, he was a son of Dupree Deloach Cox and Emma Cloteal Hardwick Cox.      In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Jean Elizabeth McQueen Cox;…

1949 – 2025      Coy Lee Norris Sr. of Loris passed away peacefully at Grand Strand Medical Center on March 3, surrounded by his loving family. He was 76.      Born March 2, 1949, in Loris, he was the son of the late JD Norris and Greeba Tyler Norris.      A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Coy…

1940 – 2025      Shelba Jean Long James of Loris passed away on Sunday, March 2, at McLeod Seacoast hospital. She was 84.      Born Aug. 27, 1940, in Tabor City, she was the daughter of the late A. C. Long and the late Lula Mae Bell Long Graham.      Survivors include her loving children, Randall James, Sandra…

1954 – 2025      John Jefferson Hardee, Jr. of Loris passed away on Saturday, March 1, at Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital. He was 70..      Born on May 4, 1954, in Loris, he was the son of Laphena Housand Hardee and the late John Jefferson Hardee, Sr.      Mr. Hardee was of the Baptist faith, he enjoyed fishing,…

1946 – 2025      Vance Sykes (Blue) Land of Hamlet went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, March 5, surrounded by his loving family at his home. He was 78.      Vance was born to William (Bill) Raines Land and Ruth Sykes Land on March 7, 1946, in Richmond County. He graduated from Hamlet High School…

1943 – 225      Richard Wayne Ward of Green Sea died Tuesday, March 4, in his home. He was 81.      He was the son of the late Almon Richard Ward and Ollie Graham Ward.      He is survived by his three daughters, Michelle Ward (Chris) of Green Sea, Brenda Buffkin and Kim Strickland (Adam) of Tabor City;…

1970 – 2025      Whitney Leon Duncan of Tabor City died Tuesday March 4, in McLeod Loris hospital. He was 55.      He was the son of Hubert Leon “Rod” Duncan and Merlin Fowler Duncan Fipps.      He was an exceptional carpenter with a vivid vision of what he could make out of wood.      He is survived by…

1941 – 2025      Ila Vee Nealey Penny of Whiteville died Tuesday, March 4, in NorthChase Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Wilmington. She was 83.      Born June 2, 1941 in Columbus County, she was the daughter of the late Fred and Shula Carteret Nealey and the widow of Woodrow Franklin “Jack” Penny.      She was a member…

1931 – 2025      Maggie Pearl Faulk Singletary of Tabor City died Tuesday, March 4, in Brunswick Health & Rehabilitation, Ash. She was 93.      Born June 16, 1931 in Columbus County, she was the daughter of the late Cleve and Pearlie Reaves Faulk.      She was a member of Dulah Baptist Church.      She is survived by one…

1939 – 2025      Alice Marie Williamson Hammond of Chadbourn went home to be with the Lord on Monday, March 3, at her residence. She was 85.      Mrs. Hammond was born Nov. 14, 1939, a daughter of the late Rosada McPherson Williamson and Emory Nubert Williamson. She was also preceded in death by her son, Lawrence…