Area Obituaries

1957 – 2026      Ralph Frederick Tatman Jr. of Tabor City (formerly of Alton, Illinois) died April 1, in his home. He was 69.      Born in Highland, Illinois, he was the son of the late Ralph Frederick Tatman Sr. and Irma Bella Hagler.      He was a veteran of the United States Navy.      He is survived by…

1934 – 2026      Carole Bowen Watts of Tabor City died Tuesday, March 31, 2026., in Columbus Regional Healthcare System, Whiteville. She was 91.      Born in Columbus County, she was the daughter of the late Bennie and Mable Fisher Bowen.      She is survived by two daughters, Cynthia “Cindy” Carole Price of Whiteville and Connie Jean Johnson…

1945 – 2026      Glennie Lovette Fowler of Tabor City died Wednesday, March 25, in her home surrounded by her family. She was 81.      Born in Horry County, she was the daughter of the late Clyde Lovette and Artie Mae Buffkin Lovette King.      She is survived by her husband, Donnie Lee Fowler of Tabor City; two…

1944 – 2026      Sandra Lee Cox Lembcke Morgan Mills of Tabor City passed away on Friday, March 27, in Lower Cape Fear Lifecare, Whiteville. She was 81.      Born Oct. 11, 1944, in Charleston, she was the daughter of the late Carson W. Cox and Carrie Dutton Cox.      Sandra retired from the Columbus County School System…

1934 – 2026      Verlyn Ruth Prince Stevens of Tabor City passed away on Tuesday, March 24, at her home. She was 91.      Born Oct. 28, 1934, in Loris, she was the daughter of the late Joseph Carl Prince and the late Cora Lee Harrelson Prince.      Mrs. Stevens was a loving homemaker who enjoyed tending to…

1975 – 2026      Leland Mark Rheuark of Loris passed away on March 19. He was 51.      He is survived by his daughters, Katelyn Rheuark and Marlee Rheuark; his mother, Frances Rheuark; a brother, William McDowell; one sister, Rodesa Van Vynckt; and other extended family.      He was preceded in death by his father, Leland Thomas Rheuark.…

1936 – 2026      Bobby Lee Norris of Chadbourn passed away at the Lower Cape Fear Life Care Angel House of Whiteville, NC, after an extended stay at Shoreland Rehabilitation. He was 89.      He was born in May 13, 1936 in the Emerson Community, the first child of Ezra (Ted) Norris and Rachel Mattie Graves Norris.…

1938 – 2026      James Allard “Junior” Jernigan of Tabor City passed away peacefully at home with his loving family by his side on March 4 after a decades-long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was 87.      Born Dec. 11, 1938, in Tabor City, he was the son of the late Allard and Flossie McMillan Jernigan.      Mr.…

1959 – 2026      Patricia Lynn Ward of Bladenboro passed away on Monday, March 23, in Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, Whiteville. She was 66,      Born Aug. 15, 1959 in Columbus County, she was the daughter of the late Dock Phillips and Rosa Bell Richardson Phillips.      She is survived by one son, Dock Ward of New Market,…

1956 – 2026      Jimmy Donald Cox of Longs passed away on March 18 after an extended illness at home. He was 87.      Born July 6, 1938, was a son of the late Dayton Paul Cox and Fannie Virginia Prince of Longs. He was a veteran of the US Army.      He was pre-deceased by his first…