Area Obituaries

1948 – 2020      James Cecil Gowans, Sr. of Rowland, passed away on Thursday, Oct. 15, at Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton. He was 72.      Mr. Gowans is survived by his wife, Early Nealy Gowans; daughters Kathy Gowans, Mary Gowans, Janice Gowans, and Martha Bellamy, all of Whiteville; and a son, Aaron Askews.      A memorial…

1923 – 2020      Mary Kate Boone Mincey Register Thompkins of Tabor City passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Brunswick Health & Rehab in Ash. She was 97.      Born June 27, 1923 in Dillon, she was the daughter of the late Fred Leon Boone and the late Mary Christian Bailey Boone. Mrs. Thompkins was a…

1937 – 2020      Leonard Loyal Casto of Shallotte died Saturday, Oct. 10, in Autumn Care of Shallotte. He was 83.      Born Aug. 29, 1937 in Wood County, West Virginia, he was the son of the late Braskey O. and Bertha McIntyre Casto and the widower of Sandy Greer Casto and Nancy Casto.      He is survived…

1967 – 2020      Patricia Louise Ogle Casto of Cerro Gordo died Monday, Oct. 5, in Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital in Fayetteville. She was 52.      Born Dec. 17, 1967 in Norfolk, Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Henry Edward Ogle and Joyce Dean Hall Ogle.      She is survived by a son, Henry Baston Spivey of…

1942 – 2020      Elbert Donovon Grainger of Loris died Tuesday, Oct. 6, in his home. He was 77.      Born Dec. 6, 1942 in Horry County, he was the son of the late Robert Milton Grainger and Elise Williams Grainger and the widower of Gayle Duncan Grainger.      He is survived by a son, Richard Grainger of…

1964 – 2020      Vista Lanett Kinard-Hovde of Conway passed away on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020 at her home following a sudden illness. She was 56.      Mrs. Kinard-Hovde was born on Sept. 26, 1964 in Charleston to Vista Wyvonia Mishoe Kinard and the late Edward Charles Kinard, Sr. Mrs. Kinard-Hovde worked in retail sales with Food…

1937 – 2020      Ledenia Mills Fowler of Loris died Tuesday, Oct. 6 in McLeod Loris hospital, Loris. She was 82.      Born Nov. 23, 1937 in Columbus County, she was the daughter of the late Worth Benjamin Mills and Roberta Faircloth Mills.      She is survived by her husband, Cecil Clyde McDowell of Loris; a daughter, Connie…

1975 – 2020      Grady Edward “Boddie” Ward, Jr. of Tabor City died Saturday, Oct. 3 in the McLeod Loris Hospital, Loris. He was 45.      Born June 16, 1975 in Columbus County, he was the son of the Grady Edward Ward, Sr. of Green Sea and Patricia “Tina” Phillips Ward of Bladenboro.      In addition to his…

1940 – 2020      June Graham of Wilmington died Friday, Oct. 2, in Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, Wilmington. She was 80.      Born June 22, 1940 in New Hanover County, she was the daughter of the late Edward and Maggie Harrell Neville and the widow of Dallie H. Graham.      She is survived by a son, Thomas Richard…

1936 – 2020      Jack Leon Parker, Jr. of Oak Grove, Kentucky passed away on Thursday, Oct. 1, in Hospice in Smithfield, North Carolina. He was 84.      Mr. Parker was born July 14, 1936 in Chinquapin, to the late Jack L. Parker, Sr., and the late Bertha Causey Parker. His family called him Leon, his friends…