Public Servant's Full Life

WILLIAM WILEY ANDREWS
October 14, 1886 - January 26, 1971
In 1968, the Goldsboro News-Argus called W. Wiley Andrews "a man who has lived a
full life in public service to Wayne County, North Carolina and the nation and who's
loved every minute of it." He was only 21 years old in 1907 when he was appointed
Road Overseer, responsible for maintenance of dirt roads in Wayne County. His first
office was as a member of the Belfast School Board in 1916, a position he used to push
for a consolidation of Patetown, Salem, Mt. Carmel and Novel Hill schools into one
school located at Belfast.
When the Great Depression began in 1929, Andrews was elected to the N.C. House of
Representatives, where he served five terms. He fought for the McLean Bill, which
placed the responsibility for public school systems on the state. He later served two
governors. William B. Umstead appointed Andrews to the N.C. Water Resources
Commission. Kerr Scott put him on the State Prisons Board, where he worked to
separate the Prison Department from the State Highway Commission.
From 1953-1957, he was an appointee of President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the
President's National Agricultural Advisory Committee, which informed the President on
farm issues. The founder of Wayne Seed Co., Andrews also was Past President of the
N.C. Carolina Cotton Growers Association and a member of its board for 35 years;
Director of N.C. Grange Mutual Insurance; Charter President of the Wayne County
Guernsey Breeders Association (now the Wayne County Livestock Association); and
Charter Member of Belfast Grange #963 and a board member for 20 years. He received
the North Carolina State Grange Distinguished Service Award for Agriculture in 1954.
He and his wife, Lila, had one son.

JAMES N. ATKINS, M.D.
With compassion and patience, Dr. Jim Atkins helps his patients face one of our
most feared diseases, cancer.
"He understands that dealing with patients is about more than just dealing with
the body; it's about dealing with the mind, the emotions, the soul," a patient's
daughter wrote.
Born in Northampton, Massachusetts, Atkins graduated from the University of
Massachusetts before attending Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-
Salem. He did his internship and residency in internal medicine at North Carolina
Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. He later did a fellowship in
hematology/oncology at Baptist Hospital. For three years, he worked for the
United States Public Health Service in Gallup, New Mexico. In July 1984, he
joined Goldsboro Medical Specialists,P.A. In September 1990, he moved to
Southeastern Medical Oncology Center, where he still has his practice.
He has served as a clinical assistant professor of medicine for Bowman Gray
School of Medicine.
His professional activities have included service as the Medical Director for the
American Cancer Society, Wayne County; as a Principal Investigator and as a
Director, Southeastern Cancer Control Consortium; and on the Steering
Committee for North Carolina Cancer Pain Control Initiative. He has co-authored
many articles for physicians' publications.
He was recently chosen among the Best Doctors 2001-2002
(www.bestdoctors.com), an honor bestowed on doctors whom other physicians
would choose to have treat them and their family members. He and his wife,
Sherry, have two children.

CHARLES BRANTLEY AYCOCK
November 1859 - April 1912
C. B. Aycock, the second Wayne County man to serve as Governor of North
Carolina, is remembered as "the Education Governor," the state's leader who
did the most to promote the construction of public Schools.
Born in Nahunta Township, he was the youngest of ten children of Benjamin
and Serena Aycock. His mother's illiteracy inspired his interest in education for
all children. After his graduation from the University of North Carolina in 1889,
he opened a law office with Frank Daniels in Goldsboro.
He served as Wayne County's first Superintendent of Public Instruction from
1881 - 82. He served on the School Board from 1887 until his death.
He ran for Governor in 1900 as a Democrat on what was called "The white
supremacy campaign." After his election, he was an advocate for a literacy
amendment that disenfranchised black voters.
But he is best remembered for the improvement of the State's public schools.
During his four years in office, Aycock oversaw the construction of more than
1,000 schools, the lengthening of the school year, and increases in teacher
salaries. He consolidated numerous school districts and started more than 800
rural school libraries. He also passed one of the first child labor laws, freeing
young people to be able to attend school.
To memorialize Aycock and his achievements, the Legislature ordered a
bronze statue be placed on the State Capitol grounds in 1924. Also, his
birthplace was restored and made a state historic site in 1959.

N. C. SENATOR HENSON P. BARNES
Known as "the conscience of the N. C. Senate." Henson Barnes represented
Wayne County for 18 years in the Legislature and retired as one of the most
popular and powerful men in Raleigh. Born in Bladen County, Barnes served as
a paratrooper in the U. S. Army for three years before attending the University
of North Carolina. He completed his law degree in 1961. He was elected to the
N. C. General Assembly in 1964 and would serve until 1992. He was
unanimously elected by the members of the N. C. Senate as President Pro
Tem, the body's highest office, from 1989-92. In legislative polls, Barnes was
ranked the most elective senator in both 1991 and 1992. He had ranked among
the top 10 legislators in effectiveness for 17 of his 18 years in Raleigh.
Barnes was called "a bulldog" for his ability to make things happen in the
Senate. Some of his initiatives included the current design of N.C. license
plates with the slogan "First in Flight" with the picture of the Wright Brothers
plane flying over NC sand dunes; the establishment of the Global TransPark;
and updating state laws on behalf of disabled citizens.
Barnes was the first legislator in the state's history whose retirement was
honored by resolutions in both the House and Senate. Furthermore, the
Governor declared June 25, 1992, as "Henson Barnes Appreciation Day."
Barnes and his wife, Kitty Allen, have two daughters, Catherine Rebecca
Kinsey and Amy Allen Barnes Babb.

HENRY BELK
May 1898 - October 1972
Henry Belk was one of the most respected journalists in North
Carolina during his decades as an editor in Goldsboro. He
trained many newspaper men, many of whom struggled to meet
Belk's exacting standards as young men but were later grateful
for the guidance. "'Never have I come in contact with an editor
who demanded so much of his reporters, nor who gave so much
of himself in supporting them," a former employee said. This was
despite his being nearly blind from childhood. He had to have an
assistant read copy to him. But Belk was better able to judge the
quality of the writing this way. He would ask his reporters to
rewrite stories if the first drafts didn't make him "see" what
happened.
Born May 8, 1898 in Monroe, North Carolina, Belk graduated
from Trinity College, where he met his future wife, Lucille Bullard.
In July 1926, Belk was named Editor of the Goldsboro News,
When that paper merged with the Daily Argus three years later,
Belk became the Managing Editor of the Goldsboro News-Argus.
He became Editor in 1949 and served until 1968 when he retired
and was named Editor Emeritus. He continued to contribute a
daily column.
He was a great supporter of East Carolina University, serving on
the university's Board of Directors from 1947 until his death. He
was the board's chairman for several years.

DR. GEORGE RUFFIN BENTON
February 1879 - August 1953
DR. GEORGE RUFFIN BENTON
February 1879 - August 1953
Dr. Benton lived as a country doctor should, giving his heart and soul to
the ordinary people who lived around him.
He was born in Wilson, one of six children of Henry E. and Margaret
Jane Benton. After his graduation in 1901 from the Medical College of
Virginia, he moved to Eureka where he practiced until 1912. That year,
he moved to Fremont where he practiced until his death. His medical
duties included the position of Superintendent of Health for the Town of
Fremont. He also was the official Doctor for the Atlantic Coastline
Railroad.
His community involvement included membership in Fremont Methodist
Church and the Fremont Masonic Lodge.
He and his wife, Margaret had five children. One son, Dr. George Ruffin
Benton, Jr., followed his father into the medical field and opened a
practice in Goldsboro. Dr. Benton also has two grandsons practicing
medicine: Dr. Geroge Ruffin Benton, Ill of Brevard and Dr. Thomas
Wyatt Benton of Chapel Hill.

SCOTT BRICE BERKELEY
1897 - 1964
As Mayor of Goldsboro from 1938 until his death in 1964, he was a friend and supporter
of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. At the onset of World War Il, Berkeley encouraged
the City to lease its large airstrip for $1 a year to the Federal Government to use for
training. That facility became Seymour Johnson Army Air Force Training Field. The field
was deactivated after the war but, thanks to Mayor Berkeley's efforts, reopened in 1953
as Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
He was born in Danville, Virginia, in 1897 and attended the University of Virginia. He
was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, serving as a pilot through the
end of World War I.
After the war ended, Berkeley studied law in the office of N.C. Governor Thomas W.
Bicket and at Wake Forest College. After admission to the N.C. Bar in 1928, he and his
wife, Ruth, moved to Goldsboro, where he began a law practice.
He was appointed Chairman of the Wayne County Board of Elections and, in 1940, was
appointed Director of the U.S. Census in the 3rd U.S. Congressional District. He served
in North Carolina Home Guard throughout World War Il, attaining the rank of Major,
commanding the First Battalion of the Third North Carolina Infantry.
His tenure as Mayor extended into the dawning of the Civil Rights Era. He established,
among many other things, the Biracial Commission that helped steer the City through
desegregation. Mayor Berkeley was married to Ruth Hall and had one son, Dr. Scott
Bruce Berkeley, Jr.

DR. DELEON EDWARD BEST
May 1901-August 1986
Dr. Deleon Edward Best treated generations of Wayne County Families for over 60
years. Not only did he become adept at treating heart disease and diabetes, he
delivered 3,978 babies throughout his career.
Born in Warsaw, North Carolina Deleon Best attended public school until the age of 15.
He entered Wake Forest College, and after graduating, enrolled in medical school at the
University of Maryland. Upon completion of his studies there he fulfilled his residency at
Columbia
University.
In 1924 Dr. Best came to Goldsboro to practice at the Spicer Sanatorium. He remained
there 18 months before opening his own family practice. It was not uncommon for
patients to pay with eggs, produce or freshly caught fish. Often Dr. Best would be called
during the night for an emergency. He always responded promptly. Jane S. Franklin of
Goldsboro recalls, "Who could ever forget Dr. Best coming up the walk in his pinstriped
suit and fedora carrying his medical bag?" When thanked for his service he would
always reply, "My pleasure"
In the 1930's Dr. Best became Chief of Staff at Wayne Memorial Hospital. He also
taught at Wayne Community College's first Nursing program. Volunteer services
included the Heart Drive in 1965 and the Wayne County Society for Crippled Children in
1967. For many years he headed the American Cancer Society Fund Drive.
In 1948 Dr. Best married Frances Boney and together they had one daughter, Anna. He
is survived by his daughter, Anna, of Goldsboro, as well as several nieces and nephews
who reside in the area.
Dr. Best practiced until shortly before his death in 1986. He will always be remembered
for his selfless dedication in providing quality medical care to our community.

JEAN BRADEL
Jean Bradel's vocal skills have carried her to some of the grandest stages around the
world and to rave reviews. After this world-class lyric soprano performed the lead in the
world premier of "Rappaccini's Daughter," The New York Times wrote, "Her
musicianship was as impressive as her vocal skills."
Her performance in the lead of "La Boheme" in Austria brought this critique: "Jean
Bradel, the most enchanting Mimi since Elizabeth Ranic, looked as if she stepped out of
the frame of a Raphael painting and gave the impression from the beginning of the
opera that she was on the edge of death. Her farewell scene in Act Ill and
extraordinarily moving death captivated the audience." Clearly, she has traveled a long
way from the stage of Goldsboro High School.
The daughter of Edward J. and Edna Earle Sutton Bradel, she spent her early childhood
years in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. But following her father's death, her mother moved
the family to Goldsboro to live with Ms. Bradel's maternal grandfather,
She planned to be a nurse like her mother, but George Trautwein, Goldsboro High's
choral director, spotted her talent and convinced her to major in music. Her training with
Trautwein and private voice instructor Kathleen Warren helped lead Ms. Bradel to
Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where she earned both a
bachelor's degree in music and a master's of fine arts degree.
For three years, she was engaged at Landestheater Linz, Austria, where she performed
10 major roles. She has been an operatic guest artist and soloist with numerous
orchestras.
She is a professor of voice at Millersville University, Pennsylvania.
She and her husband, Robert Poulk, Jr., have two children.

CLIFTON J. BRITTON
October 1910 - February 1963
"Mr. B" demanded the best from his students; he gave them a sense of self-
worth and purpose that lasted throughout their lives. He influenced countless
thousands of students during his years in Wayne County.
Born in Milwaukee, North Carolina, he graduated from Conway High School
and then went to East Carolina Teacher's College. Upon graduation, Britton
had been class president all four years. He received his master's degree in
1942.
He began teaching English at Goldsboro High School in 1942. He founded the
"Goldmasquers" drama and radio department, which earned the title "The
South's Outstanding Theatre For Youth." The Goldmasquers earned hundreds
of awards from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and others.
Britton wrote and directed "The Shepherd's Song," which became the
Goldmasquers' gift to the community at Christmas time. It was presented
several years at the Terrace Room of the Hotel Goldsboro.
He was Stage manager of "The Lost Colony" outdoor drama from 1947 until
1953, when he became Director, a post he held until 1962. Britton won the
"Outstanding Alumni Award" from East Carolina in 1947. He also received Life
Member status in the Jaycees and was granted the Goldsboro Rotary Club's
"Citizen of the Year Award." He died at the age of 52 of amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. A fund established at
Goldsboro High School honoring "Mr. B" continues to assist students there
wishing to attend college.

CURTIS HOOKS BROGDEN
December 1816 - January 1901
The first Governor from Wayne County, Curtis Hooks Brogden, has been
overshadowed by the second, Charles B. Aycock, But Brogden was
instrumental in reopening the University of North Carolina, closed during the
Civil War, He held many state offices and even served a term in Congress.
Well-known for his ability as a public speaker, Brogden was called the
"eloquent Plowboy of Wayne County." He was born on a farm in southwest
Wayne on December 6, I816, the son of Pierce Brogden, a soldier of the War of
I812, and a grandson of Thomas Brogden, a soldier of the American
Revolution. He entered the state militia but was inspired to begin a political
career after hearing candidates speak at a rally at the Wayne County
Courthouse on July 4, 1838,
He was elected as a Democrat to the N.C. House that year and served for 10
consecutive terms, In 1852, he was elected to the N.C. Senate and served until
1855. He then served as state comptroller from 1857 to 1867,
He joined the Republican Party in 1868 and was again elected to the Senate.
After two terms, he was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1872, Aner Governor
Tod R. Caldwell died in 1874, Brogden became Governor. Brogden was
plowing in a Wayne County field when a rider came on horseback to inform him
that he was now Governor. During his term, he represented North Carolina at
the Centennial Celebration in Philadelphia,
After his term ended, Brogden was elected to the U.S, House of
Representatives and served one term, He retired in 1789, only to come back
and win one more term (1887 - 1889) in the N.C. House.

HUGH VICTOR BROWN
June 1891 - 1994
Hugh Victor Brown helped shape the education of African-Americans in
Goldsboro for more than 30 years, first as supervising principal of Colored
Schools and later as principal of Dillard High School. He was said to be "a man
of extraordinary vision and intellect."
Born in Henderson, Kentucky, to Edward C. and Georgianna Brown, he worked
his way through Hampton Institute (now University) in Virginia, where his
mentors were Booker T. Washington and R. R. Morton. He graduated in 1913
with a degree in agriculture. After teaching in Virginia, he entered the U. S.
Army during World War I. After serving as a principal in Columbus County and
earning his bachelor's and master's degrees in education, Brown became
principal of "Goldsboro Colored Schools" in 1923. He pressed the Board of
Education to delete the word "colored" and was instrumental in the renaming of
the black high school for the Rev. Clarence Dillard. Principal Brown led Dillard
High to accreditation and to status as one of the most outstanding high schools
in the state. Dillard was widely known for its comprehensive curriculum,
winning athletic teams, bands, choral music, debating and stellar drama
productions. Brown organized Manual Drills for male students, equivalent to
today's ROTC programs. He also started many vocational programs to teach
students job skills.
He helped organize the Dillard Alumni Association, which provides scholarships
and supports community charities. After his retirement, he was a columnist for
the Goldsboro News-Argus. He also wrote two books concerning the history of
education in North Carolina.

LEE BROWN
Died November 4, 2001
Lee Brown brought her love of song, dance, theatre and arts to Wayne
County and made it our own. For 30 years, she helped fashion the
performing arts as director of Sunday in the Park, Buttons and Beaus,
Gold Stocking Revue, The Night the Tracts Disappeared and numerous
Wayne County Arts Council productions, including Showboat, Olner,
MyFair Lady, The King and I, and I Do, I Do. She wrote songs, designed
and made costumes, directed, acted and sang in many shows.
She was active in the renovation of the Paramount Theater. She
directed the county's Bicentennial Pageant. Her leadership roles
included President of the Arts Council, Chairman of the Goldsboro
Parks & Recreation Commission, and President of the Civic Ballet. She
also organized special events for the Junior Women's Club and the
'Berry Puppeteers and was an active member of the Goldsboro
Woman's Club.
She was born in Johnston County to Caroline and John Maynard
Spivey. She was the widow of Seymour Brown,
For her extensive community involvement, she was presented with the
Order of the Longleaf Pine, the State of North Carolina's highest honor
for its citizens. She also received the Governor's Award for Volunteer
Service and the Wayne County Woman of the Year Award.

PRIVATE 1ST CLASS DAN BULLOCK
December 21, 1953 - June 7, 1969
At the height of the Vietnam War, Goldsboro native Dan Bullock walked
into a recruiting station and enlisted as a Marine. He was 14 years old
but had doctored his birth certificate so that it showed him to be 18. He
proudly predicted to his parents that he'd be promoted. "When I come
back, I'll have my stripes," he said.
He completed boot camp at Parris Island in December 1968, and was
sent to Vietnam in May 1969. Less than a month after arriving in
Vietnam, on June 7, 1969, he was fatally wounded in a firefight at An
Hoi, Quang Nam province. He was 15 years old, the youngest
serviceman to die during that war and perhaps the youngest to die in
any U.S. conflict dating back to the Civil War. He was buried in an
unmarked grave in Goldsboro's Elmwood Cemetery and forgotten for 20
years. After years of searching, two of his friends finally discovered his
grave and the Sally Jessy Raphael television talk show paid for his
tombstone in September 2000.
After Dan's death, his father said, "Mainly he wanted to make his mark
in life – he wanted to be something." He was - a hero, remembered by
one of his fellow servicemen as "the most patriotic man I ever knew."
Bullock has an active fan club dedicated to keeping his memory alive.

VELTON RAY BUNCH
Ray Bunch has written music that most people would recognize, even if they don't
always know the name. Bunch, a well-known musician, has composed music for such
television shows as "Hill Street Blues," "The A Team," "Magnum P. I.," "JAG," "Nash
Bridges" and "Enterprise." He has worked with more than 25 television series.
He composed and conducted music for Ronald Reagan's presidential inauguration in
1984 and for the Olympics in Los Angeles. He has produced many albums and
television specials.
Born and raised in Goldsboro by his parents, Velton and Dorothy Bunch, his earliest
musical influences were centered around his father who was a local drummer, pianist,
and singer amongst his other musical talents. Ray Bunch began to play piano at the
age of nine and soon had become proficient enough to begin playing in his parents'
church. The music of the church had a profound influence on the music that Ray would
later compose.
After graduation from Goldsboro High School, Ray studied music at East Carolina
University, earning his degree in music theory and composition. He moved to Los
Angeles and began work immediately with a music publishing company. One of his first
forays into television was as the music director and arranger for a NBC-TV series
starring Mac Davis. That led to his other television work.
Simultaneously, he was producing records and continuing to write songs. He worked
with artists including Cher, Lionel Ritchie, The Pointer Sisters and Dolly Parton. Ray
won a platinum record for Dolly's "Eagle When She Flies" album,
Bunch has been nominated for five Emmys, television's most prestigious award,
including consecutive nominations in 2000 and 2001. He currently resides in Beverly
Hills, California.

JAMES H. CARNEY
Beginning work as a teacher in a segregated Goldsboro school, James
Carney rose to become a successful school principal, the first black to
serve on the Wayne County Board of Education and the first black
chairman,
He was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1902 and graduated from
Lincoln University in 1926. He came to Wayne County in 1928 as a
teacher at Dillard High School, After a brief stint as an insurance agent,
he returned in 1936 as teacher and principal at Vail School, a nine-
grade school near Pikeville. He later was principal at the Pikeville
'Training School, Carney received his Master's Degree from North
Carolina College in Durham in 1956 and soon thereafter became the
principal of Norwayne School, which consolidated students from three
schools. Carney had a staff of 48 teachers and a 1,200-member student
body when he retired in 1969.
He was elected to the Wayne County Board of Education in 1972 and
1974, serving as Vice Chairman in 1974, In 1975 he was elected an
Chairman of the Wayne County Board of Education, He was appointed
to the Wayne County Board of Bleetiona in 1941, Other service has
included active membership at St. James A.M.R. Zion Church and in
Poster Grandparents, Meals on Wheels, and United Church Ministries,
Carney was married to Minnie Greenfield. He had two children by a
previous marriage: James Carney, Jr, and Emily Carey Williams.

BERTHA CASEY
August 31, 1876 - October 11, 1962
"Miss Bert," as she was known by students, friends and family, helped shape
generations of Wayne County residents during a 48-year teaching career.
Growing up on ancestral land that's now part of Seymour Johnson Air Force
Base, she began her teaching career at the age of eighteen. She taught at
Daniels Chapel, a small one-room school; Casey's Chapel School; and Belfast
School in Wayne County. She also taught in LaGrange and Charlotte.
She was a popular teacher, known for using a "hands-on" method of teaching
and keeping several pets in her classroom at times. Discipline was no problem
for Miss Bert; she would take mischievous students in the cloak-room and pray
with them that their behavior would improve. She was a member of Daniels
Memorial Church until 195S. That same year, she donated land so that Airboro
Methodist Church could be built. She was a charter member of the church and
an active member until her Death.
She organized the first Home Demonstration Club in Wayne County, which has
evolved into fifteen Extension and Community Associations across the county.
Upon her death, a Goldsboro News-Argus editorial eulogized Miss Casey as
"one of Wayne's greatest women.... She remained at home and served close to
the home in which she was born. But mentally she walked far afield and all
mankind was her brother. Hail and farewell, brave and
noble spirit."

NANCY WINBON CHASE
October 1903 - 1994
Faced with a decision of what to do with the rest of her life, "Mrs.
Nancy" chose a path that would lead her to being the first woman from
Wayne County to serve in the N.C. General Assembly.
Born in 1903, the youngest of six children of Robert Edward Winborn
and Lou Katie Davis, she graduated from Fremont High in 1921. She
married John Bryant Chase and had two sons. She was active in
Eureka Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday School for 40
years and was church treasurer for 25 years.
Active in the Farm Bureau, the Chases were hard working farmers. In
1956 Nancy Chase received the Bureau's "Award for Distinguished
Service to Agriculture." She also was the first woman elected N.C.
Delegate to National Farm Bureau Convention.
After her husband died unexpectedly, she chose to be more active in
her community. She first served on the board of the Wayne County
Mental Association. The Democratic Party encouraged her to run in
1962 for the N.C. House of Representatives. She won the first of eight
terms, the longest tenure at that time of any person from Wayne
County. She was widely considered one of the most effective
legislators, chairing several committees.
She also was the first woman on the board of Wayne Community
College, as well as several other local boards.

DR. WILL A. CRAWFORD
March 1861 - April 1948
Dr. "Will" was one of our best-known local doctors, practicing for more
than 60 years. He also wrote a popular newspaper column for several
years.
He was born March 12, 1861, the son of Col. M. K. and Ophelia Howell
Crawford. He was born at Oak Glenn Plantation, a home built by his
grandfather in 1839 and considered one of the county's finest homes
before the Civil War. The house, now gone, was located near the
current intersection of U.S. 70 and N.C. 581. Except for a brief time, Dr.
Crawford lived in the house his entire life.
He studied at the University of Virginia and with Dr. W. J. Jones. He
practiced briefly in Selma and Lexington, but he returned to practice for
more than 50 years in Wayne County, near the Rosewood community.
During his time in Lexington, he contracted a serious disease, from
which he never fully recovered. But he continued to work days that
would have fatigued an able-bodied man. He died at the age of 87,
having only retired a year earlier.
He wrote a column for the Goldsboro Argus and then later for the News-
Argus. Shortly before his death, he wrote historical articles for
Goldsboro's centennial.

REVEREND CLARENCE DILLARD
1864 - 1932
The Rev. Clarence Dillard was a spiritual and educational leader for
Goldsboro's African-American community in the early 20th Century. His
name survives today, long after his namesake high school closed. Born
in South Carolina, he was educated at Lincoln University and at Howard
University. He came to Goldsboro in 1884 as pastor of Shiloh
Presbyterian Church, the city's Presbyterian church for blacks. He also
took a job as a teacher at a segregated school.
But in 1894, the Board of Education established a system of schools in
three sections of the city and named the Rev. Dillard as Superintendent
of the four schools for blacks and Principal of the high school. He
served in that role until he retired in 1924. Dillard was responsible for
improving both the quantity and quality of education available for
blacks. He was responsible for the expansion of the elementary school
into two: Greenleaf and East End. He also saw education for blacks
extended from 10th grade to a full high school.
He oversaw the construction of a new school on Elm Street. Dillard's
replacement, H. V. Brown persuaded the school board to rename the
school in Dillard's honor, hence Dillard High School. Although the
school closed, Dillard's name is still kept alive by the active alumni
association.

SENATOR WILLIAM T. DORTCH
April 1824 - 1889
Wayne County has had many influential legislators. One of the first was William
T. Dortch.
Born in Dortches, Nash County near Rocky Mount, Dortch attended local
schools and entered the study of law. He was admitted to practice in 1845 and
moved to Goldsboro in 1848 where he quickly became County Attorney and
developed a large private practice covering several counties. His interest
spread to politics, and he served three terms in the N.C. House of Commons
(now Representatives), including the last term as Speaker of the House.
After North Carolina's entry into the War Between the States, Dortch was
elected to the Confederate States Senate at the urging of President Jefferson
Davis, where he served until the war's end. When he returned to Goldsboro, he
had lost most of his property and his law library had been destroyed by federal
troops. It took him 10 years to rebuild his practice and learn to operate under
new laws of the Reconstruction period.
In 1878, he successfully ran for the N.C. Senate and served until 1883. During
that time, he served one year as President of the Senate, making Dortch one of
the few North Carolinians to oversee the state's two legislative bodies. He
helped lead an effort to rewrite and codify the state's entire body of law.
When he died in 1889, a Goldsboro newspaper editorialized, "No man has ever
fallen in our midst, in the whole history of Goldsboro, who was so universally
revered and loved by his people, in all walks and conditions of life, as was the
Honorable W. T. Dortch."

SPENCER E. DURANTE, SR.
Spencer E. Durante, Sr. was Principal of Carver High School in Mount
Olive when that school earned the distinction as the first school in the
county to be accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and
Colleges in 1948.
In 1998 the Southern Association recognized Carver School for fifty
years of continued certification.
He was a native of Wilmington where he grew up as the youngest of
seven children of the late Oliver and Elizabeth Durante. He graduated
from Williston Senior High School in 1935 as an honor student. He was
also a member of the school's baseball and football teams. In 1939 he
earned a bachelor's degree from Shaw University in Raleigh with a
major in chemistry. He played on the college's tennis and football
teams. He received his master's degree in education from the University
of Pennsylvania in 1943 and his doctorate in education in 1956.
He was a high school principal in four North Carolina districts
Hendersonville, Morganton, Mount Olive and Charlotte. Other
professional positions included Associate Professor of Education at the
University of California at Los Angeles; Director of Secondary Schools,
Dayton, Ohio; Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education,
Appalachian State University; and Chairperson, Department of
Education, Johnson C. Smith University.

JUDGE WILLIAM TURNER FAIRCLOTH
January 1829 - December 1900
Judge Faircloth was said to be "a man of contradictions." Opposed to
North Carolina's secession from the Union, he enlisted in the
Confederate Army as a private and rose to the rank of Captain of
Cavalry, serving until his troops were forced to surrender at Appomattox
Courthouse in April 1865. A son of wealth, he was a defender of the
planter class during Reconstruction. Defeated time and again for office,
he eventually won election to the state's highest court, the N.C.
Supreme Court, in 1892, where he served until his death.
Born in Edgecombe County to Susan and William Faircloth, he
graduated from Wake Forest College and Chief Justice Pearson's law
school in Richmond Hill, N.C. He moved to Goldsboro in May 1856 and
started his law practice.
Following the Civil War, Faircloth joined the Republican Party and was
an ally of Governor W. W. Holden. He was appointed Associate Justice
of the N.C. Supreme Court in 1876 and served until 1879. His friendship
with Holden, an unpopular leader who was impeached and removed
from office, contributed to Faircloth's defeats in elections in 1884 and
1888.
He married Evelyn Wooten of Mosely Hall in 1867. They had no
children. Judge Faircloth's law office has been moved several times and
is now at Waynesborough Historic Village.

WALTER A. FOSTER
1902 - 1974
A devoted educator, church member and civic leader, Walter Foster was described as
someone who "loved people and devoted his life to one of service for the betterment of
mankind."
Born in Lawrenceville, Virginia, Foster graduated from Livingston College in Salisbury,
North Carolina, and received his master's degree from Columbia University in New
York.
He was an educator for 42 years, serving as principal at his beloved East End School,
prior to its closing as an elementary school. He also served faithfully within the local unit
of the N.C. Association of Educators and the H. V. Brown School Masters Club.
He was active at St. James African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, serving many
years as chairman of the Board of Trustees. He organized the Layman's League of
Cape Fear Conference, comprising 100 churches, and was its president for many
years.
He was a volunteer in a large number of community and civic organizations, including
the Beta Kappa Sigma chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Inc. He was named "Sigma of the
Year" in 1969.
He was awarded a citation by Goldsboro Mayor Ben Strickland for his many years of
service in the city and received award citations from N. C. Recreation and Parks for his
work with young people. The Leslie Street Community Center was renamed in his honor
to memorialize his efforts and love for Goldsboro.
He was married to Pearl Massey Foster.

JOHNNY GRANT
Beginning in Goldsboro, Johnny Grant has had a career of more than 60 years in and
around show business. Grant was named Ceremonial Mayor of Hollywood in tribute to
his many actions as a supporter of the Community.
He made his debut as a newscaster at WGBR in 1939. During World War Il, while
serving in the Army Air Corps, Grant broadcast a show called "Strictly GI" which
featured news of interest to servicemen. He resumed his news career after the war.
Interviewees included Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Captain
Eddie Rickenbacker. He moved into television in 1946 as host of the game show "Beat
the Clock." Grant co-hosted, with Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, the first
national telethon ever produced, a fund-raiser to send U.S. athletes to the Olympic
Games in Finland in 1952. He has a varied career, working alternately as a television
and radio reporter, commentator and personality. He has been nominated for 14 Emmy
awards and won twice. He also appeared in several movies.
But he may be as well-known for his civic involvement. He received the first "Spirit of
Hope Award" for making 55 USO overseas entertainment tours. He has emceed more
than 5,000 charity and civic events. He produced the largest, single-day event in the
history of Los Angeles, Hollywood's Welcome Home Desert Storm Parade, which drew
1,300,000 spectators. He also produced the Hollywood Christmas Parade for 20 years
and other major Hollywood special events. He has served local governments in the
capacity of Fire Commissioner, Police Commissioner, Social Service Commissioner and
Cultural Heritage Commissioner. He is a recipient of the Order of California, that state's
highest honor. He has earned two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a hand-and-
footprint ceremony at the famed Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the naming of a street
in his honor.

MILDRED ELLIS GAYLOR
1918 - 2002
Mildred Gaylor was the first and so far only woman to ever serve on the Goldsboro City
Council. She served 12 years, including a term as Mayor Pro Tem.
Known for bringing "a woman's touch" to city government, Mrs. Gaylor was a champion
for gardens, trees and renovation of the city's historic downtown.
She was born in Wayne County, the daughter of Barnes Robert and Mary Jane
Fulghum Ellis. She was educated in Fremont's public schools and graduated from
King's Business College.
She was an active member of First Baptist Church, the Goldsboro Gardenettes, and the
Garden Club of North Carolina (for which she was elected in 1984 to a four-year term
on the Board of Trustees). She was a member of the Daughters of the American
Revolution (DAR), the Wayne
County Historical Association, a Wayne County Library Director, the Charles B. Aycock
Advisory Commission, Women in Municipal Government, the Goldsboro Rescue Squad,
and was appointed regional representative for the Department of Transportation's
Highway Beautification Council.
In 1983, she was honored by the Goldsboro Jaycees as Woman of the Year. She was a
member of the Woman's Club, and the Board of the Downtown Goldsboro Development
Association.
Mildred was a master flower show judge, and always was concerned with the
beautification of her community. Another pet project was the Wayne County Memorial
Hospital Auxiliary, where she often volunteered in the coffee shop.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Judge Charles P. Gaylor, II. They had one
son, Charles Parson Gaylor, IlI.

CHARLIE GREENFIELD
May 1884 - January 1972
A kind, caring and well respected man, Charlie Greenfield contributed in
many ways to improve the lives of black children.
A Wayne County native, he was a businessman, owning a farm, saw
mill and corn mill. But he is remembered for making education his top
priority. He worked hard for children to have transportation to and from
nearby public schools. Beginning in the 1930s, he outfitted his truck
with two long benches and a cover to make a makeshift school bus. He
and his sons drove the truck, nicknamed the "Greenfield School Bus," to
transport elementary school students to Dudley School and high school
students to Carver High School in Mount Olive. About 14 students used
the bus every day.
Subsequently, he contributed money with other parents toward the
purchase of the first school bus to transport black children to school.
When Dudley School burned in 1930, he was instrumental in rebuilding
that school. He provided materials and pledged 20 days work toward
the effort.
In addition, he donated several acres of land including a lake for a
campsite for young boys. This became Camp Carver, near Sleepy
Creek, which was used for many years by black Boy Scouts. A building
on the campgrounds was named Greenfield Hall in his honor. In later
years, Girl Scout troops, also, used the camp.

ANDY GRIFFITH
One of America's most-beloved television performers, Andy Griffith was
teaching in Goldsboro when he first stepped into the national spotlight.
Born Andrew Samuel Griffith in Mount Airy, North Carolina, he graduated from
the University of North Carolina with his bachelor of arts degree in music in
1949. He then came to Goldsboro High School, where he taught choral music
and English from 1949 to 1953. He also performed in The Lost Colony outdoor
drama during the summer months.
In 1953, he recorded What It Was Was Football, a comedy monologue about a
college football game. That led to his debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1954,
which led to his Broadway debut in 1955 in the hit No Time For Sergeants.
A guest spot on The Danny Thomas Show served as the pilot episode for The
Andy Griffith Show, which ran from 1960-1968. When Griffith decided to leave
the show, thinking he had done as much with the character of Sheriff Andy
Taylor as possible, it was the number one rated show.
He then was executive producer of Mayberry R.F.D. from 1968-1971. He has
played in numerous TV series, movies, specials and in many films. In 1981 he
earned an Emmy nomination for his role in Murder in Texas. He starred as a
Southern, "down home" attorney in a second successful series, Matlock, which
ran from 1986-1995.

GENEVA BASS HAMILTON
1914 - 1995
During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Geneva Bass
Hamilton was an organizer and activist, fighting for people's right to equality at
the possible risk of her business, life and family.
Born in Wayne County, one of eleven children of the Reverend Marshall G. and
Estella Mason Bass, she graduated from Dillard High School in 1930, earned
her bachelor's degree from Morgan State College and her master's degree from
the University of Pennsylvania. She taught school at Pikeville Training School,
Central High School, and Dillard High School. She also worked as a guidance
counselor in the drama department. She was a member and Sunday School
Teacher at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church. She and her husband, Levi, had two
sons, both successful businessmen.
In the community, she worked on voter registration and to get people to vote
during elections. As President, she built the Goldsboro/Wayne Branch of the
NAACP into one of the largest and strongest groups in North Carolina. Her
courageous voice rose against the injustices of the
time, risking a backlash against her business, Hamilton Funeral Home, or her
family.
In 1960 she organized "Operation Bootstrap" to enable people to help
themselves to decent housing and jobs. The Green Acres Housing Project and
Dillard Business and Technology were outgrowths of her vision and hard work.
She was said to have "known and lived the deepest and highest requirements
of true friendship."

DR. JACK HARRELL
Died January 27, 1955
For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required. - Luke 12:48. Dr.
Harrell was one of Wayne County's most generous citizens, showering the community
with his time, talents, friendship and love. He often provided food and medical supplies
to the poor. And among his many acts of kindness, he sent deserving students to
Guilford College at his personal expense.
Born in Wayne County, he attended Goldsboro City Schools, enrolled at Wake Forest
College and graduated from Guilford College. He attended the University of Maryland's
School of Medicine and returned to Goldsboro after completing his internship and
residency. He served as a Major in the USAF Medical Corp during World War Il in the
US and in Europe.
Money was in short supply in the early days of Dr Harrell's practice, and he lost the
family farm because of difficulty paying off his student loans. But he bartered for
gasoline to make house calls on patients and delivered babies in people's homes. He is
said to have never turned away anyone for lack of money.
He was also a pioneer pilot and was believed to have been the first flying physician in
eastern North Carolina. He had many friendships with the barnstorming pilots; those
pioneer fliers who traveled the country exploring, performing stunts, and giving rides.
His professional and civic service included the Wayne County Medical Society, the
American Medical Association, the American College of Surgeons, the Wayne Masonic
Lodge and the American Legion.
He and his wife, Florrie, had three children.

W. RICHARD HELMS
June 1918 - May 1998
W. Richard Helms' commitment to the lives of young people was as strong as
the steel forged in the plant he led for so long. Upon his death, U.S. Sen. Lauch
Faircloth wrote, "Dick Helms' life represents the best of a generation of North
Carolinians. I am proud to say that I knew him and called him my friend."
He was born in Salisbury, North Carolina, the son of Marshall Luther and Carrie
Rosemond Helms. His family moved to Goldsboro after his father's death. He
graduated from Goldsboro High School. By the age of 12, Helms was said to be
working three different jobs in addition to his school work.
He began work at Dewey Brothers as an office boy, became General Manager
within 13 years, and succeeded to the Presidency upon the death of Ernest
Dewey. One of his innovations in that role was the invention of a manhole
framing cover that was said to have saved money and made roads safer.
He was a strong supporter of the Wayne County Boys Club, serving on its
Board of Directors for 20 years and as Board President from 1957-1967. He
was a leader when the club acquired the Lionel Weil home on Park Avenue as
its home and later when it built its current facility on Royall Avenue. He gave
use of farm property in the Grantham community for the club to use as Camp
Wacoboc, which opened 1958. He received many national awards from the
Boys Club of America.
He and his wife, Hallie, had seven children.

COL. JAMES E. HITESHEW
James E. Hiteshew is one of Wayne County's most decorated veterans, having survived
six years in a Vietnamese prison camp. He was born in Weston, West Virginia, on
October 8, 1930. He attended West Virginia public schools, Glenville State College and
the United States Coast Guard Academy. He received his bachelor's degree from the
University of Nebraska at Omaha and his master's degree from East Carolina
University.
He entered the Air Force in 1952 as an Aviation Cadet and received his wings and
commission as a Second Lieutenant in September 1953. He was assigned to the
Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base in February 1954 flying the F-84-F. In
March 1955, he set an unofficial cast-to-west speed record flying an F-84-F.
After being stationed in England, Arkansas and New York, he was assigned to Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base in 1966. That year he received a South East Asia assignment
in Thailand. Col. Hiteshew was shot down and captured on his seventy-fifth combat
mission over North Vietnam on March 11, 1967. He remained a prisoner of war until his
release on March 4, 1973
Upon his return to the United States, Col. Hiteshew was assigned as executive officer in
the 68th Bomb Wing at Seymour Johnson. He retired from the Air Force in December
1979. He served as the Aerospace Education Instructor at Eastern Wayne High School
from July 1980 until October 1990.
His military decorations include the Silver Star with one oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit,
Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster,
Prisoner of War Medal, Purple Heart with one oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star with one oak
leaf cluster, Air medal with six oakleaf clusters and the Meritorious Service Medal. In
September 2002, he was presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
He and his late wife, Billie, had two children.

DR. HENDERSON IRWIN
JUNE 1884 -July 1958
On July 25, 1958, the Goldsboro News-Argus editorialized, “If a careful study
was made to determine the person who made the greatest contribution to
mankind in Wayne County over the past 40 years, without a doubt
that person would be Dr. Henderson Irwin.” The son of a Charlotte
physician, John Irwin, he graduated from the University of Maryland School of
Medicine in 1911. He passed up job offers in Charlotte,
Baltimore and other cities to move to the Eureka community in 1913 to be a
"country doctor."
He delivered thousands of babies and then worked to see them through healthy
childhoods. He often visited the Eureka school and examined any child who
was ill. He frequently talked to the students about health and diet. He was said
to have inspired more than 30 students to pursue medical careers.
One example of his efforts was his "cow-on-loan" program. He would buy a
cow for an underprivileged family, which would care for the animal and drink its
milk. When the cow would have a calf, Dr. Irwin would return and take the calf
to another family in need.
He helped found Eureka High School in 1924 and was a member of the school
board for 39 years. He was an early supporter of Goldsboro Public Library and
was Chairman of its board at the time of his death.
As the News-Argus wrote, “Unusual to him was the sparkle of his personality;
he vibrated vitality and good fellowship.”

BETSY HOOKS JOHNSON
Betsy Hooks Johnson showed that not only was it possible for a woman
to be elected to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners but that
she could also be a leader there. Mrs. Johnson was appointed to the
county board in 1987 to fill the unexpired term of Commissioner Joe
Lancaster That made her the first woman to serve on the board. She
then won election in 1988. Her fellow board members elected her to the
posts of vice chair in 1990 and chairperson in 1992.
She was born May 14, 1937 in Fremont, the daughter of Charles T.
Hooks, Sr. and Cora Yelverton Hooks. After graduating from Fremont
High School in 1955, she attended Meredith College and graduated
from William and Mary University in 1963. She taught 7th and 8th grade
at the Goldsboro Junior High School from 1965-1967 and then joined F-
J Construction
Company, a family business.
Her civic involvement includes service as a 4-H Leader; the Advisory
Board of the Wayne County Extension Service and Wayne County Fair
Committee; a member of the Wayne County Bicentennial Commission,
the North Carolina Social Services Board, and the North Carolina Day
Care Commission. For two years, she was president of Wayne County
Democratic Women. She has also been active in the Methodist Church
and for the Methodist Home for children.
She and her husband, Leroy, have four children.

SEYMOUR ANDERSON JOHNSON
February 1904 - March 1941
Although he died a young man, Seymour Johnson has one of the best known names in
Wayne County history, thanks to his skill as a pilot. Seymour Johnson was born in
Goldsboro, NC on February 15, 1904, the son of Dr. John Norborn Johnson (a local
dentist) and Lilly Newbury Johnson. He graduated from Goldsboro High School in 1920
and attended the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill for three years before
receiving an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He had
decided that the Navy was the place for him.
During his years at college, he was often called "Andy" or "Sam" as a nickname. While
at Chapel Hill, he was a popular man in campus life. He was described as a freckle-
faced lad who enjoyed loud talk and creating fun. He was easy-going, always willing to
help his friends. He only got excited when he received a letter from his girl. Following
his graduation in 1927, Johnson entered naval pilot training in Pensacola, Florida,
earning his wings in 1929. After completing flight training, Ensign Johnson served as a
pilot on battleships and aircraft carriers.
In 1937. Johnson volunteered for duty as a test pilot. When testing a plane on March 5,
1941, he crashed from oxygen deprivation while flying at 42,000 feet near Norbeck,
Maryland. He was scheduled to be promoted to Lieutenant Commander in June 1941.
Johnson was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
After war was declared with Japan, following the attack on Pearl Harbor late that same
year, Goldsboro Airport became the site of an Army Air Corps Training Center. In
November 1943, that air base was named in honor of Lt. Seymour Anderson Johnson.
It is still the only Air Force Base named for a naval officer.

CLYDE KING
Clyde King came from the sandlots of Wayne County to play in the most storied
baseball stadiums in the world. He managed three major league clubs: the San
Francisco Giants, the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees. For the past 26 years,
he has worked for the Yankees as a Manager, Pitching Coach, General Manager, Scout
and Special Adviser. During his career, King has been a part of nine World Series: two
with the Brooklyn Dodgers and seven with the Yankees.
He graduated from Goldsboro High School where he was all-conference in baseball and
basketball. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and lettered in
basketball and baseball. While at UNC, he met his wife, Norma Surles from Roseboro.
The couple have three daughters.
After World War Il and graduation, King began a nine-year career, pitching mainly in
relief. He was a part of the Brooklyn Dodgers team that won the National League's
crown in 1947 and 1952. He also pitched for the Cincinnati Reds in 1953 and 1954.
His coaching positions included Pitching Coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the
Cincinnati Reds. In 1969, he was named Manager of the San Francisco Giants, his first
managerial post in the big leagues. The Giants finished second in their division that
year. He managed the Atlanta Braves from 1974 -75. He was named Manager of the
New York Yankees to complete the 1982 season. He is the only manager to have
managed both Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.
In 1983, Clyde King was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

WILLIAM P. KEMP, JR.
Athlete, businessman, legislator, civic leader - Bill Kemp, Jr. made his mark in whatever
field he tried.
He attended Goldsboro City Schools and graduated from George School in
Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a
bachelor's degree in business administration. During his college days, he was the
captain of the UNC Wrestling Team and was honored by being placed in the Wrestling
Hall of Fame. From 1943 to 1945 he was an aviation cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
Kemp retired as president of Kemp Furniture Company after having served in practically
all positions in the manufacturing of furniture including personnel manager, production
manager and plant manager. He served as president of the Southern Furniture
Manufacturer's Association in 1974 and was a director in the National Association of
Furniture Manufacturers from 1975 to 1977.
His civic activities were plentiful, including Goldsboro Rotary Club; Goldsboro Jaycees;
wrestling coach for Goldsboro High School for 16 years; chairman, Red Cross Blood
Program and Building Fund; chairman, Goldsboro Recreation Department; Goldsboro
Human Relation Committee; president, College Aid- Fund of Goldsboro; chairman,
Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation; and director, Goldsboro Chamber of
Commerce.
He was elected to the .C. House of Representatives for two terms in the 1970s. He
received several honors including Goldsboro Jaycee D.S.A. Award, Boss of the Year,
Service to Humanity Award, Silver Beaver Award and Distinguished Eagle Scout
Award.
He was a Scoutmaster for 20 years and a member of the Nahunta District Committee
and the Tuscarora Council Executive Board. He received the Boy Scouts of America's
Distinguished Citizen Award.
He and his wife, Betty, have two daughters and one son.

COLONEL JOHN DALLAS LANGSTON
March 1881 - July 1963
Col. Langston was a Goldsboro political and religious leader who also served
his country during both World War I and II.
Born the son of a Methodist minister and the grandson of Goldsboro major
landowner Uriah Langston, Langston graduated from Trinity College (now Duke
University). He taught school for two years while also studying law. He was
admitted to the practice of law, practicing first in Mount Olive from 1905-10 and
then joining a Goldsboro partnership which became Langston, Allen and Taylor.
During WWI, he was commissioned a Major in the infantry and served as
special aide to the Governor in administering Selective Service in North
Carolina. He was then transferred to Washington D.C., where he was promoted
to Lieutenant Colonel and appointed Chief of the Clemency Division.
After the war ended, he returned to his law firm and also founded the
Goldsboro News, which merged later with the Goldsboro Argus. He was the
Chairman of the State Board of Elections from 1926-27.
At the start of WWII, he was appointed by President Roosevelt as Chairman of
the Presidential Appeals Board. Later, he was named Assistant Director of the
National Selective Service. He had the distinction of receiving the Distinguished
Service Medal in both wars. He was a member of the Goldsboro Board of
Education for 15 years.
He and his wife, Mary, had 6 children.

MARTIN LANCASTER
Judge Advocate, Legislator, Congressman and now President of the North Carolina
Community College System - Martin Lancaster has taken many roles in service of his
County, State and Nation.
Born and raised on a tobacco farm, Lancaster spent his early years working in the fields
and attending a small rural school. He graduated from the University of North Carolina
with his law degree in 1967.
Lancaster became a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Navy, serving on active duty for three
years, eighteen months of which were spent on the USS Hancock off the coast of
Vietnam. He continued as an active reservist, retiring as a Navy Captain in 1993.
He returned to Goldsboro and entered a law practice. He also took several leadership
positions. In 1977 the Governor appointed him Chairman of the North Carolina Arts
Council, a position he held for four years. This community involvement led to his
election in 1978 to the N.C. House of Representatives. He promoted many issues in the
fields of education, mental health, the arts and the legal system. After four terms, he ran
for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986 and won the first of four terms. In
Congress, Lancaster was a champion of the Armed Forces and strived to improve the
lives of servicemen.
Lancaster became president of the NC. Community College System on July 1, 1997. He
has led the system in an effort to increase salaries, upgrade equipment, and to improve
facilities, including a successful statewide bond referendum in 2000.
He and his wife, Alice, have two daughters.

JUAN DORTCH LEWIS
John Dortch "Bootie" Lewis was so determined to escape German prison camps that he
made four attempts before he finally made it to freedom, His plight was later made
famous in the movie, "The Great Escape." Lewis was born November 13, 1914, in
Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force on November
16, 1940, before the United States entered World War Il. He received head and back
injuries and was honorably discharged from the RAF in October 1942.
He transferred to the United States Army Air Force and was assigned to fly P-39
Airacobra in North Africa. He was part of a squadron of 12 planes that left March 13,
1943, on a reconnaissance flight over Tunisia. Six of the 12 planes were shot down and
five pilots captured. Lt. Lewis crash-landed and sought help from unfriendly Arabs. He
was captured by the German Army three days later.
He was a prisoner at Dulag Luft from March until April 1943, then was transferred to
Stalag Luft Ill. Lewis helped dig the tunnels "Tom, Dick, and Harry" in the camp that
were made famous in the movie "The Great Escape."
In August 1943, he and Lt. Wesley G. Bedrick dug under and cut through a fence and
escaped. They evaded patrols for two nights before they were caught in a barn by a
policeman. In October 1943, he and Alving W. Vogtle were caught trying to cut through
the compound's wire fence.
In early 1945, he was being transferred to Moosburg Stalag VIT, When he escaped
from the train boxcar. He evaded capture for four days on foot before he was
discovered. In March 1945, he made his final attempt. Bedrick and Lewis stole a key
from a German guard. An impression on that key was made in a bar of soap. A replica
key was made and used to help Lewis and Bedrick escape.
He was promoted to Captain and honorably discharged in December 1945.
He served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve until 1956.
He and his wife have 3 children.

WALTER JOSEPH MARM JR.
Walter Joseph Marm is one of the most-distinguished military retirees living in
Wayne County, having won the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism
during the Vietnam War.
Born in 1941 in Pennsylvania, Marm was a Second Lieutenant in the U.S.
Army, serving in Vietnam, on November 14, 1965. His company was moving
through la Drang Valley when it came under fire and was forced to take cover.
Marm saw four enemy soldiers advancing on his troops and was able to kill all
four. He then stood before enemy fire to discern the location of a hidden
machine gun. He attempted to destroy the machine gun first with an anti-tank
weapon. When that failed, he charged 30 meters across open ground, hurling
grenades into the enemy's position, killing some of the eight insurgents
manning the gun. Although severely wounded, Marm killed the remaining
enemy troops with his rifle.
The battle and Marm's actions were dramatized in the movie "We Were
Soldiers," based upon the book "We Were Soldiers Once And Young." He
retired as a Colonel in May 1995, after which he and his wife, Deborah
Yelverton, a Fremont native, moved to Wayne County. His other awards and
decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious
Service Award with four oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters,
and the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster.
The couple have three sons and a daughter.

RICHARD B. MOFFATT
July 1921 - 1999
Richard Moffatt was successful in the oil business, but it was his dynamic
involvement in many of Wayne County's nonprofit organizations that fueled his
reputation.
Born July 1921 in Bradford, Pen- 1yania, he graduated from the State College
of Pennsylvania with a degree in petroleum refining. He began working for
Kendall Oil Company in Pennsylvania. He worked as a sales engineer
throughout the world before becoming the Divon
Sales Manager for the Mid-Atlantic region. He came to Goldsboro in 1950 and
purchased a half-interest in Parker Oil Company. He became Vice President
and General Manager. In 1967, he purchased all of the stock and changed the
name to Moffatt Oil Company, a franchised distributor of Kendall Oil.
He never was too busy for any effort to improve Goldsboro and Wayne County.
He was a member of and presided over such organizations as the Goldsboro
Civitans, the Tuscarora Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Goldsboro
Chamber of Commerce, United Fund of Goldsboro and Goldsboro Country
Club. He was Governor of the North Carolina District of Civitan International
and served on the Board of Trustees at Wayne Community College. He chaired
fund campaigns for Camp Tuscarora Development, raising more than
$2,500,000; to build a headquarters for the Chamber of Commerce; and on
behalf of the Goldsboro Airport.
He and his wife, Virginia, had two children.

CHARLES S. NORWOOD
November 1904 - November 1989
Charles S. Norwood helped Wayne County build its future while also remembering its
past.
He was born in Goldsboro on November 30, 1904, the son of George A. Norwood and
Louise Hart Norwood. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, he returned to Goldsboro and founded Crawford-Norwood Company with his father-
in-law, John R. Crawford.
Being active in civic life in the community, he was the first president of the Committee of
100, working to attract new industry to Goldsboro and Wayne County. He was one of
the founders of the Goldsboro Board of Realtors and later served as president of the
Goldsboro Chamber of Commerce. During his business career, he developed
numerous residential subdivisions in and around Goldsboro and served as the
executive secretary and as a director of Citizens Savings and Loan Association for
more than 40 years.
He was primarily interested in the local history of Goldsboro and Wayne County and
was one of the founders and past presidents of the Wayne County Historical
Association. He was instrumental in the creation of the local History Room at the Wayne
County Public Library. He worked tirelessly for the establishment of Waynesborough
Park and was coauthor of several books, one being the "History of Wayne County,"
published in 1979. He later received an award from the North Carolina Society of
Historians for his book, "A History of the First Baptist Church in Goldsboro, NC."
He was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church and an active Kiwanian for 51
years.
He and his first wife, Mary Crawford Norwood, had one son.

CAPTAIN NATHAN O'BERRY
January 1856 - January 1932
Nathan 'Berry's expertise as a businessman helped the State of North Carolina learn to
run its prisons more efficiently. O'Berry was born in Tarboro in January of 1856. He was
the son of a successful miller and minister. He moved to Goldsboro in 1882, where, in
1887 he organized and became President of Enterprise Lumber Company.
He organized Whiteville Lumber Company in 1902 and then Empire Manufacturing
Company in 1910. He founded Utility Manufacturing Company and was a stockholder in
cotton mills and other manufacturing enterprises. He served as Director of Wayne
National Bank and as President of North Carolina Pine Association and the North
Carolina Forestry Association. He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Wayne
Agricultural Works, and board member of the Hood Bank, Smith Hardware, and Borden
Manufacturing Company.
But it was as a state official he left his greatest legacy. He was appointed by his close
friend, Governor Charles Brantley Aycock, to be Director of State Prisons in 1900.
During four years in the post, O'Berry made the prisons self-supporting and even had
them generate revenue for the state treasury.
He was a delegate to the 1912 Democratic National Convention, which nominated
Woodrow Wilson to be President. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the
Liberty Loan Campaign during World War I. From 1921-29, he served as chairman of
the State Hospital for the Colored Insane at Goldsboro. He was appointed State
Treasurer of North Carolina in 1929 by Governor O. Max Gardner.. He ran for election
to the same position in 1931 at the age of 75 and won, serving until his death. He and
his wife, Estelle, had two children.

DR. EDGAR COOPER PERSON
December 1880 - 1946
Dr. Cooper Person was part of a lineage of four generations of Persons
who have served the medical needs of their community. Three of the
generations had their practices in Wayne County; he was in Pikeville for
43 years.
His grandfather, Dr. Addison Person, was born in Fremont and resided
there his whole life. He was a distinguished physician and a leading
member of his profession.
His father, Dr. Joseph E. Person began his medical practice in Fremont
as well. Later, he devoted himself to his agricultural interests and
represented the county in the Legislature.
Cooper Person was a graduate of Oak Ridge Military Institute in
Guilford County in 1899. He completed his degree at the Medical
College of Virginia in 190S and opened a medical and surgical practice
in Pikeville. He later did graduate work and developed a speciality in
diseases of the nose and throat, in gynecology and gastroenterology.
He also supervised extensive farm holdings and other investments. He
was a Mason of the Harmony Lodge, a member of the Episcopal church
and several medical associations.
He and His wife, Virginia, had four children. His son, Dr. E. Cooper
Person, Jr., became a surgeon in New York.

HAL KISER PLONK
April 20, 1921 - December 29, 2001
One of Goldsboro's longest-serving leaders, Mayor Plonk is
remembered for his tireless efforts to bring a better quality of life to city
residents and those who lived outside Goldsboro. He was one of the
early organizers of what are now Wayne Community College and the
Global TransPark.
After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Plonk spent 40 years
in the field of public education as a teacher and administrator. He
organized the first Dri-verss Education program in public schools in the
State of North Carolina at Goldsboro High School. He organized the
Goldsboro Industrial Education Center and served as its Director. This
institution is now Wayne Community College.
He was elected to the Goldsboro Board of Aldermen on May 13, 1969,
and served 11 years prior to being elected Mayor on November 2, 1979.
He served as Mayor for 22 years until his death. He is especially
remembered for his humorous stories told for all occasions. Mayor
Plonk served as Chairman of the Eastern North Carolina Air Cargo
Exploratory Committee, which promoted governmental funding for the
Global TransPark. He then served as Chairman of the Global
TransPark Commission for three years.
He won numerous honors, including the Order of the Longleaf Pine, the
State of North Carolina's highest civilian honor. He married Madeline
Warren and they had one son, Warren.

DR. WILLIAM E. PLUMMER
Dr. Plummer's love of animals sustained his career as a veterinarian. After 50
years he and the people of Wayne County still love their animals.
Bill finished Hoke County High School May 1941. He worked at Fort Bragg
Hospital #1, Pfeifer College, and Wilmington shipyards; entered the Army Air
Corp December 1942. He had P 47 Pilot training at Seymour Johnson Field.
Bill flew 88 combat missions the winter of 1944-1945. First Lieutenant Plummer
turned 21 years old in Paris on the way home. He was discharged December 7,
1945
Bill loved medicine, but human medicine was too confining, so he chose
Veterinary Medicine, whereby he could get into the country. He never refused
treatment because of money.
He was a mixed animal practitioner from 1950 to 1991. Bill has been a swine
medical consultant ever since.
Dr. Plummer was president of the N.C. Veterinary Medicine Association in
1978. He received the Distinguished Veterinarian of the Year in both 1974 and
1999. He served on the N.C. Veterinary Licensing Board for ten years. He was
inducted into the Wayne County
Agriculture Hall of Fame in 1989.
The highlight of his life was when he married Mary Saidla in 1947. They have
four children: Bill Jr., Lee, Alan, and Mark.

DR. W. BURKETTE RAPER
Born in Wilson County, the oldest child of Beulah Davis and William Cecil Raper,
Burkette Raper was 8 years old when his mother placed him and two siblings in the
Free Will Baptist Orphanage in Middlesex, N.C., after his father's death. "Get an
education," she told him. You will
never inherit a thing. Anything you get you will have to get for yourself." He came to
believe that "education was the only road to the future." The orphanage's director
helped arrange scholarships and jobs to allow Raper to attend Duke University, where
he earned his bachelor of arts and divinity degrees. After serving in several churches,
he worked for the Free Will Baptist State Convention before leaders asked him in 1954
to take the post as president of Mount Olive College.
He was only 26 years old and the two-year college with 22 students was housed in an
abandoned elementary school building with sagging floors, a leaking roof, and broken
blackboards. He worked the first month without an office and the first year without
salary. "When I was asked to come and be the president of Mount Olive College, I
thought it would have been very selfish with all the advantages that I had if I didn't turn
back and help the church that helped me," he said later.
When he retired in 1995, Mount Olive College had become a four-year institution with a
110-acre campus and had more than 1,750 students. Since his retirement, Dr. Raper
has served the College as Director of Planned Giving, bringing his tenure with the
institution to almost 50 years. Dr. Raper served a longer period of time as President of
Mount Olive College than any other college president in the United States.
He and his wife, Rose, have six children.

THOMAS MONTE RIVERA
Dr. Rivera, a Puerto Rican native, practiced medicine in Mount Olive for
48 years and was known throughout eastern North Carolina. Patients
came from as far away as Wilmington on a regular basis. He was a
native of Anasco, Puerto Rico. He came to the United States on
November 20, 1917, and entered the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee,
Alabama. After graduation, he attended Shaw University Medical
School
in Raleigh and Meharry Medical School in Nashville, Tennessee. He
also
attended New York University in New York City.
He opened his practice in Mount Olive and saw patients until the month
of his death, when he became ill and confined to his bed. He was 75
years old at the time.
He and his wife, Lily, had four children.

GENE ROBERTS, SR.
Eugene L. Roberts, Sr. once seemed as much a permanent fixture at
Goldsboro High School as the school's brick and mortar. "Pop" Roberts was
recognized as one of the nation's top high school journalism teachers. The
school newspaper was cited by Columbia University as one of America's best
high school publications. What his students may not have realized is that
Roberts was even busier off campus.
He served as Pikeville's mayor and as a Pikeville town commissioner.
He founded the Pikeville and Black Creek Lions Clubs.
And he helped save Emmaus Baptist Church in the southern Wayne
community where he grew up. During 20 years as pastor, Roberts led an effort
to renovate the building and increase the church's budget. During the 1930s, he
was a reporter for the Goldsboro News-Argus and later was editor and owner of
the weekly Goldsboro Herald. In 1936, as chairman of a Goldsboro Lions Club
committee, he organized an effort to save the Governor Charles B. Aycock
birthplace, now a state historic site. He was featured in Time Magazine for his
organization of Goldsboro's Hoover Cart Movement.
He launched a popular column, "Rambling in Rural Wayne," in the Herald. After
the Herald failed during the depression, the News-Argus started its own
"Rambling" column.
Part of Roberts' legacy is his beautiful daughter, Peggy and his son, Gene
Roberts, Jr., who has had a successful newspaper career, including the
managing editorship of the New York Times.

GENE ROBERTS, JR.
Gene Roberts, Jr., the son of a Goldsboro High journalism teacher, followed in his
father's footsteps and then made his own path to the nation's most prestigious
newspapers.
Beginning his career at the Goldsboro News-Argus, Roberts became executive editor of
the Philadelphia Inquirer and turned it into one of the nation's best newspapers. During
his 18 years there, the paper won 17 Pulitzer Prizes, the industry's highest honor. After
he became managing editor at the New York Times, Roberts was named one of the SO
most important journalists of the 20th century by Editor & Publisher magazine. The
Village Voice called him the nation's best editor.
His first job was at the Goldsboro News-Argus, where he wrote the "Rambling" column
for two years that was begun by his father. He then worked for the Virginian-Pilot in
Norfolk, Virginia, before réturning to North Carolina to be state government reporter and
then Sunday editor for the News & Observer in Raleigh.
He worked for the Detroit Free Press and as chief Southern correspondent for the New
York Times during the Civil Rights era. The Times sent him to Vietnam as its chief war
correspondent, covering the Tet Offensive and the battles of Hue and Khesanh.
He has been active in journalism organizations and causes throughout his career. He
served as chairman of the Pulitzer Prize Board, the International Press Institute and the
Committee to Protect Journalists. He was the founding chairman of the Board of Visitors
at the University of North Carolina's School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

KENNETH C. ROYALL
1894 - 1971
An advisor to Presidents and a frequent defender of unpopular causes; this is the
legacy of a remarkable man. Kenneth Claiborne Royall assisted several Presidents.
One of his best known roles was to defend Nazi saboteurs during World War Il, fighting
to extend this country's protections to its enemies.
In June 1942, eight German men were put ashore in New York and Florida by a
submarine. They planned to blow up bridges, power plants and factories but were
captured within two weeks. Royall, then a lawyer and Army Colonel, was appointed by
President Roosevelt to represent the prisoners at a secret military tribunal and put up
such a brilliant defense that many feared the prisoners would be freed. It was a test of
American democracy, Royall would later say. Although the Germans were convicted,
Royall won important legal protections for military prisoners that still exist today. He
later served as chief defense attorney in the Nuremberg Trials, and he was always
proud of his contributions in that arena.
Born in 1894 to George and Clara Royall, Kenneth Royall graduated from the University
of North Carolina in 1913 and Harvard School of Law in 1917. He served in the Army
during World War I and then opened his Goldsboro law practice. He was elected to the
N.C. Senate in 1927. He later assisted President Roosevelt by writing new banking
laws.
During WWII, he helped draft legislation for the control of atomic energy. He was
appointed Assistant Secretary of War by President Truman and Secretary of War in
1947. He advocated for the integration of the Armed Forces. He became President
Kennedy's emissary to Birmingham, Alabama, to help ease racial tensions in that city.
Royall and his wife, Margaret, had two children.

DR. DAVID JENNINGS ROSE
September 1896 - March 1969
Dr. Rose was one of Wayne County's most prominent physicians, pioneering
surgical techniques in this area. He was also a prominent leader in the field of
education, rising to a national office.
He was born September 6, 1896, to Joel and Molly Stafford Rose in the Selah
Church section of the Grantham township. After graduating from Falling Creek
High School in 1912, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, graduating from its medical school in 1918. He graduated from Tulane
University's School of Medicine in 1920.
He opened a medical and surgical practice in Goldsboro in 1925. Fe performed
the first successful open-heart surgery in the Wayne County area in 1932 when
he repaired damage done by a gunshot wound to William Ashley Warwick.
Warwick lived another 50 years. Dr. Rose also delivered more than 500 babies
in Wayne County. He qualified as a member of the American College of
Surgeons.
He conceived the idea of, and primarily built, Camp Carver, a summer camp for
black Boy Scouts. He received the Silver Beaver and Silver Antelope awards
from the Boy Scouts of America.
He served on the Goldsboro School Board from 1940-1952. He became
President of the N.C. Board of Education and, in 1948, became the first
President of the National School Board Association.
He and his wife, Janet, had three children.

THE REV. ADAM WILLIAM SCOTT, SR.
May 1890 - December 1983
Adam W. Scott had many aspects to his life, even if he's best remembered as a
restaurateur. In fact, Moses Roundree wrote a biography in 1978 called "Adam's Rib "
that dubbed Scott "the Barbecue King.”
He was born May 5, 1890 in Goldsboro, the son of Lucy Hobbs and Joe J. Scott. He
attended Goldsboro Colored School, which was on the site of present School Street
School. During his early years, he was employed by such businesses as A.T. Griffin
Sawmill, A.A. Joseph's Men's Store and the Branch Banking and Trust.
He was the caretaker of the Algonquin Club, which was housed on the top floor of the
Borden Building for many years. He owned and operated an alteration shop and a
pressing club.
He began catering for various groups and decided to open an eatery on his back porch.
He served people from all walks of life and catered to organizations in North Carolina
and other states. This led to the well-known Scott's Barbecue restaurant, which was
later operated by his oldest son, Alvin Martel Scott, Sr.
Adam Scott became an ordained minister and pastored several churches. He held
various offices in the United Holy Church, including serving as national treasurer for
many years. He was instrumental in the planning and construction of the Branch
Memorial Tabernacle.
He was a Master Mason, having helped to organize the C.S. Brown Lodge, a seal and
records keeper for Pythian Lodge No. 74 and a member of Pride of the East Elks Lodge
No. 26.
Adam and his wife, Bessie, had seven children. After Bessie's death in 1944, Adam
remarried. He and his wife, Adele, had five children.

DR. ROBERT H. SHACKELFORD
A Mount Olive physician, Robert Shackelford has led a life of service that should be an
abiding inspiration to young people entering the field of medicine today.
Born December 17, 1925, he earned his bachelor's degree from Wake Forest College in
1945 and his medical degree from Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem
in 1947. He did his internship at St. Louis City Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, from 1948-
1949 before opening a practice in Mount Olive.
He was in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, earning the Bronze Star for
Meritorious Service.
He returned to his solo practice, which he operated until 1969 when he co-founded the
Mount Olive Family Medical Center. He also helped start the Medical Park Nursing
Center in 1974, Mount Olive Retirement Village in 1981 and Home Health & Hospice
Care, also in 1981.
His civic involvement included six years as a member of the Mount Olive Board of
Aldermen; three years as chairman of the Mount Olive Mount Olive Jaycees; and
several positions with First Baptist Church. He has held several professional offices,
including president of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians 1964-65. He
was director of the American Academy of Family Physicians from 1976-1982.
He was selected as the North Carolina Academy Family Physician of the Year in 1993.
He and his wife, Evelyn, have three children.

JESSIE SIMMONS
June 1892 - January 1991
"Miss Jessie" Simmons never had children of her own, but hundreds of
children had her. The long-time school teacher and church member was
embraced by generations of children growing up in southern Wayne
County. "She was a lover of children and claimed all the children of the
community as her own,"a fellow church member said. "She sent many
youngsters on the road to success with her personal guidance,
patience, understanding and even financing."
She was born on June 27, 1892, in Sampson County, the youngest of
fourteen children for Solomon and Elizabeth Jacobs. She attended
Wayne County schools and studied at Fayetteville State Normal School.
She also attended Shaw University where she studied to be an
elementary school teacher. She taught at Dudley Elementary School
(now Brogden Primary School).
But her most important relationship was with her church. She joined the
Congregational United Church of Christ at an early age and remained a
member for more than 80 years. She furnished flowers for her church
every Sunday. She chaired the women's fellowship for fifty years.
In July 1979, she was presented the Humanitarian Award by the
Goldsboro Human Relations Commission. She died January 8, 1991, at
her home in Dudley. She was married to Vallie Simmons, who died in
1963.

JOHN WOODS STACKHOUSE
John Stackhouse has helped ease the suffering of many people
suffering horrendous burns. Stackhouse was the founder of the North
Carolina Jaycees Burn Center. Stackhouse was born December 25,
1915, in Mullins, South Carolina. He studied electriçal engineering at
Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina.
He married the former Katherine Dunlap of Hartsville, South Carolina, in
1941. Then he served in the military for three years, stationed in the
South Pacific during World War I. After the war, he launched
Stackhouse, Inc., a firm specializing in power line construction.
As a Jaycee, he helped plan the burn center, which opened in 1981. He
has been a member of both the American Burn Association and the
International Burn Association. In 1989 he received the Special Service
Award from the American Burn Association.
He was an active member of the local Salvation Army Board of
Directors from 1974 to 1988. In 1995, he was appointed to the Board of
Directors of NARSAR, a national group, promoting research for mental
illness.
In 1998, he received the University of North Carolina's School of
Medicine's Distinguished Service Award.

ANNE JEFFREYS STERLING
Anne Jeffreys Sterling has shown that a local girl who grew up with visions of making it
in Hollywood, could live out her dreams. She has made more than 50 films with such
legends as John Wayne and Frank Sinatra and continues to make numerous television
appearances. Born in Goldsboro, Anne Jeffreys credits her mother, Kate Jeffreys
Carmichael, as her "guiding light all through my singing and acting career." Her
professional career began when she was a teenager as a model for John Robert
Powers in New York. While there, she studied for an operatic career. Offered the role in
a musical "Fun for the Money," she accepted, and this led to her first Hollywood movie
role, "I Married An Angel. " She was put under contract to Republic Studios; she made a
dozen films there. RKO bought her contract so she could star with Frank Sinatra in
"Step Lively.
During this time she also continued her singing career by appearing with the New York
Symphony and Ford Symphony, as well as the Los Angeles Opera.
She is, perhaps, best remembered for starring in the TV series "Topper" with her
husband Robert Sterling, for 86 episodes. They played George and Marion Kirby, "the
Ghosts with the Most."
Her other TV appearances are too numerous to count. In recent years, she has
appeared on "Port Charles," "Baywatch" and "LA Law." Her favorite appearances in
Broadway shows include Kurt Weill's "Street Scene," Sigmund Romberg's "Romance,"
Cole Porter's "Kiss Me Kate, "Three Wishes for Jamie" and "Kismet." Other shows done
nationally were "Camelot," "the King and I," "Bittersweet" and "Mame." Her longest
stage run was 887 consecutive performances in Cole Porter's "Kiss me Kate."
The Sterlings have three sons and reside in Hollywood, California.

WILLIAM STONE
A rich baritone voice has propelled this local boy onto the world's most-renowned opera
stages.
Stone first performed in productions at Goldsboro High School, where he graduated in
1962. That year he won a $100 scholarship in the National Federation of Women's
Clubs' vocal competition. He also earned his first professional role in The Lost Colony
outdoor drama.
During his college years, he sang leading roles with the East Carolina Summer Theater
and starred in their production of L'il Abner. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at
Duke University in 1966, and his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees at
the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in 1968 and 1979, respectively.
He made his professional opera debut in 1975, as Germont in Verdi's La Traviata. In
1976, he was a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. The next
year, he made his European debut in Spoleto, Italy, in Napoli milionaria, which launched
his career at the international level. He next appeared in the world premier of
Penderecki's Paradise Lost at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1978, and at La Scala in
1979.
Since that time he has maintained a world class career on such prestigious stages as
Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera, and the major opera houses and concert halls of
America and Europe. In 1979, he performed for Pope John Paul lIl at the Vatican.
His long association as baritone soloist with conductor Robert Shaw and the Atlanta
Symphony, led to many recordings, two of which received Grammy Awards.
In 2001, Mr. Stone was featured in a gala concert at Wayne Community College to
establish the William F. Stone Endowment Fund for music scholarships and activities in
Wayne County.
He and his wife, Bonnie, have two children, Brian and Jenny.

C. F. STROSNIDER
December 1881 - December 1969
People called Dr. Strosnider "the hookworm doctor." Sometimes they used the
term disparagingly.
"He wasn't much of a doctor," they chose to believe, "or he would have
something better to do than to go around looking for worms in people's bowels,"
the late historian Moses Rountree wrote. But John D. Rockefeller, the
millionaire philanthropist, made elimination of hookworm a priority. The
Rockefeller Sanitary Commission hired many doctors like Strosnider to work on
the hookworm campaign. Strosnider worked in the campaign from 1910-1913.
The research was done in the face of opposition led by politicians, including
N.C. Governor Robert B. Glenn. "A bunch of Yankees are trying to intimidate us
Southerners into thinking we have hookworms," Glenn said at the time. "I'm
telling you there is no such thing."
But the parasite did exist, thriving in an environment where people walked
barefoot often through unsanitary conditions. The worms stunted physical and
mental development.
The campaign worked to eliminate the threat. But it also resulted in the
establishment of county health departments, which helped in the fight against
such diseases as malaria, typhoid, smallpox and tuberculosis. Dr. Strosnider
had a Goldsboro practice for more than 50 years. He earned such professional
honors as President of the North Carolina Medical Society.
He and his wife had one daughter, Anna Frank.

DR. W. G. SUTTON
December 1860 - September 1943
Dr. Sutton is fondly remembered by his granddaughter with this
definition of a country doctor: "The man who strives both day and night
to prevent our souls from taking flight who disregards his sleep and rest,
in order that others may live at their best."
Sutton graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and
worked in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Stantonsburg, Virginia,
before moving to Seven Springs. He practiced medicine for more than
55 years, 40 in Wayne County. It was said that he treated everyone who
needed him, regardless of their ability to pay. Sometimes he received
eggs, chickens or other food, but often he received nothing.
He arrived in the county on a motorcycle, all that he could afford. He
was also a carpenter and built a home that served as his office. Later,
he opened an office down the street. He was a classmate of Dr. W. H.
Cobb of Goldsboro, and the Wayne County Medical Society honored
both at a testimonial dinner for their work as physicians.
He was a member and steward of Seven Springs Methodist Church. He
served as chairman of the Seven Springs School Committee and was a
Mason.

HAL HILDRETH TANNER
November 1915 - December 1995
Hal Tanner published Wayne County's largest newspaper for 30 years while
also building an outstanding record of community service. He was born in
Savannah, Georgia, on November 11, 1915; graduated from the University of
Kentucky and served in the U.S. Navy in World War Il. He worked at
newspapers in Lexington, Kentucky; Beaumont, Texas; and Spartanburg,
South Carolina.
Tanner was named publisher of the Goldsboro News-Argus in 1953 and served
until 1983 when he became publisher emeritus.
His community involvement included being founder and Past President of the
local United Way. Other activities included President of the Chamber of
Commerce; President of the Kiwanis Club; Chairman of the Salvation Army
Board of Directors; Chairman of the Industrial Development Commission; and
Chairman of the local Wachovia Bank Board of Trustees. At times, he served
on the boards of trustees of Wayne Community College, Wayne Memorial
Hospital and Pitt Memorial Hospital.
He received the Torhunta Boy Scout District Distinguished Citizen Award.
Tanner was elected President of the Eastern North Carolina Press Association
and of the North Carolina Press Association. He was the Director of Southern
Newspaper Publishers' Association.
He died December 20, 1995.
He and his wife, Georgia, had two children.

WALTER FRANK TAYLOR
April 1889 - 1977
William Friday, President of the University of North Carolina, said of Frank
Taylor, "No man has served the institution with greater loyalty or a higher sense
of dedication. . . . His wise counsel and ever-present strength enabled the
University to move through periods of change successfully. He was in every
sense of the word a noble son of the University."
Born to Luther and Ettie Taylor in Faison, he graduated from the University of
North Carolina's School of Law in 1914. He then began a law practice in
Goldsboro that would last until his retirement in 1974. He served as President
of the N.C. Bar Association in 1943-44. He had a lengthy career of public
service, beginning with his election to N.C. Senate in 1921. He was a member
of the N.C. House of Representatives from 1939-1952, including serving as
Speaker of the House during the 1951 session. He was also a Goldsboro
Alderman for six years, a Member of the Goldsboro Public Library Board for 13
years, Director of the Bank of Wayne; Chairman of the Community Chest; a
Mason; and an Elk. He held several positions in the Goldsboro Kiwanis Club,
served as President and was designated as the "Kiwanian of the Half Century."
His service with UNC was his longest --38 years on the Board of Trustees, 25
years on the Executive Committee, and the Presidency of the Alumni
Association in 1952.
He and his wife, Elizabeth, had one daughter.

GEORGE TRAUTWEIN
George Trautwein taught hundreds of Goldsboro High students to be good musicians.
Some, he led to greatness.
When the Foundation of Wayne Community College held a reunion concert of
Trautwein's students in spring 2002, more than 400 people came to pay tribute to the
former Goldsboro High instructor, including world-renown singers Bill Stone and Jean
Bradel. The performers all spoke of how Trautwein would never expect or accept less
than their best efforts.
He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 3, 1930. He attended Temple
University, graduated from Westminster Choir College, and studied drama at Oxford
University. After service as a high-speed radio operator in the U.S. Army Signal Corp
during the Korean War, Trautwein taught at Duke University for a year and the North
Carolina School of the Arts for three years.
He came to Goldsboro High School in fall 1956. Each year he conducted a mixed
chorus and the a cappella choir. He also led other choirs at times, including a girls'
choir, a barber shop choir, Quartets, The Madrigal Group, and The Touring Choir.
Beginning in 1959, the choral groups performed "Amahl and the Night Visitors" each
Christmas at St. Stephens Episcopal
Church. The school also performed many musicals, including "The Mikado," "H.M.S.
Pinafore," "Oklahoma" and "The Pirates of Penzance. He was the musical director of
"The Lost Colony" for 25 years.
After leaving Goldsboro High, he served as Music Director at Wayne Community
College for three years. He then taught for 20 years at Blind Brook Middle and High
School in Connecticut. He retired in 1992. Since retirement, he has been involved in
organizing a musical theater group in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York. He also
volunteers with the music archive of Sarasota, Florida, cataloging vocal or choral
recordings.

CLEMENT W. AND ETHEL TWIFORD
1902 - 1992, 1911 - 2001
The Twifords devoted more than 80 years to educating and improving the lives of local
students. Clement Twiford was the long-time Principal at Goldsboro High School. Ethel
Williams Twiford was a teacher and guidance counselor.
He was born in Elizabeth City. She was a native of Henderson County. They met when
she was hired to teach at William Street School, where he was a coach and teacher.
They married two years later.
Ethel Twiford taught English and science before switching to become director of
guidance. "Clem" Twiford was a football player who wanted to be a coach, but he
eventually became principal at New Hope School (now Eastern Wayne). He was
transferred to Goldsboro High as Principal in 1942, where he remained until he retired
in 1967.
Both Twifords were excellent counselors with young people. They stressed ideas that
were able to create interest for young people, and to promote constructive activities
outside of school. One such idea was to require 100 hours of community service by
every youth in their church. Their legacy lives on in the hearts of the thousands they
have influenced.
The Twifords were quite active at St. Paul United Methodist Church. Ethel was a mover
and shaker in the Wayne County Historical Association. She was the recipient of the
Citizenship Award from District 13 of the Woman's Club, and the S.B. McPheeters
Award for outstanding service from the Mental Health Association.
The Twifords each lived to be 90 years old. They were married over
57 years and had one son.

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