Harry Martin Elizabeth L. Gaines

SALISBURY, N.C. — Mrs. Elizabeth Lipscomb Gaines, 68, of 425 Miller Chapel Road died Sunday evening, May 22, 2005, in the Kindred Hospital in Greensboro, N.C.

A native of Cherokee County, she was the widow of Paul Gaines and the daughter of the late Choice Lipscomb and the late Emma Posey Lipscomb. She was a former member of Island Creek Baptist Church.

She is survived by a daughter, Wanda Gaines of Salisbury; two sons, Jerry Lipscomb and Terry Lipscomb of Salisbury; four sisters, Louise Smith and Vergie Chappell of Atlanta and Betty Terrell of Salisbury, Mattie Wilkins of Gaffney, three brothers, Choice Lipscomb, John Lipscomb, and Edward Lipscomb of Atlanta; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband and parents, she also was preceded in death by a brother Robert Lipscomb.

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Thursday at Island Creek Baptist Church with Dr. J.W. Sanders Sr. officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Flower bearers were Gwendolyn Fernanders, Dania Wilkins, Debra Smith, Dondree Chappell, Mashanna Marcus and Tyra Montgomery. Honorary flower bearers were her granddaughters, Latonya Lipscomb, Marquita Lipscomb, Tenisha Peek, Sheika Peek, and Latoyia Allen.

Pall bearers were Allen Wilkins, George Smith, Terry Wright, Leo Posey, Josh Posey and Freddie Posey. Honorary pall bearer was Jacque Peek.

The family will be at the home of her grandchildren at 508 Robinson St. in Gaffney.

Foster Funeral Home is in charge.

Rosa W. Smith

Rosa Lee Wood Smith, 79, of 202 Richardson St., Gaffney, died at 11:25 p.m. Sunday, May 22, 2005, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

Born Oct. 14, 1925, in Cherokee County, she was the widow of Nobie Smith and daughter of the late Baxter Wood and the late Vinnie Peeler Wood.

At an early age she joined Mount Sinai Baptist Church and later in life joined Limestone Missionary Baptist Chruch. She was a retired employee of Modern Laundry.

She is survived by two sons, Linzsey Smith of Gaffney and Freddie Smith of Spartanburg; two daughters, Ruthie Rodgers and Nancy Knuckles of Gaffney; two sisters, Lillian Manning and Yvonne Jefferies of Gaffney; a brother Herman Wood of Gaffney; 22 grandchildren, three of them, Thomasina, Vincent and Baxter were reared in the home as her children; 36 great-grandchildren; and 16 great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today at Limestone Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Michael Golden, Tony Macomson, C.A. Wallace, Sherry Reid, Virginia Lindsay and Dr. J.W. Sanders Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Limestone Cemetery. Body will be placed in the church one hour prior to the funeral service.

The family received friends Thursday evening at Foster Funeral Home.

Flower bearers will be Priscilla Lockhart, Emma Grant, Karen Dover, Zina Bridges, Margaret Hollis, Sylvia Leach, Mildred Littlejohn, Sadel Manning and Tonya Camp.

Pall bearers will be Grady Hollis, James Hollis, Dennis Wood, Terry Wood, Clinton E. Manning Jr., William Ellis, Marvin Guyton and Louis Lockhart.

Foster Funeral Home is in charge.

Ralph W. Bloomer

GRAYTOWN, OHIO — Ralph W. Bloomer, 70, died Wednesday, May 25, 2005, at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio.

Born June 13, 1934, in Converse, S.C., the son of Grady and Maybelle (Millwood) Bloomer. He was married to Jill (Honeberger) Bloomer, who preceded him in death on Aug. 22, 1996.

He worked for the Jeep plant in Toledo for more than 20 years before retiring in 1997. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Oak Harbor, and served as a commissioner for the WTLFL in Toledo. Ralph was a hard working person who loved his family and would have done anything for anybody.

His survivors include two sons, Terry Bloomer and his wife Diedra of Port Clinton, and Jason Bloomer and his wife JoAnna of Temprance, Mich.; a daughter, Twyla Northrup and her husband Jack, Tina Lenke and her husband James, and Teresa Lattimore and her husband James, all of Oak Harbor and Tammy Schling of Graytown; two step-sons, Mike Szul and his wife Jill of Cincinatti, and Greg Szul and his wife Laura of Toledo; grandchildren, Todd Northrup, Michael Bloomer, Tricia Adams, Michelle Sigurdson, Kurt Lenke, Brad Schling, Kody Lenke, Angie Schling, Kristen Lenke, Jodi Lattimore, Monica Williams, Jared Lattimore, Matthew Bloomer, Malachi Bloomer, Jordyn Bloomer and Jaden Bloomer, 14 great-grandchildren; fiance Janette Martin of Gaffney; and sisters Betty Yeargin and her husband Don and Pat Osteen and her husband F.M., all of Gaffney.

In addition to his parents and wife he was also preceded in death by two brothers, James and Johnny Bloomer, a step-brother F.M. Fowler, and step-sister Ernestine White.

Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Oak Harbor with the Rev. Cheryl Wessel officiating. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery in Toledo.

Friends will be received from 2 to 8 p.m. today at Robinson-Henn-Brossia and Walker Funeral Home in Oak Harbor.

Memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Oak Harbor.

Condolences also may be shared with the family at www.walkerfuneralhomes.com.

Robinson-Henn-Brossia and Walker Funeral Home in Oak Harbor is in charge.

Harry Martin

BLACKSBURG - Harry Lee Martin, 81, of 106 E. Ramseur Dr., died Thursday, May 26, 2005, at his residence.

He served in the Navy aboard the USS Towner in the South Pacific. He served faithfully as the Sunday School secretary, a choir member, and as a deacon of Buffalo Baptist Church in Blacksburg. He was retired from Burton-Dixie as a shipping foreman and played semi-pro football for the Gaffney Big Chiefs and semi-pro baseball in the Cherokee County Textile League. He was also a fierce competitor for many years in church league softball.

He is survived by his wife, friend and loving caregiver, Nell Glenn Martin; a son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Mary Martin of Blacksburg; a daughter and son-in-law, Terry and Mike Carlton of Blacksburg; a granddaughter and spouse, Erica and Matt Martin and great-granddaughter, Keely Smith of Blacksburg; grandsons and spouses, B.J. and Linsey Martin of Gaffney and Jeremy and Kelly Bedford of Blacksburg; step-grandsons, Jason and David Bedford of Blacksburg, and Jonathan Carlton and his wife, Christina, of Smyrna; a step-granddaughter, Mandy Oglesby, and her husband, David, of Blacksburg; seven step-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Dot Cole and her husband, Datis, of Greenville, and Miriam Glenn of Boiling Springs, N.C.

He will be greatly missed by his many loving friends, neighbors, and church family.

Services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Buffalo Baptist Church, Blacksburg, with the Revs. Bruce Price and Harold Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Body will be placed in the church at 1:30 p.m.

Pallbearers will be Eddie McCraw, Billy Wyatt, Jim Turner, John Buckner, Stuard Floyd and M.D. Floyd.

The family will receive friends tonight from 7-9 at Gordon Mortuary, Blacksburg.

Memorials may be made to Buffalo Baptist Church, 165 Cherokee Falls Rd., Blacksburg, S.C. 29702.

Gordon Mortuary, Blacksburg, is in charge.

Ruth R. Blackwell

RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. — Ruth Robertson Blackwell, 71, of 939 Painters Gap Road died Thursday, May 26, 2005, at her home.

A native of Cherokee County, she was wife of the Rev. Charlie Blackwell of the home and the daughter of the late Leroy and Rossie Coyle Robertson.

She was a member of Cliffside Baptist Church. She also was a retired music director at Harmon Street Baptist Church, Forest City, and was actively involved as director of the Shingle Hollow Senior Choir.

In addition to her husband she is survived by two daughters Sandra Frazier of Rutherfordton and Tammie Wilson of Forest City, N.C.; two sisters, Shirley Maloney and Betty Allen Randall, both of Gaffney; two brothers, Lawrence Robertson and Jerry Robertson, both of Gaffney; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Cliffside Baptist Church with the Rev. Larry Fleming officiating. Burial will follow in Frederick Memorial Gardens Mausoleum in Gaffney.

Memorials may be made to Cliffside Baptist Church, P.O. Box 236, Cliffside, N.C., 28024.

A guest register is available at www.mckinneylandrethfuneralhome.com.

McKinney-Landreth Funeral Home in Cliffside is in charge.

Bobby Ray Smith

Bobby Ray Smith, 67, formerly of Cowpens died Wednesday, May 25, 2005, at White Oak Manor in Spartanburg.

A native of High Point, N.C., he was the son of Ruth M. Smith of Cowpens and the late Horace Ray Smith.

He was retired from Beverage Air Co. and a graduate of Western Carolina University. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Cowpens, where he served as an organist for more than 30 years.

In addition to his mother he is survived by a brother Dan Smith of Spartanburg and three nieces and one great-niece.

Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. today at Daniel Morgan Memorial Gardens with the Rev. Ronell L. Owensby officiating.

Pall bearers will be Dr. David Eubanks, Nesbitt Frady, Chris Andres, Terry Phillips, Ronnie Martin and Richard Cox.

The family is at their respective homes.

Shuford-Hatcher Funeral Home is in charge.