In Memory of Derwood Lupton

Capt. William Derwood Lupton, 78, of Hobucken passed away Sunday, March 30, 2014, at CarolinaEast Medical Center.

He served in the U.S. Army and retired from commercial fishing.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 56 years, Rita V. Lupton; one son, Alton Derwood Lupton and wife, Misty, of Alliance; two daughters, Teal Lupton Sadler and husband, Doran, of Hobucken and Wendy Lupton Honeycutt and husband, Jeff, of Vanceboro; one sister, Ella Lupton Bullock and husband, Melvin, of New Bern; seven grandchildren, Derwood Glenn Lupton, Savannah Morgan Lupton, Doran Thomas Sadler, Erica Sadler-Young(Scott), Nicole Sadler Ecker (John), Teal Yvonne Sadler, and Andrew Dylan Hardy; and three great-grandchildren, John Noah Ecker, Lillian Marie Ecker and Wyatt Knox Young.

His funeral will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 1, at Bryant Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Wesley Taylor and the Rev. Earl Sadler Jr. officiating. Interment will be in Barnett Cemetery, Hobucken.
T
he family will receive friends and relatives at any time at the home, 15552 Hwy 304 N, Hobucken.

In Memory of Albert Taylor McKinney

                                                        

                                                              Albert Taylor McKinney
                                                          July 4, 1932 - March 21, 2014

Albert Taylor McKinney, 81, of Mesic passed away Friday, March 21, 2014, at CarolinaEast Medical Center.

He was a member of New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church. He served in the U.S. Navy where he played baseball as well as playing for the Chicago White Sox in the mid to late 50’s. He retired from Intercoastal Marine as a tug boat captain.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Edna O’Neal McKinney; two daughters, Joanne Clark and husband, Richard, of Carmel, Indiana and Nancy McKinney of Aurora; four grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

His memorial service will be held at 5 p.m., Sunday, March 23, 2014 at New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church with the Rev. Ray Bonner officiating.

The family will receive friends and relatives from 3 to 5 p.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers the family suggested memorial contributions be made to New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church Building Fund, c/o Sharon Leary, PO Box 129, Hobucken, NC 28537.

We Stay for the History

     

     I have a love for history.  Not just Goose Creek Island history, but anything historical.  When I am involved in some research, I like to warn people that I am on a mission.  I become entranced by the quest to learn more, to find another clue that will lead me to the next snippet of information.

     I think I got this from my Granddaddy Mike.  He was an avid reader of anything and everything.  Whenever I wanted to know something, he was always telling me to go get the encyclopedia, a map or dictionary and “look it up”.  Usually he would be there to help me understand or to discuss it with me.  He always said that if you read, you learn.

     But history has always been my ‘forte’.  When it comes to Goose Creek Island history, I have learned that we are shaped more by the past than we realize.  Events that happened so long ago makes us think about how things got to be the way they are today.

     Countless events have created Goose Creek Island to what it is today.  The things we say, do, eat and believe has accumulated from our past to present.  It probably took years to determine that eating oysters made us “fancy” to some people or that picking crabs was an artistic talent. Things develop slowly over time.

     History is a part of our present experience.  In our communities on the Island, we have some folks with long memories.  They know how certain things began or can at least give an opinion of how.  The unfortunate thing is there are so many of those folks who have passed that had a vast knowledge of our Island history.  A constant shifting of characters has become harder to hold onto in our shared pasts.

     Most of us from the Island have known each other since birth.  We live with accumulated history from living and being with each other in our confines of isolation on this Island.  Our connections and stories provide layers and a backdrop to daily life.  You look at the Goose Creek Island Community Center and you remember that the school was there.  The vacant ball field reminds you of the broken wrist you got from a baseball game.

     It can be tough living with everyone in a place like Goose Creek Island.  It’s hard to escape from a reputation.  Imagine living in a community where at 70 years old you still have to deal with the nickname you earned from elementary school.   We all have things we’d rather people forget, but with the bad we pay for keeping the good memories.  When it comes to long memories, our Island has nothing on other places.

     So when you and others begin reminiscing about events or people from the Island, remember that an active presence of history is often the foundation of our identity and everything that makes a place important to us. Life on Goose Creek Island is not always easy.  There are more places to live if you want convenience to shopping, schools or doctors.  We stay here for the people, the memories, and the stories.

     Whether we realize it or not, we stay for the history.

History of New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church

Jones' Bay Holiness Church....The Beginning      In 1924, two Hobucken families started what we know today as New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church.  Cecil Styron, Sr., and Jimmy Swindell, Sr. began holding cottage prayer meetings in their homes.  In spite of some opposition, the movement quickly grew and in April of 1924, they organized as the Jones' bay Holiness Church.  Soon, they were meeting in homes both in Hobucken and Lowland, often holding meetings and revivals in the other churches of the communities.       In 1926, the church was accepted into the Washington district of the North Carolina Pentecostal Holiness Conference.  The Conference Minutes for 1926 list the church as Hobucken - Mission Point - organized September 1, 1926.  The statistical table states 8 members with an average attendance of 40 in Prayer Service and 34 in Evangelistic Service.  Over the next few years, it is named part-time as Jones' Bay and sometimes as Hobucken and thereafter appears as Hobucken until 1988, when it started listing as New Vision.  Known charter members were Cecil Styron, Sr., Jimmy & Rosa Swindell, Maggie Henries, Etta Ireland, Fate Lewis, Gertie Alcock, Lela Sadler, and Effie Sadler joined soon after.       The land for the original church was donated by Ruff Alcock and his wife.  A deed for a 35 yard by 35 yard lot down the road from the present church, was signed on April 20, 1933 and the work on the building was started the next spring.  William (Bill) Henries, F. Lewis and others from the Island and from the Springs Creek Church donated timber.  The logs were cut at the Walter Barnett saw mill in Hobucken.  John Davis hauled the boards from the mill and stacked it to dry.       Both men and women canvassed Hobucken and Lowland and surrounding communities for donations.  Many, unable to give money, gave of what they did have (chickens, eggs, etc.) to be converted into money.  Tithes were used to help purchase things like nails, windows and doors.       With the men working as often as they could, the white weather-board building was soon completed and roofed with hand-made shingles.  Cecil Ormond of Vanceboro donated the first pews.  Years later, his grandson Robert, would become pastor of the church.  Reverend Jerome Hodges held the first services in the new building in 1934.  Some years later, the roof was tinned and two classrooms were added.      On the night of March 17, 1965, a tornado lifted the church from it's foundation, damaging it beyond repair. (Notice the front steps of the church in proximinity to the front double doors.)  Luckily, it was just sturdy enough that services could be held inside until a new building could be erected. Hobucken Pentecostal Holiness....A New Beginning        On March 25, 1965, another lot was purchased from Carl Alcock, Sr.  Donations came in from the conference, and from communities and friends both near and far.  Soon, Reverend Jimmy Cole Williams was laying blocks and under the direction of Reverends John Smith and Harold Lewis, the remaining work was completed.  February 23, 1969, Pastor Lee Toler and Conference Superintendent, J. Donner Lee dedicated the new building to God.  The new church had 3 classrooms and 2 restrooms.  Over the years, a fellowship hall and more classrooms were built onto the church.  (See picture below).       On September 15, 1999 during Hurricane Floyd, a tornado went through the fellowship building completely destroying it and breaking it away from the main body of the church.  Both were beyond repair.

Fellowship Hall under construction  New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church Today      After several months of trying to find a better parcel of land, a lot was purchased across the road from the old church and a new church was finally under construction.  Under the supervision of the then current pastor, Ray Bonner, and many more months of planning, the new building was completed.  Our first service was held on Easter Sunday of the year 2001.  June 10, 2001, the new church was dedicated. God allowed the old to be taken away, but gave back something that was new.  God has blessed over the years, but most of all, He has blessed with His Mighty Presence. Church history and photos courtesy of New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church Hobucken, NC www.newvisionphc.org

After Hurricane Floyd

In Memory of Clarence Eugene McKay, Jr.

Clarence Eugene McKay, Jr., 80, of Oldtown, MD, passed away on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, at his daughter's home. He and his family moved to Lowland in 1978.

Born February 24, 1933, in Baltimore, MD, Mr. McKay was the son of the late Clarence Eugene McKay, Sr., and Sarah Elizabeth (Dunn) McKay. He was also preceded in death by his wife: Bonnie Jean McKay.

A United States Naval Veteran, Clarence was previously employed of Safeway Grocery Stores and then owned and operated grocery stores in Auburn, WV, and Lowland, NC. He was an adventurist and loved to watch baseball.

Clarence is survived by his daughters: Kim Waugh and husband, Charles, Saint Albans, WV; and Sandra McLaughlin and husband, Mark, Oldtown, MD; and his sons: Mark McKay and wife, Michelle, Manteo, NC; and Michael McKay, Frederick, MD. He also leaves behind his brother: George McKay and wife, Marie, Stevensville, MD; and his grandchildren: James McLaughlin; Sarah McLaughlin; Jennifer Waugh; Bonnie Waugh; Rebecca McKay; and Addie McKay.

Services will be private.

Who Heard the Thunder?

Photo by Marky O'Neal

So...who heard the thunder this morning?  After two recent snow fall events on the books for 2014, are we looking at another one in the coming days? 

With that in mind, here's a look at some snow weather lore:

If there is thunder in winter, it will snow seven to ten days later.

A halo around the moon means it will rain or snow soon.

Flowers blooming in late autumn, a sure sign of a bad winter coming. (I saw a gardenia bush in full bloom in November)

A tough winter ahead if berries and nuts are plentiful. (I heard there were lots of acorns this past fall)

In Memory of Selena Carawan Sumrell

 

Selena Carawan Sumrell   

09/15/1962 - 02/09/2014

Selena C. Sumrell went to heaven on February 9, 2014. Selena was born on September 15, 1962 to Gretchen Carawan Bennett and the late Lonnie Carawan Sr. She is survived by her husband Ashley Sumrell, two daughters; Amber of the home and Rebecca Johnson of Reelsboro. 

 

She is also survived by her mother Gretchen C. Bennett, one grandson and two granddaughters; five brothers; Rexie Carawan Sr, Troy Carawan, Connie Carawan, Lonnie Carawan Jr. and Thomas Carawan; two sisters, Ruby Popperwill and Barbara Tetterton. 

 

A memorial service will be held Thursday  02/20/2014 at 3 pm at the Grantsboro Church of God, located at 1565 Hwy 306 N. Grantsboro, NC