Joyce F. Wheless

Mrs. Joyce F. Wheless, a long time resident of 3324 Moye Street, Farmville, NC, died on Saturday, August 15, 2009 in Stafford, VA. She had moved to Stafford in the Spring of 2009 to be close to family. Mrs. Wheless had been in declining health for the past several months. Mrs. Wheless was the widow of the late Robert P. “Bob” Wheless, a well known native of Farmville, who preceded her in death in 1987. Also preceding her in death was her mother, Mae Robinson Faircloth, her father, Joseph Albert Brewster Faircloth, a sister, Leona Faircloth Rollins, and a granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth Ferris. She was a long time member of the Farmville First Baptist Church, serving the Church on the Finance Committee, as Associate Librarian, and as the Nursery Coordinator. Before returning to Farmville from Raleigh, N.C., in 1964, she was active in Cub Scouts in Massachusetts and Maryland, earning the Cub Scouts highest award for Leadership Training. She was a member of the Farmville Chapter 146 of the Order of the Eastern Star, serving as Worthy Matron, District Deputy Grand Matron, Grand Representative to Delaware, and as Chapter Secretary during her more than 40 years of membership. She was retired from the Collins & Aikman Accounting Department after 18 years, and later worked for ten years at Shirley’s Ladies Wear in Farmville. Survivors include three sons, David E. Minchew (Stisha) of Raleigh, NC, William J. Ferris III (Diane) of Stafford, VA, and Richard B. Ferris (Dixie) of Raleigh, NC; a niece and nephew, Joann R. Jones and Bruce G. Rollins, both of Raleigh, NC; three brothers, Bruce Faircloth, Joseph Faircloth, and Vance Faircloth; and one sister, LaTrelle Dubberly, all of Georgia; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held at the Farmville Funeral Home, 4226 East Church Street, Farmville, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Monday, August 17, 2009. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. from the Church Street Chapel of the Farmville Funeral Home by Rev. Hugh Burlington. Interment will follow at the Wheless Family site, Hollywood Cemetery, Farmville, NC. Pallbearers for the service will be her grandsons, Sgt. William Jason Ferris, US Marines; Airman 1st Class Christopher J. Ferris, Air National Guard; Johnathan P. Ferris, Matthew R. Ferris, and grandsons-in-law, E. Frank Sutak, Terrence Kelly, and Anthony Jones. Flowers are welcome or memorials may be made to the Farmville First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 34, Farmville, NC 27828 or the Farmville Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 352, Farmville, NC 27828.