James M. Benton Sr.

Published 12:00 am Thursday, July 3, 2008

WOODLAND, N.C.—James McKinley &uot;Peter&uot; Benton Sr., 73, a native of Southampton County, died June 29, 2008, at his residence.

Mr. Benton was a member of Galilee Baptist Church, Branchville and retired after three years with Georgia-Pacific in Conway, N.C., as a boiler room mechanic.

Survivors include his daughters, Christal Giddens of Columbia, S.C., Francine Long of Jackson, N.C. and Brenda Benton-Murrell of Woodland; sons, Curtis Benton of Murfreesboro, N.C. and Anthony Benton of Ahoskie, N.C.; a brother, Wallace Benton of Newsoms; sisters, Lucille Moore, Ida Branch and Hattie Jackson, all of Richmond, and Edith Hines of Fayetteville, N.C.; 19 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at noon Saturday at Jerusalem Baptist Church by the Rev. John T. Grant.

Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Wilder’s Funeral Home Inc., Rich Square, is in charge of arrangements.