Betty Brantley

MONROE — Betty Gaddy Brantley, 79, died Friday, September 18, 2009. She was born in Chesterfield County, S.C., on November 9, 1929, daughter of the late Jesse Franklin and Lora Parker Gaddy.

She was an avid bridge player and was retired from Bank of America. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Winfred “Wint” Brantley.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, September 20, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. in Gordon Funeral Chapel, 1904 Lancaster Avenue, Monroe, N.C. The family will visit with friends following the service.

Mrs. Brantley is survived by daughters, Judy Treadaway and husband, Wayne, of Peachland, and Janet Jenkins of Monroe; grandchildren, Crystal McManus Robinson and husband Scott, and James Jenkins and wife Jill, all of Atlanta, Ga.; great-grandchildren Brantley and Avery Jenkins; step-grandchildren Kenneth Treadaway and wife Lyn, of Marshville, and Kathy Lowery and husband Gerald, of Locust; and four step-great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Monroe, 109 East Morrow Street, Monroe, NC 28112 or Hospice of Union County, 700 West Roosevelt Blvd., Monroe, NC 28110.

Gordon Funeral & Cremation Service is caring for the Brantley family.

PAID OBITUARY

Maria Esquivel

WAXHAW — Maria Eugenia Blancas Esquivel, 47, died Friday (Sept. 18, 2009) at Carolinas Medical Center-Union in Monroe.

Funeral will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home in Indian Trail. Burial will be private.

Born Jan. 5, 1962, in Mexico, she was a daughter of Mario Blancas Zamora and Julia Nario Bautista.

Survivors, in addition to her parents, include her husband, Efrain Gomez Esquivel; two daughters, Karina Esquivel, Alexia Esquivel; and four brothers, Mario Blancas, Ramon Blancas, Miguel Blancas and Pedro Blancas.

Billie Baucom Gordon Kerr

STOKESDALE — Billie Baucom Gordon Kerr died at Countryside Manor in Stokesdale, N.C., on Thursday, September 17, 2009. A graveside service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 20, 2009 at Lakeland Memorial Park in Monroe, N.C.

Mrs. Kerr was born in Monroe, N.C., on May 3, 1924, to Oscar Baucom and Fola Hill Baucom. Her mother died in childbirth. Her father and her aunt Mrs. Glennie L. Baucom reared her.

Her parents, her husband A. H. “Hub” Kerr, her son Michael Kenneth Gordon and a stepdaughter Peggy Kerr, predeceased her. She is survived by her daughter, Loretta Gordon James (David) of Greensboro, N.C., her stepson, Fred Kerr (Merrily) of Saudi Arabia, and her seven grandchildren: M.K. “Scott” Gordon Jr. (Logan) of Smyrna, Ga., Kevin H. Gordon (Gwen) of Cary, N.C., Jeffrey S. Gordon of Alaska, W. Russell James (Colleen) of Columbia, S.C., Kelly E. James (Jason) of Baltimore, Md., Heather Kerr Wollenberg (Brent) of Pleasant Hill, Calif., and Brian Kerr of Campbell, Calif., five great-grandsons and one great-granddaughter.

Mrs. Kerr attended Union County Schools. She served as a legal secretary for many years, and then went on to become a Realtor. She owned her own company and was instrumental in forming the Anson-Union Board of Realtors in 1970, from which the Union County board was derived, then served as its first secretary-treasurer and as president. She held a number of national and state offices, including national director, life member of Omega Tau Rho Realtor’s Society, life member of Realtors Political Action Committee and vice president and director of the North Carolina Association of Realtors.

Mrs. Kerr was the first female to serve on the Monroe City Council and also served as a member of the Council of Governments Housing Committee.

She was active in the Business and Professional Women’s organization (BPW), including president of the local chapter, chair of the State Legislative committee and Western Area vice president for North Carolina.

Unable to attend college, she was a lifelong believer in education. Each of her seven grandchildren is a college graduate and several hold master’s and doctorates. Among her personal efforts were UNC-Chapel Hill Graduate Realtors Institute (GRI), N.C. State University Tax Certification, Clemson University Personnel Management, and the National Real Estate Marketing Institute Advanced designations of Certified Residential Broker (CRS) and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS).

She was a loving mother and moved to Greensboro in 2001 to be close to her daughter and family. For eight years she lived at the Abbotswood Retirement Center before moving to Heritage Green Alzheimer’s care unit. As her health worsened, she moved to Countryside Manor in Stokesdale, N.C., just outside of Greensboro. Her family wishes to thank all the facilities and caregivers who worked with her through the years.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First Baptist Church, 109 Morrow St. Monroe, NC 28110 (Music or General Fund).

PAID OBITUARY