Hoke leader, Mrs . Cameron dies 1 ' *?V Mrs. Florric Cameron, who is awlmi . ith Wrtsrini thojpjitoi lunch program in the Hoke County schools, died Sunday at the age of 92 after aJong illness. Mrs. Cajneroo was also in strumental in getting the Hoke County Health and Spcial Services departments started. She was named Mother of the Year in 1963 by the Raeford Woman's Club. She was a founding member of the club. Although she was born in Moore County, she was a true native of Hoke County , moving to what is now Raeford in 1898 at the age of seven, 13 years before the county was formed. Funeral services were conducted Monday at 4 p.m. by Rev. Arthur W instead in the Raeford United Methodist Church, which she helped to rebuild after it was destroyed by fire in the 1950's. Burial was in the Raeford Cemetery. She was the widow of the late Hugh Archibald Cameron. "Miss Florrie" as she was affec tionately called by her- close associate^ as well as the rural population with whom she work ed, served as president of the County Council Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), chairman of the Welfare .Department and presi dent of the newly organized Woman's Club. Mrs. Cameron also instigated and promoted the idea of serving hot soup to all the hungry school children of the county. The project took roots and grew rapidly. By 1928 every school child in the county was getting a free bowl of hot soup for lunch. The improvised "soup kitchens" were a forerunner of the present day school cafeterias. Hoke County was one of the first two counties of the state to in troduce "soup kitchens" in their schools. Under her leadership communi ty canning centers for the schools were organized throughout the county. Thousands of cans of vegetables were canned annually for the use of the schools and welfare clients. Every summer for more than a decade, Mrs. Cameron -hauled a steel drum on the bumper of her car which was loaded with pots, kettles, pans, cans, and all of the utensils needed for her "open air cannery" and traveled to the various communities where can ning was to be done. While "Miss Florrie" supervised the canning projects, she didn't go into a community as a "white col lar boss" - she went with her shirt sleeves rolled up and ready to tackle the job at hand. Mrs. Cameron whose work was contributed to the people of the county out of the goodness of her heart, also worked for children through and with the Health Board. Mrs. Florrie Cameron Clinics - eye, tonsils, baby and general health - were organized and held during the depression years under her leadership and help. Long before the county welfare department was organized she spent many hours helping to raise funds and materials for welfare cases. She made trips to state in stitutions helping to care for those who needed institutional care. "Miss Florrie" served the public welfare needs by personally collec ting used clothing for the needy, and in many instances buying a pair of shoes or other items of clothing from her own pocket book. The late Mrs. J.L. McLeod, a close friend of Mrs. Cameron and who was her senior by more than two decades, once recalled this in cident which depicts her character: "One day during the depression Miss Florrie, with her children and I, visited a rural family who had a small daughter about the size of Miss Florrie's Marie. The only gar ment that the child had on was a pair of pants. Having learned that she didn't have a dress to wear, when we got ready to leave Miss Florrie called to Marie and said, 'Come here Marie," she yanked off her daughter's dress, gave it to the little girl and said to her own daughter, 'Marie, you can go home in your petticoat. You have another dress at home!" K.A. MacDonald, former superintendent of Hoke County Schools, once said, "It was largely through her efforts that the county was able to get a full-time Welfare Superintendent and a fully organized Welfare Department in 1936 and a -fully organized Health Department around 1942." Today every school In the coun ty has a "A" grade cafeteria, and the county has a well organised and fully staffed Welfare Depart ment and also, a well -equipped Health Center. During the war years "Miss Florrie" served as vice-chairman of the county chapter of the American Red Cross, and for a number of years she led the membership drive for the organization. She sponsored several first aid classes and served as chairman of the Sewing Room. In addition to these she organized two USO units in the county. Mrs. Cameron was the daugther of the late Thomas Benton and Mollie Johnson Upchurch of Raeford, but originally of Wake County. She was a descendant of Joel Lane. She was the oldest child in a family of nine children. "Miss Florrie's" father was in the lumber business, but through the years his interests grew and in cluded farming, real estate and in dustry in several other states as well as North Carolina. Mrs. Cameron's parents helped build the first Methodist Church in Raeford which burned a few years ago. Her family have been leaders in church work through the years. When the new Methodist Church was built "Miss Florrie" according to her former pastor, the Rev. P.O. Lee under whose ministry the new church was built, contributed her time and abilities unselfishly in directing the work connected with dinners and other ' projects which the church held to raise money for the building fund. Through the years she has served her church in various capacities from Sunday School teacher to the Board of Stewards. She is survived by three sons: Tom U. Cameron of Raeford, Hubert A. Cameron of Raeford and Donald B. Cameron of Raeford; two daughters: Mrs. Marie Cameron Brown of Raeford and Mrs. Florence Cameron Weaver of Raeford; one brother: T.B. Upchurch Jr. of Raeford and two sisters, Mrs. Maude U. Lewis of Raeford and Mrs. Bennie Lee McGee of Raleigh; 14 grand children and 12 great grand children. Crutopler.. Jvuncr.al ? Jiqmc. | assisted"mjTfa"rhily/ * ?* : ' The News-Journal The News-Journal is publish ed every Thursday by Dickson Press Inc. at 119 W. Elwood Avenue, Raeford, N.C. 28376. Second Class Postage is paid at Raeford, N.C. (USPS 388-260). Subscription rates are payable in advance at S10 per year in Hoke County and S12 per year outside of Hoke County. NEW ARRIVALS Baby Chicks Raeford Feed and Seed WILLIE JACKSON Hwy. 401 South - Raeford 875-2298 CUSTOMER SERVICE Dundarrach, N.C. COMPLETE INSECT CONTROL FROM THE HOME TO THE FARM ? Federal Crop Insurance ^ Route 1, Box 25 1-A Shannon, N.C. Phone 875-8912 Richard McMillan 875-2493 Night* 875-56 1 4 . - - . '? ? ? r ~~ " The UCB Self-Directed IRA is perfect for the individual who wants complete control over his or her investments. It's the one plan that gives you the flexibility to buy common stocks, invest in mutual funds, and purchase corporate and government bonds. ..phis earn money market rates. Ask your United Carolina Banker for complete information on the UCB Self-Directed IRA. YouTI see how you can control your financial future by controlling your IRA investments. . '? 1 J. -.'.Ill Not for long Over two weeks of beautiful , warm weather put spring into motion in many places in Hoke County and in the area. Last Thursday, the cherry trees at Hoke County High School were in full bloom, but that may not last long if the 20? cold weather that hit the area Monday night stays around. Soon we will be seeing leaves, but the flowers will have died. Deaths & Funerals Margaret E. Smith HAVELOCK -- Margaret Elizabeth Smith, 16, died Sunday, March 17, in an automobile acci dent in Havelock. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Havelock by the Revs. Henry Witten and Alan Leach. Burial was at the Martin Memorial Gardens in Williamston. Survivors include: her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Smith, formerly of Raeford, and one brother, Paden, of the home. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the Margaret Elizabeth Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Havelock High School where Miss Smith was a junior. Damarls Ferguson Funeral services for Mrs. Damans Ferguson, 28, of 796 Bunce Road, Fayetteville, who died March 14, in N.C. Memorial Hospital Chapel Hill, were held Sunday, March 17, in the Reilly Road Church of God of Prophecy. Rev. Rayfield Thomas officiated. Burial was in Silver Grove Cemetery. Buie Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. She is survived by her husband, Rex Jackson and one daughter and one son, Sheree Jackson and Rex Jr. of DuFuniac Spring, Florida; Six sisters, Alice Dales of Alexan dria, La., Teru Johnson of Raeford, Spec. 4 Michele Suo of Germany, Marcia Alexander of FayetteviUe, Nicole Ferguson of Nashville, Tennessee, Eva Ferguson of the home, five brothers, SSgt. Elzabad Ferguson Jr. of Elsworth AFB, S.D., Dr. Deonesus Ferguson of Ft. Camp bell, Ky., Ivan Ferguson of Rapid City, S.D., Sp4 Harold Ferguson of Ft. Bragg, and Stephon Ferguson of the home and her grandmother, Mrs. Rosa Monroe of Raeford. RAEFORD, N.C. ?yrtL NOW OPEN <~^JAST 2 PC. "SN *_Z- SHOP CHICKEN] WASHERETTE SNX^CK J