Staff

FRANKLINTON —Willie Bert Pender, 79, died Friday, May 2, 2014. Funeral services were held Friday, May 9, at First Baptist Church in Franklinton.

Born in Granville County, he was the son of the late Andrew (Jimbo) and Onnie Alston Pender. He was educated in the Granville County Public School System. Following the premature death of his father, the family relocated to Brooklyn, N.Y. After working at various jobs in Brooklyn for many years, he moved back to North Carolina and worked for the City of Raleigh Sanitation Department for 17 years before retiring.

He was preceded in death by a son, William (Billy), along with his son Anthony Franklin; and 13 siblings, Robert, Remel, Andrew, Charlie, Frank, George, Mamie, John, Fleming, Bennie, Henry, Sarah and Lawrence.

Surviving: wife, Virginia Echols Pender of Edgewater Park, N.J.; children, Ronald A. Pender of Rocky Mount, Lorraine V. Byrd (Michael) of Edgewater Park, N.J., Cheryl A. Walters (Leslie) of Charlotte, and Paul and Toronical Franklin of Brooklyn, N.Y.; brother, Shem T. Pender (Barbara) of Queens, N.Y.; nine grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren; a host of nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews.

Arrangements handled by Cutchins Funeral Home, Franklinton.