KINSTON - Julia "Bet" Alphin Strickland, 70, of Kinston went to be with her Heavenly Father on Monday, January 26, 2009, at 12:15 a.m. at Kitty Askins in Goldsboro after a long battle with the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). She was born in Lenoir County on February 25, 1938, to the late Manley and Julia Jones Alphin and was preceded in death by brothers Bruce Alphin, Keith Alphin, Beverly Alphin and C.W. Alphin and her little Pomeranian, "Pansi." Bet was a loyal member of Kinston Elks Lodge No. 740 where she held the office of Exalted Ruler (President) from April 2006 through March 2008. She served the Lodge well and will be remembered for her dedication, creativity and the great meals she cooked on meeting nights and family fellowship nights. Bet worked in most, if not all of the sewing factories in Kinston, and was also employed at Texfi and Frosty Morn. She later owned and operated Taylor's Fabric Shop, Downtown Auction and Let's Celebrate & Strickland's Florist. At the time of her retirement, she was employed at Don's Florist in Goldsboro. She enjoyed cooking, decorating, event planning, and doing charity work. She had a great passion for helping veterans in the N.C. State Veterans Nursing Homes in Fayetteville and Salisbury. The N.C. State Elks Association presented Bet and her husband Jack the "Thad Eure Distinguished Service Award" in May 2008 for their work with veterans and other Elks Programs. Members of the BPOE were Bet's extended family which she loved very much and the Elks across North Carolina showed her a lot of love and remained loyal to her during her long illness. She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great- grandmother and mother-in-law. Bet is survived by her husband of 23 years, Jack of the home; daughter, Terry Stroud and fiancée James Coogle, of Kinston, son Dwayne Deaver and wife Sissy, of Kinston; grandsons, Leslie Ray Stroud, IV and Buddy Deaver; granddaughter, Nikki Deaver; great- grandson, Hagan Stroud; brothers, Wilbur Alphin and wife Dorothy, and Gene Alphin and wife Ella Mae, all of Kinston; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by step-sons, the Reverend Timothy Strickland of Mount Olive and the Reverend Chad Strickland of Princeton; step-granddaughter, Sara Strickland; step-grandsons, Caleb Strickland and Nathan Strickland; and her Yorkie, Prissi. Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, January 28, 2009, at Howard-Carter Funeral Home with Hospice Chaplains Layne Rogerson and Allen Stocks officiating. The family will receive friends following the service. Interment will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 29, 2009, at Westview Cemetery. Flowers are welcomed, or memorials may be made in Bet's honor to the Elks National Foundation, 2750 N. Lakeview Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614. Arrangements by Howard- Carter Funeral Home. Sign the guest book at www.kinston.com.
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