BOYKINS—Dr. Willie Allgood, 88, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and friend died Dec. 17, 2007.

Born in Boykins, April 29, 1919, to the late Prince and Daisy Allgood,

Mr. Allgood was a master cobbler who operated Allgood Shoe Repair shop in Boykins for more than 73 years. He was a devoted member of the Shiloh Baptist Church for 76 years and served as a deacon for more than 60 years.

He was a charter member of the male chorus and was instrumental with the formation of the church’s first Vacation Bible School.

Deacon Allgood, for many years, served his church as its treasurer and he was a teacher and superintendent of the Church School. He served his civic community as president of the Parents and Teachers Association and president for the Boykins Branchville Branch of the NAACP.

In 1975, he was selected by judges of the circuit court of Southampton County to serve as a jury commissioner, charged with the responsibility of choosing the list of jurors to serve in the circuit court. He was chief officer of the Boykins Voting Precinct and the chairman of the Water and Sewer Authority of Southampton County.

During World War II he was also chosen to serve as an airplane spotter for the civil air defense. He served in the social community as past master of Masonic Lodge No. 143, AF&AM as the worshipful master and held a Royal Arch Degree. He was an active organizer of reportedly the first black Boy Scout troop in Boykins where he served as the troop’s first scout master, Troop 392.

He was recognized as one of Virginia’s noblest sons, one of this nation’s greatest humanitarians and was presented the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by the late Dr. Eddie R. Wilson in Baltimore, in 1986. On July 15, 2006, the town of Boykins celebrated Willie Allgood’s Day where he was presented the Key to the Town of Boykins by Mayor Richard Spier Edwards Jr.

According to the mayor, he was the first and only person to receive this coveted award in the town’s history.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Betty Everett Allgood; a daughter, Mollie Pricilla Whitfield of Durham,

N.C.; three grandsons, Kenneth Allgood Whitfield (Sylvia), Kelvin Whitfield (Victoria), both of Durham and Brian Keith Whitfield of Roanoke; nine great-grandchildren, Jere Whitfield, Kenneth Allgood Whitfield II, Katrina S. Whitfield, Eric Gomes, James Gomes, Shante Whitfield, all of Durham, Brandon Whitfield of Roanoke, LaShana Whitfield and Ronnye Williams of Hartford, Conn.; and three great-great-grandchildren, Messiah Whitfield of Durham, Jazon and Jaelon Graham of Hartford.

A viewing will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30

p.m. in Shiloh Baptist Church.

The homegoing service will be conducted at 1 p.m. in the church with pastor the Rev. Curtis Mitchell officiating.

Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Engram Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. (757) 562-1306.