Joseph Jesse Lankford, 85, of Suffolk, died Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2003, at Nansemond Pointe.

Born on March 12, 1917, in Suffolk, he was the son of the late Gardner D. and Ida Carr Lankford.

Mr. Lankford was a member of West End Baptist Church and a 57-year-member of the Portsmouth Masonic Lodge No. 100. He served in the Air Force during WWII, and had retired as a Naval architect.

Survivors include his wife, Mildred Reed Lankford; daughter, Martha Rodgers of Gaithersburg, Md.; son, Joseph J. Lankford II of the Philippines; step-daughter, Karen Pearce of Suffolk; step sons, Charles Peebles and David Peebles, both of Suffolk; grandchildren, Amy King Lisa Pearce, Brandon Peebles, Joey Lankford, and James Rogers; great-granddaughter, Camryn King.

The funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, in the R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home by the Rev. T. Floyd Irby, Jr. with burial in Cedar Hill Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home.

Memorial donations may be made to West End Baptist Church, 501 W. Washington St., Suffolk, Va. 23434, or charity of choice.