James T. Willoughby III has been named to the North Carolina Board of Funeral Service by Gov. Mike Easley.

Willoughby, 43, is the president and manager of Hemby-Willoughby Mortuary Inc. in Tarboro, Fountain and Scotland Neck. He is a graduate of Farmville Central High School and Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta.

He is past president of funeral directors and Morticians Association of North Carolina Inc., a member of the N.C. Victims Compensative Commission, a member of the Edgecombe Entrepreneur Organization and on the Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Last year, Willoughby was presented a Continuing the Dream award by Edgecombe County Public Schools. In 2003, he was named professional of the Year by the Funeral and Morticians Association of N.C..

He is a trustee at Eastern Star Missionary Baptist Church.

Willoughby is married to the former Phyllis Joyner. They have three sons: James IV, Marcus and Phillip.

Hemby-Willloughby Mortuary was founded in 1932 by Willoughby's great-grandfather, Simon E. Hemby. James III's late father James Willoughby Jr. began work in the business at age 16 and James III has been involved since 1985.