June 30, 2005
Edition
Sylva, NC
Volume 80, No. 14

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Curtis McMillan ● Moises Gachuz ● Luther Queen
Reba Rose ● Philip Henson ● Geneva Higdon
Martha Queen ● Betty Gunter

Obituaries 06/30/2005

Obituary Information

The Sylva Herald prints obituaries free of charge as a service to its readers.

When possible, obituaries should be submitted to The Herald from the funeral home in charge of arrangements. Information received will be printed in our standard obituary format. As is the case with all information submitted to The Herald, we reserve the right to edit obituary information to fit our standard format.

We publish names of the deceased's children; we also include the number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We do not include in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews or special friends.

Included in a brief history of the deceased is items such as their employment, professional, civic, community and religious affiliations. We omit personal tributes.

To publish a more detailed obituary or one in another format, the announcement can run as a paid advertisement.

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Curtis McMillan

Curtis O. McMillan, of Sylva, formerly of Okolona, Ky., died Thursday, June 16, 2005, at Mountain Trace Nursing Home.

Funeral services were held at noon Tuesday, June 21, in the chapel of Arch L. Heady & Son Funeral Home. Entombment was in Evergreen Mausoleum.

He was a retired lineman for Durkee Foods, a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, a Purple Heart recipient and a member of the Disabled American Veterans.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ophelia Holley McMillan; and one brother, Tommy McMillan.

Surviving are one son, Herbert McMillan; one daughter, Peggy Granato; two sisters, Dixie Doeracheln and Shirley Tong; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Bryant Funeral Home was in charge of local arrangements.

Moises Monroy Gachuz, 28, of Sprinkle Road, Franklin, died unexpectedly Monday, June 20, 2005, in an automobile accident.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 21, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home.

Born in Actopan, Hidalgo, Mexico, he lived in Franklin for the last nine months. He was a construction worker.

Surviving are his parents, Fidel Monroy Perez and Gloria Gachuz de Monroy of Actopan; two brothers, Rodrigo Monroy Gachuz and Fidel Monroy Gachuz; and one sister, Margarita Monroy Gachuz.

The body will be taken back to Mexico for services and burial.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at John’s Creek Baptist Church, of which he was a member, with the Rev. Carl Adams officiating. Burial was in Balsam Grove Cemetery.

Pallbearers were David Mathis, Charles Prince, Wayne McCardle, James Prince, Pete Cline and Brandon Hooper.

He was a native and lifelong resident of Jackson County. He was a carpenter, having worked with R. L. Haskett Builders, and a U.S. Army veteran. He was a son of the late John and Becky Aikens Queen.

He was also preceded in death by his wife, Norma Jean Brown Queen, who died in 2003; one brother; and one sister.

Surviving are one son, Ricky Queen of Cullowhee; two sisters, Mattie Brown of Tuckasegee and Osie Mae Prince of Whittier; one granddaughter that he raised, Kim Cunningham of Sylva; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Reba Reagan Rose, 73, of Mary Lambert Farm Road, Whittier, died Tuesday, June 21, 2005.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 25, at Olivet Methodist Church with the Revs. Cody Lambert and Steve Phillippi officiating. Burial was in Reagan Cemetery on Olivet Church Road.

She was a native of Cherokee and resided in Mantua, Ohio, for 42 years. She retired from Carlon Inc. after 30 years and enjoyed beadworking and quilting. She was a daughter of the late Bruce and Hester Reagan.

She was also preceded in death by 12 brothers and sisters.

Surviving are her husband of 55 years, Kenneth Rose; two daughters, Mandaleen and Patti; one son, Jeff; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Philip “Phil” Andrew Henson Sr., 69, of Greeleyville, S.C., died Wednesday, June 22, 2005, in a Florence, S.C., hospital after an illness.

Funeral serivces were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 25, at Greeleyville Baptist Church, of which he was a member and deacon, with the Rev. Grover Mixon officiating. Burial was in New Market Cemetery.

He was born in Sylva, and graduated from Sylva-Webster High School and Greenville Barber College. He was a retired barber, a former member of the Greeleyville Town Council and a U.S. Navy veteran. He was a son of the late Rufus Benjamin and Elizabeth Bumgarner Henson.

Surviving are his wife, Judy Rogan Henson; one daughter, Sara H. Hatch of Kingstree, S.C.; one son, Philip “Andy” A. Henson Jr. of Bennettsville, S.C.; two sisters, Betty Gosnell of Greer, S.C., and Anne Wikle of Sylva; and three grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Greeleyville Baptist Church or the American Cancer Society.

Williamsburg Funeral Home of Kingstree was in charge of arrangements.

Geneva Clarine Higdon, 80, of Sunrise Park, Sylva, died Saturday, June 25, 2005, at Harris Regional Hospital after a brief illness.

Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, June 27, in Parris Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she enjoyed reading, doing yard work, and listening to bluegrass and gospel music. She was the last surviving child of the late Robert Lee and Maude Young Higdon.

She was also preceded in death by one sister, Mae Higdon Morgan; and seven other siblings.

Surviving are one foster brother, Ralph Womack of Sylva.

Memorials may be made to WestCare Home Health and Hospice, 132 Sylva Plaza, Sylva, N.C. 28779; or Fanconia Anemia Research Fund, 1801 Willamette St., #200, Eugene, OR 97401; or the charity of one’s choice.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Martha Queen, 71, of Wolftown Road, Cherokee, died Thursday, June 23, 2005, after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 25, at Cherokee Church of God, of which she was a member, with the Revs. James “Bo” Parris, A.J. Skeleton and Betty Drake officiating. Burial was in Queen Family Cemetery.

She was a native and lifelong resident of Cherokee and sewed moaccasins for more than 20 years. She was a daughter of the late Timpson and AlkinneyTaylor Bird.

She was also preceded in death by one son, James Queen; one daughter, Nancy Queen; three brothers, William, Sherman and John Byrd; and four sisters, Lucinda Reed, Betty Catolster, Annie Sherrill and Eva Byrd.

Surviving are her husband, Bascom Queen; two sons, John Queen and Steve Queen, both of Cherokee; two daughters, Susie Queen and Katie Cooper, both of Cherokee; one brother, Tony Bird of Cherokee; one sister, Nellie Trull of Canton; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

An online memorial and guest registry is available at www.pemoody.com.

Betty Sue Smathers Gunter, 84, of Happy Ridge Lane, Sylva, died Wednesday, June 22, 2005, at her residence after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 26, at Balsam Baptist Church, of which she was a member, with the Revs. Johnny Swanger, Ricky Conner and Dr. Jack Robinson officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Pallbearers were Nick Lawry, Danny Conner, Wayne Edwards, Thomas Gunter, Ralph Toomey and Frankie Gunter.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was the last surviving child of the late George and Emma Crawford Smathers.

Surviving are her husband of 51 years, Arthur Grant Gunter; one daughter, Georgia Sue Gunter of Waynesville; and two grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Hospice, 132 Sylva Plaza, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.