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Marie Dillard
Marie Moody Dillard, 89, of Cashiers, died Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005, following a period of declining health.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at Cashiers United Methodist Church, of which she was a member, with the Revs. David Beam and Amy Spivey officiating. Burial was in Upper Zachary Cemetery.
She began teaching in a one-room school, and continuing teaching for 41 years in Jackson and Transylvania counties. She started the Head Start Program in Transylvania County, and enjoyed gardening and cooking. She was a daughter of the late Walter Alvin Moody and Gorda Childress Moody.
She was also preceded in death by two brothers, Walter and Warren Moody; and one sister, Irene Hunter.
Surviving are two sons, Scott Dillard of Cashiers and Rex Dillard of Lake Toxaway; two granddaughters; and one great-grandson.
Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Patricia Lewis-Murray
Patricia A. Lewis-Murray, of Savannah, Ga., formerly of Sylva, died Monday, Aug. 20, 2005, after a two-year battle with cancer.
Funeral services were held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Alston Ridge in Conyers, Ga. Candle lighting ceremonies and a remembrance hour were held in Forsyth Park in Savannah.
She was born in Sylva, but had lived in Savannah for many years. She was a daughter of John E. and Mildred A. Bryson of Cullowhee.
Surviving in addition to her parents are her husband, Jonathan Murray of Sanford; two daughters, Carrighan Jumper and Darien Jumper, both of Sanford; three brothers, Robert L. Jumper of Clyde, and John P. Bryson and Steven E. Bryson, both of Cullowhee; and two sisters, Vicky L. Jumper-Fox of Raleigh and Eva J. Bryson-Hyatt of Canton.
Doris Jackson
Doris Ferguson Alston Jackson, 77, of Sylva, died Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2005.
Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at Liberty Baptist Church with the Revs. John Lee and Lavonia Ray officiating.
She was born April 16, 1928, and married Harrison J. Jackson on Dec. 16, 1946. She was a daughter of the late Gus England and Louise Alston Pierce.
She was also preceded in death by her husband; one son, James “Jimmy” Harrison Jackson; and one sister, Grace Bryson.
Surviving are one son, John Carroll Jackson of Clyde; two daughters, Jacqueline McDowell Coleman of Hendersonville and Sandra Jackson Bryson of Greenville, S.C.; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Brent Rich
Brent Rich, 56, of Cullowhee Mountain Road, Cullowhee, died unexpectedly Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005, at his residence.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Double Springs Church of God, which he attended, with the Revs. Dick O’Brien, Johnny Norris and Larry Perry officiating. Burial was in Sherrill Cemetery.
A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a maintenance mechanic with WestCare for the past 15 years. He enjoyed gunsmithing, riding motorcycles and being outdoors. He was a son of Lee Junior “Bill” Rich of Greenville, S.C., and Ima Jean Garrett Wickman of Whittier.
Surviving in addition to his parents are his wife of seven years, Earlene Hooper Rich; one daughter, Jeneen Rich Key of Redboiling Springs, Tenn.; one son, Brent Lee Rich of Whittier; three half-sisters, Wanda, Billie Jo and Theresa, all of South Carolina; one brother, Keith Rich of Lyman, S.C.; one half-brother, Barney Rich of Whittier; and four grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Hazel Hooper Memorial Fund, c/o Double Springs Church of God, 174 Double Springs Lane, Cullowhee, NC 28723.
Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mariah Hodgin
Mariah Mills Stephens Hodgin, 99, of Woodpecker Lane, Sylva, died Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005, at Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at Moses Creek Baptist Church, of which she was a member, with the Revs. Robert Fernandez and Josh Hyde officiating. Burial was in Upper Stephens Cemetery.
Pallbearers were her grandsons.
She was a native of Jackson County, where she lived most her life. She was the last surviving child of John Robert and Flora Arrington Mills.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Tildon R. Stephens; second husband, Frank B. Hodgin; three sons, Fred, Ted and Clyde Stephens; stepdaughter, Jo Ann Loomis; and stepson, George Hodgin.
Surviving are five daughters, Frances Whitmire of Hendersonville, and Flora Haskett, Kay Potts, Virginia Parris and Gay Nell Bailey, all of Sylva; three sons, Mack Stephens of Spokane, Wash., Ralph Stephens of Beverly, Wash., and J.D. Stephens of Sylva; three stepdaughters, Muriel Tallent and Altaina Jones, both of Detroit, Mich., and Fay Jones of Jeffersonville Ind.; five half-sisters, Elizabeth, Ruth, Shirley, Martha and Roberta; two half-brothers, Wilburn and Don; 28 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren and 24 great-great-grandchildren; several stepgrandchildren, stepgreat-grandchildren and stepgreat-great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Moses Creek Baptist Church Roofing Fund or Upper Stephens Cemetery Fund, c/o Carolyn Cook, 29 South Woods Dr., Sylva, NC 28779.
Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Joseph Wilkey
Joseph Wilkey, 24, of Murphysboro, Ill., formerly of Sylva, died Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, from injuries sustained in a work-related accident.
The body is being returned to Sylva for services and burial.
Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Enloe Deitz
Enloe H. Deitz, 80, of Canton, Ohio, died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, after an extended illness.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, in the chapel of Rossi Funeral home with the Rev. William Carter officiating. Burial was in West Lawn Cemetery.
He was born in Sylva and had lived in the Canton area for the last 32 years. He was a member of Louisville Baptist Temple and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Ft. Myers, Fla. He was retired from the Timken Co., having been employed for 25 years as a truck driver. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a son of the late William Richard and Myra Webb Deitz.
He was also preceded in death by one brother, the Rev. Hayes Deitz.
Surviving are his wife of 57 years, Amelia Perez Deitz; one daughter, Connie Snyder of Canton; two brothers, T.F. Deitz of Carrollton, Ohio, and Forester Deitz of Waynesville; two sisters, Ona Bea Fox of Cullowhee and Rachel Johnson of Phoenix, Ariz.; three grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
Billie Jean Huskey
Billie Jean Huskey, 45, of Cherokee’s Painttown community, died Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, at Tsali Care Center after a period of declining health.
Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, at Wrights Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Dan Lambert officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
A native of Swain County, she lived most of her life in Jackson County. She was a retired construction worker with APAC and a graduate of Sylva-Webster High School. She enjoyed driving trucks and playing softball. She was a daughter of the late Helen Patsy Lucy Hornbuckle Smith.
Surviving are two daughters, Aaron Cherise Huskey and Ursule Yvette Huskey, both of the home; three sisters, Loretta Kirby of Sylva, and Paula Holloway and Freda Huskey, both of Cherokee; one brother, John David Huskey of New Jersey; and one granddaughter.
Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Ethel Gunnels
Ethel Louise Hooper Gunnels, 74, of Andrews, died Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005, at home after an extended illness.
Funeral services were held at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at Andrews First Baptist Church with the Rev. Eddie Hardin officiating. Burial was in Carver Cemetery in Robbinsville.
She was a native of Graham County and a resident of Andrews for more than 40 years. She was a daughter of the late Rev. Thurman T. and Ellen Stewart Hooper.
She was also preceded in death by her husband, Bill Gunnels; four sisters, Margie Hollifield, Estelle Hooper, Grace Waldroup and Mary Jane Davis; two brothers, Ben Hooper and Arnold Hooper; and two granddaughters who died in infancy.
Surviving are five sons, Jerry Gunnels of Maryville, Tenn., Alvin Gunnels, Roger Gunnels and James Gunnels, all of Andrews; and Robin Gunnels of Cullowhee; three daughters, Cathy Gunnels Raxter, Ellen Gunnels and Helen Gunnels Sorrell, all of Andrews; two brothers, Kelly Hooper of Robbinsville and Verlie Hooper of Manchester, Md.; one sister, Lenna Smith of Robbinsville; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 540 West U.S. 64, Murphy, NC 28906.
Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Virginia Bresett
Virginia Beatrice Arrwood Frizzell Bresett, 78, of Dillsboro, died Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005, at Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.
Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home with the Revs. Tommy Ashe and Pat Farmer officiating. Burial was in Parris Cemetery.
A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a former hairdresser and floral designer. She attended Mount Zion Baptist Church and had worked for Skyland Textile. She was a daughter of the late Thomas and Florence Greene Arrwood.
She was also preceded in death by her first husband, Vance “Joe Bud” Frizzell; and siblings, Nettie Mae, Frances, L.C., Eckard, Wilburn “Dubb” and Bobby.
Surviving are her husband of more than 25 years, Edmond Bresett; one son, Ricky Frizzell of Sylva; two stepchildren, Kathy Watson of Lake Wales, Fla., and Dale Bresett of Winter Haven, Fla.; one sister, Barbara Ann Stephens of Sylva; one brother, James Thomas Arrwood Sr. of Sylva; and three grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 925, Sylva, NC 28779.
Jack Persons
Walter Scott “Jack” Persons Jr., 96, of Durham, died Monday, Aug. 22, 2005.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday, Sept. 1) at First Presbyterian Church in Durham.
He was born in Memphis, Tenn., on Oct. 2, 1908. At the age of 14 in Orlando, Fla., he began an amateur boxing career and worked as a sports reporter for the local newspaper. He ran the aquatics program in West Reading, Penn., and later became the head swimming coach at Duke University, the youngest head coach of any college sport in the nation at age 20. He headed the Duke swim team for 45 years, and also taught swimming, life saving and physical education at the school.
In 1938, he became the first lacrosse coach at Duke, serving in that position for nearly 30 years. He was inducted into the North Carolina Chapter of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
He enjoyed watching Duke’s home football games and volunteering with the American Red Cross. He attended every home game ever held at Duke since 1929 with one exception, when he was hospitalized. He was chairman of the Durham Red Cross chapter’s life saving and water safety program, and was honored by the American Red Cross for 65 years of advocating, practicing and teaching water safety.
He was inducted into the Duke University Sports Hall of Fame in 1986. He was a son of the late Helene McMenamee and Walter Scott Persons Sr.
He was also preceded in death by his wife of more than 60 years, Elizabeth Anderson Persons.
Surviving are one son, Walter Scott Persons III of Tuckasegee; and one grandson.
Memorials may be made to Cross Roads Presbyterian Church, 3302 N. NC 119, Mebane, NC 27302; or to the Duke University Athletic Department.
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