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Dallas Elders
Dallas H. Elders, 84, of Carolina Drive, Whittier, died Sunday, Dec. 25, 2005, at Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home with the Rev. Terry Taylor officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today (Thursday, Dec. 29) at the funeral home. Burial will be in Elders Family Cemetery with military rites conducted by the U.S. Army and William E. Dillard American Legion Post 104.
A native of Jackson County where he had lived most of his life, he was retired from the Florida Department of Transportation’s road maintenance division. He was a U.S. Army veteran, having served in World War II. He was a son of the late Candler and Helen E. Elders.
He was also preceded in death by his second wife, Fancheon Louise Smith Elders, who died in 2001; one brother, Bill Elders; and three sisters, Nola Gibson, Inez Settlemyre and Jessie Ridley.
Surviving are one daughter, Patsy Elders of Oklahoma City, Okla.; one son, Dale Elders of Montgomery, Texas; two sister, Rosemary Seagle of Gaffney, S.C., and Nelta Bradley of Whittier; one brother, Joe Elders of Whittier; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Mountain Trace Nursing Center Activity Fund, 417 Mountain Trace Rd., Sylva, NC 28779.
Barbara Connor
Barbara Ann Best Connor, 70, of Sylva, died Friday, Dec. 23, 2005.
Graveside services were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, in Bat Cave Baptist Church Cemetery.
She was an avid NASCAR fan, and enjoyed working with her African Violets and spending time with her cats. She was the daughter of the late Eugene Charles Best and Beulah Geneva Lyda Best.
She was also preceded in death by her husband, Alga A. Connor; and one brother, Donald Best.
Surviving are one son, Donald Connor of Asheville; one daughter, Sherry Miller of Candler; two brothers, Jerry Best of Asheville and Kenneth Best of Swannanoa; and one grandson.
Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Phillip Golden
Phillip Delos Golden Sr., 54, of Tilley Creek Road, Cullowhee, died Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2005, at his residence after a period of declining health.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at Cedar Baptist Church with the Revs. Jim Ed Powell, Eddie Stillwell and Steve Webb officiating. Burial was in Shook Cemetery.
A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a lumber grader with Hennessee Sawmill. He was a member of Tuckasegee Wesleyan Church and an avid coon hunter. He was a son of Willa Mae Shook Golden of Cullowhee and the late Ralph Golden, who died in 2004.
In addition to his father, he was also preceded in death by one son, Mickey Golden; and one daughter, Linda Kay Golden.
Surviving in addition to his mother are his wife of 25 years, Betty Seagle Golden; one daughter, Julie Straight of Robbinsville; two sons, Tommy Erastus Golden of Asheville and Phillip Delos “Pewee” Golden Jr. of Waynesville; two sisters, Louise Powell of Hendersonville and Rosie Hooper of Cashiers; one brother, Edward Golden of Cullowhee; and eight grandchildren.
Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Asbury Ashe
Carnell Asbury Ashe, 83, of Sylva, died Sunday, Dec. 25, 2005, at Skyland Care Center after an extended illness.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home with the Revs. Don Riddle and Carl Adams officiating. Burial was in Sols Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Andrew Ashe, Carnell Ammons, Terry Ashe, Brandon Ashe, Tim Ashe and Chris Ashe.
A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a retired heavy equipment operator and a member of Sols Creek Baptist Church. He was a son of the late Francis Marion and Florence Melton Ashe.
He was also preceded in death by one son, John Gary Ashe; three brothers, Homer, Roland and Elmer Ashe; two sisters, Otelia Ammons and Ora Melton; and four half-brothers, Ralph, Estes, Ferry and Walter Ashe.
Surviving are three sons, Stanley Ashe of Prosperity, S.C., Kenneth Ashe of Augusta, Ga., and Lyndon Ashe of Cullowhee; one brother, Earlie Ashe of Franklin; one sister, Bernice Ashe Smith of Sylva; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Leroy Sossamon
Leroy Sossamon, 93, of Bryson City, died Sunday, Dec. 25, 2005, at Harris Regional Hospital.
Memorial services will be held at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at Bryson City First United Methodist Church.
Honorary pallbearers will be Ray Nichols, Thomas Hurley, Harold DeBord, Charles West and Fred Moody; and his nephews, Sam Neill, Roy Neill and Boyd B. Sossamon Jr.
He was born Nov. 15, 1912, in Midland, and attended Bethel High School and Appalachian State Teachers College, graduating as the school’s first English major. He taught for six years in Troutman and Barium Springs, and later developed a retail furniture business headquartered in Statesville. The business expanded to Sylva, Bryson City, Robbinsville, Murphy, Hayesville, Franklin and Black Mountain. Additional business ventures included The Money Tree Stores headquartered in Charlotte, Mountain Ford and Tuckaseigee Mills Inc. textile manufacturing company. He was active in the United Methodist Church, and served on various committees and as a Sunday school teacher, church school superintendent and chairman of the administrative board.
He enjoyed writing poetry and published three volumes of his work, including “Backside of Heaven; Falling Sky,” “These My Mountains – This My Land” and “Mountains are Forever.” He also published the Bryson City newspaper for 10 years, renaming it the Smoky Mountain Times.
He learned to fly in Statesville and did it as a hobby for the rest of his life. He built the Bryson City Airport with a paved runway and also constructed a landing strip on his family’s farm outside Concord. He was the eldest of five children born to James Oscar and Elizabeth Eury Sossamon.
He was preceded in death by two sons, Jon Leroy and James Lee; and one brother, Oscar Baine Sossamon.
Surviving are his wife of 66 years, Ora Lee Dougherty Sossamon; one daughter, Ann Marie S. Woffindin of Arden; one daughter, Beth S. Eckstein of Greenville; two sisters, Ethel S. Hammill of Brevard and Helen S. Neill of Hendersonville; one brother, Boyd B. Sossamon of Sylva; and six grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 817, Bryson City, NC 28713; or WestCare Hospice, 132 Sylva Plaza, Sylva, NC 28779.
James Crawford
 James Carroll Crawford, 67, of Asheville, died Friday, Dec. 23, 2005, at his residence.
Graveside services were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, in Pisgah View Memorial Park with the Rev. Bill Lindner officiating.
A native of Jackson County, he was a son of Edna Hoyle Crawford and the late Gradie Crawford.
He was also preceded in death by his wife, Freida Crawford; and two sisters, Joyce Robinson and Margaret Allison.
Surviving in addition to his mother are three daughters, Marlene Clinard of Arden, Pamela Burrell of Asheville and Linda Burleson of Marion; two sons, Roger Radcliff of Asheville and Ben Radcliff of Jacksonville, Fla.; four brothers, Bill Crawford of Candler, Tommy Crawford of Sylva, and Paul “Buck” Crawford and Kenneth Crawford, both of Asheville; one sister, Wanda Crawford of Sylva; 10 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Groce Funeral Home of Asheville was in charge of arrangements.
An online guest register is available at “Obituaries” at www.grocefuneralhome.com.
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