Obituary Information

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.

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Obituaries - 01/09/03

Former Herald correspondent Kathleen Buchanan dies at 80

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2, at Webster Baptist Church. The Revs. Mike Dellinger and Ray McCall officiated. Burial was in Webster Cemetery.

A native of Commerce, Ga., she lived most of her life in Jackson County. She wrote the "Webster News" for The Sylva Herald for many years.

She retired from C&P Telephone Co. of Alexandria, Va., with 26 years of service as a telephone operator and was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America-Alexandria Graham Bell, Chapter 15.

She was a charter member of Virginia Hills Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va., and a member of Webster Baptist Church for 25 years after her retirement, serving as Sunday school teacher, choir member and WMU leader. She served on numerous committees and was in the choir of the Tuckasegee Baptist Association for many years.

She was a member of AARP, Jackson County Chapter. She received the N.C. Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service in 1990.

She was a daughter of the late Hattie Driver McGinnis and Sim Thomas McGinnis.

She was preceded in death by one brother, James Walter McGinnis.

Surviving are her husband of 59 years, Frank Henry Buchanan; one daughter, Linda Buchanan Morgan of Webster; three brothers, S.T. McGinnis of Athens, Tenn., Hugh Lee McGinnis of Vader, Wash., and Eugene McGinnis of Alexandria, Va.; one sister, Hattie Hilda Hoffman of Sierra Vista, Ariz.; one grandson; and one great-granddaughter.

Memorials may be made to Tuckasegee Baptist Association Building Fund, Webster Baptist Church Building Fund, Webster Memorial Cemetery Fund or the Alzheimer's Association.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Edwin Ulsenheimer

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Eddie Stillwell officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens.

He was born July 13, 1923, in Independence, Ohio. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and was a builder by trade.

He met and married his wife of 50 years, Ruth Meinhardt, in St. Petersburg, Fla., and raised his family in Cullowhee. He helped establish and taught at Southwestern Community College and remained active in community affairs after retirement.

He was the son of the late Michael and Edna Sabin Ulsenheimer.

Surviving, in addition to his wife, are two daughters, Susan Ulsenheimer Becker of Lexington, S.C., and Jill Ulsenheimer Kemp of Spartanburg, S.C.; one son, Thomas Edwin Ulsenheimer of King; two sisters, June Pracht of Wichita, Kan., and Lois Hudon of Milton, Fla.; and five grandchildren.

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

"Huck" Hoffman

Private services were held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, at Hatfield Memorial Chapel in Sierra Vista, with graveside rites scheduled Friday, Jan. 10, at 1:30 p.m. at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Albuquerque, N.M.

Born Nov. 21, l930, in Keyser, W.Va., he was the son of the late John D. and Frances Fromhart Hoffman. He grew up in Albuquerque, where he attended Albuquerque High and University of New Mexico.

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1951-55 as a RD3 aboard the LST 1156. He was a Master Mason, member of Temple Lodge 6, 32nd degree Scottish Rite, and Ballut Abyad Shriner of New Mexico.

He was retired owner and operator of Duke City Auto Supply in Albuquerque, Hoffman Enterprises in Webster and a number of other business ventures.

Surviving are his wife of 51 years, Hilda McGinnis Hoffman; two daughters, Brenda G. Hoffman of Albuquerque and Susan Kay Hoffman of Cullowhee; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to AIRES Developmental Disability Day Program, 362 E. Wilcox Drive, Sierra Vista, Ariz. 85635.

Lindon Coggins

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Clifford Parker officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens.

A native of Jackson County, where he was raised and came back to retire in 1991, he was a retired timber faller, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and member of Tilley Creek Baptist Church. He was a son of the late Enos and Emma Coggins.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Glen, Manley and Harley Coggins; and his first wife, Susan Virginia Shuler Coggins.

Surviving are his wife of 12 years, Annie Prince Coggins; one daughter, Linda Sue Baldwin of Atascadero, Calif.; two sons, Robert Lindon Coggins of Fremont, Calif., and Dean LaRay of Auburn, Calif.; three stepsons, Chuck Norris, Larry Norris and Steve Norris, all of Sylva; three brothers, Roy Coggins of Candler, Lambert Coggins of Cullowhee and Hayes Coggins of Lake Junaluska; 13 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Tilley Creek Baptist Church, c/o Pastor Clifford Parker, 307 Scotts Creek Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Eloise Chambers

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, at Long Branch Baptist Church. The Rev. Charles Dean officiated. Burial was in Franklin Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Cance and Ellen Gibson Carnes. She was wife of the late Charlie Chambers and was a member of Long Branch Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Elbert and Junior Carnes.

Surviving are one daughter, Charlene Monteith of Sylva; one son, Charles Chambers of Hendersonville; one brother, the Rev. Charles Carnes of Sylva; three sisters, Helen C. Hensley and Etta Lee Freeland, both of Sylva, and Claudie Lark of Rock Hill, S.C.; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Arthritis Foundation Carolina Chapter, 5019 Nations Crossing, Suite 217, Charlotte, N.C. 28717.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. An online memorial and registry is available at www.pemoody.com.

Irene Cole

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, at Patterson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. The Revs. Larry Nations and Mike Wise officiated. Burial was in Union Hill Cemetery. Grandsons served as pallbearers.

She was the daughter and last of 12 children of the late Luther Alexander and Eva Mae Loudermilk Clark.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Olston Ted Cole; one daughter, Connie Cole Miller; and one grandson.

Surviving are two sons, Nelson Cole of Taylors, S.C., and Perry Cole of Bryson City; five daughters, Londa Cook of Taylors, S.C., Nancy Salais of Greenville, S.C., Ellen Rogers of Whittier and Janie McMillan and Della Sizemore, both of Bryson City; 16 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Crisp Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Stephen Caldwell

Services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, in the Waynesville chapel of Wells Funeral Home. The Revs. G.W. Jameson and Don Letzring officiated. He was a native of Haywood County.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Dwayne Robinson; paternal grandfather, Homer P. Caldwell; and paternal grandmother, Flora Caldwell Laws.

Surviving are his mother, Louise Robinson Cochran of Waynesville; his father, Marshall G. Caldwell of Maggie Valley; one brother, Timothy B. Cochran of Waynesville; and maternal grandmother, Lou Ellen Robinson of Waynesville.

Memorials may be made to Haywood County EMS, 215 N. Main St., Waynesville, N.C. 28786.

An online memorial register is available at Obituaries at www.wellsfuneralhome.com.

Lena Leigh

A memorial service will be held at Cullowhee Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19.

Born to Abraham Trock and Annie Trock on June 18, 1909, in Cook County, Ill., she was a long-time member of Cullowhee Presbyterian Church, where she served as secretary of the Presbyterian Women for a number of years. She worked as a private investigator for the federal government for 22 years and volunteered for many charitable organizations.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry A. Leigh; and one son, Ronald Leigh.

Surviving are one son, Dennis Ray Turner of Evans, Ga.; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Alvin Burrell

Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1, in the chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Worley DeHart officiated. Burial was in Panther Creek Cemetery. Pallbearers were Mark Millsaps, Rick Postell, Lonnie Thomas, Darrell Rick, Beacher Hammond, Bob Garren, Bob Debruhl and William Brigman.

He was a native of Buncombe County and a resident of Lower Panther Creek since 1965. Son of the late William "Bill" and Bessie Biddix Burrell, he was a member of New Bridge Freewill Baptist Church. He was employed with Buncombe Construction for more than 38 years as a superintendent, supervising several large construction projects in Western North Carolina.

Surviving are his wife of 47 years, Frances Burrell; two sons, William Douglas Burrell of Lower Panther Creek and Jeffrey Clinton Burrell of Bryson City; one daughter, Deborah Marie Burrell of Robbinsville; one brother, Billy David Burrell of Asheville; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Jane Yates

Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, at Cullowhee United Methodist Church, of which she was a member. The Rev. Dr. Frank Padgett officiated. Burial will be held at 1 p.m. today (Thursday) in Ephestus Baptist Church Cemetery, Ephestus, Ga.

A native of Dallas, Ga., and resided in Jackson County for the last six years, she was a retired counselor with Georgia Mental Health. She was preceded in death by one son, Steven Yates.

Surviving are her husband of 17 years, George Yates; two sons, Thomas Yates and Samuel Yates, both of the home; parents, Walter and Lynn Womack Carl of Carrollton, Ga.; and one sister, Valerie Carl Cook of Carrollton, Ga.

Memorial donations may be made to the Community Table, 300 Asheville Highway, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Catherine Burns

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, in the chapel of Macon Funeral Home. The Revs. Jerome Hamm and George Walters officiated. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery.

A native of Athens, Tenn., she was a daughter of the late Sterlin Franklin Morrow and Lucy Bell Odum Morrow. She retired as a lunchroom manager from Otto Elementary School and was of the Baptist faith.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Arlie Taylor Burns, who died in 1986.

Surviving are one daughter, Barbara B. Bradley of Franklin; one son, Donald T. Burns of Whittier; four sisters, Margaret Elrod, Mildred Smith and Dora Jolly, all of Athens, and Eleanor Castile of Chattanooga, Tenn.; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Macon County Humane Society, P.O. Box 81, Franklin, N.C. 28744.

John Hewel

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 10, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, of which he was a member. Father Ray Williams will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview Memorial Gardens.

A native of New York, he had lived in Jackson County since June. He was a retired truck driver, delivering auto parts, A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he was a son of the late John B. and Wilhemina Beltz Hewel.

He was preceded in death by one brother; Edward Hewel; and one sister, Marion Kosotski.

Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Blanche LaTourette Hewel; four daughters, Barbara Ann Hewel of the home, Gloria Stockton of Sylva, Catherine Christenson of Jacksonville, Fla., and Wilma Assetta of Wakefield, Mass.; one son, John W. Hewel Jr. of Dephford, N.J.; one sister, Wilma Velez of Bealeton, Va.; two brothers, Charles F. Hewel of Orange Park, Fla., and William P. Hewel of Wilmington; nine grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to St. Mary's Catholic Church, 22 Bartlett St., Sylva, N.C. 28779.

The family will receive friends tonight (Thursday) from 6 to 8 p.m. at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home.

Back to Archive: 01/09/03.