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.

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

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Obituaries - 01/16/03

Vaughn Lemmond

He was born in Monroe in 1949, lived in Sylva from 1954 through 1958 and moved to Port Orange, Fla., with his family in 1958. Related to the Owens and Bumgarner families of Jackson County, he spent many vacations here visiting his relatives. In the past few years, he and his wife attended classes at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown.

He was a volunteer fund-raiser for the Alzheimer's Association and the Muscular Dystrophy Association's fishing tournament and was a precinct committeeman with the Volusia County Democratic Executive Committee.

Surviving are his wife, Christine; his mother, Love Louise Lemmond of New Albany; father, Vaughn R. Lemmond of Monroe; sisters, Carol Atnip of New Albany, Ind., and Patricia White of Ormond Beach, Fla.; grandmother, Love B. Kilpatrick of Sylva; a son, John Paulk of Titusville, Fla.; two daughters, Rebecca Cox of DeLand, Fla., and Tanya Paulk of Daytona Beach; and one granddaughter.

Maurice Ghnassia

Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at Harmony Cemetery in Milton, Pa. A memorial service to be held in Sylva at a later date to be announced.

Formerly of Manhattan and Windsor, Conn., he was born in Paris on July 23, 1920, son of Ichoa Ghnassia and Esther Karsenty. He was a leader in the French Resistance, during which he commanded a group of Francs-Tireurs, an arm of the resistance.

After the liberation of the south of France, he became a paratrooper attached to the U.S. Screaming Eagles, his regiment under the command of the late governor of and senator from North Carolina Terry Sanford. After the war he resumed and completed his studies at the University of Paris.

After the war, as "Mr. Blues," he had a jazz radio program in France. In the 1950s and 1960s, he was a press correspondent for France Observateur and Europe No. 1 to the United Nations and the White House. In the 1970s, he was the media manager for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and produced an award-winning documentary film "A Profession Integrates."

He was also a translator into French of the "Peanuts" books by Charles Schultz. In more recent years, he was a professor of Western heritage at the University of Hartford until his retirement in 2000. He was the best-selling author of three novels, "Un Dimanche Pour Pleurer," "Foule aux Dames" and "Arena," numerous short stories and poetry. He was a member of the Author's Guild, Societe des Auteurs et Compositeurs, the Connecticut Academy of the Arts and Sciences and the Alliance Francaise de Hartford.

He was preceded in death by one son, Jean-Paul Ghnassia.

Surviving are his wife, Jill Dix Ghnassia; and one brother, Edmond Ghnassia.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Leukemia Society, American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.

Lorine Franklin

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, in the chapel of Garrett Funerals and Cremations. The Rev. Mike Leslie officiated. Burial was in Garrett-Hillcrest Memorial Park. Pallbearers were Michael Hyatt, Michael David Hyatt, Shawn Hyatt, Cody Hyatt, Chase Palmer, Bob Palmer, Butch Franklin and Patrick Ensley.

She was born Nov. 14, 1927, in Jackson County's East LaPorte community to the late Hagan and Bertie Short Hamilton. She was a member of Nivevah Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ira Evander "I.E." Franklin Jr.; one daughter, Patricia Franklin Hyatt; one sister, Juanita Hamilton Cole; and one brother, Ernest Hamilton.

Surviving are two daughters, Sheila Franklin Whitmire of Waynesville and Zelda Franklin Sims of Harrisburg; three sisters, Ethel Smith and Katherine Robinson, both of Waynesville, and Edith Hooper of Dillsboro; and seven grandchildren.

An online guest registry may be signed at www.legacy.com.

Rowena Bradley

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at Rock Springs Baptist Church. The Revs. Dan Lambert, Foreman Bradley and Jason Bradley officiated. Burial was in Bradley Family Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Jimmy Bradley, Rick Armachain, Kirby Bradley, Kenneth Maney, Homer Bradley and Leonard Young. Honorary pallbearers were Frederick Bradley, David Blanton, Nathan Walkingstick, Jerrett Youngdeer, Nicoles Bird and David Moynihan.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a renowned river cane basketmaker, with some of her work being displayed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Daughter of the late Chief Henry Bradley and Nancy George, she was a member of Qualla Arts and Crafts.

She was preceded in death by six brothers and two sisters.

Surviving are two sons, Foreman Bradley of Sylva and Joe Bradley of Cherokee; two daughters, Mary Bradley and Benny Wildcat, both of Cherokee; one sister, Ellen Arneach of Cherokee; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home assisted the family with the arrangements. An online memorial and guest registry is available at www.pemoody.com.

Johnnie Watson

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 10, at Scotts Creek Baptist Church. The Rev. Rich Peoples officiated. Burial was in Old Field Cemetery. Pallbearers were Dave Greene, Boyd Ensley, Don Hensley, Ray Knight, Neil Sellers and Ronnie Riddle. Honorary pallbearers were Charlie Daves, Jim Barnwell, Demsy Buchanan and deacons of Scotts Creek Baptist Church.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a retired self-employed television repairman and a member of Scotts Creek Baptist Church, where he was a deacon and former chairman, training union director, brotherhood director and trustee.

He was owner of Sylva Flying Service and flight instructor for several years at the Old Sylva Airport. In the later part of his life he was the train engineer at Santa's Land in Cherokee.

He was a son of the late Lucius and Estella Garrett Watson. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Rhoda Catherine Cope Watson, who died in 2000; two brothers; and two sisters.

Surviving are two daughters, Ronda W. Woodard and Janet W. Whisnant, both of Sylva; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Scotts Creek Baptist Church Children Park, 97 Steeple Drive, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral was in charge of arrangements.

Bonnie Hedden

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, in the chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. John Tagliarini officiated. Burial was in Swain Memorial Park.

A native and lifelong resident of Swain County, she was the daughter of the late Gaston and Myra Cochran Ledford. She was the wife of the late John Hedden, who died in 1972. She was a homemaker and member of Bryson City First Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by two sons, Monroe and Ray Hedden.

Surviving are one son, John Lenard Hedden of Bryson City; five grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Bryson City First Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 247, Bryson City, N.C. 28713.

Harold Farmer

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, in Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Johnny Norris officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens with military rites conducted by American Legion Post 104. Nephews served as pallbearers.

A native of Haywood County, he had lived in Jackson County since 1966. He retired from Dayco and was a U.S. Marine veteran of World War II. He participated in the annual Fourth of July wagon train until his health failed. He was a son of the late Merlin and Lillie Mae Messer Farmer. He was preceded in death by one son, Daniel Farmer.

Surviving are his wife of 53 years, Virginia Burgess Farmer; two daughters, Branda Cloer of Sylva and Sandra Hamlin of Cruso; one sister, Hazel Bradshaw of Maggie Valley; three brothers, James Herman Farmer, William Farmer and Bob Farmer, all of Waynesville; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Daisy Tate

Burial will be in Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Md.

Born and raised in Salisbury, she was the daughter of the late Josiah S. and Roxie Elium Brown. She lived in Baltimore most of her adult life, working for many years at Mercantile Safe Deposit and Trust Co. until 1964 when her husband founded Power Transmission Systems Inc., a Baltimore industrial distributor. He was co-owner, office manager and treasurer of the business. She moved to Tuckasegee in 1996.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, William Lynn Tate.

Surviving are two daughters, Alice Lee Cushing of Fairfield, Maine, and Betty Lynn Kirwan of Tuckasegee; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Tate Library Endowment, P.O. Box 7111, N.C. State University, Raleigh, N.C. 27695.

Cecil Childers

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, in the chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home, Bryson City. The Rev. Max Cochran and Alden Childers officiated. Burial was in Union Hill Cemetery in Whittier.

A native and lifelong resident of Swain County, he was a construction supervisor and architectural engineer on multiple jobs throughout the Southeastern United States. He was the son of the late Robert "Bob" Marion and Mary Matilda Gibbs Childers.

Surviving are his wife, Mary Ellen Childers; one son, Thomas Alden Childers of Winston-Salem; two daughters, Cherie Childers Hutton of Suffolk, Va., and Judith Childers Sauls of Swannanoa; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Elmer Ward

A native of Philadelphia, he was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and was a retired postal worker of 20 years. He was the son of the late Mark and Florence Rathgeber Ward. He was preceded in death by his wife, Wylma Christine Ward, who died in September 2002.

Surviving are two daughters, Kathi Pettry and Sue Astley; three grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter, all of Atlanta.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Veterans Administration Volunteer Services ECRC Fund, 1100 Tunnel Road, Asheville, N.C. 28805.

Moody Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Thomas Jenkins

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, at Cashiers Baptist Church. The Revs. Johnny Norris and Stacy Hendon officiated. Burial was in Picklesimer Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, he was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. He retired from the VA Medical Center, where he worked in environmental management.

Son of the late Austin and Flora Mae Webb Jenkins, he was a member of Crossroads Baptist Church in Seneca.

Surviving are his wife, Margaret Jenkins; three brothers, James Jenkins of Cashiers, Earl Jenkins of Brevard and Larry Jenkins of Westminister, S.C.; and three sisters, Linda Rice of Cashiers, Kay Harper of Walhalla, S.C., Phyllis McCall of Mountain Rest, S.C.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Willa Queen

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, at John's Creek Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Revs. Michael Queen and Clifford Parker officiated. Burial was in Lower Coward Cemetery. Pallbearers were Randy, Mark and Matt Wheatley, Van Buchanan, Lester Hoyle and Brian Brooks.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she had worked at Buster Brown, Cullowhee School in the lunch room and at Dodson Cafeteria at Western Carolina University. She was a daughter of the late Harry and Ethel Parker Wheatley.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Queen, who died in 1985; one son, Guy Queen; two brothers, Dee and Willard Wheatley; and four sisters, Velma McMahan, Sylvia Rogers, Dorothy Mathis and Faye Wheatley.

Surviving are two sons, Richard Queen and Earl Queen, both of Cullowhee; five brothers, Frank, Bob and J.E. Wheatley, all of Cullowhee, Doyle Wheatley of Sylva and Jim Wheatley of Orlando, Fla.; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Sally Stiwinter

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Louise McElhinney

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, in the chapel at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Eddie Stillwell and Ray McCall will officiate. Burial will be in Webster Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

A native of Jackson County, where she lived most of her life, she was employed by the General Accounting Office in the District of Columbia for 20 years and with Goodyear Tire Co. for 10 years.

She was a member of Webster Baptist Church and was secretary at Webster Elementary School. She was a daughter of the late Tyler and Vilanta Buchanan. She was preceded in death by her husband, Julian McElhinney; two brothers; and four sisters.

Surviving are two brothers, Frank Buchanan of Webster and Jerry Buchanan of Fornham, Va.; and two sisters, Hilda McGinnis of Alexandria, Va., and Mildred Haskett of Sylva.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Webster Cemetery Fund or Webster Baptist Church Building Fund.

Back to Archive: 01/16/03.