Obituary Information

When possible, obituaries should be sent to the Herald from the funeral home. Information received will be placed in our standard obituary format.

We publish names of the deceased's spouse, parents, grandparents, siblings and children; we also include the number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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Obituaries - 01/17/02

William Kilpatrick

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Timothy Rall officiated. Burial was in Keener Cemetery.

A native of Cherokee County, he lived most of his life in Jackson County. He retired from Mead Corp., was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, and a member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. He was a son of the late Jackson D. and Lena Almond Kilpatrick.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Grover S. Kilpatrick.

Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Irene Kohnken Kilpatrick; one son, Dr. William Kilpatrick of Los Angeles; one stepson, Clarence Hubbell of Sylva; one sister, Junita Minutello of New Jersey; three brothers, Paul Kilpatrick of Sylva, Charles M. Kilpatrick of Mississippi and Hadley Kilpatrick of Minnesota; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 749 N.C. 107, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Joe Davis

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, at New Hope Baptist Church, which he attended. The Revs. Mike Moore and Earl Holden officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Kenny Crowe, Ralph Davis Jr., Jim Gibson, Chip Hall, LeRoy Hall and Charles Nicholson. Honorary pallbearers were Paul Bowers, Bengie Dean, Ron Jones and Bill McClure.

A native of Buncombe County, he lived in Jackson County since 1941. He retired from Mead Corp. and was a son of the late Stover and Rixie Reeves Davis.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Elba Ashe Davis; two sisters; and five brothers.

Surviving are three daughters, Carolyn Cabe of Sylva, Susan Winchester of Bryson City and Jo Ann Moore of Birdsboro, Pa.; one son, Hugh Davis of Sylva; four sisters, Stovia Pitts of Franklin, Lena Kulanko and Emily Shaver, both of Winston-Salem, and Lottie Pruett of Asheville; one brother, Ralph Davis of Sylva; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to New Hope Baptist Church, P.O. Box 245, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Frances Wallace

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 864 W. Piney Mountain Road.

A native of Swain County, she lived in Jackson County since 1996. She was a Jehovah's Witness and was the daughter of the late Otis and Carrie Thompson Henderson.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Oliver L. Wallace, who died in 1995; and two sons, James M. Williams and Micheal K. Williams.

Surviving are two daughters, Doris W. Vogel of Sylva and Jessie W. Fowler of Bolovia; one son, Gene O. Wallace of Buffalo, Wyo.; one sister, Bonnie H. Mount of Durham; six grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Barbara Frogge

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at Hick's Funeral Home Chapel in Monticello, Ky., with burial in Elk Springs Cemetery.

A Memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at Long's Chapel United Methodist Church. The Rev. Robert E. Fuquay Jr. will officiate. The family will receive friends following the service in the church fellowship hall.

A native of Pulaski County, Ky., she was a daughter of the late Frank and Eva Correll Frogge. A 1948 graduate of Wayne County High School, she taught music there for two years following her college graduation. She was a member of Long's Chapel United Methodist Church.

She was a graduate of Georgetown College and did graduate work at Peabody College (now part of Vanderbilt University) and at Emory University. Her degrees were in music, psychology and religion. She taught psychology and world religions at Southwestern Community College for 15 years.

Prior to moving to Lake Junaluska, she taught and held administrative positions at Virginia Intermont College. She spent a brief period of her life as a flight attendant with Trans World Airlines and directed student tours to Europe. Most recently she had served as minister of music at Long's Chapel United Methodist Church.

Surviving are one sister, Edith Slack of Greensboro; and one brother, Nyal Frogge of Monticello, Ky.

Memorials way be made to the Barbara Frogge Memorial Scholarship Fund at Southwestern Community College, 447 College Drive, Sylva, N.C. 28779. For more information, call 586-4091, Ext. 218.

Wells Funeral Home in Waynesville is in charge of arrangements. An on-line memorial register is available at "Obituaries" at www.wellsfuneralhome.com.

Herstell Moss

A memorial service was held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Johnny Norris officiated.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a son of the late Ferber and Dovie Coggins Moss.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise Holland Moss, two grandsons, three sisters and one brother.

Surviving are three daughters, Ellen Bryson of Glenville, Joyce Mort of Yellow Mountain community and Janye Hughes of Cashiers; three sons, Charles Moss of Atlanta, James Moss Jr. of Cashiers and Lewis Moss of Pine Creek community; two sisters, Dollie Jennings of Florida and Hazel McNair of Atlanta; one brother, Eldon Moss of Pine Creek community; 11 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Pine Creek Baptist Church or the church cemetery fund, 4484 Pine Creek Road, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723.

Mary Yow

Funeral services were held in the Georgian Room at Brandon Wilde on Monday, Jan. 7, at 2 p.m. The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Newlin officiated. Burial was in Westover Memorial Park.

Surviving are one son, D. Field Yow of Fort Worth, Texas; one daughter, Fitzallan Yow Eldridge of Sylva; and four grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church 2261 Walton Way, Augusta, Ga. 30904; the University of Georgia Foundation of Trustees of the Joseph Henry Foundation; or the Boys and Girls Club of Augusta.

Elliott Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Lola Thomasson

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, at the chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home, Bryson City. The Rev. Larry Foster officiated. Burial was at Lauada Cemetery. Grandsons served as pallbearers.

A native of Swain County, she was born at Smokemont. She was a daughter of the late Cary Columbus and Daisy Brown Nations and wife of the late James Irvin Thomasson. She was a homemaker and a member of Antioch Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by one brother, Willard Nations.

Surviving are three sons, B.J. Thomasson of Athens, Ga., and Curtis Thomasson and Ronnie Thomasson, both of Ela; three daughters, Juanita Webb of Bryson City and Faye Lawhon and Barbara Bowman, both of Ela; two sisters, Anna Belle Nations Hodge of Salem, S.C., and Ella Mae Nations Webb of Bryson City; 18 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

Evelyn Beck

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Ray Fox officiated. Burial was in Union Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers were Elliott Williams, Matt Baker, Robert O'Dear, C.W. Ogle, Frank Deal and Bud Burrell.

A native of Jackson County, she lived most of her life in Swain County. She retired from the Swain County Health Department. After retiring, she volunteered at Swain County Hospital.

A member of Whittier Baptist Church, she was a Sunday school teacher. She was a daughter of the late William Harley and Myrtle Varner Howell.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Julius Beck, who died in 1994; one sister, Edna Davis; and one brother, Mack Howell.

Surviving are one daughter, Joyce Revis of Sylva; two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Memorials may be made to the Ensley Adult Care Recreation Department, 505 Racking Cove Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Mike Jones

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. today (Thursday) in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Revs. James Gass and Floyd Lee Jones will officiate. Burial will be in Bumgarner Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Michael Bumgarner, Christopher Brown, Robert Hoke, Cal Fain, Michael Martin, Ted Williams and Lee Wolfe.

A native of Snohomish County, Wash., he was employed by Anvil Knit Wear.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Arvil and Jane Greene and Samp and Mrytle Jones; two sons, Corey William Jones and Jamy Shawn Jones; and one sister, Shelia Loretta Jones.

Surviving are his wife of 16 years, Olivia Jay Barnwell Jones; three sons, Timothy Ray Jones of the home and Michael Jason Jones and Johnathan Paul Jones, both of Georgia; one daughter, Monica Violet Jones of the home; mother, Loretta Margaret Greene of Wilmot community; father, Verlon William Jones of Swannanoa; one sister, Roberta Jones Dodd of Wilmot community; one brother, Ricky Verlon Jones of Swannanoa; and two grandchildren.

The family was to have received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, at the funeral home.

Arizona Bumgarner

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today (Thursday) at Cashiers Baptist Church. The Revs. Roger Stewman, Johnny Norris and Art Fowler will officiate. Burial will be in Upper Zachary Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a member of Black Mountain Baptist Church and a daughter of the late Willie H. and Anna Fowler McCall.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Claude Bumgarner; one son, Marvin Bumgarner; one great-grandson; five brothers; and two sisters.

Surviving are three daughters, Willa Mae Stewart of Yellow Mountain community and Eddie Robinson and Martha Ingram, both of Cullowhee; one sister, Alma Robinson of Cashiers; nine grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

The family was to have received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home, where the body will remain until placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the service.

Thomas Kellum

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, at Mundy Funeral Home, South Chapel, in Clarkrange, Tenn. Brother Wayne Matthews officiated. Graveside services were held at noon Saturday, Jan. 12, at Gunter Cemetery.

A native of Alabama, he was a son of the late T.J. and Jo Nell Roberts Kellum. He was an electrician and was in the National Guard.

Surviving are his wife, Brenda Gail Gunter Kellum; one son, Ronnie Kellum of Alabama; one stepson, Steve Buchanan of Texas; four daughters, Angela Sitton of Clarkrange, Tenn., Stacy Scott and Jeannie Kellum, both of Pennsylvania, and Shelea Bass of Alabama; two brothers, Jerry and Bobby Kellum, both of Alabama; two sisters, Ann and Sue Kellum, both of Alabama; and nine grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of local arrangements.

Claude Wilson

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13, at Webster Baptist Church. The Revs. Eddie Stillwell and Mike Dellinger officiated. Burial was in Webster Cemetery with military rites conducted by Sylva American Legion Post 104. Pallbearers were Jack Sutton, Carson Cookston, Bobby Thomas, Steve Crisp, Paul Collins and Chick Jones.

Born Jan. 7, 1947, in Jackson County, he worked with N.C. Department of Transportation since 1967. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he was a son of Hester Wilson of Sylva and the late Woodrow Wilson.

He was preceded in death by one sister, Betty Ingram; and one grandson.

Surviving, in addition to his mother, are his wife, Pam Broom Wilson; one brother, Bobby Wilson of Franklin; one daughter, Lesley Dillard of Franklin; two stepsons, Stacy Tuck of Bryson City and Travis Fox of Cullowhee; and four grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Back to Archive: 01/17/02.