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.

Read More . . .

Obituaries - 02/01/01

Ginger Burns

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at Sylva First United Methodist Church. Burial was at Parris Cemetery immediately following the service.

She was born in Jacksonville, Fla., to the late William James Burns and Annette Whigham Burns. She was the founder and owner of National Reporting Service in Asheville since 1984 and worked as a court reporter for the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts.

Surviving are one brother, William James "Jim" Burns of Sylva; and two sisters, Sherry Burns Wilson of Sylva and Jamie Burns Cox of Colleyville, Texas.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Sally Roberts

Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28, at Fairview Memorial Gardens in Sylva. Father James Cahill officiated. A rosary was held at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27.

A native and former resident of Key West, Fla., she was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sylva.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Helen Curry.

Surviving are her husband, Terry W. Roberts; her father, Robert F. Roberts of Key West, Fla.; three daughters, Dawn Legge of Ocala, Fla., and Michelle R. Queen and Heather Woodring, both of Sylva; one brother, Richard Roberts of Key West, Fla.; and five grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Lee Bradley

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m Sunday, Jan. 28, at Bethabara Baptist Church. The Rev. Dan Lambert officiated. Burial was in Birdtown Cemetery. Pallbearers were members of Steve Youngdeer Post 143 American Legion.

A native of Swain County, he was a son of the late G.W. and Julia McCoy Bradley. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving in World War II and the Korean Conflict. He was a member of the Steve Youngdeer Post 143 American Legion and was a retired employee of Singer Furniture Co.

Surviving are four sisters, Trudy Fann of Johnson City, Tenn., Doris B. Green of Houston, Pa., Vivian McCollough of Whittier and Faye Queen of Asheville; and two brothers, David and Jack Bradley, both of Cherokee.

Crisp Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Mildred England

Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at Melton Funeral Home in Providence. The Rev. Terry Rhye officiated. Burial was in Lakeview Cemetery.

She was a daughter of the late Elias and Elsie Bolin Smiley and granddaughter of the late Rev. John S. and Happy Gibson Smiley. She was a native of Swain County and a member of Cold Springs Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Arley English. They lived in both Jackson and Swain counties before moving to Oak Ridge, Tenn., and later to Providence, Ky.

Surviving are two daughters, Arlene Biglen of Denver, Colo., and Judie Zachary of Louisville, Ky.; one son, James England of Paducah, Ky.; two sisters, Ora Sandlin of Bryson City and Edie Galloway of Morganton; eight grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

Ida Deitz

Funeral services were held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28, at Webster Baptist Church, of which she was a lifelong member. The Revs. Mike Dellinger, Eddie Stillwell and Ray McCall officiated. Burial was in Stillwell Cemetery. Pallbearers were Wayne Ashe, Randy Ashe, Michael Ashe, Harold Cole, Ray Carpenter and James Carpenter.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she lived a brief period of time in Prineville, Ore. She was a daughter of the late Jacob and Belle Stillwell Carpenter.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Alvin Deitz, who died in 1982; two sons, Alvin Deitz, Jr. and Edward Deitz; one sister and two brothers.

Surviving are two daughters, Lahoma Figgins and Nita Jackson, both of Oregon; three sons, Charles Kenneth Deitz of Oregon, Arnold Deitz of Otto and Raymond Deitz of Honduras; one sister, Sara Belle Stanberry of Boone; 21 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and 15 great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the N.C. Baptist Men, Honduras Mission, P.O. Box 1107, Cary, N.C. 27512. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Naomi Greene

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26, in the chapel of Garrett Funeral Home. Burial was in Conner Family Cemetery in Sylva.

Daughter of the late Charley Pearson Conard and Ellen Rebecca Moore Conard, she was a waitress, a member of Wayside Missionary Baptist Church and a caregiver for the elderly.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Gilmer Chester Conner and Tommy Norman Greene; five brothers; and one sister.

Surviving are one daughter, Norma Conner of Candler; two stepdaughters, Mary Juanita Jarrett of Fairmont, Ga., and Wanda Sue Martin of Jasper, Ga.; two sisters, Ada Rogers of Sylva and Alice Overman of Waynesville; four half-sisters, Unia Janes, Demia M. Fisher and Barbara H. McCulough, all of Waynesville, and Linda Putman of Arden; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to VHP Home Health, 70 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, N.C. 28801.

Online guest registry may be signed at www.legacy.com.

Francis Burr

Born in Manchester, Conn., he was the son of Louis St. Clair and Ella Fairchild Burr and was raised at Applecroft, their family farm. He graduated from South Manchester High School in 1928. He received a bachelor of arts and master of arts in chemistry from Wesleyan University in 1933 and 1935, respectively. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, captain of the swimming team, and in later years served as a trustee of the university.

He married Marion in 1936. He was a textile chemist and the early part of his career included work for Monsanto and Burlington Mills in St. Louis, Birmingham, Charlotte and Greensboro, and Boston. From the mid-1950s until the mid-1980s he became associate director at Fabric Research Labs (Albany International, Co.) in Dedham, Mass., and the family resided in Danvers, Mass.

He was involved with the Boy Scouts of America for more than 50 years; activities that included becoming an Eagle Scout in 1928, leading or assisting several Explorer and Scout Troops, and Presidential recognition as a recipient of the Silver Beaver award. He maintained a lifetime affiliation with the Methodist church beginning with the South United Methodist Church of Manchester, Conn. He sang in the choir and was a lay leader for more than 30 years for the Holy Trinity Methodist Church in Danvers, Mass. For the last six years he has been a member of the Cullowhee Methodist Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marion Elizabeth Legg, who died in 1994; and two brothers, Myron F. and Roberts D.

Surviving are one daughter, Susan Fairchild; two sons, Francis Kelsey Jr., and Jonathan Legg; three grandchildren; and one sister, Elena B. Tuthill.

Moody Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Patricia Sutton

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at Old Savannah Baptist Church. The Revs. Clifford Parker, Steve Bialy and Mike Dellinger will officiate. Burial will be in East Fork Cemetery.

A native of Chambersburg, Pa., she had lived in Jackson County for the past five years. She was a member of Webster Baptist Church and daughter of the late Raymond and Eva May Suters Brown.

Surviving are her husband of 51 years, the Rev. L.F. "Bill" Sutton; two daughters, Barbara Sutton Taylor of Tifton, Ga., and Janice Sutton Hildebrand of Boone; one son, Douglas F. Sutton of Laurinburg; one sister, Betsy Gayle of Fredricksburg, Va.; and nine grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Jesus Video Project, Campus Crusade for Christ, 202 Greens Creek Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. The family was to have received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, at the funeral home.

Howard Gibson

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home chapel. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was self-employed and was the son of the late Pink and Ella Evans Gibson.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Maybelle Elders Gibson, who died in 1996; two daughters, Wanda Jean Gibson and Sandra Kay Gibson; one son, Robert Dale Gibson; three brothers; and two sisters.

Surviving are four daughters, Annie Jo Jones and Doris Coggins, both of Sylva, Irene Hodgins of Webster and Gail Mathis of Whittier; one sister, Hilda Cabe of Sylva; 11 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Shelba Roper

Funeral services were held at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28, in the chapel of Bryant Funeral Home. The Revs. Lewis Smith and Tom Grubb officiated. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery. Pallbearers were Larry Moses, Tony Ashe, Eddie Sheffield, Rick Rogers, Terry Bates and Terry Cabe.

A native of Macon County, she was the daughter of the late Harley W. and Minnie Belle Welch Burnette. She was a former hostess at Sunset Restaurant and was a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church.

Surviving are her husband of 44 years, Gerald Roper; one daughter, Dinah Mashburn of Franklin; two sisters, Edna Carnes of Covington, Ga., and Christine Woodard of Sylva; two brothers, Buster Burnette and Joe Burnette, both of Franklin; and two grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Samaritan's Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, N.C. 28607.

Bryant Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

William Peek

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28, at Ellijay Missionary Baptist Church. The Revs. Jerry King and Ernie Sanders officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Michael Peek, Craig Naegler, Jeremy Cabe, Furman Peek, Don Sanders and Ernie Higdon.

A native of Macon County, he was the son of the late Issac Henry Peek and Ann Houston Peek. He was a retired carpenter and farmer and a member of Ellijay Missionary Baptist Church.

Surviving are his wife of 57 years, Annivee Edith Ammons Peek; three daughters, Hazel Peek and Edith Peek, both of Franklin, and Dollie Bumgarner of Sylva; two sons, Ernest Peek and Wesley Peek, both of Franklin; two sisters, Sarah Montieth and Lettie Bishop, both of Franklin; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Bryant Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Anna O'Neil

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. at New Hope Baptist Church. The Revs. Mike Moore, Earl Holden and Henry Burton officiated. Burial was in New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, she was the daughter of Mary E. Keener Nicholson of Sylva and the late William Robert Nicholson. She was a retired LPN and a charter member of New Hope Baptist Church.

Surviving, in addition to her mother, are her husband, Robert F. O'Neil; one daughter, Diana D. Minyard of Piedmont, S.C.; two sons, Curtis R. Mason of Old Fort and Joseph B. Mason of Mauldin, S.C.; one brother, James Robert Nicholson of Sylva; and three grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Broyhill Children's Home, 111 Sneed Drive, Clyde, N.C. 28721.

Bryant Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Loman Giles

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m, Monday, Jan. 29, at Riverside Baptist Church. The Rev. Allen Lefler and Clarence Morris Sr. officiated. Burial followed at Gaston Memorial Park. Pallbearers were Scott Wilbanks, Rickey Bailey, Randy Morris, John Bartlett, Dennis Merck, Dennis Evans and Junior Stevens. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Bill Murray Sunday school class.

A native of Bluefield, W.Va., he was a son of the late David Crockett and Cordelia Smith Giles. He was a retired textile employee, a brick mason, a U.S. Navy veteran having served in the Caribbean during World War II, and a member of Riverside Baptist Church in Cramerton, where he was a deacon.

Surviving are his wife, Geneva Holden Giles; one son, Dennis Giles of Roanoke, Va.; one brother, Irvin Giles of Johnson City, Tenn.; two sisters, Arlecy Moore of Cramerton and Juanita Lane of Gastonia; and two grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Riverside Baptist Church, 76 Riverside Drive, Cramerton, N.C. 28032.

Pat Hyatt

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today (Thursday) at the chapel of Garrett Funeral Home. The Rev. Ray Willett will officiate. Burial will be in Garrett-Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Jesse Littrell, Bob Palmer, Jeff Palmer, Mike Gillett, Tim Gillett, Michael David Hyatt and Chase Palmer.

She was born in Jackson County to Elsie Lorine Hamilton Franklin and the late I.E. Franklin. She worked for 12 years as a volunteer for the Haywood County 4-H program, six years volunteering for the Tuscola marching band and retired from Haywood County Hospital. She was a member of Long's Chapel United Methodist Church.

Surviving, in addition to her mother of Waynesville, are her husband, Carroll Hyatt; two daughters, Brandy Leigh Hyatt and Amber Renee Hyatt, both of Charlotte; and two sisters, Sheila Whitmire of Waynesville and Zelda Sims of Harrisburg.

An online guest registry may be signed at www.legacy.com sponsored by Garrett Funeral Home.

Back to Archive: 02/01/01.