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 - 03/01/01

Bessie Wilson

Services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb .23, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Revs. John Reid and Rich Peoples officiated. Burial was at Dills Cemetery.

A native of Macon County and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a member of Speedwell Baptist Church. She was the daughter of the late Amos and Ida Hall Ashe and the wife of the late Lawrence Wilson.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Hixie and Henry Wilson; and two sisters, Jessie Frizzell and Mary Passmore.

Surviving are two sons, Charles Wilson of Sylva and Howard Wilson of Glenville; eight daughters, Margaret Brown of Woodruff, S.C., Doris Jones of Sylva, Jean Trantham, Janice Loftin Truett and Faye Hill, all of Dallas, Alice Wykle of Ashton, Ind., Nell Norman of Horseshoe and Helen Moore of High Point; 27 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.

Tommy Thomasson Sr.

A private family graveside service was held Saturday, Feb. 24.

A native of Swain County and a lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was self-employed as a carpenter/foreman. He was a son of the late Wayne Woodrow Thomasson.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Lynn Ballew.

Surviving are his wife, Sally Ann Thomasson; three sons, Tommy Jr., Adam and Thad Thomasson, all of the home; one brother, John Thomasson of Whittier; two sisters, Darlene Fox of Whittier and Sue Carver of Bryson City; his mother, Donna Thomasson of Whittier; and two grandchildren. Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Lloyd Leopard

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at Hamburg Baptist Church, of which he was a member. The Revs. Lester Sutton, Johnny Norris, J.C. Robinson and Ray Lewis officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery with military rites conducted by Jimmy Dillard VFW Post 10685.

A native and lifelong resident ofa Jackson County, he was a retired construction worker, a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict and a son of the late Dewitt and Minnie Whitmire Leopard. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Vandetta Roe Leopard.

Surviving are his wife, Joan Jolly Leopard; two step daughters, Sharron Jellico of Charleston, S.C., and Alice Carnegie of Jacksonville, Fla.; one sister, Opal Lee Hall of Rosman; three brothers, Talmadge Leopard of Cullowhee, Gordon Lee Leopard of Merriettia, S.C., and John Leopard of Tuckasegee; four step grandchildren; and one step grandchild.

Memorials may be made to Hospice or Hamburg Baptist Church.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Loyall Bryson

Private graveside services were held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at Old Field Cemetery. The Rev. Dillard Moore officiated.

A native of Fulton County, Ga., he was a retired serviceman for Atlanta Gas Light and a U.S. Army veteran.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Maggie Thompson Bryson, who died in 1992.

Surviving are two sons, Howard Bryson of Villa Rica, Ga., and David Bryson of Bowdon, Ga.; and two grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Old Field Cemetery, c/o Scotts Creek Baptist Church, 6 Steeple Drive, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

James Buchanan

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28, at New Hope Baptist Church, of which he was a member. The Revs. Mike Moore, Keith Ashe and Clifford Parker officiated. Burial was in East Fork Cemetery. Pallbearers were Mark, Stacy and Mike Buchanan, Terry Ashe, Jim Cowan and Freddie Sutton. Honorary pallbearers were John Ray Jones, Scott, Dustin, Jason, Travis, Aaron, Levi and Logan Buchanan.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he retired from the N.C. Department of Transportation sign department. He was a son of the late Edd and Clearsie McMahan Buchanan. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Cabe Buchanan, who died in 1976.

Surviving are one daughter, Donna Franks of Sylva; four sons, Ronnie Buchanan, Ricky Buchanan, Franky Buchanan and Johnny Buchanan, all of Sylva; six sisters, Hilda Sutton, Louise Cabe, Catherine Green, Frankie Cowan, Pauline Henderson and Jo Ann Garner, all of Sylva; three brothers, Aldon Buchanan and Buddy Buchanan, both of Sylva, and Ray Buchanan of Dillsboro; and 11 grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Rev. Dillard Mathis and wife, Minnie Mathis

A joint service was held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Garry Rogers, Carl Adams, Gerald Morris, Eddie Stillwell and Hardin Nicholson officiated. Burial was in Addie Cemetery. Pallbearers were Danny Stephens, Jody, Ronnie, Tim, Regan and Steve Mathis and Sandy Johnson. Honorary pallbearers were members of T&S Hardwood shipping department.

Dillard was a native and lifelong resident of Jackson County. He retired from the A.C. Lawrence Leather Co. and T&S Hardwood. He pastored several area churches for more than 50 years, being a member of Buff Creek Baptist Church. He was a son of the late D.A. and Belle Norman Mathis. He was preceded in death by two infant children; and one brother, Elbert Mathis.

Mrs. Mathis was a native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, a homemaker and a member of Buff Creek Baptist Church. She was a daughter of the late Cling Ashe and Paralee Mills Cope. She was preceded in death by three brothers: Bud, Oscar and Floyd Mills.

The couple is survived by two daughters, MayBelle Stephens of Sylva and Norma Jean M. Grooms of Waynesville; three sons, Frank Mathis and Lee Mathis, both of Sylva, and Cecil Mathis of Clyde; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by two sisters, Cora Painter of Greer, S.C., and Eva Frady of Sylva. She is also survived by one sister, Inez Mathis of Sylva.

Jannieve Bradley

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today (Thursday) in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Ray McCall and Mike Dillinger will officiate. Burial will be in Bradley Cemetery. A native of Swain County, she had lived most of her life in Jackson County. She retired from Western Carolina University, working in the cafeteria. She was the daughter of the late Charlie and Amanda G. Thomas.

She was preceded in death by one grandson, Anthony Hooper.

Surviving are her husband, Ralph H. Bradley; four daughters, Joyce Bryson of Hendersonville, Elizabeth Hooper of Whittier, Peggy Sellers of Enka and Alice Pennington of Athens, Ohio; two sons, Kelly Bradley and Johnny Bradley, both of Whittier; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Memorials may be made to Mountain Trace Nursing Center, 417 Mountain Trace Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

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