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 - 03/07/02

Richard Crowe

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 1, at Cherokee Baptist Church, of which he was a member. The Rev. Merritt Youngdeer officiated. Burial was in the Crowe Family Cemetery with military graveside rites conducted by Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post.

A native of Swain County, he was the son of the late Ute and Sally Sutaga Crowe. He was a craftsman, an actor and a goodwill ambassador for the Cherokee Tribe as a well-traveled lecturer on the Cherokee culture. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran, having served during World War II.

Surviving are his wife of 54 years, Berdina "Berdie" Crowe; one daughter, Linda Carol Crowe of Cherokee; two sons, Charles "Chick" Crowe of Cherokee and Alva Lee Crowe of Chattanooga, Tenn.; one half-sister, Amanda Crowe of Cherokee; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild, Mathias.

Memorials may be made to Cherokee Baptist Church, P.O. Box 395, Cherokee, N.C. 28719.

Crisp Funeral Home, Bryson City, was in charge of the arrangements.

David Pressley

Cryptside services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 2, at IOOF Mausoleum in Ellensburg.

A native of Jackson County's Speedwell community, he was a son of the late Robert Daniel and Iva lee Ash Pressley.

He married Caroline Elizabeth Conner in 1944. In 1955 they moved to Renton, Wash., where he was employed as a welder for Boeing. In 1990, they moved to Ellensburg where they operated two small farms, one on Dry Creek and another later on Riverbottom.

He was preceded in death by his wife; six sisters; and five brothers.

Surviving are one daughter, Elizabeth Ann Johnson of Ellensburg, Wash.; one son, David Wayne Pressley of Sedro Woolley, Wash.; one brother, Frank Pressley of Lakeland, Ga.; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Steward & Williams Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Raymond Alexander

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 1, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home in Sylva. The Revs. Jim Ed Powell, Jeff Powell and Larry Perry officiated. Burial was in Tuckasegee Baptist Church cemetery with military rites conducted by Sylva American Legion Post 104. Pallbearers were Monroe Franks, Marvin Prince, George Hooper, Estes Burrell, Michael Clark, Kyle Johnson and Roger Raby.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was the son of the late Luther and Laura Jane Middleton Alexander. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and a grader operator with P.M. Alexander Construction Co.

He was preceded in death by one sister, Janavie Gillis.

Surviving are one sister, Odessa Wilson of Sylva; and two brothers, Larson and Clarance Alexander, both of Tuckasegee.

Harry Morris

Graveside services were held at 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at Swain Memorial Park. Elder James Cooper officiated.

A native of Swain County, he was a resident of Meigs County, Tenn., for the past 30 years. He was the son of George Albert and Maggie Murphy Morris. He was of the Baptist faith, a retired employee of TVA and a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army.

Surviving are a brother, Bob Morris of Charlotte; and several nieces and nephews of Cherokee.

Bill Moody Funeral Home, Bryson City, assisted the family with arrangements.

James Husted

No services are planned.

Moody Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Helen Henson

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 2, at Victory Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Rev. Wes Bowman officiated. Burial was in Addie Cemetery. Pallbearers were Ray Shepherd, Issac Hall, Carol Henson, Jason Lohrente, John Cooy and Tadeusz Okninski.

A native of Simpson, Pa., she lived in Jackson County since 1983 and was the daughter of the late Jan and Anna Chipala.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Jack Henson Sr., who died in 1992; one daughter, Laura; one stepson, Charles Jack Henson Jr.; and two granddaughters.

Surviving are two daughters, Janice Lohrentz of Sylva and Donna Okninski of Frederick, Md.; one stepdaughter, Barbara Ann Shepherd of Franklin; one step granddaughter; and two grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Victory Baptist Church, Angel Hospice or Addie Cemetery Fund.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Effie Davis

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 2, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Revs. Dan Stiles and Mike Moore officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Ronnie Guffey, Wade Guffey, Radford Guffey, Michel Guffey, Lloyd Webb and Bobbie Webb.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she retired from Western Carolina University laundry service, was a homemaker and member of Loves Chapel Methodist Church. She was the daughter of the late Fred and Ella Collins Barron.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Bob and Frank Barron; and one sister, Etta Guffey.

Surviving are her husband of 65 years, Ralph Davis Sr.; one son, Ralph Davis Jr. of Sylva; two sisters, Rose Webb of Sylva and Ann Buchanan of Arden; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

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

Arbutus Ward

A graveside memorial for her and her husband, Cecil McClure, who died Dec. 12, 2001, was held at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, at Mt. Herman Baptist Church Cemetery. The Rev. Don Sanders officiated.

A native of Sylva, she was a daughter of Frank and Bonnie Ensley Ward. She graduated from high school in Sylva and worked with an insurance firm until marrying Cecil McClure in 1947. They moved to Durham, where she began her career as wife, mother and homemaker.

Surviving are one daughter, Dee McClure of Greely, Colo.; two sisters, Mildred Paschall and Eloise Vierra, both of Durham; and one granddaughter.

Paul Roper

Private services and burial will be held at a later date.

A native of Miami, Okla., he lived in Jackson County for the past two years. He was a member of the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, a building contractor and an Army veteran of World War II. He was the son of the late Frank and Nettie Staton Roper.

He was preceded in death by three brothers.

Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Eliner Peterson Roper; and one daughter, Margene Roper of Whittier.

Memorials may be made to one's favorite charity.

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

James Connor

Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Eddie Stillwell, Carl Adams and Avery Brown officiated. Burial was in New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers were Brandon Ray, Lyle Connor, Richard Sitton, David Sitton, Curtis Allison and Darren Allison.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a son of the late Oscar Lee and Ella Cooper Connor.

He retired from Suburban Propane as a serviceman and was a member of Long Branch Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Oscar Connor Jr. and Harold Connor.

Surviving are his wife of 47 years, Frances Allison Connor; one daughter, Janet Ray of Waynesville; two sons, James Dale Connor of Sylva and Mark Connor of Tuckasegee; one brother, Lyle Connor of Candler; five sisters, Sue Connor of Sylva, Erma Buchanan of Brevard, Jolene Buchanan and Betty Rogers of Candler and Mary Buchanan of Canton; and six grandchildren.

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

Nolan Connor

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, at Wayside Baptist Church. The Revs. Fred Watkins and David Harris officiated. Burial was in Dave Connor Family Cemetery with military rites conducted by Sylva American Legion Post 104. Pallbearers were Jerry Connor, Dennis Conner, David Nichols, Steven Connor, Bill Carr and Lance Helewski.

A native of Rutherford County, he had lived in Jackson County for the last six years. He was a self-employed building contractor and a U.S. Army veteran.

Surviving are his wife of 14 years, Nancy Bennett Connor; his mother, Hattie Nolita Mathis Estes of Sylva; his father, Jerry Dennis Connor of Sylva; two sons, Johnathan Andrew Connor and Michael Chad Connor, both of Sylva; one sister, Angela Renee Connor of Sylva; and two brothers, Jerry Lee Connor and Dennis Bryan Connor, both of Sylva.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Flossie Thompson

Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, at Shepherd Memorial Park.

She was born in Del Rio, Tenn., the daughter of the late David Turner and Lizzie O'Dell Turner and had lived in the Sylva area for most of her life.

Surviving are one sister, Gonnie Allen of Alcoa, Tenn.; one son, Buck Shealy of San Diego; 11 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the WNC Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, 3 Louisiana Ave., Asheville, N.C. 28806.

Thos. Shepherd & Son Funeral Directors in Hendersonville were in charge of arrangements.

John Mueller

A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, March 8, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 22 Barlett St., Sylva. Father James Cahill will officiate. The family will receive friends at the University Inn immediately following the service.

Proprietor of the University Inn in Cullowhee for the past 12 years, he was a Marine Corps veteran of World War II. A native of Cook County, Ill., he operated a business in Chicago before moving to Ft. Myers, Fla., in 1965, where he lived until this past year. He was the son of the late Nicholas and Eva Berg Mueller.

Surviving are his wife, Nancy Mueller; and one daughter, Janet Geddes of Cullowhee.

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

Moody Funeral Home is assisting the family.

John Kinyon

A memorial service and burial will take place in Elmira, N.Y., in the near future.

He was born on May 23, 1918, in Elmira, N.Y. He graduated from the University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music, receiving his master's degree from Ithaca College. In 1984, he was awarded an honorary doctor of arts degree from Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C.

Throughout his 40-year career teaching school music and directing school bands, he became internationally famous as a composer and arranger of music for young bands and traveled extensively in his capacity as guest conductor and clinician at many schools and universities. He served in the U.S. Army Band.

In 1982, he retired from his 15-year position as professor of music education at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla., and moved with his wife to Tuckasegee, where they lived for 16 years and where he continued his writing.

Surviving are his wife, Elizabeth; nine daughters; one son, 24 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Charles and Richard of Rochester, N.Y.

Mary Estes

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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