Obituary Information

The Sylva Herald prints obituaries free of charge as a service to readers.

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 - 03/14/02

Mary Estes

Mary Ellen Sutton Estes, 78, of Paradise Lane, Sylva, died unexpectedly Tuesday, March 5, 2002, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 8, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeal Home. The Revs. Clifford Parker and David Souderes officiated. Burial was in Old Savannah Cemetery. Pallbearers were Jeff Pruitt, Ronnie Pruitt, Doug Farmer, Grover Cabe, Mack Barker and Woodrow Frady.

A native of Jackson County, where she lived most of her life, she was the last child of the late Robert Neal and Lizzie Brooks Sutton. She retired from General Electric and was a member of Old Savannah Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charlie Thomas Estes, who died in 1998, and one son, Jessie "J.C." Estes, who died in January.

Surviving are three daughters, Sarah Elizabeth Lyon of Sylva, Joyce Pruitt of Wallace and Jean Lozano of Arlington, Texas; four sons, Tom Estes of Princeton, Ill., Don Estes of Rock Falls, Ill., Mike Estes of Polo, Ill., and David Estes of Sylva; 12 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 68 Hospital Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779; or American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 925, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Reeves Colville

Reeves M. Colville, 51, of Bryson City, died Wednesday, March 6, 2002, at Mission St. Joseph's Health System in Asheville.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 10, in the chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home, Bryson City. The Rev. Tom Harris officiated. Burial was at Swain Memorial Park.

He was born in Jackson County, was a lifelong resident of Bryson City, a member of Victory Baptist Church and a veteran of the N.C. Air National Guard.

He was the son of the late Reeves M. Colville Sr. and Hazel Moore Colville.

Surviving are two brothers, Jimmy Colville and Stephen Colville, both of Bryson City; and one sister, Laura C. Parton of Bryson City.

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

Larry Seay

Larry "LeRoy" Seay, 53, of Franklin, died Friday, March 1, 2002, in an Asheville hospital. Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, in the chapel of Macon Funeral Home. The Revs. Mark Bishop and Steve Reeves officiated. Burial was in Ridgecrest Baptist Church Cemetery, Franklin, with military graveside rites conducted by the VFW Post 7339 and the American Legion Post 108.

Pallbearers were Junior Patton, Tracy Hooper, Bryan Hooper, Tony Ledford, Bobby Bishop, Scottie Bishop, Joe Jennings, John Michael Seay, Eddie Mason and Patrick Rathbone.

A native of Macon County, he was a son of John and Myrtle Sanders Seay. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church and attended Windy Gap Baptist Church.

Surviving, in addition to his parents, are one brother, Kenny Seay of Killeen, Texas; and two sisters, Diane Hooper of Sylva and Wanda Ledford of Franklin.

Memorials may be made to the Windy Gap Baptist Church Building Fund.

Mary Justice

Mary Ila Parris Justice, 76, of Sylva's Addie community, died Friday, March 8, 2002, at Ensley Adult Care Center after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 12, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Gerald Morris and Jarvis Teague officiated. Burial was in Garrett Hillcrest Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, where she lived most of her life, she was a member of North Hazelwood Baptist Church and sang in the choir. She was owner and operator of Ila An's Beauty Shop in Waynesville for a number of years.

She was daughter of Para Lee Fisher Parris of Sylva and the late John Manson Parris.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Reuben Joe Justice, who died in 2000.

Surviving, in addition to the mother, are one daughter, Barbara Segars of Wilmington; one son, Thomas Joe Justice of Durham; one brother, Jim Parris of Roswell, Ga.; and three grandchildren.

George Tolley

George Thomas "Jerome" Tolley, 83, of Laurel Branch Road, Sylva, died Thursday, March 7, 2002, at his residence after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 10, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Leland Green and Robert Stiles officiated. Burial was in Old Field Cemetery. Pallbearers were Mike Pressley, Jeff Hoyle, Benny Frizzell, Tommy Rogers, John Tolley and Carl Trantham.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was the son of the late James "Jim" and Lillie Mae Seay Tolley.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Albert, Dink and Jesse Tolley; one sister, Lizzie Ramsey; and two half sisters, Tiny Jane and Ruby Ann Stephens.

Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Rosa Harris Tolley; two sons, Charles Tolley and Jackie Tolley, both of Sylva; two daughters, Peggy Plaster and Carolyn Trantham, both of Sylva; one brother, Jack Tolley of Sylva; two sisters, Stella Bradley of Cherokee and Rachel Gourley of Stem; five half brothers, Dewy and Robert Tolley of Sylva and Arby, John and Harold Tolley of South Carolina; one half sister, Irene Davis of South Carolina; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Eugene Wood

C. Eugene Wood, 57, of Whittier, died Sunday, March 10, 2002, in a Buncombe County hospital.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, in the chapel of Crisp Funeral Home in Bryson City. The Revs. Ned Pressley and Ray Fox officiated. Burial was in Union Hill Cemetery. A native and lifelong resident of Whittier, he was the son of the late Enoch and Verdie Beck Wood. He was a school bus driver for Jackson and Swain counties for more than 30 years. Surviving is his aunt, Annie Wood Reese of Sylva.

Lewis Mingus

Lewis F. Mingus, 58, of Nicole Arms Road, Sylva, died Saturday, March 9, 2002, at Mission St. Joseph's Health System after a period of declining health.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at Liberty Baptist Church, of which he was a member. The Rev. Eugene Smith will officiate. Burial will be in Parris Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, where he lived most of his life, he was employed with Jackson County and was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He was a son of the late Leroy Casey and Mary Ella Boyd.

Surviving are his wife, Linda Bryson Mingus; one son, Jason Mingus of Asheville; one stepdaughter, Ellerna Cannon of Sylva; two stepsons, Dana Bryson of Simpsonville, S.C., and Thomas Bryson of Greensboro; three brothers, Jimmy, Joseph and Bobby Casey of Michigan; two grandchildren; and three stepgrandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the National Kidney Foundation.

The family was to have received friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home, where the body was to remain until placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the services.

Drucilla Walker

Drucilla White Walker, 78, of Sylva, died Monday, March 11, 2002.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. today (Thursday) in the chapel of Dillard Memorial Custom Funerals. Burial will follow at Reid Family Cemetery in Lake Toxaway.

A native of Transylvania County, she was the daughter of the late Luther White and Nancy Galloway White. She was a homemaker.

Surviving are one daughter, Linda Walker Jones of Pickens, S.C.; two stepdaughters, Hazel Raines of Easley, S.C., and Geneva Gibson of Liberty, S.C.; one stepson, Ernest Siler of Travelers Rest, S.C.; one brother, Curtis White of Pickens, S.C.; one grandchild; 16 great-grandchildren; and a number of great-great-grandchildren.

Dave Parker

Dave T. Parker of Sylva's Little Savannah community died Tuesday, March 12, 2002, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.