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 - 03/15/01

John Crowe

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 9, in Charles George Gymnasium. The Rev. Dale Banks and Ray Kinsland officiated. Burial was in the Crowe Family Cemetery.

Crowe was born Oct. 7, 1917, to Mollie Welch Crowe and Wesley Crowe and was one of six children. He had resided in the Big Witch community all his life. He attended Cherokee High School and in 1940 entered the U.S Army, serving his country until 1945 in the European Theater of combat during World War II.

Upon returning to Cherokee in 1945, he completed four years of vocational training in building construction trades.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ollie Wolfe Crowe, who died in 1998.

Surviving, in addition to his son, are three grandsons; and four great-grandchildren.

Chief Crowe was the 22nd principal chief of the Cherokee Indians since tribal reorganization in 1869. He served the tribal government for more than 32 years. He became chief on April 4, 1973, upon the death of Chief Noah Powell. He was elected vice chief in 1971 and at the death of Chief Powell, he automatically assumed the duties of principal chief.

He was re-elected for two additional terms in 1975 and 1979. In 1975, he received 86 percent of the votes. Chief Crowe served as chief's advisor and tribal executive officer to Principal Chief Jonathan Taylor from 1987 to 1991; to Principal Chief Jarrett B. Blythe for eight years; to Principal Chief Walter Jackson for three and a half years; and to Chief Noah Powell for six months. He also served on the Tribal Council for six years.

During his term as principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, a new high school was built, as well as a new hospital and other tribal projects. He worked to improve the tribe's education, health, housing, roads, employment, economic development and numerous other areas.

He was active in school sports throughout the years and attended all sports events involving the youth, both in-school and reservation wide, as long as his health permitted. The new Cherokee Recreation Complex is named in his honor. He continued his dedication to the Cherokee youth even after his last term as a tribal official.

Chief Crowe worked for the Cherokee Historical Association from its beginning, supervising construction and maintenance for 22 years, 1949 through 1971. He also managed the Cherokee Boys Club's building department during its early years and had served on the club's advisory committee, as well as the Children's Home Advisory Committee since these organizations were established.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Julia Pannell

Services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, March 12, at Buff Creek Baptist Church. The Revs. Frank Brooks and Eddie Stillwell officiated. Burial was at Addie Cemetery. Pallbearers were Jim Taylor, Tim Pannell, Scott Gunter, Billy Ray Gunter, Dusty Jones and Marlin Johnson.

A native of Graham County and a lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a member of Dicks Creek Baptist Church. She worked at Dayco Corp. during World War II and was a homemaker most of her life. She was the daughter of the late Garnie and Dollie Johnson Pannell.

She was preceded in death by one son, Charles Pannell; one brother, William Pannell; and one sister, Marie Pannell Taylor.

Surviving are two daughters, Debbie Pannell Baird and Margie Pannell Webb, both of Sylva; one brother, James Pearson Pannell of Sylva; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Edward Mathis

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 6, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Revs. Pervie Stines and Clifford Parker officiated. Burial was in Parris Cemetery. Pallbearers were Bill Hall, Gene Harris, Josh Moore, Chris Moore, Craig Farmer and the Rev. Larry Robinson.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a son of Mary Nicholson Mathis of Sylva and the late Claude Mathis Sr. He was a long-haul truck driver with Ryder Trucking Co.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Asbury and Samuel Mathis; and two sisters, Juanita Mathis and Frances Pearl Farmer.

Surviving, in addition to his mother, are two daughters, Marina Mathis Moose of Robbinsville and Pamela Mathis Snyder of Sylva; one son, Kimsey Scott of Sylva; two sisters, Dianne Harris of Webster and Reva Hall of Sylva; one brother, Claude Mathis Jr. of Sylva; and six grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to American Diabetes Association, 3109 Poplarwood Court, Suite 125, Raleigh, N.C. 27604-1043.

Jesse Lambert

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Monday, March 12, at Acquoni Baptist Chapel. The Rev. Robert Christopher and Ray Kinsland officiated. Burial was at the Raymond Lambert Family Cemetery. Pallbearers were Don Nelson, Robert Cooper, Ervin Owl, Bill Lambert and Jess Winstead.

A native and lifelong resident of Swain County, he was a member of Acquoni Baptist Chapel and a former game warden with Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. He had worked in construction and was a farmer. He was the son of the late Joseph Lambert Sr. and Louisa Goforth Lambert. He was preceded in death by one son, Jamy Lambert.

Surviving are his wife, Genevieve Lambert; two sons, Joel Queen and Randy Catt of Cherokee; three daughters, Donna Owl and Dana Nelson, both of Cherokee, and Ronnie Gaines of Missouri; one sister, Nellie Washington of Cherokee; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Grace Peterson

Funeral services were held at Lutheran Church in Estherville, Iowa, Tuesday, Feb. 27.

She was the daughter of the late Harry and Eloise Sumner Berchenbriter.

Surviving are her husband, Allan Peterson; four brothers, Edward of Des Moines, Iowa, Floyd of Tucson, Ariz., David of New York City and Kenneth of Oklahoma City, Okla.; and two aunts, including Mildred Sumner Phillips of Sylva.

Charles Ward

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at Wilmot Baptist Church. Burial was in Wilmot Community Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, he had lived in Newport News for the past 45 years. He retired from Newport News Shipyard, where he worked as a welding instructor in Department 018.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Narvie W. and Lula A. Ward; one son, Bobby Ward; one sister, Eleanor Cook; and one grandson.

Surviving are his wife, Betty Ward; one son, Ellis "Randy" Ward of Hampton, Va.; one daughter, Patsy Zumbrum of Ventura, Calif.; six sisters, Ruby Morgan of Bryson City, Frankie Dean of Sylva, Rozelle Mathis, Pearl Hammett and Margaret Hill, all of Hendersonville, and Dorothy Turpin of Webster; two brothers, Joe Ward of Sylva and Roy Ward of Whittier; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Harry Wareheim

Memorial services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 11, in the chapel of Macon Funeral Home. The Rev. Kenneth Carver officiated.

A native of Baltimore, he was a son of the late Avner and Hallie Harrison Wareheim. He was self-employed, owning Smoky Mountain Tool Sharpening. He was a World War II Navy veteran, a member of Junaluskee Lodge 145 and attended Sugarfork Baptist Church.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Forseith Wareheim.

Surviving are one daughter, Kathy Hatton of Mango, Fla.; one brother, Avner Wareheim of Miami; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Sugarfork Baptist Church or Sugarfork Baptist Church Building Fund, 56 Shadow Lane, Franklin, N.C. 28734.

Robert Connell

A native of Winter Garden, Fla., he moved to North Carolina in 1988. He retired from Orlando Utility Co., was a Baptist and served with the U.S. Marine Corps in Korea.

Surviving are his wife, Barbara V. Connell; five sons, Bob W. Connell of Cullowhee, William W. Connell and Michael E. Dauphinee of Orlando, Fla., Randy P. Dauphinee of Winter Park, Fla., and Jeff A. Dauphinee of Brandon, Fla.; and six grandchildren.

Samuel Hornbuckle

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, at Goose Creek Baptist Church, of which he was a member. Burial was in Locust Family Cemetery. Pallbearers were Buddy Mathis, Eddie Lossiah, Charles Ivey, Wilson Walkingstick, Freddie Mathis and Sam Otter.

He was a lifelong resident of Swain County, a veteran of the US. Air Force, played bass guitar for the Carolina Crossmen Quartet and was employed by the Cherokee Boys Club for several years as a charter and school bus driver until he was disabled.

He was preceded in death by his father, John Hornbuckle Sr., and one brother, William Jefferson Hornbuckle.

Surviving are his wife, Juanita Walkingstick Hornbuckle; one daughter, Laura Danielle Hornbuckle of the home; one stepson, Marcus Stewart of the home; his mother, Edna Locust Hornbuckle of Cherokee; three sisters, Barbara George, Carol Tramper and Lillie Bradley, all of Cherokee; two brothers, Jack Hornbuckle of Cherokee and John S. Hornbuckle Jr. of Walhalla, S.C. Crisp Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Willie Raby

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 13, at Acquoni Baptist Church. The Revs. Roland Whitaker, Bob Christopher and Ray Kinsland officiated. Burial was in Bethel Cemetery in Cherokee.

A native and lifelong resident of Cherokee, she was a member of Yellow Hill Baptist Church. Since 1997, she was employed by Harrah's Casino. She was a daughter of the late Austin Robert and Bessie Arch Wahnetah.

She was preceded in death by one sister, Vivian Ross.

Surviving are her husband, Thomas "Tink" Raby; four sons, Rob, Dave and Tom Wahnetah and Jeff McCoy of Cherokee; two sisters, Phyllis Lambert and Nancy "Jim" Taylor of Cherokee; and eight grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Julius Breedlove

Graveside rites were held during buried Monday, March 12, in Union, Ore., where his wife is buried. He was born in Ellensburg, Wash., on July 28, 1914, the son of the late Rev. W.M. and Minnie Todd Breedlove.

He grew up in Glenville and was a graduate of Glenville High School in 1933. He joined the U.S. Navy and was a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, where he was stationed on the ship, the U.S.S. California in 1941.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Ralph Breedlove in 1976; and his wife, Pat Davis Breedlove in 2000.

Surviving are one daughter, Lois Breedlove of Ellensburg, Wash.; two sons, Paul and Todd Breedlove of Klamath Falls, Ore.; two sisters, Viola Bryson of Glenville and Margaret Crawford of Otto.

Memorials may be made to Hamburg Baptist Church, where he was a member.

Loveland Funeral Chapel in La Grande, Ore., was in charge of arrangements.

Johnny Wood

Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 11, at Whittier Church of God. The Revs. Ned Pressley and Paul R. Sale officiated. Burial was in Whittier Cemetery.

A native of Swain County, he was a son of the late Clint and Cora Woods Wood. He was a member of Steve Youngdeer Post 143, American Legion, and was a veteran of World War II.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Enoch Wood.

Surviving are his wife, Mary Bryson Wood; one daughter, Mary Jenkins of Whittier; four sons, Harold Wood of Colorado Springs, Colo., Harry Wood of Whittier, Larry Wood of Bryson City and Rick Wood of Sylva; two brothers, Wayne Wood of Forks, Wash., and Richard Wood of Whittier; one sister, Annie Reece of Sylva; 14 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Crisp Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Levi Oocumma

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at Bethabara Baptist Church. Pastor Mitchell Smiley, Doyce Cannon and Ray Kinsland will officiate. Burial will be at Washington Cemetery at Jenkins Creek. The body was returned to the church Wednesday, March 14, at 4 p.m. to await the service hour.

A native of Swain County, he was a 1975 graduate of Cherokee High School, where his accomplishments included Best All Around, Monogram Club, vice president, football, honorable mention, co-captain, All-Conference basketball and baseball. Playing quarterback his junior year, he went to the state championship both his junior and senior year. In addition, he played running back, safety, wide receiver and defensive end. He attended Haskell Indian Institute for one year, playing football, and later playing semi-pro football.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Jasper and Luzene Queen, and his grandmother, Lewee Crowe.

Surviving are his parents, Boyd and Kina Queen Littlejohn; five sisters, Annie Oocumma, Susan Davis, Norma Oocumma, Peggy Littlejohn and Ahli-Sha Littlejohn; four brothers, Moses Oocumma, Joe Oocumma, Clint Oocumma and Henry Littlejohn.

Moody Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Back to Archive: 03/15/01.