Obituary Information

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

When possible, obituaries should be submitted to The Herald from the funeral home in charge of arrangements. Information received will be printed in our standard obituary format. As is the case with all information submitted to The Herald, we reserve the right to edit obituary information to fit our standard format.

We publish names of the deceased's children; we also include the number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We do not include in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews or special friends.

Included in a brief history of the deceased is items such as their employment, professional, civic, community and religious affiliations. We omit personal tributes.

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Obituaries - 03/20/03

Genevieve Meador

Genevieve "Gennie" Cline Meador, 65, died Saturday, March 15, 2003, in Beverly Hills Nursing Home in Royal Oak, Mich.

Funeral services were held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, at Lynch and Sons Funeral Home.

She was born May 26, 1937, in Cullowhee and was a former resident of Sylva. Daughter of the late Rev. Grady Cline and Imogene Cline, she lived in East Pointe, Mich., before moving to Sterling Heights, where she was a resident for 10 years. She retired from Miejer in 2000, after 13 years as a customer service representative.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Meador; and two sisters, Dorothy Buchanan and Lois Wong.

Surviving are three daughters, Connie Meador, Brenda Meador and Renee Bongiorno; one son, Michael Meador; two sisters, Hazel Wyatt and Rachel Rogers; three brothers, Hoyle "John" Cline, Harold Cline and Bill Cline; and five grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Michigan, 400 Mack Ave. Detroit, Mich. 48201; or Hospice of Henry Ford-St. Joseph, One Ford Plaza, Ste 5A, Detroit, Mich. 48202-3067.

An on-line registry is at www.lynchfuneraldirectors.com.

Dorothy Jonas

Dorothy "Dot" Greene Jonas, 78, of 901 Woodside Drive, Kings Mountain, died Tuesday, March 11, 2003, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Friday, March 14, at Central United Methodist Church in Kings Mountain. Burial was in Mountain Rest Cemetery.

A native of Cleveland County, she was a daughter of the late Frank J. and Gertie Clark Greene. She was a retired sales associate with Matthew Belk in Gastonia and was a member of Central United Methodist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James W. "Jim" Jonas; two sisters, Kathleen Walker and Donna Petranck; one brother, Clyde Jonas Greene; and one grandson.

Surviving are one daughter, Carolyn Jonas Gardner of Greencastle, Penn.; one brother, Frank J. Greene of Florence, S.C. ; and two grandchildren, including Ann Gardner of Sylva.

Memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 37, Kings Mountain, N.C. 28086.

Harris Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

James Martin

James Herman Martin, 89, of Bryson City's Betts Branch community, died Wednesday, March 12, 2003, at Mission-St. Jospeh Hospital in Asheville from injuries sustained in a vehicle accident in January.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 16, in the chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home. The Revs. Perry Cole and Harvey Gass officiated. Burial was in Union Hill Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, he had lived in Swain County for the past 15 years. He was retired from the N.C. Department of Transportation's maintenance department and was a member of Patterson Chapel Baptist Church. He was a son of the late Mary Elizabeth Molly Laney.

He was preceded in death by three brothers and four sisters.

Surviving are one daughter, Helen M. Crisp of Whittier; one sister, Roberta Martin of Hickory; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Lucy Mills

Lucy Louise Mills, 93, of Ashe Loop Road, Sylva, died Tuesday, March 11, 2003, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 13, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Loy Kennedy officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Derrell Mills, Adam Mills, Dean Wikle, Ernest Bumgarner, Clyde Bumgarner and Bud Clayton.

She was a native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, a member of Loves Chapel United Methodist Church and daughter of the late N. B. and Rebecca Gibbs Ashe.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred W. Mills; and one son, Herbert Woodard Mills.

Surviving are three sons, James Ray Mills, Claude N. Mills and Fred D. Mills, all of Sylva; 10 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. An online registry is available at www.pemoody.com.

Joe Church

Joe S. Church Jr., 51, of Bumgarner Lane, Millers Creek, died Wednesday, March 12, 2003, at his home.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at Millers Creek Baptist Church. The Rev. Jim Gore officiated. Burial was in Scenic Memorial Gardens.

He was born in Wilkes County on Oct. 19, 1951, to Joe S. Church Sr. and Clara Snyder Church. He was a member of Millers Creek Baptist Church.

He served with the Newton-Conover Rescue and Catawba County EMS from 1971-1972 and with Wilkes County EMS until 1973.

He was employed with Kern's Bakery from 1973 to 1980, at which time he became owner and operator of Main Street Gulf in North Wilkesboro.

In 1986 he received his basic law enforcement certificate and began work at the Wilkesboro Police Department, where he eventually served as a sergeant. In 1995 he began full-time employment with the Wilkes County Sheriff's Department as the first school resource officer at West Wilkes High School. He was active in the Wilkes County Law Enforcement Officer's Association and the N.C. Sheriff's Association. He served as Superior Court bailiff until his retirement in 2000.

Surviving, in addition to his father, are his wife, Jan Pendry Church; two daughters, Crystal Dawn Akers of Cullowhee and Amanda Renee Aguilar of Fort Worth, Texas; two stepdaughters, Cynthia Huffman of Purlear and Angie Hammonds of Hays; and five grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Wilkes, 1907 W. Park Drive, North Wilkesboro, N.C. 28659.

Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home in North Wilkesboro was in charge of arrangements.

Zora Scott

Zora Geraldine Dills Scott, 67, of Dills Branch Road, Sylva, died Thursday, March 13, 2003, in an Asheville hospital.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 16, in the chapel of Bryant Funeral Home. The Revs. Wallace Tallent and David Williams officiated. Burial was in Watauga Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers were Brandon Clouse, Daniel Jenkins, Jamie Scott, Bobby Dills, Gary Scott, Timmy Browning and Ed Scott.

A native of Macon County, she was a daughter of the late Bernard and Myrtle Tallent Dills. A homemaker and member of Dicks Creek Baptist Church, she was married to the late Frank Scott, who died in 1974.

Surviving are one daughter, Debbie Whiteside of Franklin; five sons, Jerry Scott, Tommy Scott, Ricky Scott and Tony Scott, all of Sylva, and Ronnie Scott of Maggie Valley; three sisters, Odie Williams, Clara Belle Gibson and Juanita Tippett, all of Franklin; two brothers, Junior Dills of Monticello, Ga., and Wallace Dills Tallent of Franklin; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Sylva Dialysis, 655 Asheville Highway, Sylva, N.C. 28779. Bryant Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Robbie Bryson

Robbie Delores Bryson, 45, of Hospital Road, Sylva, died Monday, March 17, 2003, at her residence after a period of declining health.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22, at Liberty Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Revs. J.E. Smith and Wanda Moore will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview Memorial Gardens.

A native of Jackson County, she worked with the Jackson County Department of Social Services and was a 1975 graduate of Sylva-Webster High School.

Surviving are her parents, John R. and Ida Allen Bryson of Sylva; two daughters, Monica Bryson of Charlotte and Melanie Bryson of Sylva; three brothers, Michael Bryson of Sylva, Jackie Turner of Pittsburgh and Clarence Turner Jr. of Birmingham, Ala.; one sister, Tami VanHook of Sylva; and one granddaughter.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 21, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home, where the body will remain until the service hour.

Lena McConnell

Lena Pressley McConnell, 80, of Pressley Creek Road, Cullowhee, died Sunday, March 16, 2003, in Harris Regional Hospital after a brief illness.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 19, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Charles Dean officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Gregg McConnell, Jeff McConnell, Troy Bullock, Eddy Taylor, Randy Pressley and Danny Pressley.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a wife, mother and grandmother, cook, seamstress, gardener and canner. She babysat many of the youngsters in the community and played the piano for many years at the Speedwell Baptist Church, of which she was a member. She was a daughter of the late Jake and Mary Ashe Pressley.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Candler McConnell Sr., who died in 1999; one sister, Blanche Taylor; and one brother, Roy Pressley.

Surviving are one daughter, Judy McConnell of Cullowhee; two sons, Charles C. McConnell Jr. of Webster and Gene McConnell of Cullowhee; three brothers, Cling and B.F. Pressley, both of Cullowhee, and Clyde Pressley of Winchester, Va.; and three grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the New Century Scholars, c/o Southwestern Community College, 447 College Drive, Sylva, N.C. 28779 or East Sylva Baptist Church Choir Fund, 57 Faith Avenue, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

David Reed

David Reed, 82, of 32 Hundred Acre Tract, Whittier, died Monday, March 17, 2003, at his residence.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today (Thursday) at Rock Hill Baptist Church. The Revs. Arthur Locust and James "Bo" Parris will officiate. Burial will be in Taylor Junaluska Cemetery.

The family was to have received friends after 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, at the church.

A native of Jackson County, he had worked in construction and in the timber industry. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during World War II. Son of the late William and Katie Kalonaheskie Reed, he had lived most recently in Swain County.

Surviving are two sons, John Reed of Whittier and William Dana Reed of Oklahoma; one daughter, Amy Darlene Reed; one brother, LeRoy Reed of Cherokee; and six grandchildren.

Bill Moody Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements. An online registry is available at www.pemoody.com.

Jerdie Stephens

Jerdie Mills Stephens, 94, of Cullowhee's Wayehutta community, died Monday, March 10, 2003, at Ensley Adult Care after a period of declining health.

Funeral services will be held a 11 a.m. today (Thursday) at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Roger Stewman and Eddie Stillwell will officiate. Burial will be in Cullowhee Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Dean Stephens, Charles Ingram, Pete Mills, Leburn Dills and Danny Stephens.

The family was to have received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, at the funeral home.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she taught adult education in the 1940s and was on the board of directors of Mountain Projects and worked at Brown's Grocery in Cullowhee.

Daughter of the late Rufus and Ellen Henry Mills, she was a member of Black Mountain Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Stephens, who died in 1985; an infant son; two brothers, Charlie and Fred Mills; and two sisters, Myrtle Dills and Beulah Lee.

Surviving are one son, Ted Stephens of Sylva; two sisters, Pearl Jacobs of Sylva and Lequita Christianson of Spokane, Wash.; one grandson; and two great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Cullowhee Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Wilma B. Cosper, P.O. Box 107, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723.