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 - 05/31/01

Edith Jones

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 25, at Wesleyanna United Methodist Church. The Rev. Daniel Stiles officiated. Burial was at New Savannah Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was the daughter of the late Herman and Veda Cabe and wife of the late Homer Jones. She was a member of Wesleyanna Methodist Church and was retired from the Jackson County public school system.

She was preceded in death by one son, Johnny Franklin Jones.

Surviving are one son, B.C. Jones of Franklin; one daughter, Mildred J. Dinkins of Greensboro; and three grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to New Savannah Church Cemetery or Wesleyanna Church Cemetery. Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Dorothy Jordan

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

She was born in Chicago, a daughter of the late Otto Fuhrman and Rose Edstrom Fuhrman. She had also resided in Park Ridge, Ill., and Sylva prior to moving to Hendersonville in 1974.

A high school art teacher for Chicago City Schools for more than 35 years, she attended the Art Institute of Chicago and received her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1934.

Since moving to Hendersonville, she was active in the American Association of University Women, becoming the first president of the Hendersonville Branch. She was also active in the Friends of the Library, having managed their book sales in the early years of that activity.

She was a recipient of the Second Wind Award, and her latest activity was reading once a week to children in the Head Start program. She was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville.

Surviving are her husband, Earnest K. Jordan; two daughters, Shirley Ann Wilson of Wheeling, W.Va., and Bonnie J. Beam of Sylva; one son, Dr. David Kinsey Jordan of LaJolla, Calif.; four grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville, 409 Patterson Street, Hendersonville, N.C. 28739; the American Association of University Women, Hendersonville Branch Educational Fund, P.O. Box 339, Horse Shoe, N.C., 28742; or to the Friends of the Henderson County Library, P.O. Box 2317, Hendersonvilie, N.C., 28793.

Thos. Shepherd & Son Funeral Directors and Cremation Memorial Center wsa in charge of arrangements.

Mary Armachain

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 27, at Piney Grove Baptist Church, where she was a member. The Rev. Johnny Cucumber and Brother Ray Kinsland officiated. Burial was at Shell Family Cemetery.

A native of Swain County, she was the daughter of the late William H. and Rosie Lossiah Owle. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Eli Lossiah and Bennett Owle.

Surviving are two sons, Douglas Armachain of the home and Michael Milholen of Cherokee; two sisters, Agnes O. Bigmeat of Flint, Mich., and Deanna "Serena" Owle of South Bend, Ind.; seven grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and two step great-grandchildren.

Crisp Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Lonnie Melton

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 26, at Victory Baptist Church. The Revs. Pervy Stines and David Burch officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a son of the late Joe and Rauthie Jane Melton and husband of the late Doris Melton. He was a member of Balsam Ridge Baptist Church and was a retired logger after many years.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Melvin Melton and Grant Carver; and three sisters, Josie Franks, Dora Collins and Lizzy Passmore.

Surviving are four sons, Bill Melton of Cullowhee, Clyde Mathis of Sylva, John Melton of Mooreville and Lonnie Melton Jr. of Cornelius; four daughters, Ruby Melton of Cullowhee, Betty Fisher of Whittier, Evelyn Ramsey of Franklin and Jannie Clapsaddle of Sylva; 15 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

John Bennett

A private memorial service will be held.

A native of Fort Mill, S.C., and longtime resident of Western North Carolina, he was a graduate of Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., attended Duke Divinity School and received his doctor of philosophy degree from Duke University where he met his wife.

He retired from a career in teaching and college administration in 1979. He taught at Emory & Henry College (Virginia), Olivet College (Michigan), Mount Union College (Ohio), East Carolina State University, Brevard College and Western Carolina University. Bennett was dean of academics at Brevard College from 1957 to 1965.

He was professor of philosophy and religion at WCU from 1966 until his retirement in 1979. Prior to moving to Florida in 1991, the Bennetts had lived at Highland Farms in Black Mountain. Surviving are his wife of 64 years, Rosanelle Cash Bennett; three daughters, Ellen Bennett Kauger, Jane Bennett Loftis and Mary Bennett Harvey; one son, John Boyce Bennett Jr.; and four grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a good cause of one's choosing. The family has established a memorial scholarship fund at Brevard College. Gifts may be sent to the John B. and Rosanelle C. Bennett Scholarship Fund, Development Office, Brevard College, Brevard, N.C. 28712. Donations may also be made to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida or the charity of choice.

Billy Bryson Sr.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 24, in the Melton-Riddle Funeral Home officiated. Burial was in Parris Cemetery.

He was a resident of Jackson County, where he lived most of his life, and was a son of the late Charlie Mack and Stella Browning Bryson. He retired from Borden Chemicals in High Point. He was preceded in death by one brother, Carl Bryson.

Surviving are two sons, Billy Ray Bryson Jr. of Winston-Salem and Wilfred E. Bryson; two sisters, Frances Bryson West and Florence Bryson Arrowood, both of Sylva; five brothers, Johnny E. Bryson and Melvin D. Bryson, both of Sylva, Charles M. Bryson, Paul Ed Bryson and Cecil P. Bryson, all of High Point; and nine grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105-1905.

George Gunter

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 20, in the chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home. The Revs. Dan Lambert, Ray Lambert and Ray Fox officiated. Burial was in Holly Springs Cemetery No. 2. Bobby Gunter, Jeff Gunter, Ray Stevens, Jared Stevens, Jordan Stevens and Rocky Stillwell served as pallbearers.

A native of Swain County, he was the son of Adolphus Erwin "Penn" Gunter and Molly Watkins Gunter. He was a member and deacon of Holly Springs Baptist Church and pastored several churches in Swain and Jackson counties.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Bertha Medford Gunter, who died in 1998; and one granddaughter.

Surviving are one son, Robert Ensley Gunter of Bryson City; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Miriam Allen

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 9, at Boiling Springs Baptist Church. Dr. Carroll Page and the Rev. Keith Dixon officiated. Burial was at Cleveland Memorial Park.

A native of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Edgar H. and Gertie Stillwell. She moved to Cleveland County in 1945 and was an elementary school teacher until her retirement. She held a master of education degree from George Peabody College and was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma teacher sorority. She was a member of Boiling Springs Baptist Church, where she was a member of FIDELIS Sunday school class.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Leonard A. Allen; one brother, David Stillwell; and two sisters, Kate Reeves and Martha Lou Stillwell. Surviving are one sister, Carolyn Harwood of Charlotte; one daughter, Shirley Byers of Blacksburg, S.C.; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Boiling Springs Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 917, Boiling Springs, N.C. 28017; or to the Allen Elliott Ginn Scholarship Fund, Gardner-Webb University, 110 S. Main Street, Boiling Springs, N.C. 28017.

Lutz-Austell Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Estelle Burnette

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at Franklin Church of Christ on McCollum Drive. Burial will be in the Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.

A native of Macon County, she was a daughter of the late Jack and Dilpha Parker Houston. She was a member of Yellow Mountain Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Wade Burnette, who died in 1981; and one brother, Elbert Houston.

Surviving are three sons, C.T. Burnette of Cullowhee, James Burnette of Fletcher and Hal Burnette of Cashiers; one daughter, Judy Hensley of Franklin; one brother, Garfield Houston of Franklin; five sisters, Lucy Norris of Cashiers, Allifair Clark and Ada Arvey, both of Franklin, Louise Barnes of Waynesville and Bertha Moss of Pine Creek; 14 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

The family was to have received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, at Macon Funeral Home.

Belzora Ferguson

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home will announce arrangements.

Billy Mackey Sr.

Funeral services were held 2 p.m. Friday, May 25, at Greene Funeral Home Northwest Chapel. The Rev. John Griffin officiated. Burial was in Forest Hills Cemetery.

Son of George P. and Irene Mackey, he was a native of Rock Hill, S.C., and of the Baptist faith. He was owner and operator of Mackey's Body Shop for 32 years. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and a member of the American Legion Frank Post.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by one son, B.J. Mackey of Rock Hill; one brother, Randy Mackey of Sylva; and two sisters, Doris Mackey of Sylva and Carolyn Mackey Sheets of Clover, S.C.

Memorials may be made to York County Cancer Association, P.O. Box 4975, Crs. Rock Hill, S.C. 29731.

Dorothy Rigdon

She had been a resident of Sylva for five years and was a member of the Sylva Church of Christ. She was born in Savannah, Mo., to Andrew J. and Hettie Mitchell. Her family moved to New Mexico and then to Topeka, Kan., where she attended high school.

She was employed at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad general offices until her marriage to Robert W. Rigdon on June 16, 1924.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1973; by her daughter, Barbara M. Shaffer in 1996; and one granddaughter.

Surviving are one son, Robert M. Rigdon of Sylva; seven grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the mission fund at the Sylva Church of Christ, P.O. Box 101, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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