Obituaries - 06/01/00

Rachel Jones

Rachel A. Jones, 91, of Sylva's Addie community, died Saturday, May 27, at Harris Regional Hospital following a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, May 29, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Lloyd Fish and Gerald Morris officiated. Burial was in Addie Cemetery. Pallbearers were Steve Jones, David Jones, Bill Jones, Greg Jones, Chris Broom and Dan Shuler.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a member of Buff Creek Baptist Church. She was a daughter of the late John C. and Harriett Clayton Allman and wife of Ernest O. Jones, who died in 1979.

She was preceded in death by one son, Bobby O. Jones; three brothers; and five sisters.

Surviving are one son, Carl Jones of Clyde; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Addie Cemetery Fund, c/o Buff Creek Baptist Church, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Jessie Keener

Jessie Wilma Keener, 79, of Riverbend Road, Sylva, died Tuesday, May 23, at Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 27, at Cullowhee Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Revs. Mike Vanzura and Jack Hinson officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Mack Farmer, James Farmer, J.B. Farmer, Alvin Farmer, Thomas Breedlove and Virgo Farmer.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Thad and Kate Alexander Farmer.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George B. Keener Sr., who died in 1997.

Surviving are one daughter, Percilla Keener of the home; one son, G.B. Keener Jr. of the home; one sister, Louie Carrie Frizzell of Lexington; and one brother, Thomas Edison Farmer of Wilmington.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Fred Underwood

Fred Junior Underwood, 65, of Cullowhee Mountain, Cullowhee, died unexpectedly Thursday, May 25, at his residence.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 28, in Pine Creek Baptist Church, of which he was a member. The Revs. Bill Wooten, Johnny Norris and Tommy Holden officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Ray Pressley, Donnie Calloway, Ronnie Calloway, Mike Calloway, Burt Murphy and Steve Jennings.

A native of Union County, Ga., he had lived most of his life in Jackson County. He was a farmer and a son of the late Wayne and Mary Jane Bryson Underwood. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Carl and Lawson Underwood.

Surviving are his wife, Doris Calloway Underwood; two daughters, Mary Ann Brendle of Franklin and Rebecca Dale Bryson of Cullowhee; one son, William Lewis Underwood of Cullowhee; two sisters, Ginnivee McCall and Mellie Stanley, both of Cullowhee; two brothers, Gorden Underwood and James Underwood, both of Cullowhee; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Arnold Murray

Arnold Thomas Murray, 84, of Hendersonville, died Monday, May 29, at Pardee Hospital after a short illness.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. today (Thursday) at St. James Episcopal Church. The Rev. H. Alexander will officiate. Burial will be in the Church Memorial Gardens.

A native of Summerville, S.C., he was a son of the late William Henry Murray and Myrtis Patrick Murray. He and his family moved to Asheville in 1946, and he was employed by Esso at the time and then transferred to Sylva.

In 1965, he become owner/manager of the Town House Motor Court in Sylva until his retirement. He and his wife moved to Hendersonville in 1996 and became members of St. James Episcopal Church.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Alvin E. Murray, W. Jay Murray, Milton G. Murray; and three sisters, Inez R. Robinson, Wilhelminia Murray and Helen M. Connell.

Surviving are his wife, Phoebe Pinkney Murray; one son, Thomas Pinkney Murray of Florence, Ala.; one daughter, Mary Rebecca Thompson of Atlanta; one sister, Agnes Sexton of Mt. Airy, Md.; one brother, William J. "Buddy" Murray of Aiken, S.C.; and two granddaughters.

Memorials may be made to St. James Episcopal Church Organ Fund, 766 N. Main Street, Hendersonville, N.C. 28792.

Margaret Sellers

Margaret D. Sellers of Jim Sellers Street, Sylva, died Sunday, May 28, in Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 30, at Sylva First Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Revs. Ed Beddingfield and Robert Clegg officiated. Private burial was at Fairview Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Dale Coward, Frank Crawford, Keith Lovedahl, Curtis Allison, Carroll Fisher and Clyde Vance.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was co-owner of Sellers and Fisher Florist for 32 years. She was a member of Woodmen of the World, serving as past president of the auxiliary. She was the daughter of the late John Cleveland and Florence Rhinhart Dillard.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Sellers, who died in 1966.

Surviving are one daughter, Ann Fisher of Sylva; one brother, Clarance Dillard of Sylva; and one granddaughter.

Memorials may be made to Together We Grow, Sylva First Baptist Church, P.O. Drawer 1024, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Vernon Buchanan

Vernon Wilkes Buchanan, 64, of Sylva's Greens Creek community, died Monday, May 29, in Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today (Thursday) in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Clifford Parker and Steve Bialy will officiate.

Burial will be in Greens Creek Cemetery. Pallbearers will be James Buchanan, Darrell Buchanan, Jeff Cabe, Michael Buchanan, Keith Brooks and Dale Buchanan.

He was a native of Jackson County, where he lived most of his life. He was a retired logger, a member of Greens Creek Baptist Church and a son of Emma Viola Buchanan of Sylva and the late James Gudger Buchanan.

Surviving, in addition to his mother, are two sons, Vernon Earl and Barry Lee Buchanan, both of Lynnwood, Wash.; four brothers, Harold, Ronald, Gordon and Lowell Buchanan, all of Sylva; four sisters, Barbara Cabe, Audrey Jones, Stella Cage and Wanda Brooks, all of Sylva; and eight grandchildren.

The family was to have received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, at the funeral home.

Permelia Casey

Permelia Evon Casey, 61, of Greenville, formerly of Cullowhee, died Thursday, May 25.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 29, at York Memorial AME Zion Church of Greenville. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 3, at Mt. Zion AME Church in Cullowhee. The Rev. Edward Griffith will officiate.

She was a daughter of the late Estus and DeRosette Casey. She graduated from Jackson High in 1957 and went on to graduate with honors at North Carolina Central in Durham. Growing up in Cullowhee, she was a member of Mt. Zion AME Church.

Surviving are two brothers, Delaney Casey of Huntsville, Ala., and Medford Casey of Greenville; and five sisters, Geraldine Casey of Asheville, Lorinda Casey of Cullowhee, Victoria McDonald of Sylva, Floretta Graham of Greenville and Irma Casey of Kinston.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

Verlin Hall

Verlin J. Hall, 81, of Hayesville, died Wednesday, May 24, in an Andrews hospital.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 26, in the chapel of Ivie Funeral Home, Hayesville. The Revs. Johnny Foster and Jimmy Rogers officiated. Burial was in Hayesville Baptist/Presbyterian Cemetery with military graveside rites conducted by American Legion Post 96, DAV, Chapter 73, and VFW Post 10222.

Grandsons and great-grandsons served as pallbearers.

A native and lifelong resident of Clay County, he was the son of the late Herschel H. and Evie Ledford Hall and the husband of the late Hazel Henson Hall, who died in 1986.

He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, serving aboard the USS Chilton. He was a retired automobile mechanic, having worked for Murphy Chevrolet dealerships for 40 years. He was a member of the VFW Post and Truett Memorial Baptist Church.

Surviving are his wife, Hazel Canup Hall; two daughters, Jean Phillips and Joan Kirby, both of Andrews; three sons, James V. Hall of Piedmont, S.C., the Rev. John V. Hall of Manning, S.C., and Jerry L. Hall of Sylva; seven stepdaughters; two stepsons; two sisters, Mamie McKee of Woodstock, Ga., and Versa Adams of Robbinsville; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.

Memorials may be made to the Hayesville Baptist/Presbyterian Cemetery Fund, c/o Joann Arrendale, 2977 Highway 64 West, Hayesville, N.C. 28904.

John Watson

John A. "Pee-Wee" Watson, 94, of Warfield Avenue, Wildwood, Fla., died Tuesday, May 23.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 26, at Banks-Page Theus Funeral Home in Wildwood, Fla.

A native of Island Grove, Fla., he was a lifelong resident of Sumter County. In 1924, at the age of 19, he went to work for Seaboard Air Line Railroad, where he worked until retiring in 1972. During that time he worked on the famous Silver Meteor and Silver Star runs between Jacksonville and Miami, Fla.

In 1988, he became dean of conductors of the Great Smoky Mountains Railway until 1996.

Surviving are his wife of 66 years, Olive Watson; one son, George Watson, both of Wildwood, Fla.; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Thomas Thorp

Thomas "Tom" Brian Thorp, 80, of Mountain Forest Estates, Sylva, died Tuesday, May 23, at his residence.

Funeral services were held at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 23, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Jack Hinson officiated.

A native of England, former resident of Chicago and Florida, he retired to North Carolina. He was a son of the late Thomas Sydney and Annie Beatrice Quincey Thorp. He retired from Cain and Bultman Inc.

Surviving are his wife of 57 years, MaryAnn Stanyer Thorp; two sons, Thomas Thorp Jr. of Sylva and Jerry A. Thorp of Westminster, Colo.; one brother, Robert Thorp of Loveland, Colo.; two sisters, Isobell Thorp of Palm Harbor, Fla., and Nancy Hannas of Dunedin, Fla.; and seven grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to WestCare Home Health Hospice, 128 Sylva Plaza, Sylva, N.C. 28779; and/or the Salvation Army.