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 - 06/13/02

Leroy Douglas

Leroy Raymond Douglas, 72, of Cullowhee, died Friday, June 7, 2002, at his residence.

A memorial service was held at 10 a.m. Monday, June 10, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Eddie Stillwell officiated.

A native of Jacksonville, Fla., he lived in Ocala, Fla., before moving to Jackson County. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He was a police officer in Jacksonville and a deputy sheriff in Ocala until going into business for himself. He owned and operated Doug's Welding and Ft. Douglas Mobile Home Subdivision. A county commissioner in Marion County, Fla., from 1976-80, he then moved to Sylva where he established Lerado Storage. He was the son of the late Tommy and Bertah Adkins Douglas.

Surviving are his wife, Opal B. Douglas; two daughters, Dana Sharpe of Ocala, and Sharon Wooten of Leesburg, Fla.; one sister, Margaret Kaczmarcyk of Jacksonville; one stepson, Kim Hedden of Sylva ; and five grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to WestCare Hospice, 68 Hospital Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Online memorials and registry are available at www.pemoody.com.

Girlene Hyatt

Girlene Margaret Hoxit Hyatt, 79, of Sylva, died Wednesday, June 5, 2002, at her residence.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, June 7, at Balsam Baptist Church. The Revs. Ted Reeves and Johnny Swanger officiated. Burial was in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Candler. Pallbearers were Carter Miller, John Foster Jr., Jimmy Robinson, Will Sutton, Reed Smith and Larry Bryson. Honorary pallbearers were Noel Jones and Andy Miller.

She was born Feb. 14, 1923, in Balsam to the late Eldon Lee and Anna Laura Bryson Hoxit. She was a machine operator in the rayon department of the BASF Enka plant, a member of Balsam Baptist Church and a member of Woodfin Creek Homeowners Association.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Jack C. Hyatt; one daughter, Judy Ann Hyatt; and two sons, Eddie and Michael Hyatt.

Surviving are one son, Jerry Hyatt of Balsam; two sisters, Bernice Bishop and Clarise Robinson of Candler; two brothers, Harold Hoxit of Lake Placid, Fla., and Johnny Hoxit of Balsam; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Hospice, 560 Leroy George Drive, Clyde, N.C. 28721.

Garrett Funerals and Cremations was in charge of arrangements. An online guest registry may be signed at www.legacy.com.

Martha Muhlheizer

Martha S. Muhlheizer, 91, of Sylva, died Monday, June 10, 2002, at her residence.

Graveside services will be held in Fairview Memorial Gardens at 10 a.m. today (Thursday). Father Jim Gibson will officiate.

A native of Springfield, Ohio, she grew up in Nevie Island, Pa., and was a graduate of Pennsylvania College for Women. She lived most of her married life in Western North Carolina and Richfield. She was active in the farming community in Richfield and the Golden Age Club in Sylva and the Ladies' Hospital Auxiliary. She was the wife of the late John Muhlheizer and daughter of the late Charles and Martha Hizer Stuart.

Surviving are two daughters, Ann Higdon of Sylva and Judith Pearson of Chattanooga, Tenn.; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Jackson County Home-Delivered Meals, P.O. Box 596, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Moody Funeral is in charge of arrangements. An online memorial and guest registry is available at www.pemoody. com.

Kit Zachary

Kit Monteville Zachary, 77, of Helen Zachary Road in Cullowhee's East LaPorte community, died Wednesday, June 5, 2002, at his residence after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 8, at East LaPorte Baptist-Methodist Church, of which he was a member. The Revs. John Reid and Al Cauley officiated. Burial was in East LaPorte Cemetery. Pallbearers were Fred Houston, Wade Hooper, Glen Queen, Melvin Middleton, Leo Webb and Stedman Mitchell. Honorary pallbearers were Tyree Kiser, Ed Russell, Oscar Wike and Felix Hooper.

He was a native of Jackson County and returned here in 1990. He retired as an industrial engineer consultant with the automotive manufacturing industry, formerly owned a chain of Shoney's restaurants in Mississippi, was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and a Mason. He was a son of the late James Jefferson and Amanda Stephens Zachary.

Surviving are his wife of 55 years, Oleta Howell Zachary; two sons, Terry L. Zachary of Nashville, Tenn., and Timothy Kit Zachary of Cullowhee; three sisters, Betty Nicholson of Sylva, Mary Arata of Surfside Beach, S.C., and Elizabeth Kerr of Las Vegas, Nev.; two brothers, Jefferson Davis Zachary of Cullowhee and William Zachary of Michigan; and two grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to East LaPorte Baptist-Methodist Church, c/o Fred Houston, Caney Fork Road, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723 or East LaPorte Cemetery, c/o Davis Zachary, P.O. Box 2688, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Albert Tilley

Albert Cleveland Tilley, 71, of Dillsboro, died Sunday, June 9, 2002, in the VA Medical Center in Asheville.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 12, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Eddie Stillwell officiated. Burial was in Hooper Cemetery with military graveside rites.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a veteran of the U.S. Army and son of the late Grover Cleveland and Effie Tilley.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Lewis, Gene and Fred Tilley; and one sister, Sarah Lee Tilley.

Survivors include one niece, Kim Tilley of Cullowhee.

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

Giles Mathis

Giles "Bud" Mathis, 64, of Cherokee's Yellowhill, Cherokee, died Thursday, June 6, 2002, in Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 8, in the chapel of Crisp Funeral Home. The Revs. James "Red" Bradley and Gilbert Breedlove officiated. Burial was in Drama Cemetery.

A native of Swain County, he was the son of the late David and Winnie Mathis. He was a truck driver for Taylor and Murphy for many years and a member of Yellowhill Baptist Church.

Surviving are his wife, Rachel Sequoyah Mathis; one daughter, Annie Mathis, of Cherokee; three sons, Fred Mathis, Buddy Mathis and Randy Mathis, all of Cherokee; two sisters, Ethel Mathis of Cherokee and Gladys Haney of Kansas City, Mo.; and three grandchildren.

Jane Ward

Jane Elders Ward, 74, of Camp Creek Road, Whittier, died Thursday, June 6, 2002, at her residence.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at Hyatts Chapel Baptist Church. The Revs. Mike Moore, Steve Webb and Eddie Stillwell officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery.

A native of Swain County, she lived most of her life in Jackson County. She was the wife of the late Taylor Ward and daughter of the late Columbus and Eliza Brendle Elders. She was a member of Hyatts Chapel Baptist Church and worked with the Ladies Auxiliary at WestCare.

She was preceded in death by two sisters, Leona Bradley and Oma Oxner, and one brother, Enoch Elders.

Surviving are one daughter, Juanita Ball of Candler; two sisters, Doshia Moore of Candler and Bonnie Stiles of Whittier; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

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

Hettie Carter

Hettie Malinda Carter, 92, of Sneed Branch Road, Murphy, died Wednesday, June 5, 2002, in Skyland Care Center, Sylva.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 8, at Grape Creek Baptist Church, where she was a member. The Revs. Dean Hall, Junior Killian and Bob Gardner officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were grandsons and great-grandsons.

A native of Cherokee County, she was born Sept. 26, 1909, to the late Will and Lillie Killian Dockery. She was a homemaker.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Tommy E. Carter; and two sisters, Nettie Carter, her twin, and Lela Carroll.

Surviving are two sons, Junior Carter and Hubert Carter, both of Murphy; four daughters, Maebell Carter Dockery of Murphy, Nell Carter McDonald of Gainesville, Ga., Mildred Carter Farmer of Whittier and Margie Carter Curtis of Atlanta; one brother, Earnest "Bee" Dockery of Baltimore; nine grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

Townson-Rose Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Nana Fisher

Nana Lee Himes Fisher, 72, of Sylva's Beta community, died Sunday, June 9, 2002, at Haywood Regional Medical Center after an extended illness.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, of which she was a member and Sunday school teacher. The Revs. Frank Brooks and Earl Holden will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Denny Mathis, Chas Mathis, James Connor, Michael Connor, Kenneth Dean and Jason Cagle. Honorary pallbearers will be Pearison Henry and Vance Stiles. The family will receive friends from noon to 2 p.m. today at the church.

A native of Haywood County, she lived in Jackson County since 1948 and was a daughter of the late John N. and Lillian Himes.

She was preceded in death by three sisters and two brothers.

Surviving are her husband of 54 years, Samuel "Ike" Fisher; one daughter, Lillian Fisher Lampros of Sylva; one son, Samuel David Fisher of Winter Haven, Fla.; two sisters, Elizabeth Hill of Waynesville and Virginia Snyder of Forest City; and one grandson.

Memorials may be made to Mount Pleasant Baptist Church or Brian Center Patient Fund, 516 Wall St., Waynesville, N.C. 28786.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.