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Obituary InformationThe 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. To publish a more detailed obituary or one in another format, the announcement can run as a paid advertisement. |
Obituaries - 06/26/03Jessie McFallsJessie McFalls, 77, of Cullowhee's Caney Fork community, died Thursday, June 19, 2003, at Harris Regional Hospital after a brief illness. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 22, at Balsam Grove Freewill Baptist Church at Sugar Creek. The Revs. Robert Stiles and Pat Farmer officiated. Burial was in Balsam Grove Cemetery. Grandsons served as pallbearers. A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a member of Balsam Grove Freewill Baptist Church and daughter of the late Jack and Mattie Brown Wikle. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bud McFalls; one brother, Calvin Wikle; one sister, Mary Belle Trantham; and two half-sisters, Jacqulyn Trantham and Betty Jean Hayes. Surviving are four daughters, Mae Stephens of Cullowhee, Gail Ashe of Brevard and Clara Nicholson and Judy McFalls, both of Sylva; three sons, Paul McFalls and Ben McFalls, both of Cullowhee, and Terrell McFalls of West Virginia; 13 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Balsam Grove Freewill Baptist Church, c/o Elmer Mathis, 107 Regal Ave., Sylva, N.C. 28779. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
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Nancy WilnotyNancy B. Wilnoty, 91, of Tsali Enola Road, Cherokee, died Monday, June 16, 2003, at Cherokee Hospital. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m Thursday, June 19, at Cherokee United Methodist Church. The Revs. James "Bo" Parris and Steve Phillippi officiated. Burial was in Wilnoty Family Cemetery. A native of Jackson County, she was the daughter of the late Charlie and Nannie Lossiah Blackfox. She was preceded in death by her husbands, John Littlejohn and Julius Wilnoty; one son, Luke Littlejohn; one daughter, Eleanor Wilnoty; and three grandchildren. Surviving are seven grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren. Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. An online memorial and guest registry is available at www.pemoody.com. |
Karen CopinKaren Strickland Copin, 33, of Main Street, Sylva, died unexpectedly Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at her residence. Private burial will be held at a later date in LaGrange, Ga. A native of Milwaukee, she had lived in Jackson County the last 15 years. She worked at Webster Enterprise and Rose's. She was a daughter of Charles Strickland of Andrews and the late Linda Ann Gribble Strickland. Surviving, in addition to her father, are seven sisters, Charlotte West and Denise Santillen, both of Whittier, Donna Thrumpher, Arla Akery and Jeanie Yohn, all of Georgia, Laura Barefield of North Carolina and Charlene Crowley of Cullowhee; and three brothers, Wayne Anderson of Georgia and Charles Strickland Jr. and Adam Strickland of Tennessee. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. |
Carrington BarrsCarrington Etheldred Barrs Jr., 86, of Cashiers, died Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital. A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at Hamburg Baptist Church. The Revs. Johnny Norris and Wayne Bryson officiated. He was an employee at High Hampton and was a veteran of World War II. He was a resident of Cashiers and Tampa, Fla. He was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy Van Dyke Barrs. Surviving are four sons, Carrington Barrs III, Rick Barrs, Scott Barrs and Bruce Barrs; two daughters, Brena B. Arthur and Catherine Marston; 10 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Glenville-Cashiers Rescue Squad or the charity of one's choice. Moody Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements. |
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John ReaganJohn Dexter Reagan, 95, of Ringgold, Ga., died at a care center there on June 12, 2003. Memorial services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at Scott Memorial Church of God in East Ridge. The Rev. Les Fuantleroy officiated. Formerly of North Carolina, he had lived in the Ringgold area for the past 50 years. He was a member of Scott Memorial Church of God and of the Bible Sunday school class. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines and was a retired steel worker. He was preceded in death by his wife, Emma Gibson Reagan; one sister, Josephine Allison; and one brother, Luther Reagan. Surviving are one daughter, Lena Smith of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.; two sons, George Reagan and Larry Reagan, both of Ringgold; two sisters, Ruby Clements of North Carolina and Pauline Rowley of Colorado; one brother, Howard Reagan of North Carolina; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Wilson Funeral Homes was in charge of arrangements. |
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Macie PetersonMacie Wells Peterson, 93, died Thursday, June 19, 2003, at Brian Center in Brevard. Memorial services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 23, at First Baptist Church in Brevard. The Revs. Joe Hayes and Kadez Wilde officiated. Born Sept. 27, 1911, in Rutherford County, she was the daughter of the late Eva Morgan Wells and Edward Wells and granddaughter of Civil War Capt. Abner Morgan and Callie Koone Morgan. She had lived in Transylvania County since 1948 and was a retired foreman from Belding Corticelli Co. in Hendersonville. At age 14 she was one of the first four candidates to be baptized and to become a member of the newly-organized Mission Sunday School of the First Baptist Church of Rutherford in 1925, now known as Second Baptist Church. She served as pianist and Sunday school teacher and was a member of the Woman's Missionary Union. She served five years as president of Transylvania County Associational WMU and was a state officer in the organization. She worked with the migrants in Henderson County and with black churches in the community. Surviving are five daughters, Jimmie Peterson Loftis, RoAnn Peterson Balding, Jeanne Peterson Landreth, all of Brevard, Donnie Peterson Madden of Cashiers, and Kay Peterson Powell of Leland; three sons, Abner Frank Peterson, John Howard Peterson, both of Brevard, Charles Hayden Paterson of Maplewood, Minn.; 21 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Promise Ministries, 95 South, N.C. Highway 107 Cashiers, N.C. 28717. Moore Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. |
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Evelyn DavisEvelyn Frances Poss Davis, 92, of Ridgeway Street, Sylva, died Saturday, June 14, 2003, at Mountain Trace Nursing Center. A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, June 27, at Sylva First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Bill Serjak will officiate. A native of Charlottesville, Va., she had lived in Jackson County since 1974. She worked at First National Bank in Charlottesville as vice president of the loan department and was a member of Sylva Presbyterian Church. She was the daughter of the late Burton Willner and Lillie Walker Jacobs Poss. She was preceded in death by one brother, Charles E. Poss. Surviving are her husband, William T. Davis; one son, William T. Davis Jr. of New Mexico; and one daughter, Elizabeth W. Davis Elden of Wilmington. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements |
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Janie TurnerJanie Boyette Turner, 78, of Bryson City, died Wednesday, June 18, 2003, in a Swain County health care facility. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 21, in the chapel of Crisp Funeral Home. The Rev. Earl Holden officiated. Burial was in Swain Memorial Park. A native of Sampson County, she had been a resident of Swain County since 1950. She had attended Deep Creek Baptist Church. She was the daughter of the late James Henry and Correnna Hudson Boyette and the wife of the late L.A Turner, who died June 18, 1984. She was preceded in death by one sister, Ila May Boyette. Surviving are two daughters, Dianne Turner of Sylva and Lynn Barker of Bryson City; three sisters, Rhee Pearson and Joyce Reeves, both of Clinton, and Sylvia Teachey of Beaufort; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. |
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John ReaganJohn P. Reagan, 84, of Olivet Church Road, Cherokee, died Friday, June 20, 2003, at his residence. Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 22, at Acquoni Baptist Church. The Revs. Steve Phillipi and Cody Lambert officiated. Burial followed in the Sherrill Cemetery with graveside services conducted by Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post 104. Son of the late Bruce and Hester Lambert Reagan, he was born in Swain County and lived most of his life in Jackson County. He was a veteran of World War II and retired as head of maintenance for Qualla Housing. He was a member of the Acquoni Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by nine brothers and sisters. Surviving are his wife of 56 years, Pearle Sherrill Reagan; two daughters, Jeri Kinsland and Rita Owle, both of Cherokee; one brother, Emmett Reagan of Cherokee; one sister, Reba Rose of Cherokee; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Memorials are requested to Olivet United Methodist Church, 142 Sunny View Drive, Whittier, N.C. 28789. |
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Mary StarkMary Alice Littlejohn Stark, 62, of Cherokee's Yellow Hill community, died Friday, June 20, 2003, at Mission-St. Joseph's Health System after a period of declining health. Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Monday, June 23, at Cherokee Methodist Church on Wolftown Road. The Revs. Patricia Crocket, Steve Philipi and Bo Parris officiated. Burial was in Arch Family Cemetery on Enoch Sampson Road. Pallbearers were Tommy Lambert, Jonah Saunooke, Manuel Watty, Micahel Littlejohn, Mitchell Littlejohn and Brian Myers. A native and lifelong resident of the Cherokee Indian Reservation, she was a member of Cherokee Wesleyan Church. She was also an active member of the Cherokee Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and a charter member of the Native American Indian Women's Association. Daughter of the late Isaac Mitchell and Mildred Ruth Sneed Littlejohn, she was a former member of the Ceremonial Ground Committee and the Cherokee Merchants Association. She was preceded in death by one son, Mark E. Littlejohn; and one brother, Ray Mitchell "Mickey" Littlejohn. Surviving are her husband of nine years, Jimmie Arch; one daughter, Stephanie "Buffy" Arneach of Cherokee; three sisters, Frances Smith, Johnnie Sue Myers and Carmelita Monteith, all of Cherokee; and six grandchildren. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. |
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Robert GarrisonRobert Thomas Garrison Jr., 57, of Whittier's Barkers Creek community, died Friday, June 20, 2003, at his residence after a period of declining health. Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 22, at Mount Zion Baptist Church. The Rev. Tommy Ashe officiated. Burial was in Old Savannah Cemetery. Pallbearers were Gary Patterson, Ed Southers, Claude Ridley, Kelly Bradley, Ray Crawford, Robert Dyer, Robert Hogsed and Lucian Combs. A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he worked with Duke Power for 31 years as the power house operator and was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He was the son of the late Robert Thomas Sr. and Peggy Ann Robinson Garrison. Surviving are his wife of 35 years, Carol Sutton Garrison; two sons, Gary Thomas Garrison and Jeffery Tyler Garrison, both of Whittier; and three half-sisters, Minette Mrasso of Detroit, Cathy Jackson of Fayetteville and Connie Klutz of Atlanta. Memorials may be made to Hospice, 132 Sylva Plaza, Sylva, N.C. 28779. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. |
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Oneybee WilsonOneybee J. Wilson, 75, of Sylva's Pumpkintown community, died Monday, June 23, 2003, at Mountain Trace Nursing Center. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, at Zion Hill Baptist Church. The Revs. Keith Ashe, Eddie Stillwell, Steve Webb and Wesley Hooper officiated. Burial followed in the church cemetery. She was a native and lifelong resident of Jackson County. She was the daughter of the late Jim and Bertha Cloer Johnson and a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Woodrow Wilson, who died in 1991; and two sons, Raymond and Leonard Wilson. Surviving are two grandsons and three great-granddaughters. Memorials are requested to Zion Hill Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 3110 Pumpkintown Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779. Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. |
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Ronnie HornbuckleRonnie Ray Hornbuckle Jr., 32, of Cullowhee Mountain Road, Cullowhee, died Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at his residence. Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Monday, June 23, in the Cherokee High School Auditorium. Ray Kinsland officiated. Burial was in Crowe Family Cemetery with honors provided by the Cherokee Police Department. A native of Swain County, he lived in Jackson County for the past 12 years. He was a paralegal in the office of the prosecutor in Cherokee Tribal Court. He was president and zone chairman of the Cherokee Lions Club, a 1990 graduate of Swain County High School, where he played football, a graduate of Western Carolina University, where he also played football, and was active in community sports. Surviving are his wife of 12 years, Stephanie Smith Hornbuckle; two daughters, Brittany and Madison Hornbuckle of the home; father, Ronnie Ray Hornbuckle Sr. of Cherokee; mother, Wilena Crowe Cox of Seneca, S.C.; one sister, Sabrina Hornbuckle of Cherokee; and one brother, George Hornbuckle of Balsam. Memorials may be made to the memorial fund for Brittany and Madison Hornbuckle at Carolina Community Bank in Cherokee or Sylva or Cherokee Lions Club, c/o Martha Ocumma, Route 1, Box 132A, Cherokee, N.C. 28719. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. |
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Houston PrinceHouston Neal Prince, 80, of Tuckasegee, died Sunday, June 22, 2003. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 25, at Wolf Creek Baptist Church. The Revs. Don Riddle and Claude Nicholson officiated. Burial was in Wood Cemetery. Pallbearers were Brandon Ashe, Sheridan Reed, Tom Ashe, Chris Ashe, Aaron Ammons, Brent Ammons, Nathan Moore, Ryan Moore and Caleb Moore. A native of Jackson County, he was a member and deacon of Wolf Creek Baptist Church. He served as a gunner's mate in the Navy during World War II and retired in 1985 from Nantahala Power and Light Co. He was the son of the late Ernest Prince and Nellie Parker Prince Shipman. Surviving are his wife of 55 years, Maude Brown Prince; six daughters, Linda Ashe of Augusta, Ga., Cheryl Kinsland of Franklin, Gail Ashe of Cullowhee and Kay Ammons, Vicky McFalls and Rene Moore of Tuckasegee; 14 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Wolf Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, P.O. Box 70, Tuckasegee, N.C. 28783. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. |
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Viola GrayViola West Gray of Hayesville died Monday, June 23, 2003, in Gainesville, Ga. She would have been 94 on July 1. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. today (Thursday) in the chapel of Ivie Funeral Home, Hayesville. The Rev. Bert Wiley will officiate. Burial will be in the Hayesville Baptist/Presbyterian Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Kent Ford, Tom Gray III, Dean Turner Jr., David Turner, Skip Riley, Larry Riley and Mark Riley. The family was to have received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, at Ivie Funeral Home, Hayesville, and at other times the family will be at 107 Hickory Street in Hayesville. Born in Buncombe County, she was the daughter of the late Alfred Mitchell and Susan Ione Taylor West. The family moved to Hayesville when she was a child. A graduate of Hayesville High School, she received a bachelor's degreee in education from Western Carolina University. She taught first grade at Hayesville Elementary School over a period of 35 years. She married Thomas C. Gray in 1930. They lived on Hickory Street in West Hayesville, where they raised their five children. She lived by herself after her husband died in 1965. She moved to an assisted living facility in Hiawassee, Ga., at age 91, then went into a nursing home in Gainesville, Ga., last December due to declining health. She was active in the Hayesville Presbyterian Church and was honored with a lifetime membership by the Women of the Church. Surviving are three daughters, Ginger Gray Imperiale and Susan Gray Riley of Gainesville and Sandra Gray Turner of Spartanburg, S.C.; two sons, Tom Gray Jr. of Inverness, Fla., and Bill Gray of Smyrna, Ga.; 14 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-granddaughter. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Clay County Rescue Squad, c/o David Crisp, P.O. Box 325, Hayesville, N.C. 28904; or Hayesville Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 646, Hayesville, N.C. 28904. |
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