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 all 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.

A brief history of the deceased is included. We include information on their employment, as well as professional, civic, community and religious affiliations. We omit personal tributes.

Read More . . .

Obituaries - 07/04/02

Carnell Mull

Carnell Mull, 63, of Pontiac Lane, Tuckasegee, died Saturday, June 29, 2002, at Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 1, at Sols Creek Baptist Church, of which he was a member. The Revs. Clifford Willis and Tommy Holden officiated. Burial was in Clyde M. Bryson Memorial Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, where he lived most of his life, he retired from the N.C. Department of Transportation's Highway Maintenance Department.

He was a son of the late Milas and Leora Mathis Mull and a veteran of the N.C. National Guard. He was preceded in death by one sister, Evelyn Mull.

Surviving are his wife of 34 years, Una Lee Bryson Mull; one son, Randall Carnell Mull Sr. of Hendersonville; three sisters, Venia Mathis of Sylva, Birta Smothers of Pineville and Erma Dean Hawkins of Waynesville; two brothers, Alvin Mull of Lake Toxaway and Ed Mull of Lincolnton; and three grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 605, Sylva, N.C. 28779. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Nellie Higginbotham

Nellie Mae Holderman Higginbotham, 85, of Redmond, Ore., died Friday, June 7, 2002.

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 9, at The Heights in Redmond. Pastor Ed Heppner officiated.

Daughter of the late Phillip and Amanda Holderman, she was born Aug. 8, 1916, in Ravensford. She was raised in Cullowhee's East LaPorte community and attended Cullowhee High School. She moved to Sylva and in 1942 she moved to Seattle, where she married Edward Higginbotham. The couple lived in Portland, Ore., before moving to Alabama in 1971. They retired to Crooked River Ranch in Oregon in 1983.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years who died in May; and one sister, Bueton Fercken.

Surviving are one son, Ned Higginbotham of Aloha, Ore.; one daughter, Susan Yaw of Culver, Ore.; three sisters, Iva Dean Harrison and Sue Dills, both of Sylva, and Dorothy Hoppes of Denver, Colo.; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Redmond, Sisters and Grant County, 2265 W. Highland, Redmond, Ore. 97756.

Arrangements were by Redmond Memorial Chapel.

Ralph Buchanan

Ralph Henry Buchanan, 80, of Marietta, Ga., died Monday, July 1, 2002.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, at Castallaw Funeral Home Jonquil Chapel. The Revs. Michael More and Jimmy Barry officiated. Burial was in Georgia Memorial Park Cemetery.

He worked at the General Motors plant at Lakewood, Ga., for 23 years.

Surviving are his wife, Azliee Buchanan; four daughters, Pat Adams, Wanda Holmes and June Harpe, all of Powder Springs, Ga., and Cathy Wear of Silver Creek, Ga.; three sisters, Gladys Rhienhart and Norma Brown, both of Sylva, and Jeannette Morrow of Asheville; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Association, 1925 Century Blvd., Atlanta, Ga. 30326.

Dorothy Flying

Dorothy Yvonne Hornbuckle Flying, 54, of Old Mormon Church Road, Cherokee, died Wednesday, June 26, 2002, at Mission-St. Joseph's Health System after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, of which she was a member. Bishop Ellison Rudd officiated. Burial was in Hornbuckle Family Cemetery.

A native of Swain County, she lived most of her life in Jackson County and was a daughter of the late Thurman and Luvenia Bradley Hornbuckle. She retired as an emergency room medical clerk at Cherokee Indian Hospital.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Fenton Byrd Flying; and two brothers.

Surviving are one son, Fenton Stuart Flying of the home; two daughters, Janene Lynn Flying and Cheyene Autumn Flying, both of the home; five sisters, Lillian Littlejohn, Phyllis Ashenfelter, Lynda Fortner and Nancy Hornbuckle, all of Cherokee, and Marie Harrison of Sylva; and three grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Ella Sequoyah

Ella Mae Pheasant Sequoyah, 79, of Cherokee's Big Cove community, died Wednesday, June 26, 2002, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 29, in the chapel of Crisp Funeral Home in Bryson City. The Revs. James "Bo" Parris and Tom Harris officiated. Burial was in Hill Cemetery on Soggy Hill Road.

A native of Swain County, she was the daughter of the late William Perry and Rachel Pheasant. She was a retired textile worker and a member of Qualla Arts and Crafts. She was the wife of the late Amoneeta Sequoyah Sr.

Surviving are four daughters, Marie Carroll, Rachel Mathis and Vera Wildcat, all of Cherokee, and Mary Swayney of Sylva; one son, Amoneeta Sequoyah Jr. of Cherokee; one brother, Edward Pheasant of Cherokee; 12 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Linda Duhaime

Linda Marie Winslow Robinson Duhaime, 58, of Tuckasegee, died Wednesday, June 26, 2002, at Mission-St. Joseph's Health System.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 29, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Don Moffitt officiated. Burial was at Thomas Memorial Cemetery in Whittier.

A native of Presque Isle, Maine, she was employed with Wade Hampton Country Club in Cashiers. She was born July 3, 1943, and was a daughter of the late Leon Chandler and Alice Evelyn Smith Winslow.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, James and Roger Winslow.

Surviving are her husband, Norman; five daughters, Gustina "Tina" Marie Robinson of Tuckasegee, Christine "Annette" Robinson of Gloversville, N.Y., Catherine Joy Messer of Franklin, Michele Alice Porter of Cullowhee and Angela Grace Messer of Franklin; two sisters, Patricia Brooks of Lompac, Calif., and Maxine Robinson of Ballplay, Tenn.; and seven grandchildren.

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

Cora Waller

Cora Fowler Waller, 87, of Wytheville, Va., died Thursday, June 27, 2002, at Edgemont Center.

Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at Beasley Cemetery in Austinville, Va. The Rev. A.C. Ashford officiated.

A native of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late James W. and Daisey Watson Crawford. She was a member of Canada community's Charleys Creek Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter J. Waller; four brothers, Will, Frank, Charles Emory and Walter Crawford; and one sister, Lillie Mae Melton.

Surviving are one stepson, Robert "Crickett" Waller of Wytheville, Va.; two stepdaughters, Penny Akers of Wytheville, Va., and Lessa Wright of Max Meadows, Va.; six stepgrandchildren; and several nieces and nephews in Sylva.

Reese Funeral Home in Austinville, Va., was in charge of arrangements.