Obituaries - 07/20/00

Jesse Saunooke

Jesse L. Saunooke, 52, of Birdtown, Cherokee, died Thursday, July 13, at Cherokee Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 16, at Yellowhill Baptist Church. The Revs. Tim James and James "Red² Bradley officiated. Burial was in Drama Hill Cemetery.

A son of the late Steve and Laura J. Swayney Saunooke, he was a native and lifelong resident of Swain County and a member of Macedonia Baptist Church. He worked with Qualla Housing Authority.

Surviving are his wife, Lisa Ball Saunooke of the home; three sons, Jason, Steven and Jimmy Saunooke, all of Cherokee; four daughters, Radonna Crowe and Jessica Garcia, both of Cherokee, Brianne Tsavatawa of Georgia and Laura Mae Saunooke of the home; three brothers, John, Joseph, and Isaac Saunooke, all of Cherokee; three sisters, Anna Owens, Frances Queen and Ruth Saunooke, all of Cherokee; and five grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Walter Bumgarner

Walter Alvin Bumgarner Sr., 95, of Aiken, S.C., formerly of Sylva, died Friday, July 14, at his residence after an extended illness.

Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Monday, July 17, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Ed Beddingfield officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens with military rites conducted by Sylva American Legion Post 104. Pallbearers were Keith Lovedahl, Gene Brewer, Danny and Harry Bumgarner, Bob Hayes, Frank Crawford Jr., Aubrey Tippett and Rhyne Belger. A native of Jackson County where he lived most of his life, he was a retired barber with Tuckasegee Barber Shop. He was a member of Sylva First Baptist Church, a U.S. Navy veteran and the son of the late Rufus Coleman and Octavia Shuler Bumgarner.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Bumgarner who died in 1999; and two daughters, Barbara Bumgarner Gunter and Mitzi Bumgarner.

Surviving are one daughter, Sarah Carlton of Fort Worth, Texas; one son, Walter A. Bumgarner Jr. of Aiken; one stepdaughter, Sue Barnes of Sylva; one stepson, Sam S. Dillard of Laden, Wash.; two sisters, Edith Welch and Pearl Nix, both of Sylva; seven grandchildren; four step grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.

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

John Gallagher

John Jay Gallagher, 68, of the Greens Creek community, Sylva, died unexpectedly Thursday, July 13, at his residence.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, July 17, at Sylva First Presbyterian Church, of which he was a member and pianist. The Rev. Bill Serjak officiated. Burial will be at a later date.

A native of Queens County, N.Y., he had lived in Jackson County for the past 12 years. He was a retired school teacher, elder and clerk of session. He was the son of the late Walter and Ethel Caverly Gallagher.

He was preceded in death by one son, Ivan Jay Gallagher, who died in 1983.

Surviving are his wife of 47 years, Grace Kolb Gallagher; three daughters, Cheryl Besch of Elgin, Ill., Debra Goorskey of Check, Va., and Cynthia Swain of Florence, Ky.; one sister, Nancy Brandon of Riverview, Fla.; 13 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church Piano Fund, 46 Presbyterian Drive, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Iva Smathers

Iva Lee Smathers of Sylva died Saturday, July 15, in Autumn Care Nursing Center after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 17, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Johnny Norris officiated. Burial was in New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, she was a member of Morning Star Baptist Church. She was a daughter of the late John and Minnie Woods Shuler.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Aldie Smathers; one son, Robert "Bob" L. Ensley; two sisters; and four brothers.

Surviving are one daughter, Geneva E. Rogers of Sylva; two sisters, Burla Hoyle of Sedro Woolley, Wash., and Lora Ensley of Sylva; six grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Beverly Smith Kimsey

Beverly Smith Kimsey, 46, of Lawrenceville, Ga., died Tuesday, July 18, at Peachtree Hospice Center.

Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at Beck Cemetery. The Rev. David Weibe will officiate. The family was to have received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, at Bill Moody Funeral Home, Bryson City.

A native of Chicago, Ill., and a resident of Lawrenceville, she was a member of New Hope United Methodist Church. She was the daughter of Rubye Leonard of Lawrenceville and the late Waylend A. Smith Jr.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Michael Smith.

Surviving are her husband of 19 years, Steven P. Kimsey of the home; one son, Michael Kimsey of the home; and one brother, Chuck Smith of Orlando, Fla.

Eula Cook

Eula Jones Cook, 82, of Webster, died Saturday, July 15, in Britthaven of Franklin after an extended illness.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, at Wilmot Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Revs. Johnny Ray Davis and Larry Nations officiated. Burial was in Nations Creek Cemetery. Pallbearers were J.C. Jones, Bob Wheatley, Mike Revis, Jack Revis, Chris Hensley, and Benny Dillard.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Roy and Dillie Jones Nations.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Henley B. Jones and the Rev. Virgil Cook.

Surviving are five daughters, Frankie Buck of Norfolk, Va., Melissa Dillard of Sylva, Joyce Hensley of Webster, Hazel Cabe of Franklin and Shirley Bryant of Clewiston, Fla.; three sisters, Cora Mitchell of Florida, Vera Cyruss of Portland, Ore., and Daisy Wheatley of Cullowhee; two brothers, Willie Nations of Hoquiam, Wash., and Venoy Nations of Whittier; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Nations Creek Cemetery Fund c/o Margaret Nations, 14 Gloryland Way, Whittier, N.C. 28789.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.