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.

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Obituaries - 07/25/02

Lelia Bynum

Leila Marie Peacock Bynum, 83, of Sylva, died Thursday, July 19, 2002, after an extended period of failing health at Mountain Trace Nursing Center.

Funeral services and burial were at Vista Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home in Miami at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 24. The Rev. Gary Davenport officiated.

Born in Murray, Texas, Feb. 19,1919, she lived in Houston, where she became vice president in charge of bookkeeping for a bank. After retiring she was secretary-treasurer of her late husband's security agency. During this time she obtained her private investigator's license. Upon sale of their business, she and her husband retired to the Florida Keys.

She was a member of Sylva Church of Christ.

She was preceded in death by her husband, D.W. Bynum.

Surviving are one son, Tex Bynum of Sylva; one daughter, Wanda Bowers; one sister, Thelma Hardy of Fort Worth, Texas; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home assisted the family with local arrangements. An online memorial and register is available at www.pemoody.com.

David Dillard

David Dillard of Taylors, S.C., died July 18, 2002, at Greenville Memorial Medical Center.

Graveside services were held at Taylors First Baptist Church Cemetery Saturday, July 20, at 4 p.m.

He was a son of the late David Sr. and Ora Bumgarner Dillard of Sylva. A graduate of N.C. State University, he was a 34-year employee of Carotell Paperboard as plant engineer. From 1969-87 he served as an elected commissioner of the Taylors Fire Department. He was a member of Taylors First Baptist Church and the adult Bible study Sunday school class.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, J.C. Dillard and Walter Dillard; and one sister, Peggy Ann Clark.

Surviving are his wife, Nancy Eaves Dillard; one daughter, Kimberly Hibbs of Taylors, S.C.; one son, David Dillard III of Nashville, Tenn.; one sister, Wanda Lou Lovedahl of Sylva; one brother, Lloyd Dillard of Aiken, S.C.; and two grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Taylors First Baptist Church, 2002 W. Main Street, Taylors, S.C. 29687.

Thomas McAfee Funeral Home in Greenville, S.C., was in charge of arrangements.

Martha Ramsey

Martha Alma Ramsey, 76, of Beck Branch Road, Whittier, died Sunday, July 21, 2002, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 24, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Randall Miller officiated. Burial was in Sherrill Cemetery. A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Estes and Mary Alice Parker Parris.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Milburn Ramsey, who died in 1973; two infant daughters, Juanita Ramsey and Mary Eva Ramsey; two sisters, Nell Bradley and Lucy Extine; and two brothers, Jake Parris and Alton Parris.

Surviving are one daughter, Edna Ramsey Caldwell of the home; two stepdaughters, Phyllis Queen of Cherokee and Sally Hooper of Cullowhee; two sisters, her twin sister, Mary Ramsey of Whittier and Rebecca Deitz of Gastonia; one brother, Jack Parker of Oregon; four grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and several stepgrandchildren and step great-grandchildren.

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

Clifford Hornbuckle

Clifford Earl Hornbuckle, 52, of Bradley Branch Road, Cherokee, died unexpectedly Friday, July 19, 2002, in Mission-St. Joseph's Health System in Asheville from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, at Wrights Creek Baptist Church. The Revs. Dan Lambert, James "Bo" Parris and Ron Turbeo officiated. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

A native of Jackson County and a lifelong resident of Cherokee, he was a member of Wrights Creek Baptist Church and was employed by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for the past 27 years. He was a son of the late John Russell and Stacey Crowe Hornbuckle.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Ranze and Van Hornbuckle; and two sisters, Mary Cole and Nora Hornbuckle.

Surviving are his wife, Patricia Web Hornbuckle; two sons, Jeff and Clifford Allen Hornbuckle of Cherokee; one daughter, Stacey Hornbuckle of Cherokee; four stepsons, Daniel, Jacob and Matthew Brown, all of Bryson City, and Travis Brown of Cherokee; three brothers, Alex, John Russell and Larry Hornbuckle, all of Cherokee; three sisters, Pat Smith, Francis Wahnetah and Jean Youngbird, all of Cherokee; and two grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements. An online memorial and register is available at www.pemoody.com.

Sarah Cathey

Sarah Inez Cathey, 84, of Gastonia, died Monday, July 22, 2002, in a Gaston County care center.

Graveside services were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, in Davis Branch Cemetery.

A native and former resident of Swain County, she was the daughter of the late Grover and Lidia Calhoun.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry D. Cathey Sr., who died in 1959.

Surviving are one daughter, Joyce Brittian of Gastonia; one son, Henry D. Cathey Jr. of Gastonia; one brother, Frank Calhoun of Atlanta; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Bill Moody Funeral Home in Bryson City was in charge of arrangements. An online memorial and guest registry is available at www.pemoody. com.

Georgia Jenkins

Georgia Clark Jenkins, 78, of Bristol Drive, Sylva, died Saturday, July 20, 2002, at Mountain Trace Nursing Center after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, July 22, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. J.D. Grant and Alice Wood officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were James Thompson, Jeremy Welch, Jonathan Welch, Matthew Wood, Neal Sellers and Padgett McCoy.

A native of Habersham County, Ga., she had lived in Jackson County since 1949. A member of Scotts Creek Baptist Church and a former choir member, she was the first female bus driver in Western North Carolina and the first female police officer in Sylva. She was a daughter of the late Mack G. and Ethel Johnson Thompson.

She was preceded in death by one son, David Benton Clark; and two sisters, Juanita Greene and Lucy Leatherman.

Surviving are her husband of 27 years, Jesse J. Jenkins; one daughter, Lana Clark Phillips of Sylva; two stepdaughters, Melodie Wood of Mount Airy, Ga., and Stacey Welch of Mountain City, Ga.; one stepson, James Jenkins of Greer, S.C.; one brother, James Grady Thompson of Spartanburg, S.C.; four granddaughters; four stepgrandchildren; one stepgreat-grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Jackson County Hospice, 132 Sylva Plaza, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Bruce Sheehan

Marvin Bruce Sheehan, 63, of Leatherwood Street, Bryson City, died Tuesday, July 23, 2002, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today (Thursday) at Allens Creek Baptist Church. The Revs. Carl Presnell and Earl Holden will officiate. Burial will be in Bryson City Cemetery, with nephews serving as pallbearers.

A native of Haywood County, he was a son of the late William Tyler and Annie Robena Williams Sheehan. He was a lead man at Lea Industries, retiring in 1994 after 33 years. He was employed by Webster Enterprises in Dillsboro.

He was preceded in death by one sister, Betty Jean Gaddis; and one grandchild.

Surviving are his wife of 20 years, Marilyn Jenkins Sheehan; three sons, Chris Jones of Bryson City and Marvin Sheehan Jr. and Maurice Sheehan, both of Clyde; one sister, Margaret Moody of Waynesville; three brothers, Carroll Sheehan and David Sheehan, both of Waynesville, and Charlie Sheehan of Sylva; and two grandchildren.

Wells Funeral Home in Waynesville is in charge of arrangements. An online memorial registers is available at Obituaries at www.wellsfuneralhome.com.

Emma Dobson

Emma Kathryn "Katie" Dobson, 39, of Gray's Ridge Road, Tuckasegee, died Thursday, July 18, 2002, at Harris Regional Hospital after an extended illness.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 20, in Wolf Creek Baptist Church. The Rev. Don Riddle officiated. Burial was held in Mount Zion Cemetery in Central, S.C. Pallbearers were Dean Brown, Nick Marchbanks, Tim Moore, Tim Ashe, Jared Dobson and Josh Dobson.

A native of Greenville, S.C., she had lived in Jackson County for the past 12 years. She was a member of Wolf Creek Baptist Church.

Surviving are her parents, Charles M. and Betty Sue Mullinex Dobson of Tuckasegee; paternal grandmother, Mollie Dobson of Sylva; one sister, Marcia Ross of Tuckasegee; and one brother, Lathel Dobson of Walhalla, S.C.

Memorials may be made to Wolf Creek Baptist Church, P.O. Box 70, Tuckasegee, N.C. 28783.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.