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 - 08/09/01

Roger Bisson

Roger R. Bisson, 78, of 242 Olympic Court, Leicester, died Monday, Aug. 6, 2001, at his home after a long illness.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Groce Funeral Home in Asheville is assisting with arrangements.

He was born Jan. 7, 1923, in Indian Orchard, Mass. He was the son of the late Alphone L. and Leonie Pigeon Bisson.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War attaining the rank of captain. He was a recipient of the Bronze Star and Order of the Purple Heart.

Following military service, he graduated from the University of Maryland and earned his graduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For 23 years he was a language professor at UNC-Wilmington and more recently at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. He was a past president of the 12th Armored Division Association.

Surviving are his wife, Nancy Blanks-Bisson; two sons, Barry Bisson of Petaluma, Calif., and Bruce Bisson of New Hampshire; one daughter, Betsy Bisson of Hendersonville; two stepdaughters, Nancy Hamm of Jefferson, Md., and Rebecca House of Maui, Hawaii; two stepsons, Robert Blanks of Oxen Hill, Md., and Don Blanks of Leicester; and two granddaughters.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 50 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, N.C. 28801; American Diabetes Association, 434 Fayetteville St. Mall, Two Hanover Square, Suite 1600, Raleigh, N.C. 27601; or Save the Children, 9 1/2 Reed St., Asheville, N.C. 28803.

The memorial register is available at "Funerals Scheduled" at www.grocefuneralhome.com.

John Roberts

John Hugh Roberts of Lake Lure died Friday, Aug, 3, at Memorial Mission Hospital. Graveside services were held at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 6, at Rogers Cemetery in Cullowhee. A son of the late John and Ella Roberts, he was formerly of Buncombe County, where he owned and operated a television repair business for more than 40 years.

Surviving are one daughter, Sharon Roberts of Candler; two brothers, David A. Roberts of Elon and Owen C. Roberts of Taylors, S.C.; two sisters, Roberta Burleson of Annapolis, Md., and Frances Adier of Odenton, Md.; and two grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to John Roberts Fund, c/o Blue Ridge Savings Bank, 290 Smoky Park Highway, Asheville, N.C. 28806.

Joyce Collins

Joyce Freddell Collins, 57, of Bumgarner Cemetery Road, Whittier, died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2001, at her residence after a brief illness.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Joe Brooks officiated. Burial was in Bumgarner Cemetery. Pallbearers were Gene Carter, Jim Cruzan, Thomas J. Mayer, Louis Mayer, Tom Roberts and Chris Bradley.

A native of Indian River County, Fla., she had lived in Jackson County for the past 21 years. She was a member of the Church of God and was a daughter of the late Clint Edward and Bertie Yates Freddell.

Surviving are her husband of 30 years, Gene Collins; one daughter, Cassandra Collins Mayer of Greensboro; one son, Brian Collins of Whittier; three sisters, Barbara Jean Pennington of Dana, Edna Mae Holland of Bunnell, Fla., and Elizabeth Kay DeBaun of Fellsmere, Fla.; one brother, Clint Edward Freddell Jr. of Vero Beach, Fla.; and one granddaughter.

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

Madeleine Van de Walker

Madeleine Weishoff Van de Walker, 93, of Cashiers, died Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001, in a health care facility.

Funeral services were private.

The daughter of the late Peter and Margaret Weishoff, she was a native of Luxembourg. She and her husband, Charles Van de Walker, owned and operated a beauty salon for many years in West Palm Beach, Fla. Their clientele included the Kennedys, Clark Gable and Georgia OšKeefe, as well as other famous personalities. She was of the Catholic faith.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles, in 1969, and her daughter, Meta Boswell, in 1992.

Surviving are four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimeršs Association, 3 Louisiana Ave., Asheville, N.C. 28806. Morris Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Joy Crawford

Joy Lewis Crawford, 71, of Whittier, died Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001, in Swain County Hospital.

A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 12, at Whittier United Methodist Church, of which she was a member. The Rev. R. Hal Finney will officiate.

A native of Oklahoma and longtime resident of California, she had lived in Swain County since 1968.

Surviving are her daughter, Jamie Hogue of Whittier; one son, Rob Crawford of Ela; one sister, Sandy Bejarano of Anderson, Calif.; and eight grandchildren.

Crisp Funeral Home, Bryson City, is in charge of arrangements.

Winnie Eubanks

Winnie Eubanks, 87, died Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2001, at Mountain Trace Nursing Home. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Emma Lequire

Emma Grace Lequire, infant daughter of Rita Parton Lequire and Charles "Dudley" Lequire Jr. of Cherokee, died Saturday, Aug. 4, 2001, at Duke University Medical Center. A private graveside service was held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8, at Smith-Cabe Cemetery. The Revs. James "Bo" Parris and Merritt Youngdeer officiated.

Surviving, in addition to her parents, are one brother, Matthew Robert Lequire of the home; maternal grandparents, Melanie Nan Parton of Cherokee and Mitch Littlejohn of Sylva; paternal grandparents, Susie Lequire of Cherokee and Charles Dwight Lequire Sr. of South Carolina; maternal great-grandparents, Louise Smith Cabe of Cherokee, Johnnie Sue Littlejohn Myers of Cherokee and George Owle of Cherokee; and paternal great-grandmother, Betty Brady. She was the great-granddaughter of late Author "Poss" Brady; and great-great-great-granddaughter of the late Oliver and Nan Smith and Jack and Ollie Jackson. Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Ethel Sheppard

Ethel A. Sheppard died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2001, in a Charlottesville, Va., hospital. A graveside service was held at Fairview Memorial Gardens at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4. The Rev. Riley Covin officiated.

A native of New Jersey, she lived in Sylvašs Rolling Green community from 1969 to 1997. She worked in the Harris Regional Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop from 1970 to 1990.

She and her late husband, Horace Sheppard, were members of First Presbyterian Church of Sylva, where she was the church organist for many years. She was the daughter of the late Francis and Cora Ammon.

Surviving are one son, Robert Sheppard of Easley, S.C.; and two daughters, Bonnie Sheppard of Charlottesville and Valerie Fleming of Huntsville, Ala.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Emory Coleman

Emory Lee Coleman, 72, of Bryson City, died Tuesday, July 31, 2001, at Harris Regional Hospital after an extended illness.

Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, in the chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home. A native of Swain County, he was the son of the late William and Callie Howell Coleman. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he was chief cook for more than 20 years at the Holiday Inn in Cherokee, as well as for businesses in various states.

He graduated from high school in Haywood County and was a member of Morning Star Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by six brothers, Julius, Robert, J.C., Charlie, Ernest and R.C. Coleman; and two sisters, Lillie Inabet and Mattie Pate.

Geraleen Owenby

Geraleen Grant Owenby, 70, of Leicester, died at her residence Monday, Aug. 6, 2001. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, at Silvermine Baptist Church. The Revs. Floyd Stiles and Robert Taylor will officiate. Burial will be at Grant Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 through 9 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at Bill Moody Funeral Home, Bryson City.

A native of Swain County, she was a graduate of Swain County High School and a daughter of the late Zebulon and Texie Jane Grant.

She was a retired nurse, having graduated from John Hopkins School of Nursing, and a member of Merrimon Avenue Baptist Church.

Surviving are one son, Mark Anthony Owenby of Conyers, Ga.; two daughters, Texie Davis and Nancy Peterson of Leicester; one sister, Yvonne Lynn of Asheville; two granddaughters; and three great grandchildren.