Obituaries - 08/10/00

Delphia Nicholson

Delphia B. Nicholson, 77, of Brevard, died Wednesday, Aug. 2, in Duke University Medical Center in Durham.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, in the chapel of Moody-Connolly Funeral Home. The Rev. Leo Bracken officiated. Burial was in Woodring Cemetery in Tuckasegee.

She was a native of Jackson County and a daughter of the late Bane and Myrtle Wood Brown. Surviving are one son, Michael Nicholson of Brevard; one brother, Clarence Brown of Rosman; and one sister, Hermie Woodard of Sylva.

Nettie Forrester

Nettie "Mamaw" Forrester, 92, of Slab Town Road, Cashiers, died Wednesday, Aug. 2, at her residence.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, in the chapel of Bryant Funeral Home in Highlands. The Revs. Lewis Smith, Delbert McCall and Johnny Norris officiated.

Burial was in Highlands Memorial Park. Blaine Hawkins, Glenn Holland, Gary Holland, Edd Madden, Tony Woodard and Allen Demas served as pallbearers. Winnonia Stewart, June Fazio, Christine Owen, Barbara Reed, Marie Woodard and Elizabeth Broom served as honorary pallbearers.

She was born in Maggie Valley, the daughter of the late Robert Osten and Angline Swafford Forister. She was married to Jonah L. Forrester, who died in 1993. She was a homemaker and had worked for Tricemont Bed and Breakfast and at Hampton Inn. She was an avid supporter of Relay for Life, having participated in the "walk² for the past three years.

Surviving are five daughters, Helen Mansfield of Virginia, Evelyn Clark of Canton, Mattie Ogdon of Waynesville, Sara Taylor of Newport News, Va., and Ada Wilson of Cashiers; four sons, Gene Forrester of Kent, Wash., J.L. Forrester of Cashiers, Kenneth Forrester of Highlands and Noah Forrester of Cashiers; 21 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Bryant Funeral Home in Highlands was in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to Cashiers Baptist Church, P.O. Box 336, Cashiers, N.C. 28717; or Jackson County WestCare Home-Health Hospice, 128 Sylva Plaza, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Henry Long

Henry Allen Long, 36, of Cherokee's Big Cove community, died Saturday, Aug. 5, in a Cherokee hospital.

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, at the home of Will Long. The Rev. James Parris officiated. Burial was in the family cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Swain County, he was preceded in death by his mother, Betty Wolfe Queen, stepfather, Thomas Queen, and sister, Betty Wolfe Queen.

Surviving are his father, Will Long of Cherokee; one son, Henry Long Jr. of Cherokee; his maternal grandmother, Lula Owle of Cherokee; and two brothers, Melvin Long and Reggie Queen, both of Cherokee.

Bill Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Bessie Beck

Bessie Davis Beck, 93, of Sylva, died Thursday. Aug. 3, at Haywood Regional Medical Center. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Dallas Davis officiated. Burial was in Barkers Creek Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Nelson and Dezzy Elders Davis. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dewey Beck, and five brothers, Howard, Lee, Lewis, Troy and Walter Davis.

Surviving are three daughters, Naomi Seago of Clyde, Regina Kilpatrick of Lake Junaluska and Donna Evans of Clyde; one sister, Ellen Shultz of Waynesville; one brother, Homer Davis of Troy, Mont.; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Otis Purvis

Otis Larry Purvis, 73, of Sley Hollow Road, Whittier, died Friday, Aug. 4, at his residence. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Revs. Leland Green and Harold Farley officiated. Burial was in Wilmot Community Cemetery with military honors provided by U.S. Navy and Asheville High School ROTC.

A native of Irwin County, Ga., he had lived in Jackson County for the past 29 years. He was a retired chief petty officer of the U.S. Navy serving in World War II, Korean Conflict and Cuban missile crisis. He was a member and deacon of Conley¹s Creek Freewill Baptist Church. He was the son of the late Charles and Woodie Sutton Purvis.

Surviving are his wife of 49 years, Frankie B. Purvis; one daughter, Wanda Smith of Richmond, Va.; two sons, Otis Purvis Jr. of Chesapeake, Va., and Dale Purvis of Milton; one sister, Teal Stripling of Marshallville, Ga.; and four grandchildren.

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

Stanley Locust

Stanley Robert Locust, 67, of Cherokee¹s Birdtown community, died Sunday, Aug. 6. Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9, in Bethabara Baptist Church. Burial was in Locust Family Cemetery.

Bill Moody Funeral Home assisted with arrangements.

Lewis Smith Jr.

Lewis J. "Ranger" Smith Jr., 80, of Clarkesville, Ga., died Friday, Aug. 4, at Habersham County Medical Center in Demorest, Ga.

Graveside services were held at Browns Cemetery in Cullowhee at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 7.

Born in Cullowhee, he was the son of the late Lewis J. Smith Sr. and Gertrude West Smith. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during World War II and receiving a Purple Heart. He retired from the U.S. Forest Service as a ranger in the Habersham County, Ga., area and was a member of the Clarkesville United Methodist Church in Clarkesville, Ga.

Surviving are his wife, Mary Lee Roberts Smith; three sons, Jay Smith and Leland Smith, both of Clarkesville, Ga., and Eric Smith of Raleigh; and one sister, Rebecca Smith of Hendersonville.