Obituary Information

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 - 08/22/02

Sondra Diaz

A mass will be held today (Thursday) at 11 a.m. at the Church of the Ascension, Ft. Myers Beach, Fla. Burial will follow at Naples Memorial Gardens.

She was born in Miami on Jan. 29, 1979, daughter of Jaime and Laurie Diaz. She moved to Fort Myers Beach in 1995. In 1997, she graduated from Cypress Lake High School.

She graduated in May 2001 from Western Carolina University with a degree in communications. She was active in student government and in Delta Zeta sorority, in which she held several officer-level positions.

She was preceded in death by her grandmothers, Alice Jeanne Berry and Carmen Diaz.

Surviving, in addition to her parents, are two brothers, Scott and Sean, both of Fort Myers Beach; and grandfather, William A. Berry of Venice, Fla.

Gene Crowe

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, at Bethabara Baptist Church. The Revs. Mitchell Smiley, James "Bo" Parris and Richard "Duke" Pickup officiated. Burial was in Birdtown Cemetery. Military graveside rites were conducted by Steve Youngdeer Post 143.

A native of Cherokee, he was a son of the late Albert and Regina Welch Crowe. He was a barber and operated his own business, Crowe's Barber Shop, with his brother, Gilbert Crowe, for 40 years.

He was a veteran of the Korean War, having served in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of Steve Youngdeer Post 143. He was a member, Sunday school teacher, Sunday school superintendent and deacon at Bethabara Baptist Church for 36 years.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Desmond Crowe.

Surviving are his wife of 44 years, Elizabeth Owle Crowe; three daughters, Sharon Crowe Walkingstick, Jeannie Crowe Driver and Rhonda Crowe Long; two sons, Albert D. Crowe and Gene "Tunney" Crowe Jr.; one brother, Gilbert Crowe; four sisters, Mary Griffin, Merle Lossiah, Marie Sequoyah and Charlotte "Woochie" Crowe; and 10 grandchildren, all of Cherokee.

Crisp Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Rachel Hampton

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at Whittier Church of God. The Revs. Ned Pressley and Tony Bernhisel officiated. Burial was in Swain Memorial Park.

Surviving are two daughters, Phena Joy Lynn of Sylva and Lotta Faith Bernhisel of Cherokee; one son, David Messer of Plant City, Fla.; one sister, Wanda Lane of Newton, Ga.; two brothers, Tom Hampton of Tampa, Fla., and Arvid Hampton of Harrogate, Tenn; and five grandchildren.

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

JoAnn Mathis

Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, at Sugar Creek Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Revs. Robert Styles and Clifford Parker officiated. Burial was in Balsam Grove Cemetery. Pallbearers were Trinity Blackburn, Steve Mathis, Bruce Mathis, Allan Mathis, Brian Franklin and Gary Hoyle. Honorary pallbearers were Bill Cook and Mike Cooper.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Alfred and Gracia Queen Smith. She was a 1956 graduate of Sylva High School and a retired seamstress with 42 years of service with Buster Brown.

She was preceded in death by one brother, John Kenneth Smith.

Surviving are her husband of more than 40 years, Denton Hugh Mathis; two daughters, Kathy Regina McCauley and Gracia Diana Blackburn, both of Sylva; two sons, Ricky Wayne Mathis of Balsam and Denton Eugene Mathis of Sylva; one sister, Betty Smith Powell of Sylva; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Wade Messer

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, in the chapel of Garrett Funerals and Cremations. The Rev. Jerry Nelson officiated. Burial was at Garrett Hillcrest Memorial Park.

Born Nov. 25, 1956, in Salem County, N.J., to Rhoda Gates Burgess and the late Everett Lee Messer, he was a self-employed roofer.

Surviving, in addition to his mother, are his stepfather, James Hugh Burgess of Waynesville; three brothers, Charles Everette Messer of Charlotte, Jarvis Wayne Messer of Candler and Troy Messer of Tuckasegee; three sisters, Susie Messer of Clyde, Marguerite Woollen of Raleigh and Sharon Messer of Zebulon.

An online guest registry may be signed at www.legacy.com.

Winnie Stewart

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Pine Creek Baptist Church. The Revs. Johnny Norris and Wesley Hooper officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Charlie and Pearl Stewart and wife of the late Henry Stewart. She was a member of Pine Creek Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by one son, Jimmy Stewart; three sisters, Audrey Stewart, Lucille Tucker and Blanche Wright; and one brother, Cline Stewart. Surviving is one sister, Denver S. Henderson of Sylva.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. An online obituary and register is at www.pemoody.com.

Charlie Browning

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at Zion Hill Baptist Church. The Revs. Steve Webb, Johnny Norris and Mark Stiles officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Doug Chastin, David Coggins, Dewayne West, Curtis Mathis, Lee Ashe and Mike Jones. Honorary pallbearers were nephews and cousins.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was the son of the late Ab and Fannie Mae Franks Browning. He was a retired truck driver with WNC Paving.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Lula Bell Coggins and Ila Mae Mathis, and one brother, J.C. Browning.

Surviving are his wife, Mattie Bryson Browning; two sisters, Frankie Bradley of Sylva and Leonia Houston of Greenville, S.C. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Ray Holder

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Keith Ashe and Gene McAbee officiated. Burial was in Rogers Cemetery. The Western Carolina University Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff's Department served as honor guard.

A native of Haywood County, he lived in Jackson County for the past 27 years. He retired from Western Carolina University Police Department as a police lieutenant and was a member of Fincher's Chapel United Methodist Church in Clyde. He was a son of the late Willis Ray Sr. and Bonnie Lee Warren Holder. He was preceded in death by one brother, Carroll Holder; and one sister, Dorothy Lee Holder.

Surviving are his wife, Linda Holder; two daughters, Angela Melton of Asheville and Valerie Watson of Cullowhee; one son, Scott Holder of Cullowhee; two brothers, Charles Holder of Waynesville and Bruce Holder of Clyde; and five grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Cullowhee Fire Department, Long Branch Road, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723.

William McCoy

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at Bethabara Baptist Church. The Revs. Mitchell Smiley, Roland Whitaker and Bo Parris officiated. Burial was in Birdtown Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Swain County, he was a son of Emily Conseen McCoy of Cherokee and the late William "Tom" McCoy. He was a former employee of the Bureau of Indian Affairs for a number of years and did carpentry work.

He was preceded in death by one son, Shane Wilson McCoy, and one sister, Bessie Youngdeer.

Surviving are his wife, Cindy George McCoy; two sons, Terry Allen McCoy of Cherokee and William Allen McCoy II of Whittier; one daughter, Ashley Lei Ann McCoy of Whittier; five brothers, Richard, Albert, Jay, Larry and Ray McCoy, all of Cherokee; 11 sisters, Bertha Braddock of Odom, Ga., Maxine Burgess, Fran McCoy, Peggy Occumma, Agnes Bradley, Mildred McCoy, Mary McCoy, Tommie McCoy, Faye Cedillo and Martha Ledford, all of Cherokee, and Elsie Y. Maldonado of Washington; and two grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Hazel Hooper

Services were held Saturday, Aug. 17, at 1 p.m. at Lemley Chapel. Pastor Rick Miles of the Day Creek Chapel officiated. Burial followed at Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery.

She was born July 30, 1919, in Jackson County to Columbus and Avalee Queen Sitton. She grew up in North Carolina and married Thomas E. "Red" Hooper in 1946 in Jackson County. They moved to Hamilton, Wash., in 1948 and lived there until he died. She then moved to Sedro-Woolley. She was a member of Hamilton Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas "Red" Hooper, who died in 1977; one daughter, Thelma Johnson; one sister, Ethel McMahan; and one grandson.

Surviving are two sons, Tom Hooper Jr. of Bellingham, Wash., and Bob Hooper of Camano Island, Wash.; two daughters, Inavee Cargile and Shirley Knapp, both of Sedro-Woolley; 12 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Memorials may be made to one's favorite charity.

An online guestbook is at www.lemleychapel.com.

James Bryson Jr.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Wanda Moore will officiate. Burial will be in Parris Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

A native of Jackson County, he was the son of Myrtle W. Bryson of Sylva and the late James Bryson Sr. He was a member of Liberty Baptist Church. Surviving, in addition to his mother, are one son, Charles Love; and two grandchildren.

Harry Owen

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

He was a native of Jackson County and former resident of Kelso, Wash., and the Bethel community of Canton. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a member of Stamey Cove Baptist Church in Canton. He was a son of the late Andrew V. and May Shelton Owen.

He was preceded in death by one son, Jeffery D. Owen; five brothers, Arnold Owen, Alton Owen, Billy Owen, Andrew V. Owen Jr. and Tommy Owen; and one sister, Helen Auer.

Surviving are two sisters, Alma Robinson and Oberia Lewis, both of Sylva; one brother, Gerald Owen of Sylva; and two grandchildren.

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

Michael Pritchett

He will be cremated, with his ashes scattered over the mountains.

A native of Dyer County, Tenn., he lived in Jackson County for the past 12 years. He was a teacher, professor and poet. He was formerly an instructor of English, speech and humanities at Southwestern Community College.

He received the Editor's Preference Award of Excellence and was published in the Creative Arts and Enterprise's anthology "Journey to Our Dreams" in 1996. Two of his poems were published by the Southeast Writers Association.

The son of the late Harold Quinn and Carolyn Carpenter Pritchett, he was adopted and found his biological parents to be Navajo Indians.

Surviving are one daughter, Stephanie Pritchett of Decatur, Ga.; and one sister, Kathleen McKee of Louisville, Tenn.

Memorials may be made to ARF, P.O. Box 1966, Sylva, N.C. 28779; or REACH, P.O. Box 1828, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Back to Archive: 08/22/02.