Obituaries - 09/07/00

Walker Passmore

Walker Passmore, 78, of Sassafras Road, Sylva, died Wednesday, Aug. 30, at his daughter's residence.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 3, at Zion Hill Baptist Church. The Revs. Wesley Hooper, Keith Ashe and Lee Russell officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Travis Gaddy, Fred Russell, Sam Dills, Scott Monteith, Daniel Jenkins and George Jenkins.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church. He was a son of the late Alex A. and Bertie Ertzgerber Passmore and husband of the late Lizzie Melton Passmore.

Surviving are two sons, Jerry Edward Passmore and Sonny James Passmore, both of Sylva; one daughter, Vernie May Russell of Franklin; two brothers, Wilburn Ashbury Passmore of Sylva and James C. Coleman of Franklin; seven sisters, Dorthoy P. Haskett of Franklin, Isiebell P. Pressley of Sylva, Mary Ellen Passmore Adams of Morganton, Louise P. Haskett and Arlene P. Sorrells, both of Thomasville, Syblene P. McAbee of South Carolina and Jacqueline P. Elliott of Michigan; and three grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Nicolina Notartomaso

Nicolina Luisi Notartomaso, 107, of Ensley Adult Care Home, Sylva, died Saturday, Sept. 2.

Family and friends will receive friends from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today (Thursday) at James Barrett Funeral Home in Elmira, N.Y. A prayer service will be held there at 12:30 p.m., followed by a burial mass at 1 p.m. at St. Anthony's Church. The Rev. Walter Wainwright will officiate. Burial will follow in St. Peter and Paul's Cemetery.

A native of Riccia, Italy, she is believed to have been Jackson County's oldest resident. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sylva and St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Elmira, N.Y.

Daughter of the late Donato "Daniel" and Filomena Moffee Luisi, she was the wife of the late Antonio "Anthony" Notartomaso. She was preceded in death by one son, Donato "Daniel," and one brother, Joseph Luisi.

Surviving are two sons, Michael Notartomaso of Orlando, Fla., and Raymond Bodewes of Williamsport, Penn.; one daughter, Connie Discenza of Sylva; 16 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.

Memorials may be directed to the charity of one's choice.

Catherine Ashe

Catherine Ashe, 66, of Mountain Trace Nursing Center, Sylva, died Sunday, Sept. 3, in Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Morris Tipett officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Chris Shannon, Marvin Wilkes, Richard Wood, Lonnie Jamison and Jerry Melton.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Obert and Gertrude Lewis Ashe. She was preceded in death by one son, Gene Ashe; and one brother, James Edward Ashe.

Surviving are three sisters, Nancy Buchanan, Clara Melton and Carolyn McMahan; and one brother, Leroy Ashe, all of Sylva.

Iva Arch

Iva Allyne Arch, 36, of Cherokee, died Thursday, Aug, 31, in Lebanon, Tenn.

Funeral services were held 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, in Cherokee Missionary Baptist Church. Brother Merritt Youngdeer officiated. Burial was in Johnson Family Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a member of Cherokee Missionary Baptist Church. She was a graduate of the 1982 class of Sylva-Webster High School. Daughter of Jean J. Arch of Cherokee and the late John David Arch Sr., she was currently working at Harrah's Cherokee Casino.

Surviving, in addition to her mother, are three brothers, John David Arch Jr. of Woodbine, Ga., and Davy Mitchell and Buck Arch of Cherokee.

Helen Hawks

Helen Ruth Hawks, 77, Andrews, died Tuesday, Aug. 22, in a Swain County nursing home.

Funeral services were held at 11 am. Friday, Aug. 25, at the Townson Rose Chapel in Andrews. The Rev. Denny Crowe officiated. Burial was in Valleytown Cemetery in Andrews. Pallbearers were Ray Postell, Lonnie Postell, Jerry Postell, Bill Roper, Ronnie Watson and Bill Briston.

A native of Cherokee County, she was a homemaker and a member of the Old Antioch Baptist Church in Cherokee. She was a daughter of the late John Bronce and Bertha Cashwell Waldroup Matheson.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Clarence Verlon Postell, who died in 1945, and her second husband, Joseph Leon Hawks; and one sister, Faye Le-Roe Whittmore.

Surviving are one son, Carroll Eugene Postell of Sylva; one sister, Rachel Hilda Watson of Andrews; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Wilma Mundy

Wilma Sue Mundy, 58, of Garner, died Friday, Sept. 1, at Brighton Manor Nursing Home.

Graveside services were held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 3, at New Union Hill Cemetery in Whittier. The Rev. Dennis Burrell officiated.

Surviving are two daughters, Trina Allison of Whittier and Brenda Nations of Augusta, Ga.; two brothers, Earl Mundy of Garner and Henry Mundy of Oak Island; one sister, Joann Cain of High Point; and two granddaughters. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to Calvary Baptist Church, c/o Mitch Bradley, Calvary Church Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Erica Coffey

Erica Coffey, 22, of Cullowhee and Hickory, died Thursday, Aug. 31, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Funeral services were held Monday, Sept. 4, at Winkler's Grove Baptist Church in Hickory. She was a daughter of Gathor "Bud" and Barbara Kiehlbauch Coffey.

She graduated in May from Western Carolina University with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. A WCU graduate student and assistant in the College of Education and Allied Professions, she was also a 1996 graduate of Fred T. Foard High School in Catawba County.

Mary Ann Galloway

Mary Ann Galloway, 88, of Penrose, died Saturday, Sept. 2, in a Brevard hospital.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, in the chapel of Moody-Connolly Funeral Home. The Revs. Tommy Owen and Tommy Madden officiated. Burial was in Pisgah Gardens.

A native of Jackson County, she was the daughter of the late Robert Lee and Lula Ashe Middleton.

Surviving are two sons, Wallace Galloway of Penrose and Carroll Galloway of Rosman; two daughters, Blanche G. Garrett and Dot Hendrix of Penrose; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Western North Carolina Chapter, 3 Louisiana Ave., Asheville, N.C. 28806-3419.

Edith Hensley

Edith Gunter Hensley, 90, of Macktown Road, Sylva, died Saturday, Sept. 2, at Skyland Care Center after an extended illness.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 4, at Locust Field Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Revs. Charles Carnes and Larry Nations officiated. Burial was in Locust Field Church Cemetery. Pallbearers were Charles, Todd, Pat, Curtis and Harold Hensley and Winfred Sutton.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gunter. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Hensley, who died in 1992, and two sons, Sam and Dan.

Surviving are two sons, Edward Hensley of Sylva and George Hensley of Gastonia; 11 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Locust Field Baptist Church Building Fund, c/o Rachel Gates, 360 Scotts Creek Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Marshall Burrell

Marshall Earl Burrell, 68, of Skyland Care Center, Sylva, died Sunday, Sept. 3, at Harris Regional Hospital following an extended illness.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Charles Carnes and Clifford Parker officiated. Burial was in Sols Creek Cemetery. Pallbearers were fellow loggers Danny and Dewayne Hall, Pete Shuler, Jim Hodgins, Larson Alexander and Johnny Reesel.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a logger, a member of Locust Field Baptist Church and a son of Sadie Harris Brooks of Sylva and the late Roger Burrell.

He was preceded in death by his stepmother, Bessie Burrell; one brother, Bill Clifton Burrell; three daughters, Elaine Smith, Linda Sue Burrell and Sherrie Diane Burrell; and one son, Stacey Burrell.

Surviving, in addition to his mother, are two daughters, Peggy Middleton and Marcie McFalls, both of Sylva; one son, Sidney Burrell of Cullowhee; five sisters, Juanita Zerfoss of Charleston, S.C., Norma Jean Galloway of Pickens, S.C., Thelma Alexander and Dorothy Middleton, both of Tuckasegee, and Cora Lee Wood of Sylva; one brother, Estes Burrell of Tuckaegee; and eight grandchildren.

Ray Fisher

Ray Fisher, 59, of Sylva's Willetts community, died unexpectedly Saturday, Sept. 2, at his home.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Jim Cogdill and Delos Brown officiated. Burial was in Love Cemetery with military rites conducted by American Legion Post 104. Pallbearers were Tim Crowe, Eddie Adams, Mark Brooks Jamie Delinger, Tim Bell and Butch Rhinehart. Honorary pallbearers were members of the 14th Division of the N.C. Department of Transportation.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he worked for N.C. DOT for 33 years as a mechanic. He was a son of the late Robert and Margaret Mills Fisher, a member of Lovedale Baptist Church and a U.S. Army veteran.

He was preceded in death by one brother, William Fisher; and one sister, Dorothy Brittingham.

Surviving are his wife, Sandra M. Fisher; one daughter, Renee Phillips of Sylva; one son, Jeff Fisher of Sylva; three sisters, Ethel Meadows of California, Ruby Evans of Waynesville and Mildred Cloer of Cherokee; three brothers, Lewis Fisher of Sylva, Burlin Fisher of California and Jerry Fisher of Cullowhee; and two grandchildren.