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.

Read More . . .

Obituaries - 09/27/01

Seab Nations

Seab J. Nations, 82, of Whittier's Nations Creek community died Monday, Sept. 24, 2001, at his residence.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26, at Wilmot Baptist Church. The Revs. Johnny Ray Davis and Lannie Nations officiated. Burial was in Nations Creek Cemetery. Pallbearers were Chuck Peler, Kip Frizzell, Jerry Hill, Kelly Nations, Travis Nations, Joseph Wilkey and Chan Phillips.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was the son of the late Doc Ernest and Annie Wyatt Nations and husband of the late Gertrude Davis Nations. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and a member of Wilmot Baptist Church. He was a life-time horse trader.

Surviving are two sons, Kenneth Nations and James L. Nations, both of Sylva; three daughters, Judy Wilkey and Nancy Rhodes, both of Sylva, and Faye Linda Byerly of Lexington; two brothers, Ira Nations of Sylva and Ellis Nations of Darrington, Wash.; two sisters, Gladys Sutton and Olga Barker of Sylva; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Nations Creek Cemetery Fund, c/o Margaret Nations, Joe Branch Road, Whittier, N.C. 28789.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. An online memorial register may be signed at www.pemoody.com

Marita Palmer

Marita Joyce Renninger Palmer, 66, of Sylva's Pumpkintown community, died Monday, Sept. 24, 2001, at her residence after an extended illness.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at her home, 153 Waterfalls Heights, Sylva.

She was born in Tiffin, Ohio, on Aug. 24, 1935, to Lucille and Harold Renninger. While raising five children, she attended college and graduated from Florida Atlantic University. She was employed for 20 years by the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services as a child welfare worker. She moved to Sylva in 1987 and had been an employee at Mountain Trace Nursing Home for many years.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Mike McCrary.

Surviving are her husband, Glenn E. Palmer Sr.; two sons, Glenn E. Palmer Jr. of Lake Worth, Fla., and David Gregory Palmer of Nantahala; three daughters, Susan Lucille Bazauri of Palm Springs, Fla., Cheryl Anne Palmer-Kuran of Stuart, Fla., and Tamra Joyce Gill of Lake Worth, Fla.; two brothers, Harold Renninger of Granbury, Texas, and Richard Renninger of Spokane, Wash.; one sister, Janet Stanton of Cullowhee; nine grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Daniel Thompson

Daniel Ernest Gordon Thompson, 54, of Cherokee's Wolftown community, died Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2001, at Cherokee Indian Hospital after a long struggle with cancer.

A private family service was held Saturday, Sept. 22. Burial was at Thompson Family Cemetery on Wrights Creek in Cherokee. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he served as boatswain mate second class in the U.S. Navy on board the USS Pictor AF-54 First Division based in San Jose, Calif. He was employed by Nantahala Power and Light for 24 years.

He was preceded in death by his father, Jefferson Davis Thompson, and two brothers, Gerald Austin Thompson and Richard Balcoum Sr.

Surviving are his mother, Geneva Frady Thompson of Cherokee; his wife, Shirley Laws Thompson; his children, Jefferson Daniel Thompson of Robbinsville, Deborah "Mouse" Thompson, Wilburn James Thompson, Jimmy Laws, Sarah Laws and Tracy Parker; three brothers, Robert Thompson of Manassas, Va., and Don Thompson and Curtis Thompson, both of Cherokee; three sisters, Libby Climbingbear and Pat Kalonheskie, both of Cherokee, and Suzie Terrell of Dillsboro; and seven grandchildren.

Donations may be made to Ray Owle, Make A Wish Fund, Cherokee Center of Family Services, Cherokee, N.C. 28719; or Cherokee Center Support Group, Women's Wellness Center, Cherokee, N.C. 28719.

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

Hester Holden

Hester Watson Holden, 87, of Tailhook Way, Cullowhee, died Friday, Sept. 21, 2001, in Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Revs. Johnny Norris and Eddie Stillwell officiated. Burial was at Fairview Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Joel Blanton, Barry Gillespie, Kenneth Blanton, David Burke, Todd Holden, Ben Blanton, Zacc Romano, Joshua Brown and Brent Burke.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a charter member of Fall Cliff Baptist Church. She was a daughter of the late George and Mollie Keener Watson.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lindon Hansel Holden, who died in 1984, and five brothers and sisters.

Surviving are three daughters, Linda Morgan and Loretha Gillespie, both of Cullowhee, and Jean Blanton of Hendersonville; one son, Taylor Holden of Taylors, S.C.; two sisters, Nellie Claybo of Cullowhee and Janie Ruth Wilder of Portage, Ind.; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Sept. 11th Disaster Fund, c/o The Salvation Army, 204 Haywood Street, Asheville, N.C. 28801.

Richard Davis

Richard Ephrian Davis, 78, of Bryson City, died Friday, Sept. 21, 2001, at Swain County Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 24, in the chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home. The Revs. Lelon Green and Earl Holden officiated. Burial was in Swain Memorial Park. VFW Post 8013 and the American Legion were in charge of military graveside rites.

A native and lifelong resident of Swain County, he was a member of Jackson Line Baptist Church. He retired from the National Park Service, where he served for 20 years.

He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during World War II as a military policeman in Rhineland, Germany, receiving a good conduct metal, a Purple Heart and an ETO Ribbon with two Bronze Battle Stars. He was also a life member of the VFW Post 8013.

He was a son of the late Alfred and Mary Ammons Davis.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years, Mary Lackey Ivans Davis; one step-daughter, Shirley Ivans LeQuire; three brothers, Clyde Davis, Lester Davis and Glenn Davis; and three sisters, Emily Mchan, Della Hedden and Felsie DeHart.

Surviving are one step-son, Alfred Ivans; one step-daughter, Marian Ivans LeQuire, both of Bryson City; several step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren.

Helen Vrooman

Helen P. Vrooman of Tuckasegee died Sunday, Sept. 23, 2001, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home will announce arrangements.

Willa Haynes

Willa Jean Robinson Haynes, 72, of Crabtree Road, Waynesville, died Monday, Sept. 24, 2001, at Haywood Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) in the Waynesville chapel of Wells Funeral Home. The Revs. Steve Taylor, Carl Presnell and Dr. Willie Davis will officiate. Burial will follow at Garrett Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. The family was to have received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26, at the funeral home.

A native of Haywood County, she was the daughter of the late Corbin Lee and Mary Stella Reeves Robinson. She was a member of Long's United Methodist Church and was the former night charge nurse for Skyland Nursing Care Center in Sylva, retiring in 1995 with 20 years of employment.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Joe and Ray Robinson.

Surviving are her husband of 40 years, Joe C. Haynes; two daughters, Mary Lee Haynes of Waynesville and Joann Styles of Spartanburg, S.C.; four sons, Joseph Ray Haynes of Clyde, David Dale Haynes and Jim Haynes, both of Waynesville, and Ted Haynes of Iron Duff; one sister, Corbina "Corky" Robinson Kuhn of Orlando, Fla.; 11 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

A memorial register is available at "Obituaries" at www.wellsfuneralhome.com.