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 - 10/11/01

Joyce McMahan

Joyce Powell McMahan, 46, of Wilkesdale Street, Sylva, died Friday, Oct. 5, 2001, in Duke Medical Center after an extended illness.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 8, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Gerald Conner officiated. Burial was in Old Savannah Cemetery. Pallbearers were Charles Nicholson, Barry Gillespie, Brian Gigio, Dwight Fisher, David Fisher and Richard Fisher.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was formally a certified nursing assistant at Mountain Trace Nursing Center. She was a daughter of Edith Webster Powell of Sylva and the late William Troy Powell.

She was preceded in death by one brother, David Powell and one sister, Bobbie Sue Powell.

Surviving, in addition to the mother, are her husband of 27 years, Dickie McMahan; two daughters, Melissa McMahan and Kristy McMahan, both of Sylva; two sisters, Cathy Wilson of Webster and Joann Carter of Sylva; four brothers, William Powell, Narviel Powell, Wayne Powell and Randy Powell, all of Sylva.

Helen Bryson

Helen Blanton Bryson, 81, of Buff Creek Road, Sylva, died unexpectedly Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Buff Creek Baptist Church. The Revs. Gerald Morris and Wayne Sorrells officiated. Burial was in Addie Cemetery.

Pallbearers were David Blanton, Lewis Keener, Bruce Reynolds, Ray Bryson, Ernest Carter, Stephen Blanton, Keith Shuler, Jim Bryson and Allen Bryson. Honorary pallbearers were Bill Shuler, B.T. Greene, Freddie Parris, Jim Shuler, James Lee Blanton and Bob Terrell.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was the daughter of the late Roy and Cora Parris Blanton.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Isaac Brooks, and two brothers, Robert K. Blanton and J. Vernon "Speck" Blanton.

She was a member of Buff Creek Baptist Church, where she was a Sunday school teacher and president of the senior adults.

Surviving are her husband, Claybron Bryson; one son, Jerry D. Brooks of Gallatin, Tenn.; one daughter, Elaine Brooks Harwood of Chapel Hill; three brothers, Cecil E. Blanton of Hickory, W.A. "Andy" Blanton of Forest City and J. Max Blanton of Sylva; and four grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

John Wood

John "Junior" Wood, 72, of Fort Mill, S.C., died Saturday Oct. 6, 2001, at Piedmont Medical Center.

Funeral service were held 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 8, at Fort Mill Church of God. The Rev. David Kemp officiated. Burial was in Unity Cemetery.

A native of Franklin, he was raised in Jackson County. He was the son of the late John Wood Sr. and Emma Middleton Wood. He was a member of Fort Mill Church of God and member of the 25 Year Club. He was retired from Springs Industries and was an avid gardener.

Surviving are his wife, Betty Wood; one son John "Eddie" Wood of Fort Mill, S.C.; three granddaughters; and one great grandson.

Memorials may be made to Fort Mill Church of God, 221 Academy St., Fort Mill, S.C. 29715; and to Hospice Community Care, 325 S. Oakland Ave., Rock Hill, S.C. 29730.

Fort Mill Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Polly Wilnota

Polly Alzena Wilnota, 94, of Locust Branch Road, Cherokee, died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001, at Cherokee Indian Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Goose Creek Baptist Church. The Revs. Arthur Locust and James "Bo" Parris officiated. Burial was in Locust Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Cherokee, she was the daughter of the late Rosa and Davis George and wife of the late Fred Wilnota, who died in 1987.

She was preceded in death by two sons, Casey and Eugene Mason; two sisters, Jane Brady and Mattie Brady; and three brothers, Dillard Cook, Robert Kanott and Homer Locust.

Surviving are one daughter, Mabel Richberg of Cherokee; five brothers, John Biddix of Waynesville, Sam and Jim Biddix of Sylva, and Arthur and Fred Locust of Cherokee; eight sisters, Bonnie Arneach, Julie Hoyle, Ellen Parker, Jessie Rathbone, Ruby Biddix and Rose Biddix, all of Sylva, Ann Reid of Waynesville and Edna Hornbuckle of Cherokee; and her stepmother, Margaret Biddix of Sylva.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Carla Bernhisel

Carla Lee Bernhisel, 47, of Lakeland, Fla., died Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2001, at her residence in Lakeland.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Tony Bernhisel officiated. Burial was in Yellow Hill Cemetery, Cherokee.

A native of Indiana and a former resident of Cherokee, she was the daughter of the late Carl and Bessie Lee Turner Thomas.

Surviving are her husband, Edward Bernhisel; two daughters, Cora Lee Jean Bernhisel and Mary Rose Bernhisel, both of Lakeland, Fla.; two brothers, Carlton Thomas of Springfield, Ohio, and William Thomas of Las Vegas; and one sister, Annie Duncan of Kirtland, N.M.