Go to the homepage for the Sylva Herald and Ruralite Your Ad Goes Here!

Obituaries - 11/25/99
Daniel Deitz

Daniel Deitz

 Daniel Washington "Tubby" Deitz, 67, of John Deitz Road, Sylva, died Saturday, Nov. 27, at his residence after a brief illness.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 29, at Deitz Memorial Baptist Church. The Revs. Robert Blanton and Jack Hinson officiated. Burial was in East Fork Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he retired from the maintenance department with N.C. Department of Transportation with 32 years of service. He was a charter member of Savannah Fire Department, Jackson County Genealogical Society and a member of Deitz Memorial Baptist Church, of which he was a charter member, Sunday school director, usher and choir member.
He was a son of the late John B. and Ida Beck Deitz. He was also preceded in death by one sister, Daisy D. James, and two brothers, William David Deitz and Samuel Grover Deitz.

Surviving are four sisters, Ila Rae Deitz and Bessie Alice Deitz, both of Sylva, Lou Eva Conner of Asheville, Earlie Fae Cabe of Lexington; and one brother, Ford Deitz of Sylva. Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to East Fork Cemetery Fund, c/o Carlin Cabe, 224 East Fork Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779; or Savannah Fire Department, 77 Fraser Fir Drive, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Jane Mackenzie

Jane D. Andregg Mackenzie, 84, of Holly Hill Road, Sylva, died Tuesday, Nov. 23, in Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, in the Chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Scott White, John Lane, Danny Fortner, Steve Coggins and John Pierce.

A native of Ohio, she had lived in Jackson County since 1988. She was the daughter of the late John and Violel Moore Andregg.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Colan Mackenzie, who died in 1992. Surviving are one daughter, Bette Johnson of Portland, Tenn.; one son, Scott James of Cullowhee; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Charles Rowlson

Charles Rowlson

Charles Rowlson

Charles Roscoe Rowlson, 90, of Tuckasegee, died Thursday, Nov. 25, at his home.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, at Cullowhee United Methodist Church. Dr. Frank Padgett officiated. Burial was at Webster Cemetery.

Born in Somonauk, Ill., he was a decorated veteran of World War II, serving in Eastern and Western Europe, African-Middle East campaign, and the South Pacific. He was credited with the design and development of the half track for the Army at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md.

His career included working for A.C. Horn and Lambert Corp. as a chemist and a troubleshooter. He also worked as a structural engineer for W.R. Grace, where he developed a special technique for grounding the concrete launch pads at Cape Canaveral to prevent lightning damage to the rockets.
Surviving are his wife, Hanna Lou Rowlson; one son, John Rowlson of Atlanta; two daughters. Rachel Rowlson of Raleigh and Rosalind Behre of Tuckasegee; five grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.

Donations may be made to David H. and Gracie Brown Scholarship Fund at Western Carolina University, Offices of University Advancement, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723; Hospice of WestCare, 68 Hospital Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779; or Mike Martin VFW Post 9493 Tuckasegee, N.C. 28783.

Ruby Cabe

Ruby Bay Buchanan Cabe, 89, of Sylva's Greens Creek community, died Sunday, Nov. 28, at Autumn Care Nursing Center after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Dan Stiles officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens.

A native of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late John Wesley and Ida Buchanan. She was a homemaker and a member of Weslyanna United Methodist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Amos Cabe, who died in 1993; one sister, Ruth B. Roper, and one brother, Burke Buchanan.

Surviving are three brothers, John W. Buchanan and Bill Buchanan, both of Sylva, and Morgan Buchanan of Parris, Tenn., and three sisters, Edna Buchanan, Earlie Mae Cowan and Virginia Hawk, all of Sylva.

Helen Myatt

Helen Stein Myatt, 82, of the Fairview community of Sylva, died Thursday, Nov. 25, at her residence.

Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. Burial was in Keener Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County and former resident of Purvis, Miss., she returned to Jackson County in 1985. She was a daughter of the late Hugo and Dora Lance Stein and wife of the late Miller Myatt.

Surviving are two daughters, Jean Forrister of Sylva and Margaret Elaine Wiltse of Albuquerque, N.M.; one sister, Beatrice Beasley of Woodstock, Ga.; and three grandchildren.

Maude Swink

Maude Sutton Swink, 85, of Macktown Road, Sylva, died Thursday, Nov. 25, in Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Dan Stiles officiated. Burial was in Locust Field Cemetery. Pallbearers were Harold Sitton, Charlie Proctor, George Sutton, John Sutton, Edward Hensley and Kevin Wheeler.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a member of Wesleyanna United Methodist Church. She was a daughter of the late Baxter and Lola Pangle Sutton.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Hilliard J. Swink, who died in 1978. Surviving are two daughters, Helen Sitton of Sylva and Nan Dupont of Boca Raton, Fla.; one son, Joel Swink of Canton; two sisters, Elizabeth Ward of Sylva and Dorothy McClure of Gastonia; two brothers, C.M. "Bud" Sutton of Sylva and Wilson Sutton of Coos Bay, Ore.; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Melissa Hall

Melissa "Lisa" Beth Lippincott Hall, 29, of Glenville, died Sunday, Nov. 21, following a brief illness at Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Tim Pressley and Thomas Graham officiated. Burial was in Glenville's Wesleyan Church Cemetery. Pallbearers were Ted Hallum, Robert Dillard, Stuart Hall, Jimmy Hall, Jose Green and Gary Pollack. Honorary pallbearers were Jim Ryan and Fred Franks.

A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., she lived the past decade in Jackson County. She was self-employed. She was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 10685 in Glenville and served as a secretary for the Glenville Community Development Center.

Surviving are her mother, Carolyn Allen of Cramerton; father, Patrick Lippincoft of Largo, Fla.; one sister, Jennifer Lippincott of Sunrise, Fla.; maternal grandfather, Bob Roberts of National City, Mich.; paternal grandmother, Anne M. Curtin of Clearwater, Fla.; and paternal grandfather, Art Lippincott of Kingman, Ariz.

Betty Vickers

Betty Sue Ensley Vickers, 58, of Plowshare Road, Cullowhee, died Tuesday, Nov. 30, at Harris Regional Hospital after a brief illness.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at Balsam Grove Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Revs. Tommy Holden and Dillard Moore will officiate. Burial will be in Balsam Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.

She was a native of Jackson County, where she had lived most of her life. She was a daughter of Ervin and Amanda Parker Ensley of Cullowhee.

She was preceded in death by one son, Jay Vickers, who died in 1987. Surviving, in addition to her parents, are her husband, Arnold Jay Vickers; one daughter Martha V. Aikens of Cullowhee; two sisters, Glenda Coward and Mary Adams, both of Cullowhee; two brothers, Carroll Ensley and Blaine Ensley, both of Cullowhee; and four grandchildren.

The family was to have received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home where the body will remain until placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the service.

William Lidh

William "Bill" R. Lidh, 74, of Cullowhee, died Monday, Nov. 29, at Harris Regional Hospital.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 3, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, where he was a member. Father James Cahill will officiate.

A native of Elgin, Ill., and former resident of Madison, Wisc., he had been a resident of Jackson County for the past 36 years. He retired from Western Carolina University as an art professor in 1988 and was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Navy.

Surviving are his wife, Geraldine Lidh; one son, Martin Lidh of Golden Beach, Md.; one daughter, Sandy Lidh McDonald of Wilmington; and four grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to Hospice, c/o Harris Regional Hospital, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

R.D. Smith

R.D. Smith, 82, of Dillardtown Road, Sylva, died Tuesday, Nov. 30, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Robert Blanton will officiate. Burial will be in Keener Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a former employee of Armour Leather Co. and retired from the N.C. Department of Transportation. He was the son of the late Alfred B. and Alice Cordelia Cowan Smith and husband of the late Hazel Middleton Smith.

Surviving are two sons, Doug and Mike Smith, both of Sylva; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. today prior to the service.

Richard Shade

Richard Glenn Shade, 72, of Skyland Drive, Sylva, died unexpectedly Saturday, Nov. 27, at his residence. No services are planned at this time.

A native of Freepoint, Ill., he had lived in Jackson County for the past several years. He was the son of the late Orley and Lucille H. Shade.

Surviving are one stepdaughter, Susan Skibble of Illinois; one daughter, Dee Ann Shade of Florida; two sisters, Judy Strath and Janet Shons; two brothers, Eugene and Jack Shade; and one granddaughter.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Stella Woods

Stella Mae Stewart Woods, 87, of Josephine Street, Sylva, died Sunday, Nov. 28, at Skyland Care Center after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Eddie Stillwell and Harry Vance officiated. Burial was in Evitt Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Billy Stewart, David Stewart, Bill Bowman, Morlan Bowman, Douglas Moses, Shirley Houston, Larry Chastain and Marvin Chastain.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Dave and Alda Moss Stewart. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles F. Woods, who died in 1964.

Surviving are three daughters, Belva Shuler and Linda Brown, both of Sylva, and Brenda Mills of Waynesville; five sons, Charles B. Woods of Canton, Lewis Woods of Lilburn, Ga., Thad Woods and Wendell Woods, both of Waynesville, and Barry Woods of Sylva; one brother, Cleo Evitt of Bessemer City; one sister, Maxine Chastain of Highlands; 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Lola Childers

Lola Styles Childers, 93, of Whittier's Qualla community, died Friday, Nov. 26, at Tsali Care Center in Cherokee.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 29, at Whittier Church of God. The Revs. Ned Pressley and Dan Maney officiated. Burial was in Union Hill Cemetery.

A native of Swain County, she lived most of her life in Jackson County. She was the daughter of the late Charlie and Lucinda Broom Styles and wife of the late Wilburn G. Childers.

Surviving are one son, James Earl Childers of Whittier; one granddaughter; two great-granddaughters; and one great-great-grandson.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Joe Bird

Joe K. Bird, 66, of Sylva's Cope Creek community, died Tuesday, Nov. 23, at Ensley Care Center.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Keith Ashe officiated. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens.

A lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a former employee of the N.C. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Post Office. He was a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and son of the late James Terrill and Ruth Queen Bird.

Surviving are one son, Stephen Bird of Sylva; and two grandchildren.

Lewis Anderson

Lewis Kincaid Anderson, 63, of Cashiers, died Thursday, Nov. 25, at Harris Regional Hospital. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

A native of Nashville, Tenn., he had been a resident of Cashiers for the past 20 years. He was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1965 and discharged with the rank of captain. He was a graduate of Auburn University, a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and a member of Spades Honorary at Auburn.

He was the son of the late Laird and Alice Benedict Anderson. Surviving are one brother, Laird B. Anderson of Rockville, Md.

Moody Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Back to Archive: 12-02-99.