Obituaries - 12/30/99

Lucy Buchanan

Lucy Sutton Buchanan, 74, of Highway U.S. 441 South, Sylva, died Tuesday, Dec. 21, at her residence after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 24, at Wayside Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Revs. Eddie Stillwell and Barry Bowman officiated. Burial was in Locust Field Cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Julius L. and Rose Lee Hensley Sutton.

She was preceded in death by two sons, Jay Green and Jerry Sutton.

Surviving are one daughter, Janice Huff of Franklin, Ohio; one son, George C. Sutton of the home; three sisters, Ann Snyder of Sylva, Betty Sutton of Dillsboro and Mary Wylie of Lowell; three brothers, J.C. Sutton of Dayton, Ohio, Winfred Sutton and Medford Sutton, both of Dillsboro; two grandchildren; one step grandchild; and one great-grandchild.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Thomas Cheek

N.C. Highway Patrol Capt. Thomas Lee Cheek, 47, of 6324 Hampton Ridge Road, Raleigh, died Thursday, Dec. 23, at his home from an apparent heart attack.

Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27, at Highland Baptist Church in Raleigh. Burial was in Montlawn Memorial Park.

A native of Alamance County, he was the son of Alfred Thomas and Myra Wilson Cheek of Burlington. A graduate of Walter Williams High School in Burlington, he received his bachelor's degree in education from Western Carolina University. He taught in the Jackson County Public Schools from 1974 to 1978 and coached football, baseball and wrestling at Sylva-Webster High School.

He was sworn in as a Highway Patrol trooper in 1978 and was assigned to Clay County. He was promoted to line sergeant in 1987 and assigned to the training center in Raleigh and to Troop C, District 3, in Wake County. He was promoted to first sergeant in 1993 and named commandant of the Highway Patrolšs Basic School in Garner.

In 1994, he was placed in charge of Troop C. In 1997, he was promoted to lieutenant and transferred to Troop I Interstate Team Headquarters in Cary. The following year he was promoted to captain and put in command of Troop C.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Lawrence and Iola Wilson.

Surviving in addition to his parents are his wife, Melissa Saltz Cheek; one daughter, Jordan Leigh Cheek of the home; one son, Thomas Lee Cheek II of the home; two sisters, Libby Cheek Pennington of Burlington and Karen Cheek Justice of Charlotte.

A fund has been set up for his children, and memorials may be made to the Tommy Cheek Endowment Fund; c/o State Employees Credit Union, 1000 Vandora Springs Road, Garner, N.C. 27529.

David Coward

David Ross Coward, 67, of 488 Crestwood Drive, Salem, S.C., died Tuesday, Dec. 14.

Funeral services were held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 16, at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Salem, S.C. The Revs. Frankie Porter, Leon Lusk and Michael Queen officiated. Pallbearers were Verline Coward, Kenny Queen, Chad Lusk, Barney Cannon, Robert Herron, Jack Roach and Don Nix. Burial was in Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery.

A native of Cullowheešs Johns Creek community, he was a son of the late Tom and Lillie Moore Coward. He was a retired construction worker and a member of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. He was a U.S. Army veteran and member of the Oconee County Coon Hunters Association.

Surviving are wife, Mozell Queen Coward; three sons, David Dennis, Johnny Ross and Richard Thomas Coward; three daughters, Janet Moody, Marvetta Jennings and Karen McMahan; three brothers, Carl Henry, R.V. and Daniel Russell Coward; three sisters, Margaret Ellen Coggins, Ella Mae Franks and JoAnne Roberts; and 11 grandchildren.

Michael Stroot

Michael A. Stroot, 47, of Sylva, formerly of Bonne Terre, Mo., and Belleville, Ill., died Thursday, Dec. 23, at St. Frances Memorial Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo., from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

A funeral mass was held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29, at St. Lukešs Catholic Church in Belleville, Ill. The Rev. Jim Morgansen officiated. A memorial mass will be held in Sylva at a later date.

Since 1996 he was employed with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service in Jackson County as an agriculture and 4-H program assistant. He worked closely with Christmas tree growers and assisted in the horticulture programs for vegetable and fruit growers and horticulture issues for home owners. He was a member of St. Maryšs Catholic Church in Sylva.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Elise Minor Stroot.

Surviving are his wife, Marcia Marler Stroot; four sons, Nathan Stroot of Lee Summit, Mo., Abram Stroot of Belleville, Ill., Jacob Stroot and Joel Stroot, both of Sylva; one daughter, Emily Stroot of Sylva; three brothers, David Stroot of Belleville, Ill., Russ Stroot of Shiloh, Ill., and Daniel Stroot of St. Peters, Mo.; one sister, Cheryl Green of Edwardsville, Ill.

Memorials may be made to Friends of the Smokies.

Hattie Aiken

Hattie O. Aiken, 82, of Helen Zachary Road, Cullowhee, died Sunday, Dec. 26, in Harris Regional Hospital after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29, at Balsam Grove Baptist Church, of which she was a member. The Revs. Clifford Parker and Dillard Moore officiated. Burial was in Balsam Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Harrison and Rosie Hoxit Owen.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Aiken, who died in 1986.

Surviving are one daughter, Ella Mae Aiken of the home; one son, Arnold Aiken of Pisgah Forest; one sister, Mary Jane Owen of Wolf Mountain; one granddaughter; two step grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Margaret Russell

Margaret Queen Russell, 81, of Joe Wilkey Road, Dillsboro, died Monday, Dec. 27, at Harris Regional Hospital.

Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. tonight (Thursday) in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. Burial will be in Queen Cemetery.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a member of Long Branch Baptist Church. She was a daughter of the late Rufus G. and Violet Mathews Queen.

Surviving are one son, Ronnie Russell of Dillsboro; two daughters, Amelia Gail Johnson of Dandridge, Tenn., and Patricia R. Bennecker of Knoxville, Tenn.; one sister, Tommie Harrison of Newport News, Va.; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Oscar Crays Jr.

Oscar M. Crays Jr., 90, of Beach Creek Road, Sylva, formerly of Franklin, died unexpectedly on Monday, Dec. 27.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. today (Thursday) at Wesleyanna United Methodist Church. The Rev. Dan Stiles will officiate.

A native of Indianapolis, Ind., he was the son of the late Oscar M. Crays Sr. and Ada Mary Brown Crays. He was a Chevrolet automobile salesman, a self-employed marina operator, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, a member of the Masonic Lodge in Orlando, Fla., and a member of Wesleyanna United Methodist.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Dr. William H. Crays, Ralph Brown Crays and Hubert Ray Crays.

Surviving are his wife of 22 years, Ella Jean Turvaville Crays; one son, Larry Crays of Atlanta; one daughter, Carol Jean Heisler of Graceville, Fla.; one stepson, Bill Wehunt of Tallahassee, Fla.; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Wesleyanna United Methodist Church, 801 Asheloop Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779; or the church of onešs choice.

Ida Quinn

Ida B. Mauney Quinn, 72, of 1010 Unity Church Road, Kings Mountain, died Sunday, Dec. 26, at her residence.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. at Greene Funeral Service Westside Chapel on Wednesday, Dec. 29. The Rev. Roy Clark officiated. Burial was in Hollywood Cemetery in Gastonia. Pallbearers were Michael Barker, Steve Dyer, Jerry Green, Milton Green, Steve Green and Chris Plemmons.

A native of Jackson County, she was a member of Sparrow Springs Baptist Church in Gastonia. She was a retired nursing assistant at Brian Center of Gastonia.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Nelson and Sallie Sutton Buchanan; her husbands, Jerry Mauney and Edsel Quinn; and brothers, Bill and James Buchanan.

Surviving are three sons, Larry Mauney of the home, Donald Mauney of Gastonia and Roger Mauney of Stanley; one brother, Silas Buchanan of Crescent City, Calif.; two sisters, Edith Hall and Willa M. Green of Sylva; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Gaston County, P.O. Box 3984, Gastonia, N.C. 28053; or Sparrow Springs Baptist Church Building Fund, 6147 Lewis Road, Gastonia, N.C. 28052.

Dorothy Parker

Dorothy "Dyxye" Smith Parker, 62, of Cherokee's Big Cove community, died Sunday, Dec. 26, at Memorial Mission Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29, at Cherokee Baptist Church, where she was a member. The Rev. Jim Park officiated. Burial was in the family cemetery. Pallbearers were Doug Buchanan, Bill Buchanan, Johnny Welch, Terry Smith, Jimmy Watkins, Sam Wolfe and Dennis Sherrod.

A native and lifelong resident of Cherokee, she was the owner and operator of River Valley Campground. She was a daughter of the late Russell S. and Elizabeth French Smith and wife of the late Jerome Parker.

Surviving are one son, Joey Parker of the home; two daughters, Myra P. Cloer and Kym Parker of Cherokee; one brother, Kenneth Smith; three sisters, Maxine Smith, Katherine Smith and Mary McCoy, all of Cherokee; and one granddaughter.

Memorials may be made to the N.C. Community Foundation for Bethel Cemetery Fund. Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Lewis Anderson

A memorial service for Lewis "Luke" Anderson, who died Nov. 25, will be held at the Cashiers United Methodist Church at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8.

Following the services, a ceremony of scattering of ashes will be held at selected places in the area.

The Revs. Johnny Norris of Heady Mountain Baptist Church and Davis Beam of Cashiers United Methodist Church will officiate. Attending will be Andersonšs twin brother, Laird, from Rockville, Md., and former classmates at Auburn University. A reception will follow the memorial service.

For more information, call Sherman Runions at 743-5380 or Ray Daniel at 743-5698.

Beatrice Payne

Beatrice G. Payne, 80, of Waynesville, died Sunday, Dec. 26, at Haywood Regional Medical Center.

Arrangements are pending at Clarke Funeral Home of Toronto, Ohio.

Glenn Barnes

Glenn Robert Barnes, 69, of 719 Nance Ave., High Point, died Thursday, Dec. 23, at High Point Regional Hospital.

Graveside services and burial were held at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 27, at Floral Garden Park Cemetery. The Rev. John C. Hill officiated.

A native of Sylva, he was a son of Fred Homer and Noba Mae Wykle Barnes. A resident of High Point most of his life, he was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean War. He worked for 28 years at Globe Furniture Co. and retired from Monarch Furniture Co.

Surviving are his wife of 49 years, Daisy Wall Barnes; three daughters, Debra Kanoy of Archdale, Kim Lackey of Trinity and Ann Bishop of High Point; two brothers, Jimmy Barnes and Joseph Barnes, both of Sylva; three sisters, Helen Hankins of Archdale, Geraldine Powell of Macon, Ga., and Linda Giles of Waynesville; and four grandchildren.

Mauda Farmer

Mauda Carver Farmer, 85, of Old Settlement Road, Sylva, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, at her residence.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today (Thursday) at New Hope Baptist Church, where she was a member. The Revs. Mike Moore and Earl Holden will officiate.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late Oscar and Lydia Passmore Carver and wife of the late Jerome Farmer.

Surviving are one son, Virco Farmer of Lexington; three daughters, Lucymae Harris and Mary Owens, both of Sylva, and Kathryn Finley of Lexington; four brothers, George, Raymond and Jimmie Carver, all of Lenoir, and David Carver of Granite Falls; four sisters, Bessie Henry of Sylva, Lillie Callier of Valdese, Ruby Bowers of North Wilkesboro and Freida Edwards of Hudson; 18 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

The family was to have received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29, at Moody Funeral Home, where the body will remain until 30 minutes prior to the service.