Obituary Information

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 - 12/06/01

Elspeth Clarke, former congressman's wife, dies

A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, in the Warren Wilson College Chapel in Swannanoa. A memorial service will be followed by a reception in the Warren Wilson College Fellowship Hall.

The daughter of James G.K. McClure and Elizabeth Skinner Cramer McClure, she was born in Asheville on Jan. 28, 1923. She attended the Plonk School and Asheville Country Day School and graduated from Chatham Hall School, Chatham, Va., in 1940. She attended college at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., graduating in 1944. After her graduation, she served as a U.S. Navy officer during World War II.

During her husband's lengthy political career, she was his companion and assistant. She also devoted herself to various charitable and civic causes. She was a former board member of the YWCA, an honorary member for life of the N.C. Environmental Defense Fund, a board member of the Council On Aging, a member of the Women's International League For Peace and Freedom, and a long-time member of the Fairview Volunteer Fire Department Ladies' Auxiliary.

She was also a member of the French Broad River Garden Club, a long-term member of the McGuffey Readers' Book Club and the Democratic Women of North Carolina. She was a supporter of the Sierra Club, the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, the American Friends' Service Committee, Save the Children, OXFAM and CARE. She was a former member of the Warren Wilson College Presbyterian Church and later became a member of the Fairview Christian Fellowship Presbyterian Church.

She co-authored a book, "Joy of Service," which concerned the missionary work in Turkey by Elizabeth Huntington Clarke, a relative. She also published books concerning the letters of her mother.

She was preceded in death by her husband; two sons, Mark Skinner Clarke and Ambrose Cramer Clarke; and a brother, James G.K. McClure Jr.

Surviving are four sons, James G.K. McClure Clarke, Douglas Dixon Clarke and William Clarke, all of Fairview, and Dumont Clarke IV of Charlotte; two daughters, Susie Clarke Hamilton and Annie Clarke Ager; and 21 grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to either the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, P.O. Box 1888, Asheville, N.C. 28802; or the James G.K. McClure Educational and Development Fund, 11 Sugar Hollow Lane, Fairview, N.C. 28730.

Penland and Sons Funeral Home of Swannanoa is in charge of arrangements; condolences may be e-mailed to pensonfh @bellsouth.net.

Charles Stevens

A small memorial service for family and friends was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at St. John's Episcopal Church in Sylva. The Rev. Michael Hudson officiated. Burial will be held at a later date in Burlington, N.J.

Born March 18, 1943, in Mount Holly, N.J., he earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Ursinus College in 1964. He earned his master's and doctoral degrees in 1967 and 1969, respectively, in political science from Duke University, where he received a Lilly Endowment Fellowship.

He joined the faculty of Western Carolina University in September 1969 and served as head of the department of political science and public affairs from July 1997 until his retirement this past May.

He taught previously at St. Andrew's Presbyterian College and The Citadel. He was a member of the American Society of International Law, the Southern Political Science Association, Pi Gamma Mu international honor society in social science and Pi Nu Epsilon honor society in music.

A member of the N.C. Political Science Association, he served in 1995-96 as president of the statewide organization for professionals in the field of political science and public affairs. He was cited in "American Men and Women of Science: The Social and Behavioral Sciences" (13th edition) and "Personalities of the South" (eighth edition) and received the H.F. Robinson International Social Science Achievement Award, presented by Pi Gamma Mu in 1986.

A textbook reviewer and evaluator for Houghton-Mifflin and McGraw-Hill publishing companies, he received several research grants and fellowships, including awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Resource Center for West European Studies and Denmark's International Study Program.

He served on the board of directors of the Western North Carolina chapter of the United Nations Association, was a faculty fellow for international education at WCU, and served on numerous committees and task forces at WCU.

He began the study of music at an early age and developed a lifelong avocation of organ performance. He served as college organist while he was an undergraduate at Ursinus College and was organist at St. Joseph's Episcopal Church in Durham while a graduate student at Duke University. In recent years, he played frequently for a variety of congregations, including St. John's Episcopal Church in Sylva, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Sylva and St. David's Episcopal Church in Cullowhee.

Surviving are his wife of 33 years, Christine Dorresteyn Stevens; two sons, Eric J. Stevens of Mason, Ohio, and Kevin Charles Stevens of Knoxville, Tenn.; his father, Harold L. Stevens of Burlington, N.J.; and one sister, Marie Ida Olson of Beverly, N.J.

Memorials may be made to the Charles J. Stevens Scholarship Fund, University Advancement, 401 Robinson Administration Building, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Roy Cope

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in Bryson City First Baptist Church, of which he was a member. The Rev. John Tagliarini officiated. Burial in Swain Memorial Park. Pallbearers were Bob Marr, Bob Thomas, George Oliver, Russell Winchester, Jack Parton, Talmadge Jones and Vernon "Rock" Ledford.

A native of Swain County, he was the son of the late Vernon Lee and Nora Patterson Cope. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War during which he was wounded in action and received the Purple Heart. He later was self-employed as a plumber and electrician.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Jim, John and Harold Cope.

Surviving are his wife, Rhonda Ownby Cope; sons, Kevin Cope of Sylva and Andy Cope of Atlanta; one sister, Martha Nell Moore of Stone Mountain, Ga.; two brothers, Charles Lee Cope of Cullowhee and Wayne Cope of Bryson City; and two grandchildren.

Crisp Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Gloria Zachary

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 3, in the chapel at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Loy Kennedy and Tina Evans officiated. Burial was in the East LaPorte Cemetery.

Born Sept. 10, 1926, in Jackson County's East LaPorte community, she was a member of East LaPorte Methodist Church and was a daughter of the late Jeff and Amanda Stephens Zachary.

She worked for the U.S. Department of the Army in Washington, D.C., and also served in Japan, Germany and at the Pentagon until retiring in January 1973.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Burke and Troy Zachary.

Surviving are three brothers, Davis and Kit Zachary, both of Cullowhee and William "Billy" Zachary of Michigan; and three sisters, Betty Nicholson of Sylva, Mary Arata of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Elizabeth Kerr of Las Vegas.

Memorials may be made to the East LaPorte Cemetery Fund, c/o Davis Zachary, P.O. Box 2688, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723.

Clifford Seago

Graveside services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in Keener Cemetery. His cousin, Jesse Flake, conducted the eulogy.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he retired from the town of Sylva as chief of police. He was son of the late Susie Seago Morton and step-son of the late Boyd Morton.

He was preceded in death by three sons, Allen, Stanley and Gary Seago; and two grandchildren.

Surviving are his wife of 64 years, Leota Hooper Seago; one daughter, Mona Seago of Sylva; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Mountain Trace Nursing Center Alzheimer's Fund, 68 Hospital Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Hallie Lackey

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, at Mt. Zion A.M.E. Zion Church in Cullowhee, where she was a member. The Revs. Damita Wilder and Eugene Smith officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late George and Josephine Gibbs Rogers and wife of the late Theodore Lackey.

She was preceded in death by six brothers and three sisters.

Surviving are several nieces and nephews.

Moody Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Online memorials and registry may be made at www.pemoody.com.

Jack Queen

Graveside services were held at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, at Love Cemetery. The Rev. Robert Blanton officiated.

A native of Swain County, he lived in Jackson County most of his life and was the son of the late Rufus and Launa Mathis Queen.

He was a U.S. Army veteran, a member of Ochre Hill Baptist Church and retired from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in the janitorial department.

Surviving are several nieces and nephews.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Quenton Farr

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Tina Evans will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview Memorial Gardens with military rites conducted by a detachment from Shaw Air Force Base.

A native of Auburn, Ga., he had lived in Jackson County for the past years. He was a retired teacher, principal and associate superintendent. Son of the late Lovick and Dora Ann Simpson Farr, he volunteered at Meals on Wheels and the hospital auxiliary. A World War II veteran, he attended John's Creek Methodist Church.

Surviving are his wife, Roberta Truman Farr; one daughter, Jean Pittillo of Sylva and Cullowhee; one son, James Farr of Bradenton, Fla.; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer' Research Association, Western North Carolina Chapter 3, Louisiana Avenue, Asheville, N.C. 28806.

Catherine Russell

A native of Rockaway Township, N.J., she had lived in Jackson County for the past 11 years.

She was preceded in death by one brother, Jimmy Russell.

Surviving are her parents, John and Mabel Russell of Balsam; one daughter, Rebecca Jenkins of Bryson City; one son, Brian Russell of Balsam; one sister, Frieda Macri of Mendham, N.J.; one brother, Jack Russell Jr. of Manalapan, N.J.; and one grandchild.

Wells Funeral Home in Waynesville was in charge of arrangements. On-line memorial register is available at "Obituaries" at www.wellsfuneral home.com.

Rose Marie Williams

Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. Burial was in Fairview Memorial Gardens. A native of Gaston County, she was the daughter of the late Bobby Gray Rumfelt and granddaughter of the late Bessie and Hoyt Rumfelt and George and Kate Johnson.

Surviving are her mother, Mary Ann Johnson Rumfelt of Lowell; one son, William Bachman Pack of Gastonia; one daughter, Adrienne Marie Williams of Gastonia; three brothers, Robert Gray, Barry Clark Rumfelt and Freddy Scott, all of Belmont; and one grandson.

On-line memorials and registry may be made at www.pemoodycom.

Barbara Meeks

No services are planned.

A native of Duvall County, Fla., she had been a resident of Jackson County since 1978 and was the depot manager of Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Dillsboro. She was the daughter of the late John Armon and Doris Mildred McKinney Dotson.

Surviving are two sons, Cory and Tim Meeks, both of Sylva; one daughter, Pam Bradley of Atlanta; three brothers, John Dotson of South Carolina, Mike Dotson of Virginia and Gene Dotson of North Carolina; and four grandchildren.

Moody Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. One-line memorials and registry may be made at www.pemoody.com.

Mildred Parr

A native of Putnam County, Ohio, she had lived in Jackson County for the past two months. She was clerk at the Sturgis Public Library and daughter of the late George and Bertha Deken Hawk.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Parr, who died in 1990; and four sisters, Juanita Coelm, Elsie Rhinehart, Mary Alice Hawk and Pauline Noland.

Surviving are one daughter, Bonnie Steckelberg of Cullowhee; two sons, Kyle Parr of Roscommon, Mich., and Larry Parr of Sarasota, Fla.; four sisters, Dorothy Parham of Howe, Ind., Carol Spade of LaGrange, Ind., Helen Sutton of Buchanan, Mich., and Betty Wing of Venice, Fla.; six grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 925, Sylva, N.C. 28779; or the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 749 Highway 107, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Nancy Kilpatrick

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Eddie Stillwell officiated. Burial was at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Bethel Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Cornelius. Pallbearers were Neal Golforth, Jerry Washam, Scott Washam, Ronnie Young, Gregory Hinson and Jim Bradford.

A native of Mooresville, she had lived in Jackson County since 1946. She worked at Buster Brown and also as a waitress. She was a member of Sylva First Presbyterian Church and daughter of the late George Lamar and Beulah Howard Washam.

She was preceded in death by one brother, Jack Washam.

Surviving are her husband of 50 years, Paul Kilpatrick; one son, Michael Canipe of Mellville, N.Y.; three sisters, Sara Young of Huntersville and Gloria Golforth and Martha Bradford, both of Cornelius; one brother, Russell Washam of Cornelius; one grandchild; and one great-grandchild.

Ted Angel

A memorial service will be held in Portland, Maine.

A native of Jackson County, he lived most of his life in Portland, Maine. For the past nine years he lived in Lake Wells, Fla. He was a son of the late Osborne Angel and Ella Dalrymple Angel.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and retired from Maine State Correctional Center in Portland.

He was preceded in death by his childrens' mother, Sarah Dahins Angel; five brothers; and one sister.

Surviving are his wife, Germine Levesque Angel; two sons, Dr. Ted Angel of West Brook, Maine, and Timothy Angel of Lyman, Maine; one daughter, Debrah Greene of Homassass, Fla.; one brother, Pat Angel of Sylva; three sisters, Christene Frizzell of McKenleyville, Calif., and Irene Beck and Blanche Messer of Sylva; five stepchildren; six grandchildren; and 10 step grandchildren.

Back to Archive: 12/06/01.