Obituary Information

The Sylva Herald prints obituaries free of charge as a service to its readers.

When possible, obituaries should be submitted to The Herald from the funeral home in charge of arrangements. Information received will be printed in our standard obituary format. As is the case with all information submitted to The Herald, we reserve the right to edit obituary information to fit our standard format.

We publish names of the deceased's children; we also include the number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We do not include in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews or special friends.

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Obituaries - 12/06/02

Enley Cope

Enley Emless Cope, 87, of Sylva's Old Savannah community, died Saturday, Nov. 30, 2002, at his residence after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, at Old Savannah Baptist Church, of which he was a member. The Revs. David Souderes, Hardin Nicholson, Clifford Parker and Eddie Stillwell officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery.

A native of Jackson County, where he lived most of his life, he retired from Mead Corp. after working there for 27 1/2 years. He was the last of nine children of the late Cebern and Alice Hall Cope.

Surviving are his wife of 63 years, Vera Lee Hall Cope; one daughter, Sue Hall of Sylva; two grandsons; and two great-grandsons.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Jackson County, 132 Sylva Plaza, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Joseph Middleton

Joseph M. Middleton, 93, of Sylva, died Monday, Nov. 25, 2002, at Ensley Adult Care Center.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, at Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Revs. Bobby Locklear and Johnny Norris officiated. Burial was in Middleton Family Cemetery with military rites conducted by the U.S. Army and Sylva American Legion Post 104.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a son of the late William and Cordelia Shook Middleton. He was a decorated Army veteran of World War II.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Spurgeon Middleton, and three sisters, Elzia Middleton, Etha Ashe and Rosetta Rigdon.

Surviving are two sisters, Ethel Crawford and Pearl Henson, both of Sylva.

Memorials may be made to Middleton Cemetery Fund, c/o Pat Shields, 72 Stormy Cove Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

Clyde Hensley

Clyde Hensley, 90, of Macktown Road, Sylva, died unexpectedly Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2002, at Harris Regional Hospital after a brief illness.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at Locust Field Baptist Church, of which he was a member. The Rev. Charles Carnes officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were grandsons.

A native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was a farmer and son of the late John Sevier and Hester Sutton Hensley.

He was preceded in death by one great-great-granddaughter.

Surviving are his wife, May Belle Martin Hensley; six daughters, Betty Ann Greene, Lucille Painter, Frankie Parris, Mary Darcus Barnes, all of Sylva, Birdell Bennett of Tampa, Fla., and Lina Jean Hall of Amherst, Va.; three sons, Robert Hayes Hensley and Roger Dale Hensley, both of Sylva, and Jerry Rondal Hensley of Mountain Home; 20 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Margaret Biddix

Margaret Violet George Biddix, 85, of Dark Ridge Road, Sylva, died Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2002, at her residence after a period of declining health.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, in the chapel of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home. The Rev. Johnny Norris officiated. Burial followed in Love Cemetery.

A native of Swain County, she lived most of her life in Jackson County. She was the daughter of the late Davis and Rosie Rattler George. She retired from Dayco's foam rubber department and was a member of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church.

Surviving are seven daughters, Ruby Melton, Rose Rhinehart, Jessie Rathbone, Helen Parker, Bonnie Arneach and Julie Biddix, all of Sylva, and Ann Reed of Waynesville; three sons, Sam Biddix and Jim Biddix, both of Sylva, and John Biddix of Waynesville; 16 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Johnny Crispe

Johnny Ruth Crispe, 88, of Weirsdale, Fla., died Friday, Nov. 29, 2002, in Orlando Regional Hospital from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Funeral services were held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, in the chapel of Moody Funeral Home. The Rev. Loy Kennedy officiated. Burial will be 9:30 a.m. today (Thursday) at Rogers-Hooper Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at Weirsdale Presbyterian Church.

A native of Jackson County, she was a daughter of the late John Robert and Bethie Rogers Hooper. She was a member of Weirsdale Presbyterian Church and a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Daughters of the American Revolution and several other social organizations.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clifton W. Crispe; and two sisters, Janie Hooper and Sara Belle Moseman.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Robert Rogers Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 93, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723.

Leroy Rattler

Leroy Rattler, 72, of Yellowhill Road, Cherokee, died Monday, Dec. 2, 2002, at Cherokee Indian Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, in the chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home, Bryson City. The Rev. J.B. Smith officiated. Graveside services were at 2 p.m. at Buffalo Baptist Church Cemetery in Robbinsville.

A native of Graham County, he had lived in Cherokee since his retirement from heavy construction. He was a member of Buffalo Baptist Church in Robbinsville. He was a son of the late Morgan and Bertha Smoker.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, McKinley Rattler and Vernon Rattler; and one sister, Jeanmay Rattler Lane.

Surviving are one daughter, Polly Rattler; six sons, Mickie, Jackie, Hammond, Timothy and Harold Rattler, all of Cherokee, and Sammy Rattler of Frankfurt, Germany; one sister, Lorene Teesateskie of Robbinsville; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Annalee Johnson

Annalee Haga Johnson, 74, of Charlotte, died Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2002, at Mecklenburg Health Care Center in Charlotte.

The family received friends Saturday, Nov. 30, at the Wilson Chapel of Hankins & Whittington Funeral Service. A private burial was held at Sharon Memorial Park.

She was born Sept. 3, 1928, at the Army Hospital at Fort Monroe in Hampton, Va. She graduated from Plant High School in Tampa, Fla., Carolina Business School in Charlotte and UNC-Charlotte with a bachelor's degree in creative arts and a master's in education in counseling. She retired from Woman Reach Inc., where she was associate director.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 32 years, Ralph Duncan "Buck" Johnson Jr.

Surviving are one son, Ralph Joel Johnson of Sylva; two daughters, Joy Holshouser of Tega Kay, S.C., and Jacqueline McKeon of Portland, Maine; two sisters, Virginia Singletary of Charlotte and Irene Francis of Williamsburg, Va.; two brothers, Fred Haga and Dan Haga, both of Charlotte; and six grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Charlotte, 1420 East 7th Street, Charlotte, N.C. 28204; or to St. John's United Methodist Church of Rock Hill, P.O. Box 149, Rock Hill, S.C. 29731.

Leonard Winchester

Leonard Ray Winchester, 58, of Clyde, died Monday, Dec. 2, 2002, at Mission-St. Joseph's Health Care System in Asheville.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) in the chapel of Garrett Funerals and Cremations. The Revs. David Reeves and Jimmy Moore will officiate.

Burial will be at Fulbright Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Andy East, Jason Messer, Terry Wilson, Lee Miller, Jimmy Smith, Ernest Russell, Lee Gibson, Billy Henry, Robert Warren, Wayne Finger and Pat Noland. Honorary pallbearers will be Steven Sheehan, Justin Sheehan, Ricky East and Dusty Hoglen.

The family was to have received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, at the funeral home.

A native of Haywood County, he worked at Dayco in the curve hose department. He was a son of the late Vernon and Millie "Irene" Wyatt Winchester.

Surviving are two sons, Travis Winchester of Tuckasegee and Dwain Winchester of Waynesville; one brother, Bobby Winchester of Waynesville; three sisters, Tilda Mae Winchester and Pauline East, both of Lake Junaluska, and Jean Sheehan of Crabtree; and two granddaughters.

An online guest registry is available at www.legacy.com.

Wayne Hornbuckle

Wayne "Joe" Hornbuckle, 28, of Cherokee, died Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2002, at Cherokee Indian Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at Rock Hill Baptist Church. The Revs. Joe Crow, Betty Drake and Randall Cummings officiated. Burial was at the Hornbuckle Family Cemetery.

A native of Cherokee, he was employed by Comfort Suites.

He was preceded in death by his father, Bill Ray Armachain.

Surviving are his mother, Aubrey H. Taylor; stepfather, John Taylor; grandparents, Wayne and Mary Hornbuckle of Cherokee; two brothers, Jonathan and Vincent Taylor of the home; and two sisters, Anna and Maria Taylor of the home.

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

Stanley Franklin

Stanley Earl Franklin, 45, of 3 Oaks Lane, Sylva, died unexpectedly Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002, at his residence.

Melton-Riddle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.