Obituaries

Apr 22, 2021

Gerald “Jerry” Lee Fisher, 72, of Watson Branch, Cullowhee, passed away Thursday, April 22, 2021 at his home surrounded by his family and loved ones after a long illness. He was born January 6, 1949 in Macon County and was the youngest of nine children born to the late Robert H. and Margaret Mills Fisher, and was the husband of...

Apr 22, 2021

Bessie McMahan Brooks of the Barkers Creek Community went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, April 22, 2021. She was born December 31, 1938 to the late Adam and Emma Lee McMahan of the Greens Creek Community and was the wife of the late Eulas Brooks who passed away on June 16, 1989. 

She was a member of Rockdale...

Apr 21, 2021

Clara Lynn Green Martin, 73, of Sylva, went to be with her Heavenly Father on Tuesday April 21, 2021.

Clara Lynn was born in Sylva to George M. and the late Aileen B. Green. She was preceded in death by her brother Stanley Green.

She was a member of Green's Creek Baptist Church, where she was active as a pianist and choir...

Apr 20, 2021

Aria Reign Savage-Snead of Cherokee, NC was born sleeping on Tuesday, April 20,2021. She is the daughter of Alex Thigpen and Richard Sneed. 

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 6:00 pm in the chapel at Appalachian Funeral Services in Sylva, NC with Richard Read officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service...

Apr 19, 2021

Ronnie Allen Thomas, 69, of Franklin, NC, passed away Monday morning April 19, 2021. A native of Chesterland, Ohio, he was the son of the late Marvin and Pauline Thomas. 

Ronnie was an US Air Force Veteran and a member of American Legion Post 108 in Franklin, NC. He was an avid sports fan who enjoyed learning and reading about history....

Apr 19, 2021

Ivalee Ertzberger Coggins of Mills River, NC, age 100, formally of Cullowhee, NC, went home to be with the Lord on Monday, April 19, 2021. She was born in 1920 in Anderson, SC.

She is survived by one son; Truman Coggins (Becky) of Delta, CO, three daughters; Zettie Evitt of Yellow Mountain, Frankie Higdon (Tony) of Little Canada, and Sherry...

Apr 17, 2021

Harold Dois Melton, age 86 of Sylva NC, passed away Saturday, April 17, 2021.   He was born on February 15, 1935 in Haywood County NC, to the late Hurshel and Denice (Sutton) Melton.

He was a U.S. Army Veteran, who enjoyed traveling, reading, and woodworking.

Harold will be dearly missed by his loving children, Dois (Angela) Melton, Ann Morris; step-daughter, Jeanette (Leonard)...

Apr 17, 2021

Albert L. Sylvester Jr. (Ky),  passed peacefully, Saturday, April 17th at age 85 in Sylva, North Carolina.

Son of Albert L. Sylvester and Elizabeth Edwards Sylvester, he was born in Cohasset, MA and lived much of his life in New Orleans, LA, St. Simons, GA and Sylva, NC. He is preceded in death by his parents and wife Beverly Joyce Sylvester...

Apr 17, 2021

Joseph Rhett McWhirter, age 42 of Millers Creek NC, passed away on Saturday, April 17, 2021.   He was born on July 6, 1978, in Charlotte NC, to Harold and Sheila (Tolbert) McWhirter.

Rhett was an outdoors person who loved spending time with his children.

He will be dearly missed by the loving mother of his children, Melissa Marie Huffman; mother, Sheila Haywood;...

Apr 12, 2021

John Caldwell, 78 of Dillsboro, went home to be with the Lord on Monday April 12, 2021. A native of Haywood County, he was the son of the late Mitchell and Viola Smith Caldwell.

John was a member of Sugar Creek Baptist Church. He was a master carpenter by trade and built some beautiful furniture. He loved coon hunting. "Papaw" volunteered...

Apr 11, 2021

Kalen Victoria Jones, aged 27, passed away on the Sabbath morning of 11 April 2021, in the town of her birth, Raleigh, North Carolina, at her residence in the home of her grandparents, Lloyd and Louise Freeman, who both survive her, and whose home, at the time, was also the residence of her mother, Allison Brown, who is her only...

Apr 11, 2021

William Arthur "Art" White, age 66, of Sylva, NC passed away at his home on Sunday morning, April 11, 2021. He was the son of the late Henry and Viola White. 

A Celebration of Life service will be held on a later date and will be announced when it is scheduled. 

Appalachian Funeral Services of Sylva, NC is serving the family.  

Apr 11, 2021

Robert Lee "Bob" Frye Jr., age 63 of Cullowhee, NC, passed away on Sunday, April 11, 2021 at his home in Cullowhee surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of Jean Frye and the son of the late Robert and Jean Frye.

Bob worked as a golf pro at Marianna Butte Golf Course in Loveland, CO. Upon relocating to...

Apr 5, 2021

Jamie Keith Buchanan passed away unexpectedly on April 5, 2021 at the age of 52.

Jamie was born in Sylva NC to the late James Grover Buchanan and Shirley Juanita Olvey Long. Jamie graduated from Sylva-Webster High School in 1987. 

Jamie is survived by his parents, Lee Roy and Shirley Juanita Long; his siblings, Jennifer Ann (Bobby) Bright, Johnny Wayne (Diane) Buchanan,...

Apr 5, 2021

Jarrett "Bud" Thompson, 67, of Hayesville, NC, passed away April 3, 2021 in Sylva, NC. 

Bud was preceded in death by his father; Garth Thompson and mother; Florence "Mac" Thompson. Surviving is his sister; Rebecca Smith and spouse James Smith of Hayesville, and two nephews; Garth and Jordan Smith of Asheville, NC. 

He owned and operated "And That's Video" in Hayesville, NC for...

Apr 4, 2021

Audrey Harvey Clayton, 71, of Candler, NC passed away on Easter Sunday, April 4th, 2021, at home after a brave battle with Parkinson's disease.  She was born November 26th, 1949 in Hendersonville, NC to the late Lawton and Agnes Miller Harvey. 

She was a 1967 graduate of East Hendersonville High School and continued her education at Western Carolina University, earning two...

Apr 2, 2021

Linda Lou James, 75, of the Green's Creek Community went home to be with the Lord on Friday April 2, 2021

Born June 13, 1945, she was the daughter of the late Isaac and Daisy Deitz James. In addition to her parents she was also preceded in death by an infant sister Joyce Mae and a brother John Kenneth James.

She is survived...

Mar 29, 2021

Mar 28, 2021

Marcia Faye Bowers Sneed, age 55 of Tuckasegee NC, passed away on Sunday, March 28, 2021.   She was born on May 16, 1965, in Macon County, to Jesse and Callie (Watson) Bowers.

She is survived by her loving husband, Michael Sneed; mother, Callie (Watson) Bowers; sister, Dinah Bowers Barton; and brothers, James Bowers and John Bowers.

Marcia was preceded in death by...

Mar 27, 2021

Charles M. Daves, 88, of Sylva, went home to be with the Lord, Saturday morning March 27, 2021. A native and a lifelong resident of Jackson County, he was the son of the late Nathan and Callie Wood Daves. 

Charles retired after 30 years from Western Carolina University in the Central Store and after retiring he worked another 18 years at...