Obituaries
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Scotty Dean McMahan
Aug 12, 2022
Scotty McMahan, 44, of Sylva, went home to be with the Lord Friday morning August 12, 2022.A native and a lifelong resident of Jackson County, Scotty was an avid artist who loved to draw. He cherished the time he had to spend with his family and friends. He will be missed by all that knew him. He is survived by his...
Cornelious "Cory" Ashe III
Aug 12, 2022
Cornelious “Cory” Ashe III, 54 of Sylva, passed away on Friday, August 12, 2022. Cory was born in Tampa, FL on October 01, 1967, to Cornelious Ashe Jr. and the late Janet Taylor Pope. Cory enjoyed roofing, building, and working in his garden. He loved his family. He will be missed by many.
Cory is survived by his wife...
Sean Kevin Bryson
Aug 8, 2022
Sean Kevin Bryson, 54 of Sylva, NC passed away on August 8, 2022 after a lengthy illness. He was the son of the late Willie Bryson, Sr. and Harriett Anderson Bryson.
Sean joined the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in 2002. He was later promoted to Senior Deputy. He was employee of the year for 2021.
Sean and Melissa...
Yvonne Sutton Parker
Aug 7, 2022
Yvonne Sutton Parker, 82, of Sylva, went home to be with the Lord, Sunday afternoon August 7, 2022.A native and a lifelong resident of Jackson County she was the daughter of the late Austin and Minnie Sutton.She was a member of Locust Field Baptist Church and she enjoyed gardening and planting flowers. She cherished the time she had to play...
Rena Jannet McCoy Terry
Aug 3, 2022
Rena Jannet McCoy, age 60 of Cherokee, passed away Wednesday, August 3, 2022. She was the daughter of the late Ervin and Shirlene Lambert McCoy.
Rena resided most of her life in the Bird Town community with her family. She loved doing arts and crafts with her grandchildren and making people things she knew would make them smile. Rena was...
Linda Ellen Woodard
Aug 3, 2022
Linda Ellen Woodard, age 80 of Bryson City NC, passed away on Wednesday August 3, 2022. She was born on May 17, 1942, in Swain County, to the late Burl and Joyce Mildred (Cochran) Woodard.
Linda lived in Burkeville, VA for 55 years. She volunteered at the Burkeville Squad Shop for many years, raising money for Emergency Services. She...
William LeGrande Pearce
Aug 2, 2022
William LeGrande Pearce, 33, of Sylva, North Carolina, passed away at his home on August 2, 2022. He was the son of the late James William Pearce and Carol Hughes Pearce Taylor.
Will was born in Marietta, Georgia, on November 12, 1988, and lived in Acworth, Georgia until his family relocated to Cullowhee, North Carolina, when he was two....
Don William Walker
Aug 2, 2022
Don William Walker 73 of Sylva went to his Heavenly home August 2nd. Don was a native of Vance county, North Carolina, but had resided in Jackson county since 1970. He was the son of the late Sally Jo Harris and Warren Percy Walker. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his sister Gale Walker Collier...
Joyce Bryson Cloer
Aug 1, 2022
Joyce Bryson Cloer, 82, of Sylva, passed away unexpectedly Monday morning August 1, 2022.A native and a lifelong resident of Jackson County, she was the daughter of the late Fred and Jerdie Bryson.She retired from Southwestern Community College and was currently working at Cherokee Mechanical and Electric. In addition to her parents she was also preceded in death by her sister...
David Nicholson
Aug 1, 2022
David Earl Nicholson, age 66 of Cullowhee NC, entered his Heavenly home on Monday August 1, 2022, He passed at his residence surrounded by his family. He was born on February 2, 1956, in Baton Rouge LA, to the late Lyman and Ruby (Lonis) Nicholson.
David was an active member of Black Mountain Baptist Church. He retired from Western Carolina...
Billy Ray Sneed
Jul 22, 2022
Billy Ray Sneed, age 70 of Sylva NC, passed away on Friday July 22, 2022. He was born on March 18, 1952, in Jackson County, to the late Robert and Geneva “Mabel” (Hoyle) Sneed.
Billy was an avid deer hunter and loved to cook. You could always count on Billy to tell some good tales and do some cuttin’...
Jerry Rice III
Jul 22, 2022
Jerry Rice III, 63, of Cullowhee, NC finished his final ride on July 22, 2022. He was the son of the late Jerry Rice Jr. and Joyce Pauline Crisp Rice.
He is survived by his former wife, Kimberly Rice, and their three sons: Jerry Rice IV (Laura) of Hendersonville, Robert Rice (Malissa) of Asheville, and Patrick Rice (Brittany) of Sylva....
Robert Lee Axelong
Jul 14, 2022
Robert Lee Axelong, 75, of Cherokee, NC, passed away Thursday morning July 14, 2022. A native and a lifelong resident of Cherokee, Robert was born August 14, 1946 to the late Richard and Dora Axelong Bigmeat. Robert worked for several years as a waiter and host at the Boundary Tree in Cherokee and then got into logging for a while. He also...
Joseph Ronald "Ronnie" Seay
Jul 14, 2022
Joseph Ronald (Ronnie) Seay, age 59 of Cartersville, GA, entered into his heavenly home on July 14, 2022, at his residence. He was born on November 27, 1962 in Swain County to Shirley Campbell and the late J.D. Seay of Whitter. Ronnie was preceded in death by his stepfather, Duvall Campbell (Pop) and two sisters, Jackie Hardin and Teresa Guthrie...
Frank Wade Guffey
Jul 9, 2022
Frank Wade Guffey, 84, of the Savannah Community of Sylva, entered into his heavenly home on Saturday, July 9, 2022, while a resident of The Hermitage in Sylva, NC.
Wade was the first of five children born to the late Frank Gudger and Emma Etta Barron Guffey. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother,...
Carnal Lee Proffitt
Jul 7, 2022
Carnal Lee Proffitt, age 90, passed away July 7, 2022 at his home in Sylva just 19 days after the passing of his wife Martha to whom he was married for nearly 72 years.The oldest of 12 children, C.L. was born in the Swiss Community of Yancey County on November 11, 1931 to the late Grady Lee and Ollie Belle...
Billy "Wild Bill" Henderson
Jul 6, 2022
Billy Wray “Wild Bill” Henderson, 77 of Cullowhee, passed away on Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Wild Bill was born on July 15, 1944, to the late Glenn Henderson and Lucy Wilson.
Wild Bill was a lifelong mechanic. He enjoyed camping, swimming in the river, watching westerns, and spending time with his family. He was a member of Fall...
Brenda Oliver Holt
Jul 6, 2022
Brenda Ann Allison Oliver Holt, RN, 80, of 136 First Avenue, Sylva, died Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at Solace Hospice in Asheville. Mrs. Holt was the first woman elected mayor of Sylva serving as mayor from 1992 until 2009. Before becoming mayor, Mrs. Holt was also the first woman to serve on the town’s city council, first joining the board...
Mary Anne Massey
Jul 4, 2022
Mary Anne Massey (Trello), age 87 of Robbinsville NC, passed away on Monday July 4, 2022. She was born on May 2, 1935, in Pittsburgh PA, to the late Patsy and Emelia (Vallera) Trello.
Mary was a mother, sister, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved spending time with her family and was loved by all.
She will be...
Astrid Potter
Jul 2, 2022
Astrid Vyt Potter had an amazing life. Born in Duisburg, Germany in 1936, she spent her early years on the family’s barge traveling the Rhine. As a child, she survived the bombings of World War II in Brussels and the deprivation of post-war Germany, stealing coal and playing soccer in the street for fun (yes stealing the coal was fun). ...