Obituaries

Gene Alexander Herron

News Staff
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Gene Alexander Herron, 72, of Swain County, passed away on February 23, 2020.  Mr. Herron was born in Swain County on June 24, 1947 to David Herron and the late Lassie Herron.  Gene worked as an electrical and mechanical engineer in the packaging industry.

Rev. Velma Lois Payne Orr

News Staff
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Rev. Velma Lois Payne Orr, 87, of the Grassy Branch community went home to be with Jesus on Friday, February 14, 2020. Born to the late Estes J. and Nina Reese Payne on March 21, 1932 in Wayne, MI, she was the pastor of the Evangelistic Tabernacle for 58 years with her late husband, Rev. Harold J.

Margaret Ann Muse

News Staff
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Margaret Ann Muse, age 56 of Bryson City, NC passed away Friday night, February 14, 2020 at Mission Hospital in Asheville from complications of pneumonia. She was a proud Maroon Devil from Bryson City, the daughter of the late Oneal Muse and Dorris Tallant.

Mozelle Sitton

News Staff
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Mozelle Sitton, a lifelong resident of Bryson City, North Carolina died unexpectedly on February 10th, 2020. Mozelle is survived by her daughter Tammy Sitton McLean and husband Kenny. Two grandsons Kort and Cash McLean. Nieces Joanie Weeks (Robbie) and Ruth Ann Sitton.

Juanita Grauso

News Staff
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Juanita Grauso, 98, passed away February 11, 2020 in Sarasota. She was born December 27, 1921 in Knoxville, TN to the late Riley and Effie Kelly- Bledsoe. She met her future husband, Salvatore, in Alexander, VA. In 1940 they were married in Elkton, MD.

Robert Eugene Evans

News Staff
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Robert Eugene Evans, 84, of Bryson City, went home to be with the Lord Saturday, February 8, 2020. Robert was born on May 24, 1935 in Ashland, KY. He was a longtime resident of Columbus, OH, West Palm Beach, FL, and moved to Bryson City, NC in the year 2000 where he lived for the rest of his life.

Betty Jane Lambert

News Staff
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Betty Jane Lambert, 81, of the Towstring community went home to be with the Lord Wednesday, January 29, 2020. A native of Cherokee, she was the daughter of the late Tilson and Bessie Bradley Beck. She was a member of Towstring Baptist Church.

Robert Joe Holden

News Staff
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Robert Joe Holden, 71, of the Kirklands Creek Community, went home to be with the Lord Sunday, February 2, 2020. A native of Swain County he was the son of the late Bill and Martha Dills Holden.

Ada Laverne Mitchell Burch Crawford

News Staff
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Ada Laverne Mitchell Burch Crawford went home to be with the Lord on Friday January 31, 2020. Laverne was born on April 2, 1927, in Escambia County, FL. She lived in Miami, FL, Mobile, AL, Knoxville and Nashville, TN. Laverne and Tommy L. Burch, Sr.

Dave Wiggins Jr

News Staff
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Dave Wiggins Jr. passed away on February 1, 2020.  He was born on August 17, 1934 in the Cooper Creek Community of Bryson City to the late Audrey Matthews Wiggins and Dave Wiggins Sr. He was preceded in death by son Scott Wiggins and step grandson Eric Fortner.