All Obituaries

     Bennie Leo Bowen, 69, of Valdese, NC, passed away Saturday, April 4, 2020, at the Charles F. George VA Medical Center in Asheville.      Bennie was born in Lexington, NC, on May 7, 1950, to the late Elwood Leo Bowen and Mary Hill Bowen. He served his country proudly in the United States Army during the Vietnam conflict. Bennie was an active member of the Morganton Moose Lodge. He will be greatly missed.      In addition to his...

     Leonard Lee Landers, lifetime resident of Marshall, North Carolina, died March 31, 2020, at the Laurels of Summit Ridge Nursing Home in Asheville. He was seventy-three.      Leonard was born to the late Helen “Jean” Shelton Effler and Foy Landers in Greene County, Tennessee, on January 30, 1947. He graduated from Laurel High School in Marshall, North Carolina. Leonard was a farmer, a hunter and a fisherman. He loved his family...

     Dena Marie Stevens Hyatt, 66, of Candler, North Carolina, passed away Saturday, March 28th, 2020, at Mission Hospital.      Mrs. Hyatt was a daughter of the late Leroy Stevens and Mary Ingle. She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Lacey Hyatt, and Robert Lee Hyatt.      Ms. Dena was Miss Independent. She was caring, loving and always put her family first. She was a provider for her family, and her love for them was...

     “Mr.” Keith E. Messenger of Hendersonville, North Carolina, died Thursday, March 26, 2020, at the Elizabeth House in Flat Rock. He was eighty-one.      Keith was born to the late Emma I. Westmiller and Albert G. Messenger in Ithaca, New York, on May 11, 1938. He graduated from Ithaca High School, then served in the army.      Keith loved all types of cars, and used to race on the dirt track. He was a huge Nascar...

        David John Barba, of Canton, North Carolina, died March 23, 2020, at Silver Bluff Village. He was seventy-five.       David was born April 19, 1944, to Kathryn Regina Gransback and Edward John Barba. He was a fisherman and a photographer, and enjoyed boating and camping. He was a member of Fletcher United Methodist Church and joined many mission trips. David served in the United States Army, and was an insurance adjuster for...

     Glen Alen (Al) Lockhart, 68, died Saturday, March 21, 2020, at his home in Candler, North Carolina.      Al was born August 5, 1951, to Jo Rita Morelock and Paul Leo Lockhart in Fall Branch, Tennessee. He graduated from AC Reynolds High School. Al served in the United States Marine Corp during the Vietnam War. He worked with the FBI, as a photographer, in Quantico, Virginia. Owned a photography business, was a carpenter, then worked as a substance abuse...

Marvin Frank Pratt, age 86, died peacefully with his daughters at his side Thursday, March 19, 2020 after a brief illness.  Born in Ann Arbor, MI on November 26, 1933, he graduated from Ann Arbor High School in 1951. After self-directed acquisition and study of numerous aircraft mechanic repair manuals and textbooks, he enlisted in the United States Airforce in 1953, completing training at Amarillo AFB, TX; Sampson AFB, Geneva, NY; and Aircraft Mechanic School at Eglin AFB, FL.  He...

     Barbara Joan Gosnell Jones (Joanie), 73, of Hendersonville, NC, died Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at Advent Health in Hendersonville.      She was of Baptist Faith, was a daycare worker for many years, and had a passion for taking care of kids. She was a homemaker and the greatest mother someone could ask for. She had a heart of gold, was a loving mother, a caring sister and a friend who would give the shirt off her back to help...

     Kathleen Ann Cuff Bennett, of Suffolk, Virginia, died Wednesday, March 18, 2020. She was sixty-five.      Kathleen was born April 15, 1954, in Lakewood, New Jersey, to the late Margaret Maureen Dunham and Francis Nicholas Cuff. She attended Burlington County Vocational Center, then worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse in home health. Kathleen was a Roman Catholic.      Kathleen is survived by her children, Brian Francis Cuff...

Frances “Carolyn” Prater Effler, age 75, of Old Fort, NC, passed away peacefully, on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Asheville at her daughters home, surrounded by her loving family. Mrs. Effler was born on January 8, 1945, in Buncombe County, to the late Cecil Prater and Celia Justice Prater. She was a loving wife and mother and loved to cook. She also loved her dogs, Sam, a chihuahua and Little Boy, a wire-haired terrier. Most of all, she loved her family dearly and her children...