All Obituaries

James Rex Allen Jr., age 91, passed away at his home in Mars Hill, surrounded by his family on Sunday June 9, 2019. James was born on December 13, 1927 in Mars Hill to Rex and Mary (Willis) Allen. He attended grade and high school in the Mars Hill school system. Directly out of high school, in the midst of World War II, he enlisted in the Navy becoming a hospital apprentice first class at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital. While in the Navy, he met his future wife, Christie Ann Smith, an...

Phillip Jeffrey Wilson 57 of Leicester NC passed away unexpected June 8th 2019. He was born December 4th 1961 and was the son of Nancy Wilson and the late Gene Wilson. In addition to his mother he is survived by his daughter's Daphne Wilson and Laura Wilson (Matthew) of Leicester NC; grandchildren Dallas, Brooklyn, & Paisley; Sister Kim Wilson; and Brothers Joey (Judy) Wilson, and Beau (Jeana) Wilson; and many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. His daughter's...

Brenda Kay Hartley Palmer Copas, 60, of Elizabethton, TN, died June 8, 2019. She was preceded in death by her father, Rev. Jessie Hartley and granddaughter, Hailey Ann Marie Palmer. She is survived by her loving mother Lois Hartley; son, Jeffrey Palmer of Elizabethton; grandson, Jayden Palmer; brothers, Steven Hartley Sr. (Sofia) of Telford and Billy Hartley (Brenda) of Jonesboro; sister, Linda Bridwell of Johnson City; several nieces and nephews; and a very special second mother, miss Betty...

Judy Coward Woodberry Hyder of Flat Rock, NC, formerly of Johnsonville, SC, passed away on Sunday, June 2, 2019 at her home.  Judy was born on April 8, 1961 in Florence County, SC, and was the daughter of Sarah McKenzie Coward and the late William Donald Coward of Johnsonville, SC and Hendersonville, NC.  She enjoyed riding her motorcycle and being with her grandchildren and family. In addition to her mother, she is survived by her spouse, Donald “Donnie” Hyder of the...

Betty Jean Ponder of Asheville passed away on Sunday, June 2, 2019 after a courageous battle of metastatic melanoma. A native of Buncombe County, she was a lifelong resident of Asheville. She was the daughter of the late Edwin (Snub) and Wilma Williams Ponder, Betty was a graduate of TC Roberson, and Asheville Buncombe Tech. She retired for UNCA after 25 years of service. She was a member of Lake Hills Church in Candler where she loved serving on the Hospitality Committee and in that...

On Sunday, June 2nd, 2019, with her loving family by her side, Revela Randolph Ingle, better known to many as Jerri, passed away peacefully at home after a period of declining health. Jerri was born in Yancey County on May 13th, 1936 to the late Elisha Randolph and Girtha Honeycutt Randolph, also deceased. Many of you reading this were probably, as a child, gently and lovingly fitted with new shoes by Jerri at the Shoe Show in Marion, NC, where Jerri was a store manager for many years,...

Theresa Nadine Whitmire, 76, of Brevard, North Carolina, went to be with the Lord Friday, May 31, 2019. Theresa was born in Clyde, North Carolina, to Billie Haynes and Ralph Wilton Davis. She graduated from Lee Edwards High School and from Mars Hill College. Theresa spent a fruitful career teaching in both the Asheville City and Transylvania County School systems during her career. Theresa is preceded in death by her parents and a grandson, Maxwell McKay Whitmire. She is survived by her...

Rosemary “Rose” Kleinsmith Franklin, of Asheville, North Carolina, went home to be with her heavenly Father on Wednesday, May 29 2019, at the age of 72. Rosemary was born October 30, 1946 in Buffalo, NY to the late Virginia and Russell Kleinsmith.   She moved to Asheville, NC in the late seventies and thought it was the most beautiful place in the world and it is where she raised her four sons.   Rosemary loved to garden, enjoyed playing the piano, loved to...

Elaine Bachman Larson,98, formerly of Chicago, Illinois passed away peacefully at 8:28 pm on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 in Black Mountain, NC. She was preceded in death by her husband Warren Larson, her parents Orie Bachman and Alta Ringenberg of Tiskilwa, Illinois and her brother Roger Bachman. She is survived by her two daughters Tana Marie and Andra Lee Larson. Elaine, with her husband Warren, was a founding member of the First Baptist Church of Park Ridge, IL. They were active members until...

Wendy Styles Pumphrey, 52, died Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at Care Partners Solace Center in Asheville, North Carolina. Wendy was born June 1, 1966, to Wilma G. and Douglas Eugene Styles in DeLand, Florida. She attended Charleston schools, received a Bachelor’s degree from College of Charleston, and a Master’s of Art in Teaching from The Citadel. Wendy taught at Asheville High School and was a member of Groce United Methodist Church. Wendy is survived by her parents, of Mills...