James "Ralph" Mccracken

Clyde- James "Ralph" McCracken, 80, of Upper Crabtree passed away April 22, 2023, at Silver Bluff Nursing Home.

A native of Haywood County, he was the son of the late William Claude and Lenora Best McCracken. Ralph retired from Champion International/Blue Ridge Paper in 2004 following 35 years of service.  He was a lifelong member of Rock Springs Baptist Church and attended James Chapel and East Waynesville Baptist regularly in his later years.  In his free time, Ralph enjoyed bird watching, keeping weather statistics and tending his vegetable garden.  He was a huge sports fan and loved the Dodgers and Tuscola football.  The thing Ralph most enjoyed was spending time with his family.  He was a devoted son, brother, husband, father and grandfather.

In addition to his parents, Ralph was preceded in death by his loving wife of 52 years, Doris Wyatt McCracken; his sisters Lois Crowley and Mary Sue Balentine; and brothers Louis McCracken and Spencer McCracken.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Claudia and Rodney Norton of Clyde; son and daughter-in-law, Greg and Jill McCracken of Ocean Isle, NC; his favorite person, his granddaughter Mia Norton; sisters Emelyn Shook and Ruth Chambers as well as numerous nieces and nephews, whom he loved very much.

Ralph’s family would like to thank caregivers Dan and Kim, Silver Bluff Nursing Home and Hospice of Haywood County for the care they gave him. It was enormously appreciated.

Services will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 29th in the Waynesville chapel of Wells Funeral Home, with Reverend Heath Davis officiating.  Burial will follow at Upper Crabtree Community Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 2:30 until service time at the funeral home.

Memorials can be made in Mr. McCracken’s memory to Hospice and Palliative Care, 13 Haywood Office Park, Suite 107, Waynesville, NC 28785.

The care of Mr. McCracken has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville.