Obituaries
Recent obituaries in North Carolina
The obituaries in the North Carolina Area reflect the region's diverse population, featuring individuals from a variety of ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Some were pioneers in their fields, while others dedicated their lives to community service or philanthropy. Their stories serve as a reminder of the richness and complexity North Carolina's history and identity.

Irene Messer
May 29, 2003
IRENE B. MESSER Waynesville-Irene B. Messer, age 80, of Fox Run Road, died Thursday, May 29, 2003 at Haywood Regional Medical Center after a brief illness. She was a native and lifelong resident of Haywood County and was the daughter of the late Zadie Burgess. She was the wife of the late Nathan Richard Messer, who died...

Alan Clements
May 28, 2003
Waynesville-Alan Ray Clements, age 46, of 263 Aqua Vista Loop, died Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at Haywood Regional Medical Center. A native of Lunenburg County, Virginia, he was the son of Betty Beale Clements of Hillsborough, NC and the late Robert Lee Clements. He was a disabled veteran of the Vietnam War. In addition to his mother,...
Ellen Smith
May 28, 2003
Waynesville-Ellen Faye Ruff Smith, age 60, of 262 Depot Street, died Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at Haywood Regional Medical Center. A native of Haywood County, she was the daughter of the late Roy Chester and Dorothy Mae Lee Smith. She was also preceded in death by a twin sister, Ellie Kay Ruff, and two brothers, Ray Chester...

Betty Smathers
May 27, 2003
Canton-Betty Jane Smathers-age 76 of Pisgah Villa Assisted Living Center in Candler died Tuesday, May 27, 2003 at the Brian Center of Weaverville. She was a native of Haywood County where she lived most of her life. She was a daughter of the late Perry G. and Jessie Mell Smathers. She retired from Dayco with over 40...

Ira Henson
May 25, 2003
Canton-Ira Lee "Monk" Henson-age 87, of 1000 Burnette Cove Road, died Sunday, May 25, 2003 at his residence. He was a son of the late Robert Lee and Ophelia Browning Henson and was a member of Burnette Cove Baptist Church. He was a United States Army Veteran serving in World War II. He is survived by his...

Lyle Turcott, Jr.
May 25, 2003
Waynesville-Lyle Everette Turcott, Jr., age 32, of Ridgewood Drive, died Sunday, May 25, 2003 at his residence. He was a native of Rochester, New York and was the son of the late Lyle Everett Turcott, Sr. and Edith Joy Countryman Turcott. He is survived by his wife, Sheila Faye Franklin Turcott; a brother, George Winton Turcott and...
Claude Phillips
May 25, 2003
Waynesville-Claude Medford Phillips, age 79, of 45 Burma Road, died Sunday, May 25, 2003 at his residence. He was a native of Haywood County and was the son of the late Jim Medford and Margaret Phillips. He was also preceded in death by a son, Boyd Medford ''Peanut'' Phillips, two sisters, two brothers, and a grandson, Rodney...

Wilma Black
May 25, 2003
Canton-Wilma A. Black, age 73 of 17 Skyline Drive, died Sunday, May 25, 2003 at her residence. She was daughter of the late Bruce and Lena Styles Anglin of Yancy Co., and was also preceded in death by a brother, Ed Anglin. She was a member of Canton First Baptist Church. She is survived by her husband...
Donald Queen
May 22, 2003
Waynesville-Donald Cecil Queen, age 47, of 373 Little Cove Road, died Thursday, May 22, 2003 at his residence. He was a native of Forks, Washington and was the son of the late Clifford Jack and Lillian Elving Queen. He worked for the cable company as a cable splicer. He was an Army veteran. He enjoyed fishing and...

Northern Parham
May 21, 2003
Leicester-Northern Jackson Parham, age 90, died Wednesday, May 21, 2003 at St. Joseph's Hospital. He was a native and lifelong resident of Buncombe County and was a son of the late Charlie Monroe and Phoebie King Parham. He was the husband of Nellie West Parham who died in 1983 and was also preceded in death by one...

Russell Buckner
May 21, 2003
Canton-Russell Garfield Buckner, age 84, died Wednesday, May 21, 2003 at Silver Bluff Nursing Home. He was a native and lifelong resident of Haywood County and was the son of the late P. A. and Daisy Vahaun Buckner. He retired from Champion International and was a member of Crestview Baptist Church. He was a United States Army...

Natalie Schenke
May 21, 2003
Waynesville-Natalie Sue Noll Schenke, age 70, died Wednesday, May 21, 2003 at Haywood Regional Medical Center. A native and 41-year resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, she had also resided in Sarasota, Florida for 26 years prior to moving to Waynesville last year. She was the daughter of the late Arthur E. and Beulah Mae Hillard Noll. She was...
Harold Tollefson
May 21, 2003
Waynesville-Harold Oscar Tollefson, age 90, of 628 Park Place, Nacogdoches, Texas, died Wednesday, May 21, 2003 at Haywood Regional Medical Center. A native of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, he had lived most of his life in Neenah, Wisconsin. He currently resided with his sons at their respective homes. He was the son of the late Oscar and Lucy...

Jerry Bradley
May 21, 2003
Canton-Jerry William Bradley, age78, of 436 Henson Cove Road, died Wednesday, May 21, 2003 at Haywood Regional Medical Center. He was a native of Jackson County and had lived most of his life in Haywood County. He was the son of the late Dock and Charlotte Roland Bradley and was also preceded in death by two sisters,...
Pearl Yates
May 18, 2003
Waynesville-Frances Pearl Justice Yates, age 93, of 55 Yates Cove Road, died Sunday, May 18, 2003 at her residence. A native of Haywood County, she was the daughter of the late Fuller Allison Justice and Frances Falsom Walker Justice and the granddaughter of the late Albert and Mattie McCracken Walker. She was also preceded in death by...

Ronald Everts
May 17, 2003
Maggie Valley-Ronald E. Everts, age 72, died Saturday, May 17, 2003 at Haywood Regional Medical Center after a brief illness. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and spent his childhood in Gratiot County. He resided in Keystone Heights, Florida and had lived in Haywood county for 17 years. He was the son of the late Helen...

Kansas Winfrey
May 16, 2003
KANSAS B. WINFREY Clyde-Kansas Julie Blevins Bodford McMahan Winfrey, age 79, of Levi Street, died Friday, May 16, 2003 at Mission St. Joseph's Health Care System. She was a native of Yancey County and lived most of her life in Haywood County. She was the daughter of the late Pretzel and Ellie Dale Belvins. She was also...

Gerald Althouse
May 13, 2003
Balsam, NC and Ormond Beach, FL-Gerald F. ''Gerry'' Althouse, age 83, of Valencia Drive, Ormond Beach, Florida and a summer resident of Balsam died Tuesday, May 13, 2003. A native of Fairfield County, Connecticut, he was the son of the late Gerald and Margaret Heintzman Althouse. A sister, Dorothy Smith, also preceded him in death. He was...
Robert Randolph
May 12, 2003
ROBERT F. RANDOLPH Waynesville-Robert F. ''Bob'' Randolph, age 68, of 21 Dolly Drive, died Monday, May 12, 2003 at Mission St. Joseph Health Care. A native of Davidson County, Tennessee, he had resided in Haywood County for the last three years. He was the son of the late William Thomas and Marguarite Litchford Randolph and was a...
Mary Gillis
May 11, 2003
Canton-Mary Edna Gillis, age 90, died Sunday, May 11, 2003 at Pisgah Manor Nursing Home. She was a native and lifelong resident of Haywood and was the daughter of the late O. Floyd and Pearl Binsfeld Gillis. Ms. Gillis taught for 43 years, first in the Canton City School system and later at Pisgah Senior High School....
Subscribe
To Email Notifications
Subscribe to receive an email when we add new obituaries to our website. Your email will not be used for any other purpose and will not be shared. You may unsubscribe at any time.
365 Days of Grief Support
Sign up for one year of grief messages designed to offer hope and healing during difficult first year after a loss
Sign up for one year of grief messages designed to offer hope and healing during difficult first year after a loss