David Varner

David H. Varner

Lake Junaluska, David Hawfield Varner, age 80, passed away on Sunday, February 24, 2019 at Memorial Mission Hospital.

A native of Henderson County, he was a son of Reverend R. M. and Elizabeth Hawfield Varner.  In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his first wife, Susan Varner, who died in 2001; and a brother, Robert Varner.  David graduated from Lexington High School, NC in 1956, attended Brevard College and graduated from Dell School of Technology.  He worked in Pathology at Transylvania Community Hospital for 8 years; joined the Physicians at Newland Clinic in Brevard for 8 years.  David was Administrator of Hemmingway Out-Patient Facility under a grant from Robert Wood, Johnson Foundation; Administrator of South East Colorado Healthcare Association and Administrator of Richland Center, Physicians Association of Wisconsin.  He was Administrator of the Medical Building in Georgetown, South Carolina. David retired in 2000 and widowed in 2001.  David married Lynda Smith and made their home in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina and Sarasota, Florida and they enjoyed traveling.  He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Waynesville, Jaycees, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Moose Club, Medical Group Management Association, American Medical Technologist and American Society of Clinical Pathology.

David is survived by his wife, Lynda Smith Varner; daughter, Lesli Ann Gration (Pete), of Charlotte, NC; son David Randal Varner (Kim), of Portland, Oregon; sister, Mary Dora McCrary, Elkin, NC; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren,

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 1, 2019 in the Waynesville chapel of Wells Funeral Home with Reverend Becky Brown and Reverend R. Curran Welch officiating.  The family will receive friends from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m. prior to the service.  Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at Harrison United Methodist Church Cemetery, Pineville, NC.

Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, 120 Executive Park, Building 1, Asheville, NC 28801.

The care of David has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Homes and an online memorial register is available at “Obituaries” at www.wellsfuneralhome.com