Obituaries

Norma Jean Welch (Jean), 84, passed away on September 16, 2020 at her home in Franklin, North Carolina. Ms. Welch was retired from an extensive career as band director for the band and music program at Franklin High School. She is loved, admired and missed by the many hundreds of students who were part of music education and marching band programs at the High School.   Ms. Welch was born in1936 in Franklin to a musical family which influenced her life’s work. The Wilburn Welch...

Porter Coy Duncan, 96, of Franklin, N.C. died peacefully at home Monday, September 14, 2020. Born in Clayton, NC on June 23rd, 1924 (son of Wilbur Duncan and Leona Patton Duncan), Porter lived in Franklin for most of his adult life. Disqualified from active service in WW II, due to eyesight problems, he served in the war effort as a civilian by initially working on the Fontana Dam project and later working at the National Defense Facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. While at Fontana, he met...

William “Bill” Furman Collins, 74, passed away Saturday, September 12, 2020 surrounded by family and loved ones.  Bill was born in Macon County on August 10, 1946 to the late G.H. Gibson and Helen Shepherd Gibson.  He was a member of Liberty Baptist Church.  Bill worked as a supervisor at the Macon County Landfill until his retirement.   He also worked at several dairy farms, logging, and in his own farming ventures.  He was never one to sit idle,...

Lawrence “Larry” Owens, 63, of Franklin, NC was called home to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, September 10, 2020. He was born in Miami, Fl. and moved to Franklin 25 years ago. Some may remember him as the tall skinny dude who would walk into town each day, coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other waving to everyone who drove or walked by him. He served in the United States Army for 3 years and received an Honorable discharge in 1983. He was a...

Karen Orpen Verran, Franklin, passed away Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at her home. Karen was born October 13, 1957 in Jamestown, PA to the late Paul Orpen, Sr. and Olive Stange Orpen. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, loved animals, gardening and arts and crafts.  Karen is survived by her husband Robert Verran; a son, Justin Torr (Melissa) of Tampa, Fl.; a daughter Rebecca Heddleston (Jonathan) of Clearwater, Fl.; three grandchildren, Trey Torr, Alexis Torr and Ashley...

    A Pillar of our Highlands community was sadly lost on Monday, August 31, 2020, when Pearle Rogers Lambert passed away.  She had spent more than 100 years making this world a better place and will be deeply missed by her family, friends and all who knew her.  Pearle was born in Scaly Mountain on November 14, 1919, to the late Henry and Lonnie (Mason) Carpenter.  She was married to the late Arthur "Dusty" Rogers, who preceded her February of 1967....

UWE Edward Haarhoff, 83, of Scaly Mountain, NC, passed away Tuesday, August 25, 2020.  He was born July 19, 1937 in Hamburg, Germany to the late Clements and Elisabeth Haarhoff.    Mr. Haarhoff went into business at the age of 19 as a hairdresser in Braunschweig, Germany.  He served the German Royal families, and many royalty in Europe.  In 1961 he immigrated to the USA, landing in New York.  He owned and operated Edwards Salon in Buckhead, Georgia, serving...

Franklin, NC Natalie Bucki, 94, passed away Monday, August 17, 2020, after a life filled with painting, travel, and good people.  Of her painting, she said “My desire when painting is to create a space with light and color and to invite the viewer to enter.  I no longer paint on location, preferring to take my own photos and/or sketches to work with.  I adjust and modify to please myself, trying to create something with more depth and light than a camera can.  I...

Herbert E. Church, Jr. of Pittsboro, NC passed away on Monday, August 17, 2020 at age 99.  “Ebb” as his friends called him was born in Nashville, TN on December 13, 1920.  His parents were Herbert Church, Sr., and Eunice Hill Church.  Ebb is preceded in death by his wife Dorothea in 2008, who he met and married in Newark, OH in 1943.  They were married 65 years, and had five children, four daughters and one son. He is preceded in death by two...

Louise Guffey Vanhook, 90, of Franklin passed away Wednesday, August 12, 2020. Louise was born September 30, 1929 in Macon County, NC to the late Norman Guffey and Dlena Mashburn Guffey. Mrs. Vanhook was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. In her early years, Louise was very involved in the homemakers club, she always grew a garden, and she was a very good cook.  Mrs. Vanhook was a member of Clark's Chapel United Methodist Church. In addition to her parents,...