All Obituaries

Philip Powell, 86, of Highlands, NC and Crawfordville, FL, passed away, Tuesday, August 27, 2019.  He was born June 12, 1933 in Hendersonville, TN to the late Charles Leslie Powell and Jean Rule Powell.  Mr. Powell was a carpenter and builder for many years.  He liked classic cars and street rods, and blue grass music. He had a love for hunting with and training coon dogs.   He was a member of the Gem City Car Club and a U. S. Army Veteran. In addition to his...

      Mr. Jerry “Bubby” Bates, 73, passed away Friday, September 20, 2019 at his home. Mr. Bates was born January 16, 1946 in Macon County to the late Jim and Edna Sanders Bates. Jerry worked and retired from the trucking industry after many years of service. He taught himself how to drive and make a living in trucking. He had a love for western movies and dogs .   Survivors include his wife, Rachel Bates of the home; a daughter, Tracy Bates; two...

Cecil Everett Reeves, 80, of Otto passed away Friday, September 20, 2019 after a period of declining health.  Retiring in 2010, Cecil moved from Jacksonville,FL to Otto, NC. Cecil is survived by two daughters, Ashley Reeves of Jacksonville, FL and Vickie Reeves of Chattanooga, TN; one brother, Wendell Reeves of Jacksonville, FL; two nieces,Shannon (Robert) and Windi Reeves of Jacksonville, FL; a nephew Shaun Reeves and a great niece Stella of Jacksonville, FL. Cecil was a friend to...

Tracey Eileen Strain, beloved sister of Cynthia Strain of Highlands and Deborah Harp of Loveland, Ohio, died unexpectedly on September 11, 2019. Born in Alliance, Ohio in 1948 to the late Richard and Barbara Strain, Tracey graduated from Mount Union College with a degree in Library Science and also obtained a Masters degree in Music from Kent State. After working in West Palm Beach as a Reference Librarian, Tracey moved to Highlands in 1989 where she owned and operated Whiskers Gift Shop...

Hermie Brown Woodard, 92, of Sylva passed away Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at her home. She was born May 16, 1927 to the late Bain Brown and Myrtle Woods Brown. Mrs. Woodard was a loving mother, wife and grandmother. She was a homemaker and enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Woodard is preceded in death by her husband, Alvin Woodard. She is survived by a daughter; Kathy Woodard of Sylva, NC and a brother; Clarence Brown of Rosman, NC. Grandchildren;...

  Joel Keith Creasman, 78, of Andrews, NC, passed away Tuesday, September 3, 2019.  He was born January 7, 1941 to the late Alvin Eugene Creasman and Mildred Russell Creasman.  Mr. Creasman retired from Western Forge a furniture manufacturing business.  He loved football, baseball and basketball games and he loved to garden and read.  He was a member of Aquone Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon, also a Sunday School Teacher and Sunday School...

Mrs. Mary Sparks Collins, 93, passed away Thursday, September 5, 2019. Mrs. Collins was born August 5, 1926 in Letcher County, KY to the late Riley and Frances Sparks. She was a teacher for 40 years in the Jenkins School System in Kentucky. Mary made nice handmade baskets; great homemade candy; and she loved to work in her garden. She was the youngest of 13 children and was of the Baptist faith.   Survivors include her daughter, Beverly Collins and her husband, Gary Wein of Franklin,...

Betty Lee Davis, 87, passed away Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at her home in Franklin. Ms. Davis was born January 16, 1932 in New Athens, Ohio to the late John Noble Cannon and Olive Wilder Cannon. Ms. Davis was a homemaker and loved taking care of her family. She loved gardening, reading, watching westerns and old John Wayne movies. Ms. Davis is survived by four daughters; Jeannie Hoskins of Franklin, NC, Susan Jordan of Salisbury, NC, Brenda Lopez of West Palm Beach, FL, and Linda Diaz of...

Highlands, NC-   James “Jimmy” “Shane” Marion Hedden, 81, passed away Wednesday, August 21, 2019 in Highlands. Mr. Hedden was born November 13, 1937 in Mountain Rest, South Carolina to the late Wilber R. Hedden, Jr. and Opal Allsep Hedden.     Mr. Hedden was a painter by trade and worked in construction. He loved fishing, hunting and being outdoors. He was also a member of Shortoff Baptist Church.   He is survived by three sisters; Linda...

Mrs. Babs Jeanette Lewis Neely, 88, passed away Saturday, August 10, 2019.  Mrs. Neely was a native of Macon County, she was born November 30, 1930 to the late Oscar William Lewis and Vashti Kiser Lewis. She was a homemaker and a mother of four children. She was a 4-H leader, substitute teacher, Women’s Missionary Union Director and worked as a register for local voting precincts.  Babs loved gardening, working in her flowers, and watching dogwood trees.  She loved to...