Elizabeth Steele Mountford

May 12, 2016

Elizabeth Steele Mountford, age 90, of Hayesville, NC, passed away at the Clay County Care Center, Thursday, May 12, 2016.  She was born in Fulton Co., NY, the daughter of the late William and Ruth Murphy Dressel.  She was married to the late John Mountford.  Mrs. Mountford had worked as a medical assistant in a doctor's office.  She was...

Dr. Robert Earl Turoff

May 11, 2016

Dr. Robert Earl Turoff

Doctor Robert E. Turoff passed from this life on Wednesday, May 11th at the Fidelia Eckerd Living Center in Highlands, North Carolina.

Dr. Turoff was born in Juneau, Alaska on December 10th, 1932 to Louis Webster Turoff and Marjorie McConaughey Turoff.  He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Cynthia...

Opal Lee (Allsep) Hedden

May 10, 2016

Dateline:  Highlands, NC

Opal Lee Allsep Hedden, age 98 of Highlands, NC, went peacefully to be with her Lord and family on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at Fidelia Eckerd Living Center.  She was born in Pickens County, SC, the daughter of the late Thomas Lee and Della York Allsep.  She was married to Wilbur Ransom Hedden, Jr.,...

Denise Lynne Dickman

May 10, 2016

Denise Lynne Dickman, 57, of Franklin passed away Tuesday, May 10, 2016.  Born in Washington, DC, she was the daughter of William Joseph Dickman and Lynne O'Connor.

She was a paralegal and loved flowers, gardening and animals; she was of the Baptist faith.

In addition to her parents, Ms. Dickman is survived by a daughter,...

Marian (Backus) Molthrop

May 9, 2016

Marian Theodosia Backus Molthrop was born September 19, 1916 in Chicago, Illinois. She died on May 9, 2016, four months before her 100th birthday.  She was predeceased by her parents, Theodore B.R. and Bertha S. Backus as well as her four older sisters, Ruth, Beatrice, Helen and Bertha (fondly named the “Beautiful Five Backus Sisters”).

Marian attended...

Johanna Runken

May 7, 2016

Johanna Becker Runken, 85, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, May 7, 2016. Mrs. Runken was born December 14, 1930 in Darmstadt, Germany to the late Henrich and Johanna D. Becker. She was a bookkeeper for many years and loved entertaining friends and family in her home. Mrs. Runken was a past member of the Scaly Mountain...

Ann Shepherd

May 6, 2016

Ann Shepherd, 81, passed away Friday, May 6, 2016. Ms. Shepherd was born February 16, 1935 in Macon County to the late William Lawrence Shepherd and Hattie Rhinehart Shepherd. Ann worked many years in the textile industry; was very active in the Democratic Party; active in her high school class reunions; an original member of the Cowee Volunteer Fire...

Margaret Mae (Thomas) Mcgaha

May 3, 2016

Margaret Mae McGaha, 76, of Franklin passed away Tuesday, May 3, 2016.  Born in Macon County, she was the daughter of the late Porter and Ethel Moffitt Thomas.

She was a loving mother and grandmother and was a member of Black Mountain Baptist Church.

Mrs. McGaha is survived by two daughters, Darlene Taylor and Tammy...

Lois Beverly (Garrison) Maclean

May 1, 2016

Lois Garrison MacLean, 86, passed away in Angel Hospital on May 1, 2016. She was born in Esopus, NY on May 17, 1929. Lois was the daughter of Mervin and Myrtle Garrison from Poughkeepsie, NY. She is survived by her husband Donald "Jack" MacLean and her brother Donald Garrison. Lois was the mother of two wonderful sons, John MacLean...

Wilma Mae Crisp

May 1, 2016

Wilma Mae Crisp, 64, went home to be with the Lord Sunday, May 1, 2016. Ms. Crisp was born in Macon County to the late C. J. and Lorene Crisp. Wilma was a fun loving Godly person. She loved to cross stitch, do word search puzzles, take pictures but most of all she loved people. She was a member...

Virginia (Reid) Gunn

Apr 29, 2016

Franklin, NC-

Virginia Reid Riling Gunn (Nana), 89, passed away Friday, April 29, 2016.

Virginia leaves behind to cherish her memory her children, Christine Tryling, Mark Riling, William Riling and partner, Lisandro, and Carrie Johnson and husband, Tom; four grandchildren, Scott Boone, Vanessa Pericht, Kellie Zentz, and Katie Hamilton; three great-grandchildren, Summer Boone,...

James Steven Smith

Apr 29, 2016

James Steven Smith, 65, of Franklin passed away Friday, April 29, 2016.  Born in Oakland County, MI he was the son of the late James Clinton and Audrey Bowman Smith.

Mr. Smith was a truck driver and local mechanic; he was a veteran of the U. S. Navy serving during Vietnam as a Navy Seal and a...

Etta Ellis

Apr 29, 2016

Etta Ellis, age 88, of Franklin, NC, passed away Friday, April 29, 2016.  She was born in Macon County, the daughter of the late Edmund and Olive Burrell Crane.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Ellis a son, Mark Ellis,  five brothers and two sisters.  She was a Licensed Practical Nurse...

Steven Rice

Apr 25, 2016

Steven Rice, 54, went to be with the Lord on April 25, 2016. He was born on August 3, 1962 in Macon County. He worked for the Boys and Girls Club raising money for the clubs and to build new ones. His goal in life was to help kids. He is survived by his parents Ralph and Linda Rice,...

Deborah Jean (Derreberry) Bell

Apr 21, 2016

Deborah Jean Bell, 61, of Highlands, NC passed away Thursday, April 21, 2016.  Born in Chicago, IL, she was a daughter of the late Frank W. and Mozelle Webb Derreberry.  She loved fishing, art, and driving race cars.

Deborah is survived by her sister, Audrey Leah Keener (Michael) of Highlands and several nieces and nephews. In addition...

Charles Richard Wattu

Apr 20, 2016

Charles Richard Wattu, 82, passed away Wednesday, April 20, 2016.

Memorial graveside service was held Friday, April 29, 2016 at the Western North Carolina Veteran Cemetery in Black Mountain, NC.

Bryant-Grant Funeral Home is serving the Wattu family.

George Gary Roland

Apr 10, 2016

George Gary Roland 69, of Franklin NC died Sunday April 10, 2016 at his home.

Born in Clayton, Georgia, he was a lifelong resident of Macon County; except for a brief time when he lived with his family in Raleigh.  He was preceded in death by his parents, the late James I. Roland Senior and the late...

Betty Sue Godwin

Apr 10, 2016

Betty Sue Godwin, 81, of Franklin, NC passed away Sunday, April 10, 2016. Betty was born March 16, 1935 in Johnston County, NC to the late Wade Jordan and Lillie Mae Eubanks Godwin. She attended Chowan College and was a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill with a degree in Biology; she worked for many years in the medical field;  ...

Jean Kathleen (Lively) Spalding

Apr 9, 2016

Jean Kathleen Spalding, age 86, of Raleigh, NC passed away on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at Lynn’s Home of Riverside, her amazing home‑like care facility. She was a native of Evansville, IN, the daughter of the late Lucille Hembree. She worked for Home Interiors and Gifts as a regional manager, a job she loved.  She was an energetic, positive...

James Willard Ray

Apr 8, 2016

James Willard Ray, 97, of Franklin, NC, passed away Friday, April 8, 2016. Mr. Ray was born in Macon County January 8, 1919 to the late John W. Ray and Georgia W. Ray. He was married 66 years to the late Betty Lois Ray who preceded him January 19, 2016. Mr. Ray was a U.S. Army veteran serving in...