Johnny Dell Sheppard
Johnny Dell Sheppard, 48, of Samantha Lane, Elk Park, died Wednesday, November 7, 2001 at Cannon Hospital.
A native of Avery County, he was a son of Edward and Fay Carver Sheppard of Elk Park.
He was a carpenter with Sheppard and Sons Construction and a member of the Forest Home Community Church.
Mr. Sheppard was a United States Navy Veteran.
Surviving in addition to his parents, are his wife, Joann Burleson Sheppard of the home; daughters, Jackie Michell Sheppard of the home, Ashley Patricia Sheppard of the home; sisters, Gail Ruppard, and her husband Joe, of Elk Park, Freda Greene, and her husband, Calvin, of Boone; brothers, Barry and wife, Elvie Sheppard of Elk Park, Richard and wife, Jane Sheppard of Elk Park, Farrell and wife, Sheila Sheppard of Vilas; father and mother-law, Ted and Julia Ollis Burleson of Newland; brother-in-law, Johnny Burleson of Linville Falls; a host of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Johnny Dell Sheppard were conducted Saturday, November 10, from the Curtis Creek Freewill Baptist Church with the Revs. Steve Cochran and Collis Sheppard officiating. Interment followed in the Boyd Ollis Family Cemetery.
Pallbearers were: Kenneth Brewer, Brian Banner, Trarley Clawson, Ricky Hodges, Paul Rupard, Bruce Dients, and Phil Hobart.
Honorary pallbearers are: Danny Sheppard, Russell Hoilman, Danny Burleson, Gary Massey, Jim Brewer, and Kenny Melton.
In lieu of flowers, memorials should be made to the American Cancer Society.
Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home of Newland is serving the Sheppard family.
Julia Brown Hodge
Mrs. Julia Brown Hodge, age 56, of 825 Buckeye Road, Elk Park, wife of the late Billy Ray Hodge, died Friday afternoon, Dec. 7, 2001, at home.
She was born September 18, 1945, in Zionville, Watauga County, to the late General and Dovie Pennell Brown.
Mrs. Hodge was a graduate of Cove Creek High School and a homemaker.
She was a member of Zionville Baptist Church.
Survivors include two daughter, Mrs. Linda Guy and husband, Bruce, of Elk Park and Mr. Loretta Trivette of Newland; one son, Jerry Hodge of Elk Park; three sisters, Vera Lee Brown and Iva Lee Robinson, both of Trade, Tenn. and Raye Hodges of Morganton; three brothers, Raleigh Brown, Ed Brown and Earl Brown, all of Trade, Tenn. and three grandsons, Daniel Trivette and Brandon Trivette, both of Newland and Zachary Guy of Elk Park.
She is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were conducted Sunday night at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by Rev. Randall Greene.
Interment was conducted Monday morning at the Zionville Baptist Church Cemetery.
Opal Coffey
Opal Coffey, 76, of Magnolia Dr., Morganton, died Saturday, December 8, 2001 in a Morganton hospital.
A native of Caldwell County, she was a daughter of the late Ivey W. And Exie Coffey.
She was a member of the New Hopewell Baptist Church.
Survivors include her brother, O’Dell Coffey of Newland; sisters, Valma Adkins of Lenoir, Janet Ingram of Lenoir and Betty Pope of Lenoir.
Funeral services for Opal Coffey were conducted at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 11, from the New Hopewell Baptist Church with the Revs. Doug Bare and Randy Gibson officiating.
Interment followed in the New Hopewell Cemetery.
Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home of Newland, is serving the Coffey family.
William Clayton Hampton
William Clayton Hampton, 89, Life Care Center, Elizabethton, died Friday, December 7, 2001 at his residence.
Hampton was an Avery County native and attended school in Elk Park.
He worked on the railroad and was a farmer.
He retired from Klopman Mills, Johnson City, in 1976 after 30 years of employment.
He was the son of the late Edward David Hampton and Etter LuRannie Palmer Hampton.
Mr. Hampton was a member of Cherry Grove Baptist Church, Jonesborough, for many years, where he served as a deacon.
He was a World War II Army veteran, having served with the 30th Infantry Division, 117th Regiment, Rifle Co. E from 1941 through 1945.
Mr. Hampton served in the invasion of Normandy, Northern France and Rhineland campaigns.
He was awarded the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, and the European Theatre of Operations Ribbon with 4 Battle Stars.
Mr. Hampton was preceded in death by wife, Ruth Leona Fields, a brother, Howard Hampton, a brother, Glenn Hampton, a sister, Delphia Calloway.
He is survived by one son, Harvey W. Hampton, Blaine, Tenn.; two daughters, Joetta Jan Principato, St. Simon's Island, Ga and Trillis Lou McKee, Piney Flats; one brother, Dayton Hampton, Johnson City; four sisters, Gladys Madaline Reynolds, Blountville, Rosa Helen Hampton, Ohio, Zora Viola Mills, Indiana, and Florence Million, Riverside, Calif; four grandsons and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were conducted on Monday, Dec. 10 at the Morris Baker North Cahpel.
Interment services followed at the Taylor’s Chapel Cemetery in Elk Park.
C. Lewis Collins
Mr. C. Lewis Collins, age 49, of Sherrills Ford, N.C., died Sunday, Dec. 9, 2001 in the Lake Norman Regional Medical Center.
Mr. Collins was born Oct. 1, 1952 in Lumberton, N.C., and the son of the late Charles Lewis Collins, II and Mary Huitson Raynor of Fayetteville, N.C.
He was Technical Director for Water Ink Technologies, where he was a partner for 16 years until his retirement in 1997.
He was an avid photographer with a great love for bears.
In addition to his mother, Mr. Collins is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary Caldwell Collins.
A service to celebrate the life of Mr. Collins will be held Saturday, December 15, 2001 at 2:00 p.m. in the First Presbyterian Church of Rock Hill, S.C., 234 East Main Street, Rock Hill, S.C. by Dr. Mark Verdery and Dr. Guy H. Smith.
The family will receive friends following the Celebration Service in the First Presbyterian Church of Rock Hill.
Ruby Smith
Ruby Loraine Smith, 83, of Smith St., Elk Park, died Thursday, May 23, 2002 at her residence.
A native of McDowell County, she was a daughter of the late Tom and Mary McGee Franklin.
She was a member of the Elk Park Christian Church and had been a cook for the Avery County School System.
Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her husbands, Howard Carpenter and Otie Paton Smith.
Survivors include her son, Sherman Carpenter of Marion; daughters, Norma Hoilman of Newland, Betty Wagner of Rock Hill, SC; special step-sons, Mike Smith of Elk Park, Stevie Smith of Newland; step-sons, Danny Smith of Samava Resort, IN, Don Perkins of Charlotte; step-daughters, Tommie Buck of Johnson City, TN, Joyce Johnson of Newland; sisters, Oleda Smith of Pineola, Dora Lee Smith of Pineola; special granddaughter, Trish Murphy of Elk Park; special friends, Janette Townsend of Newland, Sharon Woods of Newland; seven grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren.
Funeral services for Ruby Loraine Smith were conducted at 8:00 p.m. Friday, May 24, from the Grandfather Chapel of the Reins-Sturdivant.
The family received friends from 6:00 p.m. until the service hour, Friday evening, at the funeral home.
Interment followed at 11:00 a.m. Saturday morning in the Newland Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials should be made to Hospice of Avery County, Mitchell St., Newland, NC 28657.
Mabel Collins
Mabel Hughes Collins, 87, of Cranberry St., Newland, died Tuesday, May 21, 2002 in the Life Care Center, Banner Elk, following an extended illness.
Mrs. Collins was the daughter of the late Charles and Nelle Hall Hughes.
She was also preceded in death by her husband, James Howard Collins in 1968.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Rusty and Kay Sudderth of Kernersville; a sister, Florence Greene of Boone; two grandsons and a granddaughter-in-law, Chip and Shannon Wikle Sudderth of Durham, Chuck Sudderth of Syracuse, NY; and one great-grandson, Will Sudderth of Durham.
Mrs. Collins was a graduate of Appalachian State University and was a retired teacher with Avery County Schools, having taught 31 years at Newland Elementary School.
Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, May 24, at the Newland Presbyterian Church with Rev. Dr. Monty Burnham officiating.
Burial followed in the Hughes Cemetery.
The family received friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Newland Presbyterian Church, PO Box 579, Newland, NC 28657.
Paul Henley
Paul E. Henley, Jr., 44, of Seabrook, MD, died Monday, May 20, 2002 in a Maryland hospital.
He is the son of the late Paul Henley, Sr., and Audrey Dean Henley.
Surviving in addition to his mother are his wife, Mercedes Henley; children, Alison and David Henley; brother, John L. Henley; sisters, Phyllis Motsko and Susan Daniels.
Funeral services for Paul E. Henley, Jr., were conducted at 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 24, from the Oak Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Ron Green officiating.
Interment followed in the Tanglewood Cemetery.
Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home of Newland is serving the Henley family.
Lloyd Whiteley
Lloyd R. Whiteley, 54, of Parallel Rd., Banner Elk, died Monday, May 20, 2002 in a Johnson City Medical Center.
A native of Verbank, CT, he had lived in Avery County for the past 20 years.
He was a heavy Equipment Operator and he was of the Baptist Faith.
Mr. Whiteley was a US Navy Veteran, having served during the Vietnam War.
He was preceded in death by his father, Lloyd Webster Whiteley.
Survivors include his mother, Jean Ann Rhoades Whiteley of Dover Plains, NY; his wife, Dimple Campbell Whiteley of Banner Elk; sons, Phillip Whiteley of Elkin, Gregory Whiteley of West Jefferson; brother, Gordon Whiteley; step sons, Mitchell Oliver of Banner Elk, William Oliver of Banner Elk; step-daughter, Heather Miller of Banner Elk; nine grandchildren.
Funeral services for Lloyd Whiteley were conducted at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, May 23, from the Grandfather Chapel of the Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home with Mr. Jimmy Storie officiating.
The family received friends from 6:00 p.m. until the service hour Thursday evening at the funeral home.
Interment and graveside services were held at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning in the Isaacs Cemetery on Buck Mountain.
Pallbearers will be Jerry Arnett, John Franklin, Tim Ledford, Dwayne Holtsclaw, Derrick Smith, and Ray Byrd.
James Scott Horn
