Ethel Hicks
Ethel Pauline Hicks, 91, of Huckleberry Knob, Pineola, departed this life at 11:02 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, to join her Savior.
A native of Avery County, she was a daughter of the late Lum and Lizzie Gouge Calhoun.
Mrs. Hicks had worked for Tar Hill Mica and US Textiles.
She had been a loyal member of the Belview Baptist Church for seventy-four years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Phelix (Phil) Hicks.
Survivors include her daughter, Barbara J. Frazier of Newton; sons, L.G. Hicks of Spruce Pine, Joe Hicks of Newland, Billy Hicks of Pineola; sisters, Leona Pyatte of Minneapolis, Ruth McCue of Johnson City, TN, Rhetta Vance of Minneapolis, Mary Sexton of Johnson City, TN; brothers, Frank Calhoun of Marion, Fred Calhoun of Newland; ten grandchildren; and fifteen great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Ethel Pauline Hicks were conducted at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, from the Grandfather Chapel of the Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home with the Rev. Tommy Carver officiating.
The family received friends from 6:00 until the service hour, Tuesday evening, at the funeral home.
Family, friends, and pallbearers gathered at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday morning, at the funeral home to go in procession to the Minneapolis Cemetery for interment.
Mrs. Hick’s grandsons and great-grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
Anna Stradley
Ms, Anna Belle Stradley Hessler, age 81, of Ivy Court, Banner Elk, died Wednesday, May 22, 2002.
Ms. Hessler was born July 27, 1920 in Williamsport, Penn.
She was a daughter of the late Otto and Edna Stradley.
Ms. Hessler was a real estate sales agent.
Surviving are her son, Robert Hessler and wife Cindy; two granddaughters, Susan T. Hessler-Kidd, and Roberta Hessler-Voit.
She is also survived by 5 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held for Ms. Anna Belle Stradley Hessler at the Irmolot Lodge, Saturday afternoon.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Town of Banner Elk, Ann Hessler Street Scape Fund, 200 Park Avenue, Banner Elk, North Carolina 28604.
Melba White
Melba Houston White, age 85, of Three Mile Highway, died Sunday, May 26, 2002 at her residence.
A native of Avery County, she was the wife of the late Lee White who passed away in 1991, and the daughter of the late James Milton and Daisy Burleson Houston.
She was preceded in death by an infant daughter; Carolyn Annett White and one grandson; Richard "Hoss" Ollis.
She was a member of the Pine Grove Methodist Church and was a 1934 graduate of Cranberry High School.
She was also a member of the Happy Lookers Club and was one of the founding members of the Green Valley Community Center.
Survivors include son and daughter-in-law Charles Lee and Pat White of Asheville; daughters and sons-in-law Marie and Ron Bost of Statesville and Nina and Larry McKinney of Spruce Pine; sister Mable Vance; and four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and six great-great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 at 2:00 p.m., at the Pine Grove Methodist Church. The Rev’s. Jim Durham, David Hopson, and Jock Ollis officiated the serves.
Burial followed in the Pine Grove Methodist Church Cemetery.
Ganel Vance Gragg
Mrs. Ganel Vance Gragg, 92, of Zion Road, Morganton, died Sunday, January 5, 2003 at Grace Hospital. She was born in Avery County, on October 24, 1910, and was daughter to the late Daniel Walter Vance and Birdie Taylor Vance.
Mrs. Gragg was a loving mother of six children.
She was a homemaker and a member of Smart’s Grove Baptist Church for 47 years.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Sullivan Gragg; son, Larry Dale Gragg; brothers, Damon Vance and Herrill Vance; sisters, Vernie Vance, Oma Vance and Muriel Vance.
She is survived by sons, Darwin "Eddie" Gragg and wife Ann of Morganton; Charles Dariel Gragg of Morganton; daughters, Betty Muriel Higgins, of Morganton, Sharon Maloy Gates and husband, David of Germany; Conny G. Lewis of Sawmills; brother John Doyle Vance of Morganton; 9 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandson.
The funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 8, 2002 at 3:00 p.m. at Smart’s Chapel Baptist Church with Reverend Charles Lewis officiating.
Interment will follow the service in the church cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Smart’s Grove Baptist Church c/o Mabel Lowman, 5290 Mineral Springs Mountain Road, Connelly Springs, N.C. 28612.
Loy Lee Stamey
Loy Lee Stamey, 70, Morganton, NC, died Sunday, December 29, 2002 in the VA Hospital of Oteen (Asheville).
He was the son of the late Emmett and Edna Carpenter Stamey and was born and reared in Avery County.
Loy drove the Town Cab of Morganton, and he worked at the Farmers Market of Asheville, for many years before the Lord called him home.
In addition to his parents, he is proceeded in death by a sister, Elizabeth "Leb" McCall of Hickory, brothers Leonard Stamey of Morganton, Ray Stamey of Nebo, Wade Stamey of Plumtree and Carrol of Plumtree.
He is survived by wife Lois South Stamey of Morganton, son Steve and wife Earlene Stamey of Asheville, a daughter Brenda of the home, grandson Steven and wife Tonya Stamey of Morganton, a granddaughter Dana Stamey of Morganton, one great-grandson, Nicholas Stamey, a brother-in-law Richard Moody of Plumtree, sister-in-law, Octavia, wife of the late Leonard Stamey and Alice wife of the late Carrol Stamey of Plumtree, and Grace, wife of the late Ray Stamey of Nebo.
Other survivors are sister-in-law Louise, wife of Ken Stamey of Jonas Ridge.
The family received friends at Sossomans Funeral Home of Morganton, on Tuesday December 31.
The funeral service was at 2 p.m. on January 1, 2003, at the Colonial Chapel of Sossomans Funeral Home. Reverend Doug Woodie of Burke County, a good friend, conducted the funeral.
Elizabeth Pauline Ferguson Aldridge
Elizabeth Pauline Ferguson Aldridge, 49, died Sunday, January 5, 2003 at her home with her family.
Mrs. Aldridge was born in Murphy, N.C., the daughter of Leddie (Gradis) and John Ferguson of Murphy.
She was a member of Morningside Baptist church and was employed by the N.C. Highway patrol since 1979, and most recently by Troop "G" as their Telecommunications Center Supervisor.
In addition to her parents, she is survived by her husband, H.C. "Kip" Aldridge and her son, Joey D. Aldridge, both of the home; her daughter, Janet and son-in-law Harry Mauk of Asheville; and her grandchild Corey Mauk.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, at Morningside Baptist Church, with Dr. David Hanson officiating.
Friends may visit with the family from 2-3:00 p.m. Wednesday, at Townsend Rose Funeral Home, in Murphy, prior to a graveside service at Sunset Cemetery.
Charles Banner VonCanon
Charles Banner VonCanon, Sr., 88, of Banner Elk, NC, died Tuesday, January 7, 2003, after an extended illness.
He was born July 30, 1914, in Banner Elk, to John Henry and Carrie Bowen VonCanon.
Charles was a graduate of Darlington Prep School and the Memphis School of Music.
He studied engineering at NC State, Davidson College and Georgia Tech.
Surviving are his wife of 66 years, Aileen Hughes VonCanon, and two sons, Charles Banner VonCanon, Jr., and William Hughes VonCanon.
Charles, Jr. and his wife, Penny, have two children, Charles, III and Cathleen.
Charles, III is married to Juli Barlow of Ashe County.
Cathleen and her husband, Fred Gentry of Ashe County, have two children, Jacob and Sarah.
William Hughes VonCanon and his wife, Patricia, have four children, Angela, Valerie, Heather and William, Jr.
Angela and her husband, John Matthew Adams, have five children, Tyler, Thomas, Shelby, Ryan and Reece.
Valerie and her husband, Robert Brown, have three children, Joshua, Austin and Madison. Heather and her husband, Johnnie Gladson, III, have two children, Racheal and Christen.
A memorial service will be held at the Banner Elk Presbyterian Church on Saturday, January 11, 2003, at 2:00.
The family will receive family and friends downstairs in the church immediately after the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sloop Care Center, 264 Sugar Mt. #2 Rd., Newland, NC 28657, or to Caregiver Haven, Avery Senior Services, P.O. Box 447, Newland, NC 28567.
Virginia Dare Buchanan Osgood
Mrs. Virginia Dare Buchanan Osgood, 73, Life Care Center of Banner Elk, died Monday, December 30, 2002.
Born June 11, 1929 in Avery County, she was the daughter of the late Lincoln Buchanan and Fannie Barrier Buchanan.
Her husband, Ben Osgood, one brother and two sisters preceded her in death.
She is survived by a brother, Oscar Buchanan, sisters Esther Cabiale, Dixie Sparks, and Lilly Klinkner.
A graveside service was held at the Barrier Family Cemetery in Jonas Ridge, with the Reverend Kenneth Anderson, who officiated.
Kirskey Funeral Home of Morganton, was assisting the Osgood family with arrangements.
Frances Johnson Woodruff
