: OBITUARIES :
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MARIAN OAKLEAF
Marian Oakleaf died on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at the age of 104. Throughout her life she worked conscientiously for positive social change.
Born January 22, 1912, in London England, a twin daughter to Robert and Lily Marian Burton Oakleaf. Her mother was British and her father was the son of German immigrants. As a young woman, Marian joined The Religious Society of Friends and was a member of the London Yearly Meeting, Hampstead Monthly Meeting. She graduated from St. George College in1931.
Marian began her career serving in the British Red Cross from 1935 to 1941, which spanned the trying war years . In 1947, at the age of 37, she took the Civil Service exam and was assigned to the British Foreign Office. In 1949 she was sent to the British Embassy in Washington DC to assist with the exchange of Information.
In 1954, she worked for the International Monetary Fund. During her years with the IMF, she went with a team of economists to Bolivia and Brazil to assist with a currency stabilization problem.
In 1958, Marian became a citizen of the United States and was hired by the National Institute of Health in Bethesda Maryland as a writer and editor. In 1967 she joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Seoul, Korea to set up the first office . She returned to NIH and worked there until 1980.
In May 1983, Marian retired to Burnsville. Because of her love of animals and dedication to social change, she used her skills from years of administration to write letters to the editor in both the
Yancey Common Times Journal and the Asheville Citizen Times.
But people who knew Marian will remember her as an advocate for horses, cats and dogs, even the wildest of creatures. The dog Snoopy, the feral cat Sam, hiding under the couch, and the raccoon at the back door, all got food and water.
In 1984 Marian was inspired to gather a group of volunteers and founded the Yancey County Humane Society. This project was very dear to her heart and she served as its president for six years from 1984 to 1989.
Marian was a woman of kindness, diligence and persistence. She was the kind of person who took on difficult projects and followed them through striving for good will to all. She will be dearly missed.
May she rest in the Light.
A memorial service will be held at a later date and will be announced by Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home.
JESSIE SILVERS
Jessie Silvers, 48, of Green Mountain, passed away Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at his home. A native of Yancey County, he was a son of the late Arthur and Robena Robinson Silvers. Jessie enjoyed fishing and spending time with his grandchildren.
Surviving are his fiancé: Chrystal Riddle, of the home; 3 daughters: Nicole Rader, of Jacksonville, Florida, Jessica Wheeler, and husband Josh, and Daisy Silvers, of Burnsville; a son: William Silvers, of Burnsville; a stepdaughter: Meagan Wilson, of Burnsville; 4 grandchildren: Kelbi, Dakota, Lilly, and Lane; a sister: Teresa Silvers, of Burnsville, and a niece.
Funeral services will be held at 2PM Saturday in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home. Rev. Tommy Hensley will officiate. Burial will be in the Riddle Cemetery on Upper Doe Bag Road.
The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to assist the family with funeral expenses.
BOBBY BIGGS
Bobby Biggs, 55, of Burnsville, passed away Saturday, April 2, 2016, at the St. Joseph Campus of Mission Hospitals. A native of Yancey County, he was a son of the late Joseph and Madge Elkins Biggs. Bobby was also preceded in death by a brother: William Howard Biggs; and a sister: Ruby Nadine Cutway. He was a loving father and willing to help anyone whom he could.
Surviving are 4 sons: Michael Biggs, Robert Biggs, Justin Biggs and Jamie Biggs; 7 grandchildren: Miya, Nathaniel, Josiah, Caleb, Sophia, Haiden and Zachary; sister: Marlene Riddle and husband, Mack, of Green Mountain; and brothers: Gary Biggs of Greeneville, TN, Richard Biggs of Dahlonega, GA and Joseph David “J.D.” Biggs and wife, Nancy, of Burnsville.
Funeral services will be held at 2PM Wednesday in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home. Brother Robert Norris will officiate. Burial will be in the Robinson Cemetery on Bakers Creek.
The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home to assist with funeral expenses.
RACHEL ANN PETERSON
Rachel Ann Peterson, 73, of Burnsville, peacefully went home to be with the Lord on Friday, April 1, 2016. A native of Yancey County, she was a daughter of the late Ray H. and Nancy Laws Fox, and the wife of Blaine Peterson who died in 2009. Rachel was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
Surviving are her son: Bryan Peterson and wife, Anita; granddaughter: Jessica Peterson; and, a sister: Sandra Jane Miller and husband, Gene, all of Burnsville.
Funeral services will be held at 7:30PM Monday in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home. Rev. Ricky Ray will officiate. A graveside service will be held at 11AM Tuesday in West Burnsville Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 until 7:30PM Monday, prior to the service, at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Gideons International, P. O. Box 264, Burnsville, NC 28714.
DOLLIE ADKINS
Dollie Adkins, 93, of the Huntdale Community of Yancey County, passed away Thursday, March 31, 2016, at Mountain Manor Assisted Living. A native of Yancey County, she was a daughter of the late Marcus and Cora Taylor Bryant and the wife of Ernest Adkins who died in 1997. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Brenda Adkins and a son, Raben Adkins.
Surviving are her sister: Mae Rancolph of Inman, SC and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 1 P. M. Saturday, April 2, 2016 in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home. Burial will be in the White Oak Flats Cemetery.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
BOBBY LEO STYLES
Bobby Leo Styles, 78, of Sebastian, Florida, passed away peacefully Friday, March 25, 2015, at his home after a battle with cancer.
Bobby was born in Burnsville, on May 31, 1937 to Oscar and Violet Penland Styles. He served as a Deacon at Woodland Terrace Baptist Church in Asheville, and coached softball and baseball for 40 years. He had been a resident of Sebastian for 6 years.
Bobby is survived by his loving wife of 56 years: Evelyn Joan Styles; children: Keith Styles (Tammy), Linda Martinez, Bryan Styles, Scott Styles (Diana), Carmen Ocha, Stevie Styles (Tammy), Terry Styles, and Tiffany Styles; and sister: Wilma Parker (Clarence) of Burnsville.
Memorial services were held Wednesday, March 30, 2016, at Calvary Baptist Church in Sabastian, Florida. A second Memorial Service will be held at 5:00 P.M. Tuesday, April 5, in the Glady Baptist Church in Hominy Valley.
Memorial contributions may be made to Bus Ministry at Calvary Baptist Church, 123 Thunderbird Drive, Sebastian, Florida 32958.
This obituary is a courtesy of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home.
JOHN HARMON COX
John Harmon Cox, 79, of Piqua, Ohio, passed away Wednesday, March 23, 2016, in Troy, Ohio. A native of Yancey County, he was a son of the late David and Mae Miller Cox. He was also preceded in death by a brother: David Cox, Jr.; and, a sister: Faye Cox.
Surviving are his sons: John D. Cox and Robert J. Cox, both of Alliance, Ohio; daughters: Kathy Cox of Bainbridge, Ohio and Teresa Cox of Alliance; his wife: Marie H. Cox of Alliance; a brother: Frank Cox of Minerva, Ohio; 5 grandchildren: Jeremy, Kayla, Kimberly, Amber and Brandon; and, 3 great grandchildren.
Funeral services wil be held at 2 P. M. Tuedsay, March 29, 2016 in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home. Rev. Ricky Ray will officiate. Burial will be in the Newdale Presbyterian Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
KELLY HONEYCUTT
Kelly Honeycutt, 61, of Possum Trot, went home to be with the Lord Monday, March 21, 2016, at his home. A native of Yancey County, he was a son of Rufus and Myrtle Penland Honeycutt of Burnsville. He was also preceded in death by his wife: Norita Edwards Honeycutt; and, a brother: Timmy Honeycutt.
Surviving, in addition to his parents, are 3 sons: Kelly Shane Whitson of Mitchell County, Timothy Scott Honeycutt and Daniel Honeycutt and wife, Cierra; 5 grandchildren: Dalton, Cierra, Addison, Kyra and Grason; a brother: Larry Honeycutt and wife, Mona; and, 2 nephews: Joshua and Caleb Honeycutt, all of Burnsville.
Funeral services will be held at 2PM Wednesday in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home. Rev. Edward Couser and Hospice Chaplain Larry Green will officiate. Burial will be in the Herman Penland Cemetery on Possum Trot Road.
The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
The family wishes to express their thanks to Glenda Trivette and Sharon Miller for the love they gave him during his illness.
MARY ELNA RATHBURN
Mary Elna Hollifield Rathburn, 74, of Burnsville, went home to be with the Lord Sunday, March 20, 2016, at her home. A lifelong resident of Yancey County, she was a daughter of the late Jack and Magnolia Calloway Hollifield, and the wife of Charles William Rathburn who died in 2014. Mary was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
Surviving are 2 daughters: Jackie Rathburn Grier and husband, Johnny, and Kathy Rathburn Davis and husband, Butch; 2 sons: Donald Rathburn and wife, Cheryle, and Ronald Rathburn and wife, Beverly, all of Burnsville; 6 grandchildren: Michael Grier and Amanda, Jessica Grier Elliott and husband, J.R., Mark Rathburn and wife, Tasha, Kristina Rathburn, Shane Rathburn, and Crystal Thomas Boone and husband, Josh; 6 great grandchildren: Destiny Nevaeh Elliott, Marieh Grace Rathburn, Adyen Kelley and Madison Jade Grier, Colston Uriah Boone, and Baileigh Faith Rathburn. Numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews also survive.
Funeral services will be held at 11AM Friday, March 25, 2016, in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Eddie McMahan Cemetery at Low Gap.
The family will receive friends from 6 until 8PM Thursday at the funeral home, and at other times will be at her home on Highway 197 South.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Yancey County, 856 Georges Fork Road, Burnsville, NC 28714.
STANLEY HOOVER
Stanley Hoover, 54, of Newdale, passed away Saturday, March 19, 2016 at his home. He was a son of the late Euranious and Louann Edwards Hoover.
Survivors include a son: Stanley Hoover, Jr and wife Carmen of California; two daughters: Ashley Hoover and Samantha Molina; sisters; Karen Mosley of Buladean and Ann Cable of Marion and brothers: Dennis Hoover and Gary Hoover and wife Sandy of Micaville; 4 grandsons: and a granddaughter.
Funeral services will be held at 2 P. M. Thursday, March 24, 2016 in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Concord Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
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