: OBITUARIES :
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OMA WHITSON

Oma Peterson, 89, of Micaville, went home to be with the Lord Saturday, December 12, 2015.  A native of Yancey County, she was the last surviving child of the late Criss and Birdella Cooper Peterson.  She was preceded in death by 7 brothers and 2 sisters.  Oma attended The House of Prayer, where she kept the oil lamps burning to help those in need.          

 

Surviving are 3 children:  Brenda Boone and husband, Phillip, of Woodstock, GA, Larry Silver and wife, Phyllis, of Burnsville, and Clinton Silver and wife, Vickie, of Jackson, GA; 4 grandchildren:  Jonathan, Laura, Felisha and Teresa; 13 great grandchildren; and, 2 great, great grandchildren.

 

Funeral services will be held at 7PM Sunday in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home.  Rev. Blaine Whitson will officiate.  A graveside service will be held at 10AM Monday in the Spring Branch Cemetery.

 

The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the church.

THELMA AUSTIN WESTALL

Thelma Austin Westall, 94, of Blankenship Creek, went home to be with the Lord Friday, December 11, 2015, at the home of her daughter.A native of Yancey County, she was a daughter of the late Joe and Ella Mae Robinson Austin.  She was the wife of Kenneth Westall who died in 1995.  Thelma was a long time member of Prices Creek Union Church.  She enjoyed her flower garden.

 

Surviving are 6 children:  Harold Westall and wife, Judy, of Logan, NM, Frank “Jackie” Westall and wife, Betty, of Dawson, GA, Earl K. Westall and wife, Nancy, of Hendersonville, NC, JoAnn Miller and husband, Jerry, of Penrose, NC, Judy Ann Banks and husband, Charles, and Johnny Westall, all of Burnsville; 13 grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; 3 great, great grandchildren; a sister:  Pansy Robinson of Burnsville; 2 brothers:  Ned and Bruce Austin of Burnsville; and, a great grandson:  Colton “Little Boy” who made her last days more special.

 

Funeral services will be held at 2PM Monday in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home.  Revs. Stacey Elkins and Shannon Owen will officiate.  Burial will follow in Westall Cemetery on Prices Creek.

 

The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

 

Memorials may be made to Four Seasons Hospice,581 South Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC   28731

MICHAEL 'MIKE' SILVERS

Michael “Mike” Silvers, 58, of Burnsville, died Friday, December 11, 2015, at his home after a short battle with cancer.  He was a son of the late Claude J. and Gladys Wheeler Silvers.  He was also preceded in death by a brother:  James Albert Silvers.

 

Surviving are 2 sisters:  Carole Pate and husband, Paul, of Burnsville and Lisa Autrey of Marion; brother:  Marty Silvers and wife, Alecia, of Green Mountain; nephews:  Zack Autrey, and Todd and  Conner Fox; nieces:  Mandy Silvers and Nikki Hudgins.

 

At his request no services are planned.

 

Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home is assisting the Silvers family.

OPAL YOUNG

Opal Young, 92, of the Newdale Community, passed away Saturday, December 5, 2015 at Brookside Rehabilitation and Care.  A native of Yancey County, she was a daughter of the late Homer and Cartha Young and the wife of Jack J. Young, who died in 1995.  She and her husband owned and operated Young’s Discount in Spruce Pine and after her husband’s death, Opal was a Volunteer at Spruce Pine Hospital.

Surviving are her son: Randy Young and wife Cathy Inman Young of Pilot Mountain; two granddaughters: Tori Tenille Young of Winston Salem and Jessi Roland Young of Pilot Mountain.

"Our family is small and we are overwhelmed at times under the burden of distance and illness. We know how fortunate we are that Opal’s neighbors, friends, caregivers and church family became extended family.  They never failed to demonstrate God’s love in prayer and many acts of care and kindness.  We are thankful for each and every one."

"Opal did not want a funeral, flowers or fuss.  Private burial will be in the Strawbridge Young Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of the Blue Ridge, 236 Hospital Drive, Spruce Pine, NC 28777 or Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, P. O. Drawer 9, Spruce Pine, NC 28777."

MAE BAILEY STILES

Mae Bailey Stiles, 95, of Burnsville, passed peacefully at her home Thursday, December 3, 2015.She was the wife of Glen D. Stiles, who died in March 1953.  She was the daughter of Raleigh and Ellar Randolph Bailey.  Preceding her death were siblings: Dorothy, Fannie, Catherine, George and Anderson.

 

Surviving are her children: Catherine Stiles, Donald (Dorine) Stiles, Pat King and Glenda (Chris) Cooper.  Grandchildren: Scott (Anji) Cooper, Melissa (Drew) Strickland, David (Mallory) Stiles, Philip Stiles.  Great grandchildren: Caden Cooper, Abby, Jonathan, Andrew and William Strickland.  Surviving siblings: Ethel King, Winnie Metcalf, Buster Bailey; sister-in-law: Phyllis Bailey and several nieces and nephews.

 

Granny Mae had many friends of all ages.  Mae loved gardening just to share with everyone.  She was an avid Carolina Basketball and Atlanta Braves fan.  Granny Mae worked until the age of 93, her motto was, ”if you don’t work, you don’t eat”.  She was a member of Cane River Baptist Church.

 

Funeral services will be held at 2:30PM Sunday in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home.  Rev. James Lamb will officiate. Burial will be in the Holcombe Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1 until 2:30 Sunday, prior to the service at the funeral home.

 

The family wishes to express their appreciation to Hospice of Yancey County and Dr. Thomas Renard for their loving care.

EDWARD MILLS (BUDDY) ARCHER

Edward Mills (Buddy)  Archer, 84, of Burnsville, passed away November 29, 2015, in his home. A native of Miami, Fl., he was the son of the late Edward V. and Flora Archer. He is survived by his wife Patricia Ann, brother in law Michael Cummins, sisters Bette Lawrence, and the late Nancy Nealy, daughters Beth Ann and Lisa Boscaglia (Bob), sons Eric Edward (Valerie) and Jeffery M. Archer, of Bowie, MD, grandchildren Harry William (Tripp) Coleman III (Debra) of Tampa, FL, and Dana M. Coleman of Bowie, Meagan, Emily, Jeffery Edward, and Hailee Archer of Bowie, great grandchildren Ava Nicole and Harry William (Will) Coleman IV.

 

A memorial service will be held in the spring.

 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Yancey County, 856 Georges Fork Road, Burnsville, MD 28714 or hospiceofyancey.org.

ROBERT GEORGE 'ROB' BYRD

Robert George “Rob” Byrd, 92, of Celo, passed away Sunday, November 29, 2015 at the Brian Center Health & Rehab in Spruce Pine.  A native of Mitchell County, he was a son of the late Bill and Zora Renfro Byrd, and the husband of Dessie Lingerfelt Byrd who died in 1966 and Cora Hall Davis who died in 1996. He was also preceded in death by an infant child; brothers:  L. C. and D. L. Byrd; a sister:  Madeline Hartlaub; and, a step daughter:  Judy Davis.  Rob spent most of his life in the timber industry and later retired from the Yancey County School System as Custodian at South Toe Elementary School.

 

Surviving are a sister:  Ruby Davis of Hanover, PA; 4 brothers:  Ed Byrd of Deland, FL, Billy Byrd of Jonesborough, TN; Fred Byrd of Buladean and Rabe Byrd of Unicoi, TN; 2 step sons:  Jerry Davis of Green Mountain and Larry Davis of Leicester; a special niece:  Alicia Byrd of Buladean; 4 step granddaughters: and, 8 step great grandchildren.

 

Funeral services will be held at 2PM Thursday in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home.  Burial will be  in the Carroway Cemetery.

 

The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

JEANNETTE E. STROBEL

Jeannette E. Strobel entered heaven on Friday, November 20, 2015.  She was born in Orlando, Florida on January 13, 1938 to the late Walter Edward Smith and Margaret Virginia Moore.  In 1994 Jeannette retired from a 30 year teaching career at Lake Silver Elementary School, in Orlando.  She moved to the mountains of Burnsville, where she built her dream house and filled her days gardening, scrapbooking and donating her time to various charitable organizations.

 

She is survived by her husband: Larry Ferraro; her stepson: Tommy Ferraro; her son: John Strobel; a daughter: Joy Fournier and her husband, and two granddaughters Madison and Megan.  She is also survived by a brother Walter Smith and two sisters Jackie and Ginger.

 

Jeannette’s celebration mass will be held on Friday, December 4, 2015 at 10am, in the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Burnsville. 

 

In lieu of flowers donate to your local SPCA or make someone’s day and pay it forward. 

JOHN LAWRENCE GIBBS, JR.

John Lawrence Gibbs, Jr. 73 of the South Toe Community, went home to be with the Lord Sunday, November 29 at his home.   A native of Yancey County he was the son of the late Lawrence and Ruth Bowditch Gibbs.  Junior was a retired employee of American thread, and a retired member of South Toe Fire Department.  He enjoyed working with his Christmas trees, spending time with his grandchildren especially fishing.

 

Surviving are his wife of 51 years:  Madelyn Autrey Gibbs;  2 daughters:  Janie Gibbs Howell of Burnsville and Katherine Gibbs Roeders and husband, Markus, of Cedarburg Wisconsin:  4 grandchildren:  Nathan Hensley, Andrew Hensley, Kegan Roeders, and Brynlea Howell.

 

Funeral services will be held at 1PM Wednesday in the South Estatoe Baptist Church, of which he was a member. Rev. David Brown will officiate.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery. 

 

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. 

 

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Yancey County, 856 Georges Fork Rd.,  Burnsville NC 28714.

JUANITA SILVERS EDWARDS

Juanita Silvers Edwards, 71, of Hardscrabble, passed away Friday, November 27, 2015, at Mission Hospital.  A native of Yancey County, she was a daughter of the late Junior Melton and Linda Hylemon Silvers.  She was preceded in death by brothers:  Arnold and J. B. Silvers; and her maternal grandmother:  Ann Hylemon.  Juanita attended Elk Shoal Baptist Church.

 

Surviving are her husband of 50 years:  Phil Edwards; a daughter:  Connie Edwards of Burnsville; 3 grandchildren:  Courtney Moss, Justin Blevins and Chelsea Street; 4 great grandchildren:  Jacqueline, Hunter, Dakota and Madison; 2 brothers:  Benny Silvers of Yadkinville and Wade Silvers of Hickory; and, a sister:  Annie Mae Radford of Weaverville.

 

Funeral services will be held at 2:30PM Sunday in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home.  Burial will be in King Cemetery at Elk Shoal.

 

The family will receive friends from 1 until 2:30PM prior to the service at the funeral home.

 

 

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