Obituaries

Jason Thomas Buckner

Jason Thomas Buckner

Sep 9, 2019

ETOWAH – Jason Thomas Buckner, age 41, of Etowah, died Monday, September 9, 2019.

Jason was born December 15, 1977 in Buncombe County to Tommy and Karen Sluder Buckner of Leicester. He had been employed as a manager in wine production with the Biltmore Company for 19 years.  Jason loved music, riding his Harley and working out.

In addition to his parents,...

Frances Elizabeth Hensley

Frances Elizabeth Hensley

Sep 7, 2019

CANDLER – A golden heart stopped beating on Saturday September 7, 2019 when Frances Elizabeth “Betty” Garrison Morrow Hensley, age 91, of Candler went to be with the Lord.

Betty was born in Weaverville on March 23, 1928 to the late May Parker Weaver Garrison Secrest and the late Fred Guy Garrison. She graduated from Weaverville High School in 1945 and...

Shirley Diann Williams

Shirley Diann Williams

Sep 5, 2019

WEAVERVILLE – Shirley Diann Williams, age 64,   of Weaverville, died Thursday, September 5, 2019.

Ms. Williams was born February 25, 1955 in Buncombe County to Fate B. and Doris Deaver Williams of Asheville. She worked as a bookkeeper with Brown-Workman Construction and served as Vice President of AccuData Services. Diann was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.

She was preceded in...

James W. Luther

James W. Luther

Sep 4, 2019

FAIRVIEW – James “Jim” W. Luther, age 79,   of Fairview, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, September 4, 2019.

Mr. Luther was born June 8, 1940 in Buncombe County to the late Harold Luther and Pauline Sprouse Luther Rice; he lived in Buncombe County all his life. He retired from Drexel Heritage in Black Mountain after 40 years of service.

In addition to his...

Barbara  Worley Holcombe

Barbara Worley Holcombe

Sep 2, 2019

BARBARA WORLEY HOLCOMBE

LEICESTER– Barbara Worley Holcombe, age 75, of Leicester, died Monday, September 2, 2019.

Barbara was born October 21, 1943 in Buncombe County where she lived all of her life. She was the daughter of the late Howard Taft and Iva Buckner Worley, and the wife of the late Boyd William Holcombe, who died in 2016.

Ms. Holcombe was a graduate...

Grace Harwood Ball

Grace Harwood Ball

Sep 1, 2019

BARNARDSVILLE – Grace Harwood Ball, age 85, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, September 1, 2019.

Grace was born May 16, 1934 in Buncombe County where she lived all her life.  She was a beloved wife, mother and grandmother of ten grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. She worked as a seamstress at Kentown Mfg. until it closed and retired...

Helen Shelton Worley

Helen Shelton Worley

Sep 1, 2019

HELEN SHELTON WORLEY

WEAVERVILLE – Helen Shelton Worley, age 95, of Weaverville, died Sunday, September 1, 2019.

Ms. Worley was born July 10, 1924 in Madison County to the late John and Elizabeth Beam Shelton. She was a resident of Buncombe County for most of her life.

She was a member of Mt. Sheba Baptist Church.

Ms. Worley was preceded in death by her...

Norman Michael Hopper

Norman Michael Hopper

Aug 27, 2019

WEAVERVILLE / FAIRVIEW – Norman Michael “Mike” Hopper, age 58, of Fairview, formerly of Weaverville died Tuesday, August 27, 2019.

Mike was born March 23, 1961 in Buncombe County to the late Ralph T. and Audrey “Susie” Bryan Hopper; he was a resident of Buncombe County all of his life. He was a forklift operator for the Dollar Tree warehouse in...

Edna Ponder Ball

Edna Ponder Ball

Aug 25, 2019

WEAVERVILLE– Edna Ponder Ball, age 95, of B & B Acres died Sunday, August 25, 2019.

Mrs. Ball was born July 23, 1924 to the late Josiah W. and Lottie Ballard Ponder; she lived in Buncombe County all of her life. She enjoyed her family, sewing for them; including making quilts. Mrs. Ball was a long-time member of Locust Grove Baptist...

Donald Rodney Courtney

Donald Rodney Courtney

Aug 23, 2019

ASHEVILLE– Donald Rodney Courtney, age 83, of Asheville died Friday, August 23, 2019 in Burke County.

Don was born May 15, 1936 in Buncombe County to the late Alfred Pinkney and Lula McElreath Courtney; he lived in Buncombe County until he went to live with his daughter, Nicole. He retired from Milkco after 30 years of service. Don was a member...

Paulette Susan Baehman

Paulette Susan Baehman

Aug 23, 2019

WEAVERVILLE -Paulette Susan Baehman, age 72, of Henderson, KY, formerly of Weaverville, NC passed away Friday, August 23, 2019.

Mrs. Baehman was born September 28, 1946 in Green Bay, WI to the late Walter Fred Benz and Helene RoseAnn Jensen Benz and subsequently raised by Helene and step-father, Otto Mittlestead. Paulette was married 45 years to Dean Robert Baehman until he...

Augburn  Crowder

Augburn Crowder

Aug 20, 2019

WEAVERVILLE – Augburn Crowder, age 88, of Weaverville, died Tuesday, August 20, 2019.

Mr. Crowder was born March 11, 1931 in Buncombe County where he had lived all of his life. Augburn owned and operated Crowder Sawmill with the help of his wife, Elouise, for many years. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and was a member...

Betty H. Randolph

Betty H. Randolph

Aug 19, 2019

CASCADE, CO – Betty H. Randolph has gone to join her family and friends that have passed before her.

Mom, as most of you already know, passed August 9, 2019 in Cascade, Colorado. Her remains were taken to West Memorial Park in Weaverville, NC last week; she was laid to rest next to our father, Hugh R. Randolph who passed April...

John  Hagen

John Hagen

Aug 16, 2019

JOHN HAGEN

BARNARDSVILLE– John Hagen, 80, of Barnardsville, died Friday, August 16, 2019.

Mr. Hagen was born November 7, 1938. He was the son of the late Ronald and Borghild Johansson Hagen. He was an avid deep sea fisherman and enjoyed antique car collecting and restoration. 

Mr. Hagen is survived by his wife of 61 years, Shirley Bever Hagen; daughters, Lisa Kowalski and...

Yancey E. Jones, Jr.

Yancey E. Jones, Jr.

Aug 13, 2019

WEAVERVILLE – Yancey E. Jones, Jr., age 59, of Weaverville, died Tuesday, August 13, 2019.

Mr. Jones was born November 29, 1959 in Buncombe County to Helen Turner Jones and the late Yancey E. Jones, Sr.  A resident of Buncombe County all of his life, he was a fun, loving, friendly soul who never met a stranger.  He was a former...

Joseph "Joe"  Ackermann, Jr.

Joseph "Joe" Ackermann, Jr.

Aug 10, 2019

WEAVERVILLE– Joseph “Joe” Ackermann, Jr., age 73, of Weaverville, died Saturday, August 10, 2019.

Joe was born January 25, 1946 in Berwyn, Illinois to the late Joseph Ackermann, Sr. and Katherine Koch Ackermann. He grew up in Brookfield, Illinois; after his military service he moved to Hollywood, FL and had been a resident of Weaverville since 1983. Joe proudly served in...

Sarah Bailey Robinson

Sarah Bailey Robinson

Aug 8, 2019

Sarah Bailey Robinson, age 77 of Asheville, died Thursday, August 8, 2019.

Sarah was born August 19, 1941 in Buncombe County to the late Paul K. Bailey and Elsie Cates Bailey; she lived in Buncombe County all of her life. Sarah retired from Emma Elementary School as a teacher’s assistant. Prior to teaching she enjoyed sewing and making pocketbooks for Banner...

Mildred Gibson Banks

Mildred Gibson Banks

Aug 5, 2019

ASHEVILLE – Mildred Gibson Banks, age 91, of Asheville, died Monday, August 5, 2019.

Mrs. Banks was born March 1, 1928 in Buncombe County to the late Reverend Joseph Beviens Gibson and Gussie Margaret Snyder Gibson; she was a resident of Buncombe County all of her life. Mildred was a homemaker who enjoyed cooking and was a charter member of New...

Jacqueline Anne Governo

Jacqueline Anne Governo

Aug 3, 2019

WEAVERVILLE– Jacqueline Anne “Jackie” (Michaud) Governo, 86, of Weaverville, North Carolina, formerly of Brunswick, Georgia, died at home in the early morning hours of August 3, surrounded by her family. She was the former wife of Alan “Billy” Governo of Swansea, Massachusetts.

Born March 16, 1933, in Fall River, MA, she was the daughter of the late Ruth (Baker) and Alfred...

Raymond H. Dowdle

Raymond H. Dowdle

Aug 2, 2019

BARNARDSVILLE – Raymond H. Dowdle, age 86, of Barnardsville, died Friday, August 2, 2019.

Raymond was born May 30, 1933 in Jackson County, NC to the late David W. and Della Mae Bryson Dowdle. He was employed with American Enka and was a former security guard at NBHS.  Raymond was a member of VFW Post 891 and Carson’s Chapel Baptist Church. ...