Obituaries of the Swannanoa Valley
“Squeaky” Annette English
Swannanoa
“Squeaky” Annette English, 59, of Swannanoa, passed away Saturday, May 7, 2016.
Squeaky was born June 3, 1956 in Buncombe County where she lived all her life. She was employed with JFK ADATC and attended Swannanoa Church of God.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd and Mary Doalson and brother, Eddie Doalson.
Surviving are her life partner of 20 years, Kerry Ray Waddell; daughters, Jody English of Swannanoa, Anna Martinez (Anthony) of Asheville; son, Christopher Doalson of Swannanoa; sister, Betty Cody (Paul) of Swannanoa; brother, Charlie Doalson (Kim) of Old Fort; grandchildren, Alec and Dillon Ashton; nieces and nephews, Stewart, Mary, Aaron, Little Charlie and Tommy; and many other nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life service was held Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 6 p.m. at Swannanoa Church of God with Rev. Robert Haynie officiating. The family received friends following the service at the church. The family gives special thanks to Squeaky’s work family at JFK ADATC for all their love and support through this difficult time. Harwood Home for Funerals is assisting the family, harwoodhomefor
Lorene Holcombe
Harris
Black Mountain
Lorene Holcombe Harris, 91, of Black Mountain passed away Saturday, May 7, 2016.
Mrs. Harris was born July 3, 1924 to the late John Beard and Ollie Jane Holcombe.
Lorene was a member of First Baptist Church, Black Mountain where she taught Sunday School for over 50 years. She loved working with the children of the church, teaching each of them the Lord’s Prayer. She was employed with Cross Cotton Mill in Marion before assuming her primary vocation of “Mother Extraordinaire.” After raising her family, she worked for over 20 years for Kearfott before retiring. Lorene volunteered with Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries and Homebound Ministries of First Baptist Church. Lorene lived what she believed, radiating Christ to all who knew her.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband of forty years, Bruce M Harris, Sr.; sisters, Lola England, Grace Frady, Agnes Myers, and Etta Mae Lamb; and brother, Paul Holcombe.
She is survived by her six children, Ann Kiviniemi (Ron), Nancy Hamby (Bill), Bruce Harris, Jr. (Ann), Larry B. Harris (Susan), Jane Clark (Doug), and Rachel McMahan (Jack); grandchildren, Marc Kiviniemi (Jenn), Carrie Atcheson (Eric), Scott Harris (Angela), Amy Gregory (Mike), John Harris (Sarah Jo), Bryan Harris (fiancé, Sadie), Robert Clark, Rebecca Clark, Bradley McMahan (Hannah), and Emma Buchanan (Ray); and great-grandchildren, Demetrius and Desi Hunt-Kiviniemi, Carter Gregory, Jacob and Ashleigh Harris, John, William, James, and David Harris.
A Celebration of Life Service was held at 11 a.m., Monday, May 9, 2016 at First Baptist Church, Black Mountain with Dr. Bill Henderson officiating. Burial will be in Mountain View Memorial Park. The family received friends 30 minutes prior to the service and immediately following the service. Flowers are welcome or memorial contributions may be made to Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries, PO Box 235, Black Mountain, NC 28711.
The family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff of Mountain Ridge Health & Rehab for their care of Mrs. Harris over the past four years. Harwood Home for Funerals is assisting the family, harwoodhomefor
Robert Day Miller
Lake Lure
Rev. Robert Day Miller, 81, of Lake Lure, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on May 3, 2016.
Robert, who had many friends in the Montreat and the Black Mountain area, was born in Washington, D.C., to Francis Pickens and Helen Hill Miller.
He spent his early years growing up on the family’s farm in Fairfax, VA, where he developed a profound appreciation for the beauty and miracle of Nature.
The family moved to Charlottesville, VA, for Robert’s middle and high school years. He received his undergraduate degree from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA, and his Masters of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA, with additional studies in Edinburgh, Scotland, at New College of Edinburgh University.
In 1957, he married the former Nancy Adrian Rhoads of Leesburg, VA.
Robert served as pastor in churches and communities in Tuskegee, AL; St. Petersburg, FL; Montgomery, AL; and Louisville, KY. From 1977-1990, he was Director of National Mission (PCUS), and of Educational and Congregational Ministries (PCUSA), at the Presbyterian Church headquarters in Atlanta, GA, and Louisville, KY, respectively.
His final professional post, from 1993-1999, was as Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina in Elizabethtown, NC. In 2005, he and Nancy retired permanently to their mountain home in Lake Lure, NC.
Robert is survived by his wife, Nancy; children, John (Krista), Margaret (Roger Growe), Helen (Eric Tarleton) and Francis (Celinda); brother, Andrew Pickens Miller and wife Penny Farthing; granddaughters, Lillian, Isla, and Avalon; grandsons, Adrian, Steven, Elliot, and Ian; step-grandchildren, Daniel and Sara; and seven nieces and nephews.
Private interment will occur at 4 p.m., Friday, June 3, 2016 at Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery in Lexington, VA. A memorial service will take place Saturday, June 4, 2016 at 2 p.m., at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, NC.
In lieu flowers, donations may be sent to; Dougbe River Presbyterian School, Grand Gedeh County, Liberia, West Africa.
To donate via Pay Pal, http://drpsl.com/ways-
to-support-the-school/ or by check, Dougbe River School, P.O. Box 18017, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 and/or donations may be sent to Seba Niketan (Service House) Rural Health Education Program, Rampurhat, West Bengal, India, send check to, International Federation for Family Health, 1127 River Forest Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312.
Chad L. Beam Funeral Licensee is assisting the Miller family. Sign the online guestbook at chadbeamfuneral
Mary Lisle Tucker
McKenney, VA
Mary Lisle Tucker, 83 (11/9/1932-5/1/2016), died early Sunday morning in her McKenney, VA residence, the town of her birth, in the loving care of all her living children following a month of declining abilities.
Tucker, whose spent several summers in Montreat, was the daughter of Walter B. Tucker, Sr. and Margaret Alexander of McKenney. She outlived both her parents and all her siblings (brother Walter B, Jr; and, sisters Josephine, Gene Ramsey, Peggy and Ida Kile). She was a graduate of Sunnyside High (’50), Flora MacDonald College (’54), Danforth Graduate at University of Colorado (’55), M.A. University of Georgia (’60) and completed all but dissertation for a Ph.D. in Adult Education at Florida State University (‘70s).
Mary Lisle married Hardin (Corky) King, lived in Athens, GA and Huntington, WV, and had a family of four daughters: Mary Scott (Huntington Beach, CA - deceased 2010), Margaret J. (Redmond, OR), K.C. McHale (Medford, NJ) and Helen Lisle (Redmond, OR). She believed herself to be guided and led by Providence and intentionally lived by her best insights. She was a strong supporter of desegregation of the University of Georgia, fought against capital punishment, and was a personal advocate for the impoverished.
Mary Lisle was a kindergarten-through-high-school teacher (VA, GA, AZ) and taught adult ed (WV). The largest single portion of her teaching was done on the Navajo Reservation in AZ, for 25 years. She was unique; connected with others on a heart-to-heart basis and passed that ability on to her daughters; knew people to be more alike than different; was open to the goodness in others; loved the renewal nature provided; and, recognized spirit in all things. Frequently she closed her prayers with five words. They epitomize her life and are used here: In the name of Love, Amen.
In lieu of flowers, her family requests gifts to a favorite charity. There will be a Celebration of Life service in McKenney on July 9. Family may be contacted at Mary Lisle’s address: 10611 Rives Avenue, McKenney, VA 23872.
Cinda Sue Gilreath Cleckler
Black Mountain
Cinda Sue Gilreath Cleckler, 54, of Black Mountain, formerly of Dawsonville, GA, passed away May 11, 2016.
She is preceded in death by her sons, Eddie Ray Daniel Olsen and Dylan “Bob” Olsen; father, JC Gilreath; and brother, Sammy Gilreath.
Cinda is survived by her husband, Bertice Cleckler “Fish” of Black Mountain, NC; son, Nathan Strope, of Georgia; parents, Dean and Meretta Thompson of Pisgah Forest, NC; and brothers, Jeffery Thompson, Randy Gilreath and Chris Gilreath of Georgia; and a host of friends and loved ones.
Cinda attended church at Penrose Worship Center in Penrose NC. A Celebration of Life Service was held Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 2 p.m. at Harwood Home for Funerals. Arrangements by Harwood Home for Funerals, harwoodhomefor
Selma R. Burns
Black Mountain
Selma R. Burns passed away peacefully on May 12, 2016. She was born in Pittsburgh, PA, October 12, 1913. She lived in Akron, OH, Lillian, AL, and for the last eighteen years at Givens Highland Farms. Selma was a high honors graduate from the University of Pittsburgh. She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin J. Burns; mother, Carrie M. Reis; and sister, Gertrude Anderson Noss.
Selma loved traveling in 48 of the 50 states with her husband, Mel in their Airstream trailers. When not traveling around the US, Selma took great pride in growing all her favorite flowers and deeply loved all of her dogs.
Although Mel and Selma had no children, they often opened their home during college breaks to international students from Warren Wilson College. Selma maintained special relationships with many of those students supported by the Melvin and Selma Burns Scholarship Fund.
Selma is survived by her niece, Sue Anderson of Conneaut Lake, PA; her nephew, Bill Anderson (Nancy) of Pittsburgh; a god daughter, Kathy Bice (Mike) of Bryan, TX; 2 great-nephews; and 3 great-great nephews. She is also survived by her dear friends, Carla Sutherland, Mary Craig, and Vicki Collins of North Carolina.
Selma’s family would like to thank all the staff at Givens Highland Farms, especially the staff at Prentice Lodge, Limbert Hall, and the Health Care for the wonderful care provided for Selma. She will be remembered for her special smile, her love of playing bridge, and her love of reading many nonfiction best sellers.
In lieu of flowers to honor Selma’s love of dogs and flowers, memorials can be sent to Conneaut Lake Bark Park, 12810 Foust Road, Conneaut Lake, PA 16316. A memorial service will be held in the Assembly Room at Givens Highland Farms, Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 1 p.m. A reception will follow. Arrangements by Harwood Home for Funerals, harwoodhomefor