Oct. 19 Obituaries
Paula Elaine Jones Cordell
Black Mountain
Paula Elaine Jones Cordell, 62, entered into eternal peace on Saturday, October 7, 2017 surrounded by the ones she laughed with, loved, and lived for at her home in Black Mountain, where she had lived most of her life. Her strong will to live, unwavering faith in God, and the love and support of family and friends carried her through a courageous 10-month battle with cancer.
Paula was born on June 21, 1955 in Asheboro, NC to the late Paul Jones and Aileen Lambert Jones. Throughout her life, she maintained a caring and compassionate demeanor that won the trust and hearts of many, who even now are being changed by her witness of constant nurturing, love, and faith.
She graduated from Charles D. Owen High School in 1975, and was previously employed by Kunkle Valve, McDowell Medical Associates, and Goodwill Industries. But her most favorite and rewarding job was being a stay at home mom and beloved nana.
In 1992, she and her family moved to a farm in Glenwood, NC where she raised her 3 children for 10 years. It was there that she embraced her love for animals, especially Dachshunds.
Kind and selfless, she was the heart of her family and will be forever remembered for her contagious smile, generosity, unspoken strength and devotion to her family and friends.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by daughter, Miranda Owenby; brother, Michael Jones; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Surviving are ex-husband of 23 years and lifelong friend, Joe Cordell of Black Mountain; brother, Randy Jones; daughters, Jordan and Jody Cordell; son, Jake Cordell (Brooke Tollie); “adopted” daughter, Megan Rose; granddaughters, Karlee, Paislee, and Chezlee Cordell; grandson, Jaden Cordell; nieces, Amanda Jones (Derek), Elizabeth Presley (Matt), and Amy Reich.
Also surviving are sisters in Christ and loyal friends for many decades, Linda Pruett, Marilyn Walker, Ann Reich, Judy Jones, and Kay Core; and special and adored furry friends, Jada and Jinx.
Flowers are accepted and appreciated. The family received friends Thursday, October 12, 2017 from 1-2:30 p.m. at Black Mountain United Methodist Church with a celebration of life service immediately following.Pastor Mike Macdonald and Rev. Weston Hall officiated. Burial was in Mountain View Memorial Park. Arrangements by Harwood Home for Funerals, harwoodhomeforfunerals.com.
Pauline (Polly) Ribeline Ross
Matthews
Pauline ( Polly ) Ribeline Ross, 101 years old of Matthews, NC, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017 surrounded by her family. Mrs. Ross was born Dec. 22, 1915 in Albemarle, NC.
Pauline was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. James Hervey Ross. She is survived by her daughters Mary (Don) McMahill of Black Mountain, NC, Helen (Tom) Black of Mint Hill, NC, and son James Ross of Palm Harbor, FL; grandchildren Keith (Jennifer) Spiro of Suwanee, GA, Lisa (Tom) Schutte of Wilmington, NC, and Julie (Dean) Golden of Mint Hill,NC. She is also survived by 6 great- grandchildren, Kate, Jackson, and William Spiro, Helena and Megan Schutte, and Cooper Golden.
Mrs. Ross graduated from Montreat College in 1935, where she was May Queen her senior year. She met her future husband, a student at Davidson College, in Montreat, where both had summer jobs. Pauline attended the Presbyterian School of Education in Richmond, VA in preparation to serve as a missionary to Mexico. In 1940, she moved to Mexico to marry Hervey Ross, where he was finishing medical school and starting an internship at the American-British Hospital. They lived 4 1/2 years in Mexico City and then moved to Morelia, Michoacan Mexico, a city 200 miles west of the Capital.
There Hervey practice medicine and helped in the founding of a 100-bed (now 300) hospital. Since there were no English-speaking schools in Morelia, Pauline spent her time homeschooling their 3 children. However, she learned to speak Spanish and taught Sunday School in the local Presbyterian Church. Pauline and Hervey Ross served as Presbyterian Missionaries from 1940 to 1966 in Mexico. They moved to Nashville, TN where Dr. Ross became the Medical Secretary of the Board of World Missions. After his death, Pauline moved to Matthews in 2004 to be closer to family.
In 1967, Mrs. Ross was awarded the Montreat College Distinguished Alumni Award. She was a member of the Philadelphia Presbyterian Church (USA) in Mint Hill, NC. Mrs. Ross had the honor of being the eldest member of the church and was presented a special cane, which will now pass on to the next eldest member. Mrs. Ross treasured that cane.
A private memorial service will celebrate her life at a later date in Black Mountain, NC. Those wishing to make a memorial contribution may do so by donating to Novant Health Hospice and Paliative Care, 324 N. McDowell St., Charlotte, NC 28204.
Harry “Pete” Frederick Petersen, III
Black Mountain
Harry “Pete” Frederick Petersen, III at age 84 was returned to God through his death on October 9, 2017 at his home in Black Mountain, North Carolina. He was born in 1933 in Cedartown, Georgia of the Rev. Harry F. Petersen, Jr. and Mary Ford Little Petersen. Pete was educated at Darlington School in Rome, Georgia, 1945-1951, Davidson College (BS), Columbia Theological Seminary (MDiv), and Princeton Theological Seminary (ThM), and post-graduate studies at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he married Martha Jane Morgan of Rock Hill, SC in 1960.
Ordained as Presbyterian (USA) minister in 1958, the majority of Pete’s ministry focused on university students and/or international persons, beginning at Columbia Seminary when he befriended Japanese and Korean fellow students. Two overseas assignments as Presbyterian mission co-workers led the Petersens to Taiwan for three years, Ghana and Nigeria, West Africa for thirteen years. A son and daughter were born in Taiwan, and a second son in Ghana.
In the United States, Pete founded Christmas International House (CIH), a hospitality ministry offered by churches for students who had no place to go for the holidays. This program led to his being called to begin and direct Villa International Atlanta, offering housing and hospitality for international medical scientists doing research at the nearby Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Upon his retirement from Villa in 2000, Pete and Martha Jane moved to Black Mountain NC, where they both served Presbyterian churches in Walnut, Hot Springs and Siloam until 2015. Pete returned to knitting, derived from his boyhood knitting for American soldiers during World War II.
He is survived by his wife and sweetheart of 57 years Martha Jane; sons Harry Frederick Petersen, IV of Kennesaw GA and daughter Priscilla George; John Morgan of McClean VA, and children Kate Elizabeth and Matthew John; and daughter Martha Lynne of Black Mountain NC and her children Joseph Morgan and Nadine Lynne; his sister Louise Petersen Caldwell of Harrisonburg VA; brother-in-law Ben A. Morgan and wife, Judy, of Leesburg VA, and four nieces and two nephews. A memorial service will be held at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church in Black Mountain, NC on Saturday, October 21, at 2 p.m., with the Rev. Keith Grogg of Montreat Presbyterian Church officiating. A scattering of ashes will occur in Montreat’s Memorial Garden. Memorials may be made to Villa International Atlanta, 1749 Clifton Rd, NE, Atlanta GA 30329 and Christmas International House, 3434 Roswell Rd., NW, Atlanta GA 30305.
An extended obituary is at PenlandFamilyFuneralHome.com.