Aug. 8 Obituaries of the Swannanoa Valley
Viannah "Ellen" Grigg Moss
Gaffney, S.C.
Viannah “Ellen” Grigg Moss was born to Wade and Pauline Grigg on June 21, 1935 in Gaffney, SC. She passed away July 28, 2019.
Ellen was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Charles Roland and Roger B. Moss; daughter, Marsha Roland; grandson, Charles Jones; and brother, John W. Grigg.
Surviving are a son, Clifton Moss of the home; daughter, Kayla R. Branch (Sam); sons, Ricky Moss (Angel) and Terry Moss (Toni) all of Swannanoa, and Michael Moss of Canton; grandchildren, Starla Crawford of Dallas, NC and Joshua Branch (Lisa) of Swannanoa; sister-in-law, Betty W. Grigg of Gaffney, S.C.; niece, Lisa Grigg-McAbee (Butch) of Blacksburg, S.C.; 7 additional grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 1 - 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31 at Swannanoa Free Will Baptist Church, 200 Park Street, Swannanoa, N.C. 28778. A funeral service will follow, with Rev. Jack Ward and Rev. Bobby Shehan officiating.
Burial will be in Mountain View Memorial Park.
At other times, the family will be at the home of Kayla Branch in Swannanoa.
Harwood Home for Funerals (harwoodhomeforfunerals.com) is assisting the family.
John Rivers
Black Mountain
The Reverend John Rivers, age 87, passed away peacefully at his home, Morningstar, in Black Mountain, the morning of Aug. 1, 2019.
He was born in Charleston, S.C. on Aug. 19, 1931 to Dorothy Reid Rivers and Elias Lynch Rivers. His wife, Jean Rivers, of 56 years preceded him in death. He had a brother, Elias Rivers who is deceased, and a sister, Mary Rivers Powe who survives him.
He was the loving father to one daughter and four sons: Sallie, John Jr. “Jay” (Ann), Andrew (Joy), Joseph, and Benjamin (Sherri). He was blessed with ten grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
John attended Clemson for two years prior to completing Bachelor degrees in English and History at the College of Charleston. He received his Master's of Divinity at Episcopal Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For his transition to the Ministry to the Deaf, he completed postgraduate work at the University of Tennessee and Gallaudet University. John ministered to the Low Country of SC; Clinton, SC; Lexington, KY; Cullowhee and WNC. John delivered exceptional pastoral care in every community he lived in, and was known for his compassion, loving and understanding nature. His life was filled with the joy from his family, hiking in the WNC mountains, collecting buttons with his wife, and enjoying VW campers, apples, Civil War history, and log cabins.
The family received friends on Aug. 4 at Harwood Home for Funerals. A memorial service followed at St. James Episcopal Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mountain Care Adult Day Services, 68 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28803.
Harwood Home for Funerals (harwoodhomeforfunerals.com) is assisting the family.