Obituaries

Patsy Ann Smith Barlowe

Dec 15, 2023

Patsy Ann Smith Barlowe, 84, of Marion, passed away Friday, December 15, 2023 at UNC Health Blue Ridge.

A native of Marion, Patsy was born January 2, 1939 to the late Gurson Alvin Smith and Katie Mae Copeland Smith.

She was a faithful member of Nebo First Baptist Church where she loved worshipping for many years. Patsy was an avid reader, and...

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Wilma Grace Styles Autrey

Dec 14, 2023

Wilma Grace Styles Autrey, 70, of Marion, passed away Thursday, December 14, 2023 at Mission Hospital in Asheville.

A native of Yancey County, Wilma was born August 26, 1953 to the late Ules Grant Styles and Atlas Davis Styles. She was also preceded in death by six siblings, Robert Styles, Helen Davis, Edna Walker, Ulysses Styles, Ruby Walker,...

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Pastor Jimmy Upton

Dec 14, 2023

Services may be live-streamed at the following links:

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/BethelBaptistMNC

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@BethelBaptistMNC

Church App:

https://www.bethelbaptistmnc.church

Link to Memorial Video:

https://www.bethelbaptistmnc.church/pastor-jimmy-upton-memorial-video

Pastor Jimmy Upton, 76, of Marion, went to be with the Lord on Thursday morning, December 14, 2023 at Frye Regional Medical Center.

A native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, he was born August 21, 1947 to the...

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Robey Harold Gibbs

Dec 14, 2023

Robey Harold Gibbs, 89, of Marion, passed away at UNC Health Blue Ridge on Thursday, December 14, 2023.

He was born in McDowell County on June 29, 1934 to the late Dock and Pearl Reel Gibbs.

Mr. Gibbs was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was employed for 49 years at Etta Packaging, which is now...

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Nolan Lee Cornett

Dec 13, 2023

Nolan Lee Cornett, 80, of Union Mills, passed away Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at his residence.

Nolan was born in Banner Elk, NC on January 17, 1943, to the late Enoch Cornett and Bertie Sluder Cornett. He was married to Dorene Harris Cornett. He was a member of the Marion Moose Lodge and was known for...

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Judy Dene Underwood Robinson

Dec 13, 2023

Judy Dene Underwood Robinson, 76, of Union Mills, passed away Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at Heritage Hills Memory Care in Hendersonville.

A native of Chesnee, South Carolina, Judy was born February 27, 1947 to the late Wayman McKinney Underwood and Ruth Vanessa Henderson Underwood. She spent most of her life in Ventura, California before moving to North Carolina....

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Travis Clay McKinney

Dec 12, 2023

Travis Clay McKinney, age 51, passed away on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at his home. He was born in McDowell County, North Carolina to Randolph McKinney and the late Trula Faye Moore McKinney.

Left to cherish his memory is one son, TJ McKinney; one sister, Connie Collins and four brothers, Randy McKinney, Buddy McKinney, Dakota McKinney and Jeremy McKinney.

The...

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Gerald Lee Gumbert

Dec 12, 2023

Gerald Lee Gumbert, age 78, passed away on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. He was born to the late Charles Aurthur and Nellie Mae Holsopple Gumbert, in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

Gerald was a veteran in the U.S. Army. He served in Viet Nam and also in the Special Forces. He loved history and was a life long learner. Models, computers...

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Shirley Anne Lytle Childers

Dec 11, 2023

Shirley Anne Lytle Childers, 82, of Nebo, entered her heavenly home on Monday, December 11, 2023.

Shirley was born in McDowell County, NC, on July 13, 1941, to the late Allie Young Lytle and Annie Sue Wilson Lytle. She graduated from Glenwood High School with the Class of 1959. Shirley married her high school sweetheart and...

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Paul Dennis Alberts

Dec 11, 2023

Paul Dennis Alberts, 75, of Marion, passed away Monday, December 11, 2023 at his home.

He was born in Spokane, Washington on November 8, 1948 to the late Joe and Marian Alberts. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Gladys Hawkins Alberts; and four siblings, Joanne Alberts Schell, Ric Alberts, David Alberts,...

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James Morris Patton, Sr.

Dec 11, 2023

James Morris Patton, Sr., 88, of Nebo, passed away at home on Monday morning, December 11, 2023 with his loving family by his side.

He was born on April 28, 1935. In birth order, Jim was the ninth out of ten children for Charlie Logan Patton and Della Minerva Epley Patton. He was preceded in death by his parents,...

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Stephen Eugene "Tic" Reed

Dec 10, 2023

Stephen Eugene “Tic” Reed, 63, of Old Fort, passed away Sunday, December 10, 2023 at Memorial Mission Hospital.

A native of McDowell County, he was born May 10, 1960 to Linda Lou Ledford Reed and the late Charles Edward Reed. Tic enjoyed fishing and spending time with family. You could always count on him to be joking and...

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Lois Virginia Kilbourne

Dec 10, 2023

Lois Virginia Kilbourne left this world peacefully surrounded by her family on Sunday, December 10 at age 79 after an extended illness.

A dedicated artist and life-long lover of daisies, she leaves behind a house full of her artwork and flowers. Having spent the final years of her life at home, those paintings and blooms reminded her and...

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Victor Saul Valadez Lopez

Dec 10, 2023

Victor Saul Valadez Lopez, 41, of Marion, passed away Sunday, December 10, 2023 at the John F. Keever, Jr. Solace Center in Asheville.

Victor was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 9, 1982, to the late Luis Valadez and Maria De Jesus-Lopez.

Victor was a very loving husband and father, always proud of his two...

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Norma McPeters Smith

Dec 10, 2023

Norma McPeters Smith, age 80, passed away on Sunday, December 10, 2023. She was born to the late Gresham and Virginia Boone McPeters, on May 01, 1943 in Yancey, North Carolina.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Smith Jr.; one brother, Mike McPeters; and one sister, Julia Greenway.

Left to...

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Richard Donald Smith

Dec 10, 2023

Richard Donald Smith, age 73, passed away on Sunday, December 10, 2023, at Memorial Mission in Asheville. He was born to the late Alvin and Wilma Edith McKinney Smith, on September 15, 1950, in McDowell County, North Carolina.

Richard lived in McDowell for his entire life. He was the owner of North Cove Ski Rental. His favorite pastimes...

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Rene Salvador Hoepelman, Jr.

Dec 8, 2023

Rene S. Hoepelman Jr., 53, was taken from us December 8, 2023. He was born October 1, 1970, in Manhattan, NY to Nancy C. Boyd and Rene S. Hoepelman, Sr.

Those left to cherish his memory are his daughter Sydney, her mother Patricia Hoepelman, father Rene S. Hoepelman Sr, sister Frances E. Majkowski along with her husband Thomas...

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Gail Ruby Couch

Dec 8, 2023

Mrs. Gail Sadler Couch, age 74 of Marion, passed away on Friday, December 10, 2023. She was born in Inman SC on November 26, 1949 and is the daughter of the late Earnest Sadler and Madge Bennett Bradley. She was preceded in death by her siblings Randy Sadler and Zilpha Lowery.

Gail was an avid reader and enjoyed...

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Harold Parks McKinney

Dec 8, 2023

Harold Parks McKinney, 85 of Nebo passed away Friday, December 8, 2023, at his home with his loving family by his side.

A native of Little Switzerland, Harold was born September 3, 1938, to his late parents,

Vera McKinney and Ruby Turner McKinney. In addition to his parents, Harold is preceded in death by Donna his loving...

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Jack DeVere Boulton

Dec 7, 2023

Jack DeVere Boulton, age 91, passed away December 7th at his home in Old Fort, NC surrounded by family, friends and those who provided much care and love.

Jack was born in Cochranton, PA to the late Richard and Dorothy (Hart) Boulton. He was a home builder in Meadville, PA from 1951 to 1965 when he and his family...

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