William Leroy Lannen
William Leroy Lannen, 79, of Otto, N.C., passed away Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018. He was born in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, the son of the late Raymond Hayes Lannen and Sharon Jane Hoover Lannen. He worked for Hertz Rental Car for 27 years. He loved working on cars. He also enjoyed working on and riding motorcycles. He was of the Baptist faith. Survivors include his wife, Alice Watkins Lannen; daughters, Georgianna Bryant (Robert), Judy Allen (Bobby) and Janet Golf (Ronnie); sons, William Leroy Lannen Jr., Robert Lee Lannen (Donna) and John Lannen (Pentiva); nine grandchildren and 16 greatgrandchildren; and a sister, Sally Fieldler. A private memorial service will be held. BryantGrant Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Lannen family. Online condolences may be made at www.bryantgrantfuneralhome.com.
Anthony John Aiello
Anthony John Aiello, 78, of Otto, passed away Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, surrounded by his family. Born in Bronx, N.Y., he was preceded in death by his parents, Frank Aiello and Frances Barbara Mendola Aiello; brothers, Royal Aiello, Robert Aiello, Frank Aiello, Thomas Aiello Sr., Edward Aiello; sisters, Joy Baviello, Frannie Chmiel, Dotty Caggiano and a nephew, Richard Aiello. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and retired from the Florida Department of Corrections. He was a beloved husband, father, uncle and friend. He will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Magdalena Aiello; daughter, Lisa Marie Aiello; one nephew, Thomas Aiello Jr. (Diane); two nieces, Loretta Aiello Silverstein, Carol Dorsette (David); eight great nieces and nephews, Geradette Turner, Thomas Aiello III, Karen Geyer, David Johnson, Christopher Aiello, Amy Brink, Joseph Dorsette, Jennifer Dorsette and many extended family members. A private service will be held at a later date. Macon Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Condolences may be made at www.maconfuneralhome.com.
William D. Calloway
Willian Dewitt (Bill) Calloway, 76, passed away on Sept. 19, 2018. He was a native Highlander and currently made his home in the Yellow Mountain community of Jackson County. He proudly served his country spending four years in the U.S. Air Force in the early 1960s. He considered it an honor to attend the local American Legion Post 370 meetings. After his service, he was employed for many years at Pratt Whitney Corporation in West Palm Beach, Fla. He later operated a painting contracting business in the Highlands-Cashiers area. He was always devoted to his family, and they were devoted to him. For recreation he enjoyed golf, hunting deer and turkey with gun and bow. He spent happy days at camps with fellow hunters and friends. He was the son of the late Emma Louise Calloway Pell and the late Samuel Dewitt Calloway. He was formerly married to Mildred McDowell of West Palm Beach, Fla. They had one son, Thomas Chadwick Calloway who resides in West Palm Beach. He later married Hope Hedden Buchanan of Jackson County, the love of his life, who passed away in 2017. He was the stepfather of Brent Buchanan (Debi), and Kellen Buchanan, both residents of the Yellow Mountain community of Jackson County. He was also the step grandfather of Cayden Buchanan. He had three sisters, Joan Morrow, deceased (Ed); Barbara James (Herbert, deceased); Sammie Houston (Bob); and one brother ,Jack Calloway (Susan); half-sisters and half-brothers: Celia Williams, (Ken, deceased); Teresa Speed (David); Freda Isham; Tony Calloway (Anne) and Russell Calloway, deceased; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews A memorial service will be held at the Highlands United Methodist Church on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers a donation in Bill’s memory can be made to the Stewart Cemetery, c/o Jeff Stewart, 3401 Yellow Mountain Road, Cullowhee, NC 28723 or the Highlands United Methodist Church, PO Box 1959 Highlands, NC 28741.
Wayles Arrowood Southard
Wayles Arrowood Southard, 79, of Franklin, N.C., passed away Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Born in Macon County, she was the daughter of the late Walter Fox and Winnie Arrowood Fox. She was a member of Longview Baptist Church. She enjoyed gardening, canning and cooking. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Glenn Southard; children, Mike “Briar” Southard (Casey), and Tammy Stanley (Steve), both of Franklin; brothers, Eddie Fox and Bruce Fox both of Franklin, and Doyle Fox of Sparta, Ga.; sisters, Faye Potts and Linda Witherington both of Franklin, and Ruth Fox of Gainesville, Ga.; three grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Funeral service was held Sunday, Sept. 23, in the Chapel of Macon Funeral Home. Rev. Tom Nahlen and Rev. Don Moffitt officiated. Burial was in the Longview Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers were Chase Stanley, Steve Stanley, Jesse Stahl, Nick Potts, Ashton Fox and Avery Fox. Memorial donations can be made to the Longview Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 93 Jones Ridge Road, Franklin, NC 28734. Condolences can be made to the family at www.maconfuneralhome.com.
Paul Dennis Biery
Paul Dennis Biery, 72, went gently home to live with Jesus on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018. He was born March 7, 1946, in Allentown, Pa., to the late Paul H. Biery and Irma Keen Semanision. He worked for Mack Trucks for 31 years before retiring; volunteered for the Macon County Sheriff’s office for 20 years; was a volunteer and sponsor for the North Carolina Department of Corrections in Hazelwood, N.C.; was involved in Promise Keepers, and loved coin collecting. He was a member of Coweeta Baptist Church where he loved to be involved in all activities of the church. Survivors include his wife, Norva W. Biery; a daughter, Melissa Cook (Charles) of Ft. Worth, Texas; two brothers, Ted Semanision (Helen) of New Mexico, Neal Semanision (Lois) of Papua, New Guinea; two sisters, Joy Richards (Bill) and Susan Deatrick (David) both of Pennsylvania. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, at the Coweeta Baptist Church with the Pastor Keith Ashe and Pastor Davis Hooper officiating. Internment will follow in the church cemetery. Pallbearers will be Charles Cook, Jason Dennis, Keith Jenkins, Danny David, Robbie Robinson, and Kenny Chastain. Online condolences at www.bryantgrantfuneralhome.com. Bryant-Grant Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Biery family.
Grace Gardiner Jorgensen
Grace Gardiner Jorgensen, 92, of Otto, N.C., passed away, Sept. 19, 2018. Born in Savannah, Ga., she was the daughter of the late John and Lucille Gardiner. She was also preceded in death by her brother, John Gardiner Jr. She was a piano teacher, enjoyed gardening, and was a devoted follower of Christ. She is survived by her children, Brenda Thomas, of Venice, Fla., Andrew Jorgensen, of Wilmington, N.C., and Leslie Gruen, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; brother, William Gardiner, of Orlando, Fla.; sister, Helen Werba, of Orlando, Fla.; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. A graveside service was held Sunday, Sept. 23, at Asbury Methodist Church Cemetery, a service followed in Asbury United Methodist Church. Pastor Billy Hires officiated. Macon Funeral Home handled the arrangements. Condolences can be made at www.maconfuneralhome.com.
Margaret Louise Hopper
Margaret Louise Hopper, 80, of Fort Mill, S.C., passed away, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Born in Macon County, she was the daughter of the late William Deal and Bida Holland Deal. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Bobbie Weaver Hopper; a brother, Bob Deal; and a sister, Betty Mahaffey. She attended Sharon Baptist Church, Smyrna, Ga.; supported Kiwanis Club and enjoyed helping others. She was a hairdresser for 50 years. She is survived by two children, Barbara Nicco (Mike) of Danville, Calif., and Mitchell Neal Hooper (Jolene) Fort Mill, S.C.; brother, Berlin Deal of Franklin; sisters, Helen Pavilnet of Cumming, Ga., Frances Medford of Liberty, S.C., Lois Anne Bressler of Cary, N.C., and Phyllis Wilson of Sylva; four grandchildren, Rachel Hopper, Ryan Hopper, Logan Nicco, and Mitch Nicco; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral service will be held at Thursday, Sept. 27, at 3 p.m., in the Chapel of Macon Funeral Home. Rev. Steve Reeves will officiate. Burial will be in the Highlands Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Condolences can be made at www.maconfuneralhome.com.
Joyce Baldwin Swafford
Joyce Baldwin Swafford, 82, passed away peacefully on Sept. 19, 2018, after a 16-year battle with cancer. She was born on Nov. 29, 1935, at home in Burningtown in Macon County, N.C., and was preceded in death by her parents Carl and Vergie Baldwin and brother, Charles (Jack) Baldwin. She is survived by the love of her life, Charles Swafford; sister, June Sorrells; brother, John Baldwin; seven nieces, threenephews and 17 great nieces and nephews. She started school in Burningtown and moved to Iotla for 6th grade where she first met her beloved Charles where they shared a back-to-back desk. She turned around to see who shared her desk; he winked and there it began. (He gave her a Valentine that year that wouldn’t fit into the class box!) She graduated from Franklin High, received her Associates degree at Mars Hill College and Undergraduate degree at WCU. Early in her collegiate years she discovered her second love, teaching. She was like a sponge. She read and studied everything she could get her hands on and taught her fellow classmates with the enthusiasm and energy that carried her throughout her 34 years of educating junior high students in math and dcience. She didn’t just teach, she inspired, motivated and pushed the kids to be the best they could be. She loved sports, the competiveness, the thrill of winning and the challenge of losing. She took her students to competitions where they had impressive state-wide and even national victories. And, it wasn’t just the academics, it was having fun in the purest sense. They played car games, practical jokes on each other, sang songs, and celebrated life to the fullest. She didn’t have children of her own, but she influenced the lives of hundreds of children that didn’t just make them better adults, but made our world a better place. Joyce remained dedicated to her Lord her entire life teaching Sunday School, leading the GA’s, singing in the choir, serving on committees, participating in the weekly dinners and investing her resources into the growth and effectiveness of Iotla Baptist Church for over 50 years while similarly contributing to various churches as she and Charles resided and visited in various places across N.C. She made a difference. Her smile, contagious laughter, pragmatic perspective and “open door” will be sorely missed; her impact will transcend through many generations to come. Funeral service was held Saturday, Sept. 22, at Iotla Baptist Church. Burial was in the church cemetery. Donations may be sent to the Cemetery Fund of Iotla Baptist Church, 1537 Iotla Church Road, Franklin or CarePartners Hospice, 170 Church Street, Franklin, NC 28734. Macon Funeral Home handled the arrangements. Condolences can be made to the family at www.maconfuneralhome.com.
Irma Joan Brown
Irma Joan Brown, 83, of Athens, Ala., passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, at her home. She was born on March 18, 1935, in Plant City, Fla., to Earl Bowles and Sara Fourqurean Bowles. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Charles Bowles. She is survived by her husband, Creighton Brown; son, Michael Brown; daughters, Cynthia McDermott and Rebecca Alexander; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was a member of the D.A.R. and lifetime member of the Leftwitch Family Association. She was a musical scholar at Stetson University, and a banker, by profession.
Betty Sue Philbeck
Betty Sue Philbeck, 78, of Franklin, N.C., passed away Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018. Born in Macon County, she was the daughter of the late John Edgar Reeves and Ruby M. Roper Reeves. She loved spending time with her grandkids and family, quilting, gym, and floral crafts. She is survived by her husband, Howard Philbeck, of Franklin; children, Mike Johnson (Earlene), of Mooresboro, N.C., Scott Johnson (Karan), of Gastonia, N.C., Robin Woodard, of Gastonia, N.C., and Rodney Johnson (Sherri), of Greenville, S.C.; step-children, Dino Philbeck, of Gastonia, N.C., Danny Philbeck, of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Jason Philbeck, of W. Jefferson, N.C.; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Funeral service was held Wednesday, Sept. 26, in the Chapel of Macon Funeral Home. Rev. Guy Duvall and Rev. Gary McCoy officiated. Burial was in Roper Cemetery. Pallbearers were Michael Johnson, Brandon Johnson, Wesley Johnson, Tim Miller, Ryan Barnhardt, Josh Woodard, Paul Hurley, and Jeremy Woodard. Memorial donations can be made to Oak Dale Baptist Church. Condolences can be made to the family at www.maconfuneralhome.com.
Robert ‘Bob’ Seaton Jr.
Robert “Bob” Seaton Jr., 70, of Franklin passed away Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Born in Pinellas County, Florida, he was the son of Alma Evans Seaton and the late Robert Seaton Sr. In addition to his father, he was also preceded in death by his brother, Frank Seaton. He was a U.S. Army veteran, retired police officer, and, a driver for Macon County Transit. He was a member of Victory Baptist Church and will be remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife of 43 years, Rosa Lee Seaton; children, Richard Strickland (Michele), of Franklin, Melissa Stonesifer, of Sylva, and Heather Parks (Mark), of Franklin; brother, Steve Seaton, of Tampa, Fla.; sister, Rebecca Diebold, of Tampa, Fla.; 12 grandchildren; and six nieces and nephews. Funeral service was held Monday, Sept. 24 at Victory Baptist Church. Rev. Rusty Wolfrey officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Military Honors were conducted by the VFW Post 7339 and American Legion Post 108. Pallbearers were Richard Strickland, Alex Strickland, Mark Parks, Judah Parks, Seth Stonesifer, and Mike Fitzgerald. Macon Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Condolences can be made to the family at www.maconfuneralhome.com.
Margaret Setser Ramsey
Margaret Setser Ramsey, 86, of Iotla Church Road, Franklin, NC died Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, at the Four Seasons’ Elizabeth House in Hendersonville, NC. Born Dec. 1, 1931, in the Cartoogechaye community, She was the daughter of the late Joseph Franklin Setser and Harriet Slagle Setser. She graduated from Franklin High School, continued her education at the University of Georgia for three years and later graduated from Western Carolina University. She was married to the late Albert L. Ramsey for 62 years and together they raised four children – Becky, Diane, Joe and Ralph. Daughter, Rebecca “Becky” Ramsey Estes lives in Franklin with husband, Tom Estes. They have two children, Bill Estes of Fort Worth, Texas (wife Lisa and children: Stuart, Morgan, Liam, Mhaurie Hannah, and Patrick) and Cullen Estes of Marion, Alaska (wife Jennifer and children: Jordyn and baby Clementine, Jackson, Harrison, and Bryant). Daughter, Diane Ramsey Forsyth is survived by her husband Mark Forsyth, who lives in Rye, N.H. They have two children, Emily Forsyth of Towson, Md. (husband Chris Abruzzese) and Wesley Forsyth of Boston, Mass. Son, Joseph Albert Ramsey lives in Franklin with wife Theresa Ramsey. They have two children, Kaila Ramsey Garza of Washington, DC (husband Matt and son Levi) and Matthew Ramsey of Auburn, Ga. (wife Brittany and daughters: Lilly and Emma). Son, Ralph Setser Ramsey lives in Riverton, Utah, with wife Jennifer Ramsey. They have four children, Anastasia Ramsey of Salinas, Calif. (children Archie and Life), Andrei Ramsey of Riverton, Utah, and Jacob and Joshua Evans of Riverton, Utah. The last living sibling in her family, she had three brothers, Mack Setser (Beulah), Tom Setser (Genie), George Setser; two sisters, Mary Jo Setser Sloan (Bob) and Jane Setser Porter Wells (Pete); and a brother-in-law, Clayton Ramsey (Anne). Margaret leaves behind several beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and special friends. She loved the mountains and you would often find her fishing, hiking, or working with Al in the operation of their family farm. She was an avid seamstress and quilter, a member of Franklin First United Methodist Church, and an active volunteer in the community. For many years she supported local artisans as manager of Maco Crafts Co-op and previously worked as an Outreach Supervisor for Macon Program for Progress. She cherished her hometown and its history, working to found the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County (FHAMC). Margaret’s incredibly rich life of service, heart for social justice, and love of her community will be celebrated along with her family and friends on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 10 a.m., at First United Methodist Church. An informal gathering will immediately follow the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to KIDS Place, PO Box 693, Franklin, NC 28744/online at kidsplaceac.org or to Four Seasons Foundation, 221 N. Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792/online at FourSeasonsCFLFoundation.org.
