Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 17

Deaths, Funerals The Ashcvilte Cltiten, Monday, Feb. II, IMS Charles C. Custer Jr. Funerals Today Peggy Branch CONNELLY SPRINGS -Peggy O'Neil Branch, 39, of Connelly Springs, died Saturday. She was employed by Drexel Heritage Co.

Surviving are her mother, Margaret A. Chapman Branch of Morganton; a son, Jeffrey Branch of Connelly Springs; a daughter. Crystal Branch of Connelly Springs; a brother, William R. Branch of Morganton; and a sister, Carolyn Car-swell of Morganton. Services will be at 1:30 p.m.

Tuesday in Kirksey Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Clifton Kinlaw will officiate. Burial will be In Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m.

Monday at the funeral home, and at other times, will be at the home of the mother, 109 Bethel St, Morganton. Mrs. Gill MARION Grace Ledwell Gill, 82, formerly of the Pleasant Gardens community, died Sunday. Mrs. Gill was born in Asheville to the late John D.

and Lela Peigler Ledwell and was a homemaker. Surviving are two sons, W.K. "Bud" Gill Jr. and J.L. "Jim" GilL both of Marion; a daughter, Jane G.

Greenlee of Marion; a sister, Ruth Yard of Asheville; five grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in St. Mark's United Methodist Church. The Revs.

Thomas Hunter and Dean Silver will officiate. Bunal will be in Green Hills Cemetery, Asheville. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at West-moreland-Clapp Funeral Home, where the body will remain until placed in the church 30 minutes before the services. Warren Nix HOT SPRINGS Services for Warren D.

Nix, 40, of Raleigh Lane, who died Friday, will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Dorland Bell Presbyterian Church, Hot Springs. The Revs. Robert Gruber and George Moore will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.

Nix, a native of New Zealand, lived in Madison County most of his life. He was employed by Norfolk-Southern Railway and was a member of Hot Springs First Baptist Church. Surviving are his wife, Selma Holder Nix; a son, Warren M. Nix of Mars Hill; a daughter, Jeniffer Nix of Mars Hill; two stepsons, Donnle Roberts of Louisville, Ky, and Julian Roberts of Mars Hill; a stepdaughter, Melissa Ferguson of Hot Springs; the parentis Warren M. Nix (Chief Warrant Officer, ret.) and Eileen McAuliffe Nix of Elizabeth City; a brother, Michael Nix of Elizabeth City; two sisters, Sherryl Reynolds of Columbia, N.C, and Robyn Loury of Elizabeth City; and the maternal grandmother, Alice McAuliffe of Auchland, New Zealand.

The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at Bowman Funeral Home, Marshall, where the body will remain until placed in the church 30 minutes before the High-Speed Chase Nets Capture Of Escaped Convict Dock Autrey BURNSVILLE Dock H. Autrey, 87, of Busick, Route 5 Burnsville, died Sunday in a McDowell County nursing facility. Autrey, a Yancey County native, was a son of the late Commodore and Sadie Silmons Autrey. He was a retired U.S.

Forest Service employee. Surviving are his wife, Nellie McMahan Autrey; seven sons, Warren and D.D, Aulrey of Marion, Gaither, Jeter and Jimmy Autrey of Burnsville, Stewart Autrey of Petersburg, Va, and Johnny Autrey of Statesvllle; two daughters, Estelle Fox of Marion and Dorothy Biddix of Burnsville; a brother, Hezekiah Autrey of Cashiers; 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in White Oak Creek Church. The Revs.

Shelby Carroll, Charles Willis and Ronnie Loftis will officiate. Burial will be in Autrey Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at Hoi-combe Bros. Funeral Home, where the body will remain until placed In the church 30 minutes before the services.

Frank Black BAKERSVILLE Services for Frank A. Black, 86, of Bakersvllle, who died Saturday, will be at 2 p.m. 'Tuesday in Bakersvllle Baptist Church, where he was a member, deacon and secretary. The Rev. Vernon Buchanan will officiate.

Burial will be in Bakersvllle Memorial Cemetery. Black, a lifelong resident of Mitchell County, was a veteran of World War I and served in France. A former treasurer of Mitchell County, he retired in 1963 with 26 years of employment as an assistant cashier with Northwestern Bank in Bakers-vine. Black was a member of Bakers-ville Masonic Lodge No. 357 AF It AM, Bakersville Chapter No.

29 Order of Eastern Star and was a charter member of Bakersville Lions Club. He was the son of the late Samuel J. and Ida Blackburn Black. Surviving are his wife, Minnie Greene Black; a daughter, Inez B. Stophcr of Sarasota, two sons, Frank A.

Black Jr. of Danville, Va, and Samuel J. Black of Bakersville; a sister, Inez Hunter of Spokane, Wash; and eight grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday at Henline-Hughes Funeral Home, where the body will remain until placed in the church an hour before the services.

An escaped convict from a federal penitentiary was captured Sunday after a high speed chase around Asheville, the state Highway Patrol reported. Billie Winfield Conard, 47, of Route 3 Waynesville was serving sentences for kidnapping and armed robbery at the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary, Pa. when he escaped in November 1983. He was also wanted for questioning by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in connection with a September 1984 bank robbery in Birmingham, Ala, according to the patroL Troopers David Miller and Joel Reece attempted to stop the driver of a 1966 Chrysler traveling on U.S. 19 west of Asheville at 6:55 p.m.

on suspicion of driving while impaired. The STATE AND AREA Zora Bowers of Watauga, Tena, 10 a.m., Relns-Sturdivanl Funeral Home, Newland, N.C. Elsie McClure of Franklin, 11 a.m., Bethel United Methodist Church, Macon County. John McLaughlin of Mars Hill, 11 a.m., Capps Funeral Home chapel, Madison County. Jean S.

Ashe of Kayesville, 11 a.m.. Old Shooting Creek Baptist Church, Clay County. Wynona Deter of Rutherfordton, 11 Southern Baptist Church, Rutherford County. Mary E. Fulbright of Clarks-ville, 11 a.m., Bethlehem Baptist Church, Clarksville.

Richard Lance of Brevard, 2 p.m., Carson's Creek Baptist Church, Transylvania County. George Walker of Splndale, 2 p.m., Crowe's Funeral Chapel, Rutherford County. Glenn MUlsaps of Bryson City, 2 p.m., chapel of Bill Moody Funeral Home, Swain County. Amarady Norton of Marshall, 2 p.m., chapel of Bowman Funeral Home, Madison County. Nick Lovin of Rockingham, 3:30 p.m., Heritage Baptist Church, Rockingham.

CITY AND COUNTY Martha Miller of 512 Merrimon Asheville, 2 p.m., AsheviUe Chapel of Penland and Sons Funeral Home. Joseph Vandewart of 1 Hillcrest Road, Asheville, graveside services 2 p.m.. Riverside Cemetery, Cuss McElrath of Holly Hills, formerly of Candler, 2:30 p.m.. White Rock Baptist Church. Area Deaths Marshall Coleman, 75, of Murphy, died Sunday; services 2 p.m.

Tuesday, Ivle Fuernal Home. Warren Nix, 40, of Hot Springs, died Friday; services II a.m. Tuesday, Dorland Bell Presbyterian Church. Nick Lovin, 42, of Rockingham, died Saturday; services 3:30 p.m. Monday, Heritage Baptist Church.

Terry Brendle, 37, of Bedford, Mich, formerly of Sylva, died Friday; services 2 p.m. Tuesday, Moody Funeral Home. Peggy Branch, of Connelly Springs, died Saturday; services 1:38 p.m., Tuesday, Kirksey Memorial Chapel. Frank Black, 86, of Bakersvllle, died Saturday; services 2 p.m. Tuesday, Bakersvllle Baptist Church.

Dock Aulrey, 87, of Burnsville, died Sunday; services 2 p.m Tuesday, White Oak Creek Church. Carl H. Hensley, 89, of Burnsville, died Sunday; services 2 p.m. Tuesday, llolcombe Bros. Funeral Home.

Helen Ann Byers, 72, of Lake Toxaway, died Friday; services 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Moody Funeral Home. Charles Custer Jr, 67, of Etowah, died Thursday; services were held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Forest Lawn Memorial Park East. Fulton Pitman, S3, of Greer, S.C, died Saturday; services II a.m Tuesday, Calvary Baptist Church.

Rose Mary Ramsey, 77, of Port Charlotte, Fla, formerly of Madison County, died Friday; services II a.m Tuesday, Bowman Funeral Home. Chequella Harris NEBO Chequella Ann Harris, 26, of Route 1 Nebo, died Sunday. Miss Harris, a native of Avery County, was a daughter of James and Billie Maynor Harris of Nebo. She formerly worked at Valdese Manufacturing Co. Surviving, in addition to the parents, are four brothers, Buddy, Rickie, Danny and Tom Harris, all of Nebo; two sisters, Tivila McPeters and Debra Gilbert, both of Nebo; a half brother, Stan Maynor of Nebo; and the maternal grandparents, Mr.

and Mrs. Bart Maynor of Nebo. Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Marion Chapel of McCall-Kirksey Funeral Home. The Rev.

A.C. Bcal will officiate. Graveside services will be at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday In Ivy Park Cemetery, Barnardsville. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Monday at the funeral home. Hawthorn Shelter Lauded By Legislators ETOWAH Charles Cleveland Custer Jr, 67, of 12 Ashley Place, died Thursday in a Hendersonville hospital. A native of Johnstown, Pa, he resided in Akron, Ohio before moving to Henderson County two years ago. He retired from B.F. Goodrich Co, where he was an engineer for 34 years and was a member of Akron Masonic Lodge No.

83. Surviving are his wife, Ida Richardson Custer; a son, Charles C. Custer III of Van Nuys, Calif, a stepson, Kenneth Smith of Tampa, a stepdaughter, Elaine Asper of Albany, and a sister, Jean Custer of Pittsburgh, Pa. Graveside services were at 1 p.m. Sunday in Forest Lawn Memorial Park East.

Memorials may made to the American Cancer Society, Jackson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Fulton D. Pitman GREER, S.C. Fulton Doyle Pitman, 63, of 109 Bennett St, died Saturday. Pitman was a Greer native and a son of the late Robert Fulton and Grace Stevenson Pitman.

He was a retired mechanic from Fairway Ford Co. A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, Pitman was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Surviving are the wife, Mary Mason Pitman; a stepdaughter, Margaret Funderburk of Pendergrass, three sons, Fulton D. Pitman Jr.

of California and Doiutie and Danny Pitman, both of Greenville, S.C; three brothers, Maynard Pitman of Taylors, S.C, R.F. Pitman Jr. of Travelers Rest, S.C, and Ken Pitman of Greer; seven sisters, Norma Kel-ley of Greer, Dot Copeland and Evelyn Crumley of Taylors, Juanita Mease of Canton, N.C, Willie Mae Williams and Ellen Finley of Greenville and Avis Jones of Fort Worth, Texas; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Calvary Baptist Church, where he was a member.

Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at Wood Mortuary. Helen Ann Byers LAKE TOXAWAY Helen Ann Byers, 72, of Lake Toxaway, died Friday in a Transylania County hospital. Mrs.

Byers, a native of New York, resided in Transylania County for the past 12 years. Surviving are her husband, Fred Byers; two sons, Fred Byers of Fort Lauderdale, Fla, and Timothy J. Byers of Atlanta; two daughters, Carol L. Haffner of Hollywood, Fla, and Pat Byers of Fort Devens, a sister, Mrs. Roger Brown-yard of Kent, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the chapel of Moody-Con-noly Funeral Home. Father Ray Berg will officiate. Marshall Coleman MURPHY Marshall Sheridan Coleman, 75, of Route 1 Brasstown, died Sunday at the home of a daughter. A native of Cherokee County, he was a son of the late Frank and Luanna Belle Ledford Coleman.

In 1937, he moved to Orlando, Fla, where he was employed by Florida power corp. until lus retirement. He moved to Murphy in 1971 and was a Baptist Surviving are his wife, Evelyn Watkins Coleman; three daughters, Jackie Maxey of DeLand, Fla, Karen Nutt of Mableton, Ga, and Jeanne Barnwell of Murphy; a son, Richard Lee Coleman of Apopka, five sisters, Jean Waring of Lake Lanier, Ga, Katherine Donaldson of Doraville, Ga, and Juanita Barnett, Frankie Nelle Chastain and Nina Ann Chastain, all of Murphy; two brothers, Donald Coleman of Murphy and Stephen Coleman of Marietta, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Ivie Funeral Home chapel, Murphy.

The Rev. Aud Brown will officiate. Burial will be in Peachtree Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

several times at Westminster Chapel In London. Ockenga, born in Chicago, received degrees from Taylor University, Westminster Theological Seminary and the University of Pittsburgh. He served as president of both Gordon College and Gordon Divinity School in Wenham before Gordon Divinity merged with Conwell School of Theology In 1969 and the campus moved to South Hamilton. He was also a cofounder and former president of Fuller Theological Seminary In Pasadena, Calif. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, a son, two sisters and five grandchildren.

Burial was set for Monday, with a memorial service to be held Feb. 17 at Park Street Church. From Staff Reports BRYSON CITY A special appreciation luncheon for the Western North Carolina legislative delegation was held Sunday at Hawthorn Heights. Among those present were N.C. Sen.

Charles llipps, Rep. Jeff Enloe, and U.S. Rep. Bill Hendon. Hawthorn Heights, a temporary shelter for children 10 to 17 who are abused, neglected or runaways, has been in existence for the past five years.

"This is something we've wanted to do for a long time," said Judy Pilch, chairman of Mountain Youth Resources which directs Hawthorn Heights. "These folks not only pass the law that made it possible to do some things for youngsters in their own home communities that we hadn't been able to do before, but then they came right back and put some funding with it that has been very important to Hawthorn Heights and Mountain Youth Resources." Also invited to the luncheon were the county commissioners of Swain, Jackson, Haywood and Cherokee counties, who help support the facility with most or all of their community-based alternative funding. The counties, in return, receive sole use of the shelter. In addition to honoring the delegation. Lassie Woody also received recognition for her help with the fa Nick Lovin ROCKINGHAM Nick Brltt Lovin, 42, of Rockingham, died Saturday.

Lovin was a journalist and staff photographer with Richmond County Daily Journal. Surviving are his wife, Bobbie Sue Lovin; two sons, Britt Lovin Jr. and Brad Lovin, both of the home; a daughter, Laura Lovin of the home; a brother, Harold Lovin of Greensboro; a stepbrother, John McCormick of Asheville; the mother, Juanita Britt McCormick of Rockingham; and the maternal grandmother, Mrs. Blennie Britt of Hamlet. Services will be at 3:30 p.m.

Monday in Heritage Baptist Church. The Revs. W.W. Leathers and James Willingham will officiate. Interment will be in Richmond County Memorial Park.

Watson-King Funeral Home, Rockingham, is in charge of arrangements. Charlie B. Nix DREXEL Charlie B. Nix, 77, of 401 Burns St, was dead on arrival Sunday at a Morganton hospital. Nix, born in Buncombe County, was a son of the late Andy and Mary Eugenia Hampton Nix.

A Burke County resident for 42 years, he retired in 1968 with 23 years of employment with Drexel Enterprise. Surviving are his wife, Ollie Stone Nix; three sons, J.C. Nix of Mount Olive and Paul and Robert Nix of the home; three daughters, Ruby and Christine Nix, both of Drexel, and Inez Cooper of Morgan-ton; a brother, Roy Nix of Shelby; two sisters, Eloise Burnette of Richmond, Va, and Kelly Plymons of Marion; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Riverside Baptist Church, where he was a member.

The Rev. Joe Elmore will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The family will receive, friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at Sosso-man Funeral Home, where the body will remain until placed ii the church 30 minutes before the services.

Ex-Rep. Is Hired As Ramsey Aide Tho Associated Press RALEIGH Former state Rep. Roger W. Bone, who pleaded guilty in 1982 to a federal check-kiting charge, says he has been hired as a legislative assistant for House Speaker Lis-ton Ramsey. "I needed a Job and he simply offered me a job, and I took It," said Bone, who served two two-year terms from 1979 to 1982 before stepping down.

"Obviously it (the guilty plea) was a concern, but I will just cross that bridge." Bone said he would be paid $100-a-day plus legislative expenses. Bone pleaded guilty in October 1982 to kiting checks, a federal mall charge. In check kiting, a bad check from one bank Is deposited in another bank, and the funds are withdrawn from the second bank before the check bounces. U.S. District Judge W.

Earl Britt sentenced Bone to a three-year suspended prison term with the suspension contingent on five years probation. At the time of his plea, Bone said he never intended to defraud anyone, but that he had become Involved in check kiting to keep his fiancially troubled business operating. He was head of Bone International, a Rocky Mount farm equipment and truck dealership with 60 to 70 employees that is no longer In business. Bone's attorney, David W. Long, said he wrote a letter requesting that Bone's probation be terminated and that the request was granted by a federal court In December.

Ramsey's two legislative assistants follow the course of legislation and help with the assignment of bills to committees. The other assistant Is former Rep. Sam L. Beam, driver refused to stop and sped away to Asbury Road, the troopers said. The chase reached speeds of 70 mph along Monte Vista and Hoi-combe Cove roads past the Pisgah View Academy.

The driver wrecked the 1966 Chrysler, which had been reported stolen at noon Sunday from Greenville, S.C, and fled on foot, the troopers said. After a foot chase, the trooper captured the man trying to get into a barn on the property of Tom Jones of llolcombe Cove Road at 7:15 p.m. Conard was placed in the Buncombe County Jail under no bond. He is charged, with DWI, speeding to elude arrest, failure to stop for a blue light and siren, resisting arrest and possession of a stolen automobile. cility.

Mrs. Woody owned the house now used as the shelter and has done much of the renovations herself. In honor of Mrs. Woody and her husband Oscar, a plaque was placed on the mantle, dedicating the living room in their name. "If you have anything to do with any kind of group living program or any type of shelter progarm you know that it isn't easy to find places where you are well received," Pilch added.

"It's hard to find places where the neighbors aren't uneasy about a shelter becoming part of their community. We have been blessed with a degree of acceptance in the Governor's Island community that could not begin to receive a price tag thanks to Mrs. Woody." "These are my children land I love each child that come Mrs. Woody said. "I do what I do because I love it.

It gives me so much jpy and I love the idea that this house has children in it once again. The children need this house and this house needs them." Said Hendon of his first visit to the shelter, "This house. provides for a great need in this area, that being a place for these children when they need it most I am very prpud to have a facility such as this in my district. The people of Western Carolina should be proud." TERESA MAtLONEE and internal injuries. Cherokee County rescue workers struggled for two hours before freeing the two men from the wreckage.

Stroupe said the 1966 Chevrolet truck ran off the right side oftyang Dog Road about seven miles nojth of Murphy. The truck overturned -down an embankment and struck dree, pinning the Whiteners Inside the cab. Woody Ornamental; Horticultural TopicC Marketing for woody omamen-tals will be discussed at 7 Monday at the meeting of the Horticultural Crops Commission of theTWNC Development Association, according to chairman Allen Bush. Steve Sorrells, marketing" specialist of the N.C. Department of Agriculture, will be speaker fir the Western Steer Steak House, 1445lat-ton Ave.

HI Morns FUNERAL HOME ASI IEV1U.E ARlMiN 304 23931 Merrimon Hendersonville Ave. Rd. 252-1821 684-3109 Bertha Pittillo Bertha M. Pittillo; 83, of 25 Drake St, Asheville, died Saturday in an Asheville health care center. A native of Columbus, Ohio, and an Asheville resident for 60 years, she was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.

She was a daughter of the late Henry and Henrietta Bolshum Knierim and the wife of Paul F. PittiUo, who died in 1962. Surviving are three daughters, Eileen P. Beard of North Plainfield, N.J, Ruth P. Epley of Brevard and Beverly P.

Cogburn of Asheville; a sister, Lillian Slocklin of Columbus, Ohio; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday In Green Hills Cemetery. The Rev. James S.

Bellamy will officiate. Memorials may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church. Groce Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Teddy A. Miller BAKERSVILLE Teddy Alvis Miller, 34, of Relief, died Saturday in Old Fort.

Henline-Hughes Funeral Home Is in charge of arrangements. Joseph W. Vandewart Joseph W. Vandewart, 70, of 1 Hillcrest Road, Asheville, died Saturday in an Asheville hospital. 1 Vanderwart, born in Germany, lived in Asheville for the past 37 years.

He retired from the wholesale furniture business and was a member of Temple Beth-Ha Tephila. Surviving are his wife, Jeanette Goldberg Vandewart; a son, Mark Vandewart of Fairview; and a grandchild. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Riverside Cemetery. Rabbi Ronald Bluming will officiate.

Memorials may be made to the Chamber Music Society of Asheville, in care of William Underwood, 308 Pearson Drive, AsheviUe, 28801. Wtliams Funeral Service is In charge of arrangements. Truck Overturns; Man Killed Harold John Ockenga Dies; Noted Evangelical Leader Volunteer Opportunities. MURPHY A Cherokee County man was killed and another severely injured Sunday when their logging truck overturnedd down an embankment the state Highway Patrol reported. Trooper P.D.

Stroupe indentified the victim as David Lewis Whitener, 33, of Route 5 Murphy. He was pronounced dead at Murphy Medical Center following the 5:30 p.m. accident. The driver, John Richard Whitener, 39, of the same address, was transferred to an Atlanta hospital with fractured pelvis and bones Several volunteers are needed to be "friends" to mentally retarded adults. Someone who has a few hours to give can make a big difference in a lonely person's life.

For more information call the Volunteer Service Bureau, a service of United Way, at 255-0696. Maple Springs CREMATORY -OWNED BY 254-6197 Tha Aunrlntfld Press HAMILTON, Mass. Harold John Ockenga, noted evangelical Christian leader and president-' emeritus of Gordon-Conwell logical Seminary, died at his home here, the school announced. He was 79. Ockenga, who died of cancer Friday, served for 33 years as pastor of historic Park Street Church In Boston.

He often preached on Sunday evenings from the church's outdoor balcony, overlooking Boston Common. Ockenga, the author of 13 books and numerous articles, was the first president of the National Association of Evangelicals and president of the World Evangelical Fellowship, which represents 65,000 churches. He was a member of former President Truman's Clergymen's Mission to Europe, and preached i Large medical facility needs volunteers to deliver flowers on Tuesduy, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 1 4 p.m. Also needed are volunteers to provide liaison between emergency room and patients' family, to listen, to assist to be able to deal with people in stressful situations. Training provided.

Clerical volunteers are needed by a number of agencies on a regular basis. Days and hours are flexible. Volunteers needed to represent the Interests of abused and neglected children in court proceedings, l-egal background not required. Training provided. Flexible time scheduling..