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Watauga County Obituaries – Compiled Jan. 27, 2015

Andy M. Harmon (Jan. 15, 1937 – Jan. 26, 2015) 

Andy McRay ‘RAY’ Harmon, 78, of Hicks Road, Sugar Grove, passed away Monday morning, Jan. 26 2015, at his home, with his family by his side.

Born Jan. 15, 1937 in Watauga County, he was a son of Virgil McRay and Cora Jane Hicks Harmon. Mr. Harmon was of the Baptist faith. Ray was a devoted husband and father who dearly loved his family. He enjoyed working the land on his farm.

Mr. Harmon is survived by his wife, Laura McGuire Harmon; three sons, Gary Ray Harmon and wife, Deborah, and David Allen Harmon, all of Sugar Grove, and Eric Wayne Harmon, and wife, Alice, of Deep Gap; five grandchildren, Kevin Harmon and wife, Kara, Andrea Mullett and husband, Justin, Phillip Harmon and wife, Summer, Tyler Harmon and wife, Kala, and Leah Harmon; one great-grandson, Brent Harmon; and one sister, Redith Marshall of Bristol, Va.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Virgil McRay and Cora Jane Hicks Harmon; an infant son, Kelvin Harmon, one brother, Henry Harmon; and four sisters, Mary Alice Isaacs, Edith Rector, Flora Marshall, and Lillie Oliver.

Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 28, at 2 o’clock, at the Austin & Barnes Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by Rev. David Ward. The family will receive friends Wednesday afternoon from 12:30 until 2 o’clock, prior to services, at Austin & Barnes. Burial will follow in the Baird’s Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Medi Home Health & Hospice, 400 Shadowline Drive, Suite 102, Boone, NC 28607.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com. Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Harmon family.

Ellen G. McConnell (Sept. 16, 1934 – Jan. 25, 2015) 

Ellen Greene McConnell, 80, of Stoney Brook Lane, Boone, passed away Sunday evening, Jan. 25, 2015, surrounded by family at her home.

BigMcConnelltooBorn Sept. 16, 1934 in Watauga County, she was a daughter of Charles Russell and Ruby Hardy Greene. Mrs. McConnell was a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church. For a number of years, she employed as a CNA at Mountain Care Facility. In life, Ellen’s family meant everything to her. She and her late husband enjoyed carving and painting woodcrafts to share.

She is survived by two daughters, Marlene Cederlund and husband, Ray, of Euclid, Ohio, and Jamie Harmon and husband, David, of Boone; two sons, Chuck McConnell and wife, Cheryl, of Huntsburg, Ohio, and Jim McConnell and wife, Kim, of Zionville; sister-in-law, Lillie McConnell of Hickory; one granddaughter, Tara McConnell Johnson and husband, Tim, of Akron, Ohio, and five grandsons, Mike Barker and wife, Marinda, of the Triplett community, Ray Cederlund, Jr. and wife, Jessi, of Painesville, Ohio, Adam McConnell and wife, Amy, and Ryan Cederlund, all of Euclid, Ohio, and Alex McConnell of Zionville; and eight great-grandchildren, Chloe Baker of Boone, Nathan Cederlund of Euclid, Ohio, Nolan and Beau Johnson, both of Akron, Ohio, Alex Morin, and Alayla, Laci and Kelsie Dollar. A number of nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Everett McConnell.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday afternoon, Jan. 30, at 2 p.m., at the Austin & Barnes Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by Rev. Delbert Minner. The family will receive friends Friday afternoon from 12:30 until 2 p.m., prior to services. Burial will follow at Mount Lawn Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Hospice of Caldwell County, 902 Kirkwood St. N.W., Lenoir, NC 28645. The family wishes to extend a ‘Thank You’ to the wonderful angels from Caldwell County Hospice for their exceptional care of Ellen in her final days.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at the website www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com. Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the McConnell family.

Billie Holman Cook (Nov. 1, 1931 – Jan. 23, 2015) 

CookMrs. Billie Holman Cook, 83, of 2327 Deerfield Road, Boone, died Friday, Jan, 23, 2015, at her home.

Billie was born Nov. 1, 1931, in Ashe County, and grew up in the Todd Community. She was a retired CSR Nurse for Watauga Medical Center and was a member of Mount Vernon Baptist Church.

Billie is survived by her husband of 61 years, Dane Albert Cook of the home, two sons, Michael “Mike” Cook and Dana of Advance, Doug Cook and wife Kelly of Anderson, S.C., one granddaughter, Carly Cook, of Advance, North Carolina, three grandsons, Dane Patrick Cook, of Advance, North Carolina, Christian Cook and Scott Cook, both of Anderson, S.C., one sister, Jackie Holman, of West Jefferson, and one aunt, Myrtle Dean Howell, of West Jefferson, and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother, James Garfield Holman and Ethel Jane Jarvis Holman, one sister, Irene Holman, and one brother, Bud Holman.

Funeral services for Mrs. Billie Holman Cook will be conducted Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015, at 2 p.m. at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. Reverend Bud Russell will officiate.

Prior to the service, the family will receive friends from 1 until 2 p.m. at the chapel.

Online condolences may be sent to the Cook family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com. Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.