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Watauga, Avery Obituaries – Aug. 31, 2016

Nancy Sluder (Nov. 4, 1948 – Aug. 30, 2016)

Nancy Coffey Sluder, age 67, of Newland passed away on August 30, 2016 at Cannon Memorial Hospital.

Sluder
Sluder

A native of Avery County, NC she was born November 4, 1948 a daughter of the late Roy Sylvester and Mildred Cornett Coffey.

She was a member of Vale Freewill Baptist Church and enjoyed singing at different churches in the area and reading.

Along with her parents, Nancy was preceded in death by her: brother, Randy Coffey; paternal grandparents, Sylvester and Annie Coffey; maternal grandparents, Goss and Maude Cornett.

Nancy has left to cherish her memory her: husband of 50 years, Paul Sluder of the home; cousin, Joyce Burleson and husband Larry of Newland; sisters-in-law, Donna Norwood and husband Ernest, Cindy Coffey of Newland; niece, Ashley McKinney of Newland and one great nephew.

Funeral services for Nancy Coffey Sluder will be conducted on Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 8:00 pm in the Grandfather Chapel of Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home with Rev. Gary Huffman and Rev. Gene Simmons officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until the service hour at the funeral home. Family, friends and pallbearers will meet at the funeral home on Friday, September 2nd at 10:00 a.m. to go in procession to Slippery Hill Cemetery for interment services.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care at 902 Kirkwood St. NW Lenoir, NC 28645.

Words of comfort and memories may be shared with the family and viewed at www.rsfh.net.

Paul Allen Keasey (May 1, 1953 – Aug. 27, 2016)

Paul Allen Keasey, age 63, of Rocky Mountain Lane, Boone, passed away Saturday morning, August 27, 2016 at Ashe Memorial Hospital.

Keasey
Keasey

Paul was a true friend to anyone lucky enough to meet him and was a beloved husband, son, father and grandfather. As the owner of Zippi’s gas station he made many new companions everyday and always went out of his way to make them feel appreciated and welcome.

He enjoyed playing golf and while he made many friends on the golf course, he would occasionally make them mad when he beat them. Most of all, Paul enjoyed spending time with his family and his many RV friends who became family in West Jefferson and Okeechobee.

Paul always looked forward to playfully harassing all of his buddies at Harris Teeter and his neighbors. 
Since he retired from Zippi’s he spent some of his free time transporting cars for several local dealers.

Paul had a lot of new buddies that he would drive with and was always concerned about their safety while traveling. One of Paul’s nicknames was “Meals on Wheels”. Daily, he would deliver meals to both his mother, Joy, and his mother in law, Bonnie, and did all kinds of thoughtful things for them.

Paul was taken from us far too early and will be immensely missed by his wife, mother, children, family and friends.

Paul is survived by his wife, Jeannie P. Keasey of the home; two daughters, Kristin K. Alphin of Hickory, and Kristi A. Matheson and fiance James R. McQueen, III of Boone; one son, Richard Matheson and wife Tara of Winston-Salem; his mother, Joy S. Keasey of Boone; mother-in-law, Bonnie Hill of Blowing Rock; one granddaughter, Keasey Lea Alphin of Hickory, and a niece, Sarah Keasey of Winston-Salem.

He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Lester D. Keasey; one brother, Mark Keasey, and a son-in-law, Frankie Alphin.

A Celebration of Life service for Paul Allen Keasey will be conducted Tuesday afternoon, August 30, 2016 at 2:00 o’clock at Boone United Methodist Church.

Officiating will be Reverend Jeff McClain and Pastor Gordon Noble.

The family will receive friends Tuesday afternoon, from 12:00 until 2:00, at Boone United Methodist Church, two hours prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Boone United Methodist Church, 471 New Market Boulevard, Boone, North Carolina, 28607 or to Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.

Online condolences may be sent to the Keasey family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com.

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Mark David Griffin (Jan. 6, 1958 – Aug. 25, 2016)

Mark David Griffin, age 57, of Harmon Lane, Blowing Rock, passed away Thursday, August 25, 2016.

Funeral arrangements for Mark David Griffin are incomplete at this time.

Online condolences may be sent to the Griffin family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com.

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Jerry Gale McGuire (Dec. 21, 1943 – Aug. 23, 2016)

Jerry Gale McGuire, age 72, of Elk Park passed away on August 23, 2016.

A native of Avery County, NC, he was born December 21, 1943 a son of the late Clinton Hurst and Addie Mae McGuire.

He was a longtime member of Beech Mountain Baptist Church where he sung in the choir in his youth.

Jerry worked as an Substance Abuse Counselor with New River Mental Health and also at the University Hospital in Augusta, GA.

He enjoyed computers, geneology and watching westerns on TV.

Along with his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by his: brother, Gene Allen McGuire; son-in-law, Christopher Thomas Burke.

Jerry has left to cherish his memory his: wife, Marilyn O. McGuire of the home; daughter, Tonya Burke of Vidalia, GA.; sons, Clinton McGuire and wife Kathy of Conyers, GA., Stephen McGuire and wife Stacie of Appling, GA., Phillip McGuire and wife Kim of Augusta, GA.; brothers, Reed McGuire and wife Marjorie of Aiken, SC., Wendell McGuire and wife Meta of Elk Park, NC.; 11 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren.

Funeral services for Jerry Gale McGuire will be conducted on Saturday, August 27th at 2:00 p.m. in the Grandfather Chapel of Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home with Pastor Richard Jones officiating. Interment will follow in the Beech Mountain Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday, August 26th from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home.

Words of comfort and memories may be shared with the family and viewed at www.rsfh.net.

Mrs. Laura Francis M. McGuire (Nov. 16, 1924 – Aug. 21, 2016)

Mrs. Laura Francis (McCawley) McGuire of Campbellsville (KY) passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 21, 2016, in Lebanon at the age of 91 years, 9 months, and 5 days.

McGuire
McGuire

She was born at the Jewish Hospital in Louisville to the late Herbert L. and Laura Francis (Malone) McCawley on November 16, 1924. Mrs. McGuire married Donald David McGuire at the St. Mark Episcopal Church in Louisville on May 31, 1958, and they shared their lives until his passing in 2007. She professed faith in Christ and was a faithful member of the St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Campbellsville. Mrs. McGuire worked for Eastern Airlines in reservation services and loved to travel, do needlework, and arrange flowers.

She leaves to cherish her memory, two cousins, Lillian Hanscomb of Maine and her sister Alice Rudolph of Ohio; lifelong friend, Joan Kirzinger of Lebanon. A host of friends from Bluegrass Way, St. Thomas Church, and the Saloma Homemakers, and many friends from Boone and Banner Elk, NC.

She was preceded in death by her fraternal twin brother, Herbert Lawrence McCawley.

Mrs. McGuire chose cremation, and will be buried in the Lebanon National Cemetery with her husband. A memorial service to honor her life will be held at Bluegrass Way and will be scheduled and announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials in the form of donations to the St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 116 S/ Columbia Avenue, Campbellsville, KY 42718.

L R Petty Funeral Home & Cremation service is serving the McGuire family; announcement is courtesy of Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory.