Obituaries

Local Obituaries

Local obituaries for our Badger Funeral Home & Ashelawn Memorial Chapel with funeral services throughout North Carolina, including West Jefferson, Jefferson and adjoining counties.

Thelma Brown

Thelma Brown

May 27, 2026

Thelma Lou Brown, age 94, passed away May 27, 2026 at Watauga Medical Center. Thelma was born April 30, 1932 to the late Frank and Docia Greer. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Glen Franklin Brown; son, Jim Ronald Brown; sisters, Virginia Potter, Shirley Burleson, Leanore Burleson and brothers, Glen Greer, Guinn Greer,...

Barbara Elaine Edwards Lawrence

Barbara Elaine Edwards Lawrence

May 23, 2026

Barbara Elaine Edwards Lawrence, age 85, of West Jefferson, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, May 23, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. She was born in Watauga County on January 22, 1941 to the late Swanson and Mable Wilson Edwards. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald Glenn Lawrence,...

Bernice Houck Prestwood

Bernice Houck Prestwood

May 23, 2026

Mrs. Bernice Houck Prestwood, age 72, of Jefferson, passed away Saturday evening, May 23, 2026, at Margate Health & Rehab Center.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Ashelawn Memorial Chapel with Rev. Jeremy Houck officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, one hour prior to the...

James "Jamie" McCoy

James "Jamie" McCoy

May 22, 2026

James “Jamie” McCoy, age 36 of Sparta passed away on Friday, May 22, 2026. He was born on May 6, 1990 in Ashe County, North Carolina. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Richard Tuney and Minnie Belle McCoy as well as an uncle, Mark Pennington.

Jamie was a man who felt most at home in the great outdoors,...

Stacy Lynn Flanagan

Stacy Lynn Flanagan

May 22, 2026

Stacy Lynn Flanagan, age 54 of Crumpler, passed away on Friday, May 22, 2026 at his home. He was born in Ashe County, North Carolina on October 23, 1971 to the late Herbert Lee and Alice Faye Miller Flanagan. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by two brothers, Charles Lenwood “Pete” Flanagan and Edward “Ed”...

Gearleen Brown Pollard

Gearleen Brown Pollard

May 19, 2026

Gearleen Brown Pollard, age 86 of Crumpler, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at Margate Health & Rehab Center. Born in Ashe County to the late Willie Bruce and Eula Adeline Jones Brown, Gearleen lived a life centered around her faith, family, and caring for others. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her...

Lisa Stuart Blankenbeckler

Lisa Stuart Blankenbeckler

May 18, 2026

Mrs. Lisa Diane Stuart Blankenbeckler, age 61, of Lansing, North Carolina, passed away Monday, May 18, 2026, at her home.

Mrs. Blankenbeckler was born in Ashe County on June 14, 1964, to the late Edward Mitchell Stuart and Shelby Jean Blevins Stuart. Lisa truly loved the outdoors and had a deep affection for all animals. Above all, she cherished the time...

Catherine Marie Hunt

Catherine Marie Hunt

May 18, 2026

Catherine Marie Hunt, age 67 of Wilkesboro passed away on Monday, May 18, 2026 at her home. She was born on February 7, 1959 in Ohio to the late Homer Richard and Joann Stacy Hunt. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by a sister, Bobby Ann Hunt and a nephew, Taylor Hayes.

Catherine found great joy...

Joanne Evelyn York

Joanne Evelyn York

May 18, 2026

Mrs. Joanne Evelyn Beckett York, age 89, of Jefferson, North Carolina, passed away Monday night, May 18, 2026, at the Johnson City Medical Center.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 10, 1936, Joanne was the daughter of the late Clarence Beckett and Evelyn Elizabeth Wissell Beckett.

Joanne dedicated her life to the care of others, charting a remarkable career in healthcare that...

June "Polly" Gilley

June "Polly" Gilley

May 16, 2026

June Gilley better known as Polly age 77, of Jefferson, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, May 16, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. She was born in Ashe County on Wednesday, June 23, 1948 to the late Barnie Bruce Ham and Buyrl June Baldwin Ham. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by,...

Donna Rae Ellison Davis

Donna Rae Ellison Davis

May 14, 2026

Donna Rae Ellison Davis, age 81 of Sparta passed away on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Wilkes Senior Village. She was born in Oak Hill, West Virginia on October 30, 1944 to the late James Ray Ellison Sr. and Claudine Weeks Ellison. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her husband, Charles (Bud) Foster Davis,...

Nancy Kathryn Miller

Nancy Kathryn Miller

May 14, 2026

Nancy Kathryn Miller, age 71 of West Jefferson, NC; passed away Thursday, May 14th, 2026 at her residence.

Nancy was born September 2nd, 1954 in Ashe County, NC to the late Joe Miller and Annie Lou Black. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers: June Miller and wife Regenia, Rex Allen Miller; a sister, Deanna...

Christina Perry Blevins

Christina Perry Blevins

May 11, 2026

Christina Perry Blevins age 96 of West Jefferson passed away peacefully on Monday, May 11, 2026 at Ashe Memorial Hospital. She was born in Ashe County on Thursday, September 5, 1929 to the late Monroe and Ollie Davis Perry. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by, her husband, Clinton Wane Blevins, her daughter, Virginia Shephard, grandson,...

Betty Jane Roop Bennett

Betty Jane Roop Bennett

May 11, 2026

Betty Jane Roop Bennett, age 86 of West Jefferson passed away on Monday, May 11, 2026 at her home. She was born on August 21, 1939 in Ashe County, North Carolina to the late Elihue and Grace Juanita Roop. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her husband, Herman Lee Bennett, one brother, Gary Roop,...

Bobby Dennis Worley

Bobby Dennis Worley

May 11, 2026

Bobby Dennis Worley, age 95, of West Jefferson, North Carolina, passed away on Monday, May 11, 2026. He was born in Ashe County, North Carolina on December 3, 1930 to the late Samuel Thomas and Margaret “Hazel” Stephens Worley. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his brother, June Worley.

Through the years, Bobby was known...

John Thomas Asbury, Jr.

John Thomas Asbury, Jr.

May 8, 2026

Mr. John Thomas Asbury, Jr., age 55, of Taylorsville, passed away on Friday, May 8, 2026, at Watauga Medical Center. Born in Chester County, PA, on August 27, 1970, he was the son of the late John Thomas Asbury, Sr. and Helen Doris Neaves Asbury. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Janet.

John was...

Peggy Shaw Perry

Peggy Shaw Perry

May 8, 2026

Mrs. Peggy Shaw Perry, age 71, of West Jefferson, passed away Friday morning, May 8, 2026, at the Amorem Robbins Center in Hudson.

Peggy was born in Ashe County on May 11, 1954, to the late Glenn and Blanche Combs Shaw. A woman of remarkable strength and work ethic, Peggy retired from Ashe Services for the Aging after 33 years of...

Winston Jahleel Poe

Winston Jahleel Poe

May 5, 2026

Mr. Winston Jahleel Poe, age 22, of North Wilkesboro passed away Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church in Deep Gap with Pastor Eric Proffit and Rev. Roy Smith officiating. Burial will be in Stony Fork Baptist Church Cemetery following the service. The family will receive friends...

Sean Blevins

Sean Blevins

May 5, 2026

Sean Blevins, age 50 of Warrensville passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at his home. He was born in Ashe County on February 11, 1976 to Dean and Carolyn Coldiron Blevins. He was preceded in death by his father.

Sean had a love for cooking and eating, finding joy both in preparing meals and sharing them with family and friends.

He...

Gerald Hilton Stierwalt

Gerald Hilton Stierwalt

May 2, 2026

Gerald Hilton Stierwalt, born on October 31, 1961, in Melborne, Florida, passed away peacefully at his residence on Saturday, May 2, 2026. He will be remembered as a dedicated engineer for hotels, whose hands were always skilled in making and repairing, a lifelong tinkerer who found joy in bringing things to life and solving problems with thoughtful precision.

Gerald cherished the...

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