Christina Elaine Helms
Jul 8, 2026
Mrs. Christina Elaine Stilwell Helms, 60, of Valdese, passed away on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at her residence, following a period of declining health.
Christina was born on September 1, 1965, in Burke County to the late Ralph Stilwell and Gladys Carpenter Stilwell. She was employed as a registered nurse for many years at many local nursing homes throughout the surrounding...
Charles Phifer Abernethy
Jul 8, 2026
Charles Phifer “Pete” Abernethy, 86, of Valdese, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 following a period of declining health.
Pete was born March 17, 1940 in Burke County, a son of the late Harrison and Allie Bowman Abernethy. He was a proud United States Navy veteran. He enjoyed listening to music, and he was especially...
John David Anderson
Jul 7, 2026
John David Anderson, 79, of Valdese, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his children on Tuesday July 7, 2026 at UNC Healthcare in Morganton following a period of declining health.
John was born on May 20, 1947, in Burke County, to the late Charles Duval Anderson and Marie Edna Jarrett Anderson.
A man of remarkable skill and boundless love, John served as maintenance...
James Lewis Simmons
Jul 6, 2026
James Lewis Simmons, 73, of Drexel, passed away unexpectedly on Monday July 6, 2026 at UNC Healthcare in Morganton.
James was born on June 5, 1953 in Burke County to the late Horace King Greeley Simmons, Jr. and Carleen Carpenter Simmons.
James served the Town of Valdese as the Utilities Director for the Water and Waste Management Department, where his extensive knowledge...
Carrie Lee Powell
Jul 5, 2026
Carrie Lee White Powell, 90, of Morganton, went to her Heavenly Home, unexpectedly on Sunday July 5, 2026.
Mrs. Powell was born April 3, 1936, in Cleveland County, N.C., a daughter of the late Marvin and Ethel Luckadoo White. She retired after 43 years of dedicated service as a seamstress from Shadowline, Inc. Carrie was a faithful member of East Valdese...
George Eugene Huff
Jul 5, 2026
George Eugene Huff, 81, of Connelly Springs, departed this life to his heavenly home on Sunday July 5, 2026 at his residence following a period of declining health.
George was born on May 14, 1945 in Ashe County to the late Dewey Talmage Huff and Fannie Greer Huff. He was a loving husband and father with a one-of-a-kind sense of humor....
Pamela Elizabeth Whisenant
Jul 3, 2026
Pamela Elizabeth Whisenant, 61, of Valdese, passed away on Friday, July 3, 2026 at Mission Memorial Hospital following a brief illness.
Pamela, or “Yaya,” as she was affectionately known by friends and family, was born October 30, 1964, a daughter of Martha Metcalf and the late Perry Whisenant. She lived her life for her family and was a very devoted grandmother....
Janet Elaine Kanupp
Jul 3, 2026
Mrs. Janet Elaine Carswell Kanupp, 61, of Connelly Springs, passed away on Friday, July 3, 2026, at her residence, following a period of declining health.
Janet was born on February 27, 1965, in Burke County to the late Whouston “Dump” Carswell and Ruth Swink Carswell. She was a longtime member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church and was employed as a maintenance...
Danny Coy Shuping
Jul 2, 2026
Danny “Dan” Coy Shuping, 69, of Valdese, went to his Heavenly Home on Thursday, July 3, 2026 following a period of declining health.
Dan was born May 6, 1957 in Burke County, a son of the late James Coy and Pansy Zimmerman Shuping.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, who he was with for thirteen years, Melissa Shuping; siblings,...
Jacquline Edmonson Turner
Jul 2, 2026
Jacquline Edmonson Turner, 73, of Morganton, passed away on Thursday, July 2, 2026 at UNC Blue Ridge Morganton.
Jacquline was born January 4, 1953 in Burke County to the late Lennie Edmonson Sr. and Mary Anna Cox Edmonson. She worked at Broughton Hospital until she retired. Jacquline will be remembered as a funny, outspoken, and sassy woman with a big heart.
In...
Ronald Tise "Ronnie" Bollinger
Jul 1, 2026
Ronald Tise “Ronnie” Bollinger, 82, of Morganton, departed this life to his heavenly home on Wednesday July 1, 2026 at the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville following a period of declining health.
Ronnie was born on April 10, 1944 in Burke County to the late Phifer Junior Bollinger and Marie Frances Tise Bollinger. Ronnie was a cherished member of...
David Lee Sheffield Sr
Jun 30, 2026
David Lee Sheffield, 72, of Valdese, passed away unexpectedly on June 30, 2026 at Frye Regional Medical Center.
David was born September 24, 1953 in Moore County, to the late Roy Lee Sheffield and Edna Sanders Sheffield. He was always known to have a smile on his face and walking to McDonalds in Valdese for his morning coffee.
In addition to his...
Rita Kay Andrews Bolick
Jun 29, 2026
Rita Andrews Bolick, 71, of Drexel, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, June 29, 2026; after several years of declining health.
Rita was born September 7, 1954 in Avery County, to the late Bill Carl Andrews and Dorothy Stewart Andrews. She was a faithful member of Solid Rock Baptist Church in Morganton, where she loved her Lord and Savior...
Ronnie Lee Sanders Sr.
Jun 27, 2026
Ronnie Lee Sanders Sr., 76, of Valdese, passed away on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at UNC Health Blue Ridge following a period of declining health.
Ronnie was born August 5, 1949 in Gaston County to the late Rosecda Sanders Woods. He dedicated more than 50 years of his life to driving trucks before retiring at the age of 70. During his...
JoAnne Norville Cook
Jun 27, 2026
JoAnne Norville Cook, 77, of Connelly Springs, joined her Savior and friends on Saturday June 27, 2026, at UNC Health Care, Morganton, after a period of declining health.
Mrs. Cook was born December 14, 1948, in Gilkey, Rutherford County, one of eighteen children of Thomas Crawford and Robert Mae Laughter Norville. JoAnne was an active member of Mount Gilead Baptist Church,...
Virgil Dykes
Jun 27, 2026
Virgil Dykes, 82, of Beech Mountain, NC, passed away on Saturday June 27, 2026, at Amorem, Burke Hospice, after a period of declining health.
Mr. Dykes was born January 16, 1944, in Dade County, Fl, a son of the late Julian and Ruby Ellis Dykes. He retired as a high school teacher and tennis coach after many years of dedicated service,...
Amy Louise Brittain Martin
Jun 26, 2026
Amy Louise Brittain Martin, 54, of Hickory, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, June 26, 2026 at Frye Regional Medical Center following a period of declining health.
Amy was born August 22, 1971 in Burke County, a daughter of the late Jimmy and Lottie Lail Brittain. She was a mathematics teacher at Hibriten for ten years and at...
Martha Lynn Mull
Jun 24, 2026
Mrs. Martha “Marty” Lynn Wolfe Mull, 72, of Morganton, passed away on
Wednesday, June 24, 2026, surrounded by her family, at Magnolia Lane, following a period of declining
health. Martha was born on February 21, 1954 in Pinella County, FL to the late Robert Alexander Wolfe and Katherine Berry Wolfe. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
As a true believer—Marty...
Renee Knox
Jun 24, 2026
Mrs. Clara Renee Knox, 69, of Hickory, passed away on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at Carolina Caring Hospice of Sherrills Ford, following a period of declining health.
Renee was born on July 19, 1956, in Catawba County to the late Lattie James “Bud” Knox and Barbara Curtis Knox. She was a loving mother and homemaker, who enjoyed her arts and crafts,...
Jimmy Alonzo Moses
Jun 21, 2026
Jimmy Alonzo Moses, 73, of Valdese, passed away on Sunday, June 21, 2026 at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center following a brief illness.
Jimmy was born July 10, 1952 in Burke County, a son of the late Elon Charles and Lul Tempie Smith Moses. Jimmy served honorably in the United States Army. He was a good brother and husband...
