Oct. 17 Obituaries of the Swannanoa Valley
James Hausley
Black Mountain
James E. Hausley, 59, of Black Mountain, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019.
Mr. Hausley was born Nov. 13, 1959 in McDowell County to the late Roy and Louise Davidson Hausley. He was a faithful member of Mill’s Chapel Baptist church where he served as a Deacon, member of the Board of Trustees and male choir, and also served as church treasurer. He loved golf, motorcycles and fast cars. James was a trim engineer in the automotive industry for 40 years. He was a veteran of the US Army.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his daughter, Angela Edmunds; and brother, Jerry Hausley.
James is survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Beverly Hausley; daughters, Tempest Hausley-Burgin, Aaliyah Hausley, and Jacqueline Freeman; sister, Karen Brown; brother, Ronald Hausley (Virginia); and grandchildren, Jania Edmunds and Ja’Keyln Freeman.
A celebration of life service will be held Thursday, October 10, 2019 at 1:00pm at Mills Chapel Baptist Church. The family will receive friends on hour prior to the service at the church.
Burial took place at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery, Oct. 11.
Flowers are accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Mills Chapel Baptist Church, Youth Department, 328 Cragmont Road, Black Mountain, NC 28711.
Arrangements by Harwood Home for Funerals (harwoodhomeforfunerals.com).
Henry Taylor
Black Mountain
Eagle Scout. Athlete. Veteran. Professor. Rotarian. War Eagle. Devoted husband, father and grandfather, Dr. Henry L. Taylor (1933-2019) has died. Born in Tallassee, Alabama, he is survived by Mur Taylor, his wife of 62 years, his sons and their spouses: Ken (Phoebe), Greg (Karrie), Barry (Marv), and grandchildren Sally, Minx, Molly, Hudson, Sean and Kane. He was the eldest of five children, Tom (Laura), Patricia, Martha and Naomi.
Dr. Taylor was known as “Hank” to his friends and grandchildren and “King” to the Camp Rockmont community in Black Mountain, where he and Mur have been an integral part since the land was purchased from Black Mountain College in 1955.
Hank was a graduate of Auburn University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1956 and master's in 1958, before earning his Ph.D. at Florida State University in 1963. He had two successful careers. First, he served 23 years in the U.S. Air Force and retired as a full Colonel. While in the Air Force, he flew 728 hours of combat in the Vietnam War and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, as well as other medals for combat valor.
After retiring from the Air Force, he had a 21-year civilian career as a Professor of Psychology and the Director of the Institute of Aviation at the University of Illinois. He published over 100 scientific articles, presented 125 papers at conferences worldwide, created the school’s Aviation degree program and helped raise funds to construct a multi-million dollar upgrade of Willard Airport.
In 2001, Hank and Mur retired and relocated full-time to Black Mountain. Upon returning, he helped establish the Camp Rockmont Alumni Association and the Camp Diversity Foundation, to help underprivileged kids go to summer camp.
Hank was a devoted Rotarian, serving as president for local chapters in both Illinois and North Carolina. A generous donor, he was passionate about Rotary’s mission, particularly its focus to eliminate polio.
A memorial will be held in Black Mountain on Saturday, Nov. 23, which would have been Hank and Mur’s 63rd wedding anniversary. The service will begin at 2 p.m. in Eden Hall at Camp Rockmont, 375 Lake Eden Road.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Hank’s honor to the Camp Diversity Foundation at www.campdiversityfoundation.org/
The family is extremely grateful to the staffs of the Health Center of Highland Farms and the North Carolina State Veterans Home, as well as the communities of Meadowmont 3 and Camp Rockmont for their caring support.
Arrangements by Harwood Home for Funerals (harwoodhomeforfunerals.com).
Ruth Brown
Old Fort
Ruth Evelyn Brown, 86, of Old Fort passed away peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019 at the John F. Keever, Jr., Solace Center in Asheville.
Born Aug. 21, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, she was the daughter of the late Axel Joel Heaman and Rosa Marie Lindblad Heaman. She was a graduate of the Brooklyn Public School System and attended Brooklyn College. She was a member of St. James Episcopal Church in Black Mountain. She was a talented opera singer and enjoyed quilting and knitting.
Surviving is her devoted spouse of 61 years, Ralph D. Brown; children, Claudia Cook and her spouse, William, Greenbriar, Tennessee, and Douglas Brown of Ringle, Wisconsin; and grandchildren, Karen and Jason Green and Annika and Brooke Brown.
A memorial service was held at St. James Episcopal Church, where it was officiated by Reb. Judy Whelchel, on Oct. 10.
Condolences may be made to the family at www.ashevilleareaalternative.com.
Murial Hart
Black Mountain
Muriel Gear Hart, 88, died at her home in Givens Highland Farms on Oct. 8, 2019 in the loving presence of family and friends.
She was the daughter of the Rev. Dr. Felix B. and Mrs. Leona Harper Gear; and a sister of the late Richard A. Gear. Muriel was married to Rev. A. M. (Mac) Hart for 67 years. Together, Muriel and Mac served Presbyterian churches and presbyteries in eight southern states. They had five children, Dave, Sandy, Gary, Liz and Doug, plus seven grandchildren. Muriel’s children will always remember their mother best for her lovely smile, her warmth, her home cooking, her appreciation for dry wit, and for imparting to them an abiding love of books and learning.
Muriel was educated in the public schools of Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia and was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Agnes Scott College. In order to sharpen her skills for her passion to encourage women to become Presbyterian ministers, she obtained a Master’s in Political Economy from the University of Texas at Dallas. She also served as campaign director for Sara Bernice Moseley to be the first woman moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS), which was a significant and ultimately successful effort in the late 1970s.
Elected to serve on the council chosen to lead the reunited Presbyterian Church in the USA (PCUSA), she was especially thrilled to serve on a committee that visited Taiwan, Japan, and Korea in the early 1980s.
A memorial service for Muriel will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26, at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Muriel’s honor be directed to Black Mountain Presbyterian Church or Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Penland Family Funeral Home is honored to be caring for the Hart Family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.penlandfamilyfuneralhome.com.
Genevieve Hoover
Asheville
Genevieve "Genni" Nicole Hoover, age 39, passed away on Friday, October 4, 2019 in Asheville, NC. She was born on June 27, 1980, in Miami, Florida, to the late Homer Hamby and her mother, Kathleen Moneyhun Hutcheson of Swannanoa. Genni worked as a CNA for a nursing home and was a member of Swannanoa Christian Church.
Along with her mother, she is survived by her husband, Matthew Hoover of Swannanoa; her daughters, Alyssa Brianna Ray and Abigail Josephine Hoover, both of Swannanoa; her sister, Rebecca Hutcheson (Todd Wechter) of Asheville; her three nephews, Justin, Adam, and Gavin Wechter and her great niece Adalynn Wechter.
A Celebration of Life Service was held at Swannanoa Christian Church on Oct. 12. The Rev. Gordon Dasher officiated the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brother Wolf Animal Rescue at 31 Glendale Avenue, Asheville, NC 28803. Penland Family Funeral Home is honored to be caring for the Hoover Family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.penlandfamilyfuneralhome.com.
Cathy Young
Fairview
Cathy Lynn Shockley Young, age 64, of Fairview, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019 at her home. She was born on December 30, 1954, in Buncombe County, to the late Dewey Ray Davis and Iris Lipe Davis. Cathy worked as a florist for Sales Farms & Greenhouses and was of the Baptist faith.
Along with her parents, she was predeceased by her late husband, Jerry Shockley who passed on April 6, 2015. Cathy is survived by her husband, Lewis Young; her daughter, Lisa Ervin (Glenn) of Williston, Florida; her son, Terry Moore of McDowell County; her brother, Donnie Davis (Mona) of Fairview; her sisters, Judy Davis of Brevard and Shirley Frank of Williston, Florida; her grandchildren, Johnny and Chelsea Ervin and Hunter and Lauren Moore; her great grandchildren, Rush Warren and Holden Moore; and her beloved dog, Laddie.
A funeral service was held at Parkway Baptist Church, Oct. 12. The Rev. Randy Young officiated the service.
Burial followed at Green Hills Cemetery in Asheville.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brother Wolf Animal Rescue at 31 Glendale Avenue, Asheville, NC 28803. Penland Family Funeral Home is honored to be caring for the Young Family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.penlandfamilyfuneralhome.com.