Groce Funeral Home

George Patterson (Pat) Bishop Jr, 91, of Flat Rock, NC passed away October 4, 2023. Born in Montezuma, Georgia to George Patterson Bishop and Dovie Brown Bishop, Pat earned a Business Administration degree from Auburn University and enlisted in the United States Air Force. Pat was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain. Pat's accounting career included positions with Ralston Purina Company and Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co (KPMG), Lewis Business Forms, Inc (Duplex Products), American Heritage Life Investment Corporation, and Davis Diversified Investments before retiring in 1997. Pat met and married wife Irene in Jacksonville, and raised two sons. He attended St. John's...

Biltmore Forest, NC. Janet Yarborough Kelly, age 83, died September 20, 2023 after an extended illness while a resident of The Landings of Mills River assisted living facility. Janet was born in Sanford, NC on December 29,1939 to Wilma Crystal Hartness and Phillip Chaffin Yarborough, Sr. Janet was the youngest of six children. Her mother, Wilma, passed away in 1947 when Janet was eight years old. Her father, Phil, also became very ill. While he was at Duke Hospital weeks prior to his death, he married Edna Earl Beddingfield as they planned for her to raise the children. In 1949 when Janet's father died, Edna Earl became a caring stepmother to Janet and her siblings until her death in...

A Celebration of Life Service for William Thomas "Billy" Greer, Jr. will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 14, 2023 at Virginia Wesleyan University. Billy's complete obituary is available at www.grocefuneralhome.com.

William Thomas Greer, Jr. 81, died peacefully at his home in Asheville, NC, on August 30th, 2023, surrounded by his family. Born to parents William Thomas Greer and Winnie Agnes Duke Greer in Brunswick, GA, on July 28th, 1942, Billy Greer grew up in Tifton, GA, and graduated from Valdosta State University. Feeling drawn to the ministry, he studied at Emory University's Candler School of Theology and earned an M.Div. degree from Drew University. Seeking yet broader theological understanding, he was research assistant for a year for Professor William Barclay, the distinguished Scottish theologian at the University of Glasgow. He went on to earn a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree at Emory...

Patricia T. Frye, 85, wife of David R. Frye, died August 26, 2023, in Asheville. Information is available at GroceFuneralHome.com.

Patricia T. Frye, 85, wife of David R. Frye, died August 26, 2023, in Asheville. Information is at GroceFuneralHome.com.

David H. Bucher passed away at Givens Estates retirement community in Asheville, NC on July 9, 2023 at the age of 89. He was the son of the late Christian G. and Violette Hoffer Bucher of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Dave grew up on the family farm and graduated from Hershey High School and Hershey Junior College in PA. He went on to earn both BS and MS degrees in Engineering from Penn State University and was a licensed professional engineer. Dave was employed for 37 years as a research and development engineer with Deere and Co. As lead engineer, he was responsible for the development of tractor rollover protective frames that established the safety standard for the industry. He was a...

Malcolm David Hathaway, Jr., known throughout his life as "M. D.", transitioned from this earthly life on 7/8/23 at 80 years of age, at home surrounded by loved ones. M.D. grew up in the village of Churchland, Virginia and attended Norfolk County public schools through graduation from Churchland High School in 1961. He was awarded a football scholarship by the University of South Carolina and lettered in football there, making friends for a lifetime. He made connections with athletes from the entire Tidewater area as he enjoyed all sports and excelled in most. He was speaking with some of these lifelong friends throughout his recent illness. M.D. worked for many years for McLean...

Thomas John Havey passed away June 23, 2023 at his residence in Asheville, NC. A service and memorial of Tom's life is scheduled for Saturday, July 8, 2023 at 3:00 PM at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, NC. His family will greet friends at the funeral home for one hour prior to the service. Burial at Calvary Churchyard will be private. His complete obituary and a guest register are available online at grocefuneralhome.com.

Lois Joan(n) Cline Sawyer Glisson, 90, of Hendersonville, passed away on Saturday June 10, 2023 at Margaret R. Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville. A Graveside Service will be held at 12:00 PM on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at Oak Ridge United Methodist Church Cemetery in Oak Ridge, NC with Pastor Mike Carr officiating. To view a more complete obituary and to share fond memories or offer condolences with Joan's family, please visit her obituary page at www.grocefuneralhome.com. Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, NC is assisting the family.

Patricia Quinn Presley, 80, of Asheville, passed away at her residence on Sunday, May 7, 2023. A native of Dallas, NC, she was a daughter of the late Earl Quinn and Willie Ruth Hovis Quinn. She was also preceded in death by her husband, James Richard Presley, Jr. and two sisters, Deborah Harris and Millicent Rundgren. She was a graduate of Dallas High School and worked as both an interior designer and in retail sales at Sears and JC Penney. She was a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church. Patricia is survived by two sons, Tony Quinn (Beth) and Mike Naylor (Sherri); one brother, Bill Quinn (Sylvia); three grandchildren, Rachel Quinn, Adam Naylor and Sam Naylor, as well as several nieces,...

A celebration of the life of Yolanda Blozan Hall will be held in the Auditorium in the Education Center at The North Carolina Arboretum on Friday, July 7, at 10 am. Yolanda was born in Bell, California on March 31, 1938. She was the daughter of the late Fred and Ella Blozan and the sister of Carl Blozan who now resides in Brevard, North Carolina, with his wife Kathie. She spent most of her early years in San Marino, California, attending the elementary and high school there, graduating from high school in 1956. She attended the University of Oregon for her first two years of college, graduating from Redlands University in 1960. Her first job after graduating was as an assistant buyer at...

Yolanda Blozan Hall of Asheville, NC passed away on May 3, 2023 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. A native of Bell, CA. she was a daughter of the late Fred and Ella Blozan and was also preceded in death by her son, Richard Frederick Hall. Yolanda is survived by her loving husband of 61 years, Richard Travis Hall; one son, Jeffrey Travis Hall (his wife Mary Pixley Hall) of Braintree, MA; one daughter-in-law, Kim Pilarski-Hall of Knoxville, TN (and her children and grandchildren); two grandchildren, Laina Sweeney Hall and Tyler Travis Hall; one brother, Carl Blozan (his wife Kathie) of Brevard, NC; one brother-in-law, Steven David Hall (his wife Ann Herst Hall) of Colorado...

Jean DeLoach Haldane, 89, of Asheville, NC, passed away on March 31, 2023, of complications from Alzheimer's disease. Jean was born in Pleasant Garden, NC. She married Douglas W. Haldane in 1960 and raised a family with him, living in many parts of the United States and in Honduras and Germany. Jean earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Auburn University, and worked as an elementary school teacher in Columbus, Georgia, and as a teacher of developmentally-challenged adults at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in Asheville. She took on many volunteering responsibilities throughout her life, including helping at her children's schools, serving with the Girl Scouts, and...

John Edgar Kiefer, 74, a native of Aurora, IL, passed away in Mills River, NC on Friday, March 24, 2023. John's obituary, including service information, may be viewed at grocefuneralhome.com. Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, NC is assisting the family.

Asheville, NC - Sherry Wright, 87, of the Deerfield Retirement Community in Asheville, died Monday, March 20, 2023 at Mission Hospital. A Celebration of Sherry's Life will be held in the near future in the St. Giles Chapel of Deerfield. Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, NC is assisting the family. To view a more complete obituary and to share a condolence with her family, please visit www.grocefuneralhome.com.

Sherry Wright, 87, of the Deerfield Retirement Community in Asheville, died Monday, March 20, 2023 at Mission Hospital. A Celebration of Sherry's Life will be held in the near future in the St. Giles Chapel of Deerfield. Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, NC is assisting the family. To view a more complete obituary and to share a condolence with her family, please visit www.grocefuneralhome.com.

Katharine Hilton Lyday, "Kit" of Asheville, left us with beautiful memories and inspiration on February 21, 2023. She was surrounded by loved ones, at the age of 80. She was a positive force and challenged us to look for the good, moment by moment. She didn't point us to that path, she led the way. Kit was born in Reading, Pennsylvania on November 15, 1942 to Katharine Beaver Hilton and Raymond Leslie Hilton. Her family moved to Asheville, N.C. when she was ten. Kit graduated from AC Reynolds High School in 1960 and Western Carolina in 1964 with a BA in Psychology and married Albert James Lyday, Jr. "Jim" on August 22 the same year. They moved to Memphis while he went to optometry school....

Margaret Mattern Mitchell, 92, of Givens Estates in Asheville and formerly of Rochester, passed away Saturday, January 7, 2023. She was born in Rochester, NY on May 27, 1930 to the late Frank L. and Margaret Rogers Mattern. She was also preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, James "Jim" V. Mitchell; her sister, Rosanne Mattern Martin and her stepson, Keith V. Mitchell. Margaret is survived by her stepson, Steven J. Mitchell and his wife, Nancy (Palmyra, NY); niece Theresa Martin Watson (Mesa, AZ) and step-granddaughter, Kelly J. Mitchell (Seattle, WA). A Funeral Mass will be celebrated starting at 11:30 AM on Thursday, January 19, 2023 at St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Arden, NC....

James "Jim" Willard Medford Jr., 78, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on November 25, 2022, at his son's home in Hickory, doing what he loved. Jim was born April 27, 1944, in Brevard to the late James Willard and Mary Louise Lunsford Medford. He graduated from Enka High School in 1962 and spent four years in the Marine Corps stationed on the USS Newport News. He spent most of his career in law enforcement. He was a NC Highway patrolman for nine years, Troutman's first Chief of Police, chief deputy of the Iredell County police department, and retired as an inspector with the Department of Motor Vehicles in 2001. He owned and operated "Rocky Top Quick Stop," a convenience store in...

Linda Lue Haas Honey. 78, of Fairview, NC and formerly of Miami, FL, passed away November 20, 2022. Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, NC is assisting the family and the full obituary is available at www.grocefuneralhome.com.