James Birchfield

James Lawrence "Toad" Birchfield, age 81, of Cloverleaf Lane died Sunday, March 1, 2009, at the V A Medical in Asheville. A native and lifelong resident of Haywood County, he was the son of the late Lee Turner and Elizabeth Reece Birchfield. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Harry Birchfield. He was a member of Laurel Grove Baptist Church. James played bass with the Carolina County Boys and the Pigeon Valley Ramblers for over 30 years. He was a United States Army veteran serving in Korea. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Louise Taylor Birchfield; two sons, Charles Birchfield and his wife, Aileen, of Clyde and Travis Birchfield of Canton; two daughters, Susie Frey and her husband, Larry, of Fayetteville and Janice Shaw and her husband, John, of Hamlet; a sister, Julia Sorrells of Canton; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Thursday, March 5, 2009, at the Canton Chapel of Wells Funeral Home with the Reverend Wayne Sorrells and the Reverend Paul Sorrells officiating. Burial will follow at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Gudger Shipman, Chester and Larry Sorrells, Gary Cooke, David Young, and Clayton Reece. Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Sisk, Lewin Burrell, Bud Putnam, and Ned Smathers.

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