Novella Mcneill

Waynesville, Novella Woodard McNeill passed away on April 13, 2008 at the age of 80. She was born on December 20, 1927 in Gastonia, NC, and was the daughter of Caleb Adam Woodard and Vinnie Rogers Woodard, both late of Haywood County. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Euwilda Woodard Evans and her brother, Roger Carroll Woodard. At the age of 14, Mrs. McNeill began teaching at Buxton, NC and she later went on to graduate from Spartanburg Methodist College and Erskine College. She later taught school in various places throughout South Carolina. She and her husband, Reverend Bill McNeill, served United Methodist churches in Greenwood, SC, Mount Pleasant, SC, Orangeburg, SC, Greenville, SC, Anderson, SC, Union, SC, North Charleston, SC and as District Supertintendent of the Orangeburg District. In recognition of her lifelong work and service, Mrs. McNeill and her husband were given the David English Camak Society Human Gold Award as a "team of prospectors for human treasure" in 2003. Since their retirement in 1994, Mrs. McNeill and her husband have been active and beloved members of Long's Chapel United Methodist Church in Lake Junaluska, NC. Mrs. McNeill is survived by her husband, Reverend William W. McNeill of Waynesville, her three children and six grandchildren, Lynne McNeill Swafford and her husband, John Swafford of Dallas, TX and their sons, Robert Andrew Swafford of Baltimore, MD, John Whitfield Swafford and William Benjamin Swafford of Dallas, TX; Beth McNeill Marks and her husband, Edward Marks of Lawrenceville, GA and their daughter, Elissa; and William Whitfield McNeill, Jr. and his wife, Teresa Gannon McNeill of Winchester, TN and their sons, Caleb Benjamin McNeill and Joseph Edward McNeill. She is also survived by her uncle, Charlie Woodard of Waynesville and her aunt, Edith Woodard Bryson, formerly of Sylva, NC and by her niece and nephew, Judith Anne Evans of Waynesville and Elvis Patterson Evans, Jr. of Chesapeake, VA and by numerous other nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services for Mrs. McNeill will be conducted at Long's Chapel United Methodist Church, Lake Junaluska, NC at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 with Reverend Woody Adams, Reverend Rob Fuquay, Reverend Alan Mears and Reverend Mickey Fisher officiating. Prior to the service, the family will hold visitation at Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m., Tuesday afternoon. Burial will follow at Garrett-Hillcrest Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that those wishing to do so may give gifts in memory of Novella to the William and Novella McNeill Endowed Scholarship at Spartanburg Methodist College, 1200 Textile Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29303-0009.

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