Ray Heffner

Waynesville- Ray Ward Heffner, 80, died Thursday, February 16, 2006, at Mission Hospitals. He was the son of the late Albert and Bonnie Nichols Heffner of Henderson County. Ray was preceded in death by his sister Elizabeth Orr, brothers Joe Lee Heffner, Thomas Heffner, and Bobby Heffner, and father-in-law Mitt Reeves. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Dot Reeves Heffner, daughter and son-in-law Judy and Albert Allen, granddaughters Heather Allen and Kristie and her husband Stan Hannah, great-granddaughter Mikayla, mother-in-law Maude Reeves, and sister Lucille Holmes. Ray graduated from Mills River High School and attended both Brevard College and Western Carolina University. He served in the US Navy during World War II, worked for the NC State Highway Patrol, and retired from Dayco Industries. Ray was a deacon at Pleasant Balsam Missionary Baptist Church, a Gideon, a Master Mason with the John A. Nichols Lodge #650, a Shriner, and a member of the Asheville Scottish Rite for over fifty years. He loved the Lord and was a Christian witness to everyone that he met. "Poppy" also enjoyed hunting, fishing, singing, dancing, UNC basketball, and Atlanta Braves baseball. The funeral service will be held on Sunday, February 19th, at 2:30 p.m. at Pleasant Balsam Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Paul Carden will officiate and be assisted by Reverends Davis Hooper and Mike Messer. Music will be provided by great-granddaughter Mikayla, Joyce Earley, and the church's choir. Pallbearers will be brothers-in-Christ Hoyt Barnes, Marvin Downs, Blaine Earley, Johnny Lewis, Wallace Rogers, Dean Taylor, Loye Trantham, and Ernie Warlick. The family will receive friends beginning at 12:30 p.m. before the funeral service at the church. He will be buried in the Reeves' family cemetery in Bryson City, NC. Memorials may be made in Ray's name to Gideon's International, P.O. Box 634, Waynesville, NC 28786 and Pleasant Balsam Missionary Baptist Church, 2404 Old Balsam Road, Waynesville, NC 28786.

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