Reta Ledbetter

Canton, Reta Marie Ledbetter, age 103, entered into her Heavenly home on Monday, November 16, 2020 at Silver Bluff Village.

She was born July 6, 1917 in North Turkey Creek, Leicester, North Carolina to the late Valentine Cape and Alice Plemmons Webb Ledbetter.  Reta lived in Alberta, Canada and Washington State and had resided in Haywood County for the past 43 years.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her twin brother, Lester, brother Riley; sister, Nellie Ledbetter; five half-brothers, Ebe, Bob and Jess Ledbetter, Harold and Arthur Webb; and three half-sisters, Lettie, Hettie and Bertha.

Reta lived her 103 years of life to the fullest, moving to Alberta, Canada at a young age, growing up on a 360-acre farm, milking 13 cows a day and learning to drive a Model A milk truck at the age of 15.  She graduated with honors from Vimy Ridge School, and moved in with her brother Art, to help raise his four children after their mother passed away.  One of the four nephews, Gary Webb survives her.  Reta had a lawnmower and motorcycle repair business and jointly owned a mobile home park, with her brother, Harold Webb in Lacy, Washington, and enjoyed working in the restaurant business.

She and Harold moved back to North Carolina in 1977 where she volunteered at Britthaven Nursing Home in Clyde and Haywood Christian Ministry in the food pantry and clothing for 24 years until the age of 93. She often said she loved her job and friends that became like family at Haywood Christian Ministry.

Reta was a member of Lake Junaluska First Baptist Church.  She loved her church family and enjoyed spending time with the "Spring Creek Chicks".  Reta will be remembered by her acts of kindness and unselfish service to helping others, always gentle and loving and faithful to her Lord.  Her final selfless act was to donate her body to science with the hope of finding a cure for COVID and any other medical advancement for future generations.  Reta was exposed to COVID in an outbreak at her living facility and was blessed to be one of only five residents that never contracted it.

Reta is survived by numerous, nieces, nephews, cousins and caregivers, Jeanette Brown, Lazelle Thomason and Sherry Lewis.

A graveside memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at Greenhill Cemetery.

The care of Miss Ledbetter has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Homes.