MAGGIE VALLEY — St. Joseph Sister Mary Isabel Carpenter, 98, died on Thursday, June 29, 2017, at Maggie Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation.
A rosary will be recited at 6 p.m. Friday, July 7, and at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 8, at St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 8, at St. John the Evangelist Church with Father Larry LoMonaco and Father Richard Benonis concelebrating. Burial will follow at St. John Cemetery.
Sister Mary Isabel was born in Chicago on March 4, 1919, to the late Herbert Jack and Harriet Elizabeth Lake Carpenter. She came to Maggie Valley in 1992, where she was the cofounder of St. Joseph Academy in Maggie Valley, along with Sister Mary Ruth and Sister Mary Celine. She taught kindergarten through third grade until 2008. She was also the music director for the whole school. She was active at the school until 2013.
She served as a Sister of St. Joseph for a remarkable 84 years.
She is survived by her sister-in-law, Josette Carpenter; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Joseph Academy, 175 Rich Cove Road, Maggie Valley, NC 28751.
— Catholic News Herald
KERNERSVILLE — Deacon Eugene "Gene" Gillis passed away on Wednesday, June 14, 2017, aged 87.
A Vigil for the Deceased and a rosary will be held beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 18, 2017, at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville followed by visitation with the family and friends. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday, June 19, 2017, at Holy Cross Church with Franciscan Father Louis Canino officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Deacon Gillis was born on Oct. 20, 1929. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from City College of New York. He served his country with the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1955.
It was in Kernersville that he attended and served Holy Cross Parish. A charter member of Holy Cross Parish, he and his wife Christine were very active in family and parish activities.
Bishop John F. Donoghue ordained him a permanent deacon for the Diocese of Charlotte on July 2, 1988, at his home parish of Holy Cross Church.
Through the years he ventured with his wife Christine to Oak Island, where she enjoyed being close to the ocean. While there, he served the Diocese of Raleigh at Sacred Heart Parish in Southport.
After the passing of his wife Christine in 2003, he decided to move back to Kernersville. In that same year, he was reassigned to Holy Cross Parish, the parish of his first assignment. Having reached the age of 75, he retired as a deacon in 2004 but continued to serve the parish he loved, as he was able.
In his 29 years of diaconate service, Deacon Gillis touched the lives of many and will be remembered as a deacon who loved his family, his Church and all those he served.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Holy Cross Catholic Church Building Fund.
Pierce-Jefferson Funeral & Cremation Service of Kernersville was in charge of the arrangements.
— Catholic News Herald