Obituary of Hattie Hilda Sutton Allison

Hattie Hilda Sutton Allison, 96 of Sylva, died on May 18, 2015 at Mountain Trace Nursing Center. She was born in Sylva on May 5, 1919, the daughter of the late George W. Sutton and Sadie Stillwell Sutton. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband and best friend, Edwin Allison, by a sister, Lillian Sutton Campbell, by Lillian's sons, Douglas and Keith, by two brothers, Alvin and Richard Sutton, and by her late husband's nephew, Vic Latham. Surviving is a nephew, Charles Richard Sutton of Charlotte, NC. Other surviving family members include Douglas Campbell's widow, Judy, Douglas's son, Greg and daughter, Christine McJunkin, and Christine's daughter, Megan. E.P. Stillwell, Hattie Hilda's first cousin, and wife, Betty, were special care givers during her last years. Hattie Hilda attended Sylva Elementary School and Sylva Central High School and graduated from Western Carolina Teachers College, now Western Carolina University. As a college student, she served as president of the Day Student Government and as a student senator. For three years she taught in Forsyth County, returning to Sylva in 1944 to begin her 33 year career in the Personnel Dept. at the Mead Corporation. One of responsibilities was to edit The Sylvan, a monthly publication about The Mead Corporation and about local employees. She had many fond memories of working with the employees at Mead, knowing each man by his first name and always affectionately referring to the group as "My Mead Men." She was active in many civic activities and was a lifetime member of the chaplaincy committee for Harris Regional Hospital. She was also on a local committee to raise funds for the new Jackson County Public Library building. She was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church in Sylva, serving in many capacities. In 1957 she was elected as the first female deacon, and, in 1979, the first female trustee. Her devotion to her church was legendary and she considered the members of the church to be her family in the truest sense of the word. A celebration of her life will be held at the First Baptist Church at 2:00 pm on Monday, May 25, 2015, followed immediately by a gathering of friends and relative in the church fellowship center. Officiating the service will be the Reverends Ed Beddingfield, Jeff Mathis and Roy Smith. Interment will be at Keener Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Future Fund, c/o First Baptist Church, 669 W. Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779. Appalachian Funeral Services will be in charge of the service arrangements. .