Barbara C. Strickland, 78, passed away peacefully on Dec. 26, 2013 at the Tsali Care Center in Cherokee, following Several years of declining health.
Her death came on the heels of a glorious Christmas Day filled with close family and loving friends. Barbara was the eight of nine children born to Arnold and Myrtle Keener of Owl Branch Road.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by husband, Ed Strickland of Orlando, Fla.; former husband and father of her son, Ray W. Cline of Bryson City; two sisters, Helen Francis (Mrs. H.T. “Hobe”) Collins of Franklin and Jessie Margaret (Mrs. Clarence) Clement of Hickory and Cherokee; one half brother, Charles Hornbuckle; one half sister, Lottie Hornbuckle Mason, also of Cherokee.
She is survived by one son, Kenneth Ray Cline and wife, Danute’ Cline of Unicoi, Tenn. and her beautiful granddaughter, Lidija Cline, 9, also of Unicoi, Tenn.; three brothers, James A. (Janene) Cooper, Candler Ray (Bertie) Cooper, Robert W. (Tommye) Cooper, all of Cherokee; three sisters, Ida Lee “Dixie” (Newman) Arneach, Wilma Doris Morris and Anna Sue Owle, also all of Cherokee.
Long House Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements. At Barbara’s request and the family concurs, in lieu of flowers please send memorials to Tsali Care Center.