Category: 1990s

Amanda Grant Edwards died with her loving family around her at Carolina’s Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on November 2, 2022, at the age of 49 after an eight-year battle against breast cancer. 

Amanda was born on July 31, 1973, in Atlanta, Georgia to her loving parents, Dr. and Mrs. R. Peery (Nancy) Grant.  She graduated from Lakeside High School in 1991 and then from Davidson College in 1995.  She earned a master’s degree in Physical Therapy from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and practiced as a pediatric physical therapist until breast cancer prohibited her from working any longer.

Amanda’s greatest passion was serving as loving wife to Renato, doting mother to Grant and Sofia and friend to everyone.  Amanda had a passion for food and wine and loved to cook.  She also loved to love people.  Her friends and family called her a “people collector” due to her ability to turn every stranger into a lifelong friend.  Amanda was an inspiration to others throughout her difficult journey with breast cancer.  Her strength and determination to keep fighting will continue to inspire those of us who were lucky enough to know and love her.

Amanda is survived by her loving husband of 18 years, Renato Edwards, and their two children Samuel Grant Edwards and Sofia Gardner Edwards.  Amanda will also be deeply missed by her two sisters, Tracy (Robert) Wade and Susan (Malcolm) Traxler, M.D. and their families. 

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorial donations be made to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at https://pages.lls.org/ltn/nc/charlnc22/teamamanda.    

Sarah Patterson French of Atlanta, Georgia was a devoted mother, dependable friend, and loving wife. Surrounded by her family who loved her dearly, she passed away on October 23, 2022, at the age of 50 following a short but valiant fight against cancer.

Sarah was born in Memphis, Tennessee to Dr. Russell Horner Patterson III and Mrs. Virginia Patterson McLellan. She graduated from the Hutchison School of Memphis and Davidson College of Davidson, North Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in English. Her love of language, grammar, literature & music, cultivated at both Hutchison and Davidson, was a defining characteristic of her life. Prior to having children, she taught in the Lower School at The Lovett School in Atlanta, served as the Publisher of The Harbus News at Harvard Business School in Boston, and worked as a children’s textbook editor for Harcourt Brace in Orlando. Sarah was a faithful member of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, serving as a member of both the session and the most recent pastor nominating committee. She also sang for twenty years in Trinity’s highly regarded chancel choir. Sarah also served on the Board of Visitors to Davidson College.

Sarah’s primary and most loved role was mother to her beautiful and accomplished children, Colin & Virginia. She was devoted to their education both academically & spiritually for nearly 21 years. Her courageous fight against cancer was born from her desire to live to see her children mature into adults, graduate from college and experience the joy of being a grandmother.

Sarah was also a committed and caring sister and friend to many. One of Sarah’s greatest strengths was her ability to make and maintain strong, meaningful friendships. She was known for her great sense of humor and sharp wit. Sarah could accomplish any task, big or small, and others were willing to help in her endeavors because of the respect they had for her.

Sarah met the love of her life, Reid French, at Davidson College in 1992. They were married in 1995 and experienced a wonderful life together for over 27 years. Sarah and Reid’s marriage was so delightful because they had both similar interests and striking differences. Both loved music, theater, children, travel and education. While Sarah’s love of English and literature contrasted with Reid’s passion for business and economics, together they were complete and whole.

Sarah was preceded in death by her mother, Virginia Patterson McLellan. Sarah is survived by her husband R. Reid French, Jr., her children Colin McRee French and Virginia Holmes French, her sisters Katherine Patterson Gieselmann and Mary Russell Patterson Tully, her father Dr. Russell Horner Patterson III, her step-mother Sandy Stillman Patterson, her sister-in-law Tracy French McMillan, and her parents-in-law Russell Reid French and Victoria Holmes French.

A memorial service in honor of Sarah will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, November 11 at Trinity Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. A reception at the church will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift in Sarah’s honor. The family requests that contributions be made to Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Office of Gift Records, Emory University, 1762 Clifton Rd. NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30322 or Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3003 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30327. Gifts online can be made at together.emory.edu/sarahfrench or trinityatlanta.org/give/. Please note your gift in memory of Sarah French.

Archibald Wells Black, Jr. “Wells” passed away peacefully on May 10, 2022, after a long and courageous battle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Archibald Wells Black (Archie and Carol) also of Greenville and the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. B. T. Gault of Greer and Mr. and Mrs. Hoke B. Black of Greenville.

Wells grew up in Greenville where he spent summers participating in SAIL, Greenville’s summer swim league, and where he played Pelham Road Mustang football each fall, continuing through his years at Eastside High School and Christ School in Arden, NC. While at Christ School, he was a Prefect, a captain of the football team, and selected to the All-Western NC Football Team. He participated in other sports such as basketball and track, and he graduated Christ School as salutatorian. Wells went on to his beloved Davidson College, where he played football his freshman year until an injury ended his playing career. Davidson always held a special place in his heart and it was the place where he began what would become lifelong friendships.

He taught History and Spanish and coached at a private school in St. Petersburg, Florida before going on to receive his law degree from the USC School of Law. He practiced law in Greenville from 1998 until his declining health forced him to retire in 2015.

In his spare time, Wells enjoyed boating and chasing fish on the lake, in saltwater creeks, or out in the open ocean. He loved music (especially Foo Fighters, Metallica, and Van Halen), playing guitar, and writing music.

In addition to his parents, Wells is survived by his fiancée and Davidson classmate, Alex Faulk, his children whom he loved dearly, Archibald Wells Black III and Cely Anne Black, both of Greenville, his sister, Catherine Black Koysza (David), and nieces, Caroline and Sadie Koysza, of Mt. Pleasant, SC.

He is also survived by an aunt, Sharon Gault Benston (Gerry), his uncle, Hoke B. Black, Jr., and cousins, Bill Benston (Janna), Beth Benston Elmore (Gay), and Laura Benston Brockman (Steve) and their children.

Wells’ faithful yellow lab, Curry, named for Davidson alum, Steph Curry, was with him during the courageous last years of his life.

His family wishes to thank all his caregivers, especially Wahid Dennis, and those who prayed for him.

Donations may be made in his memory, earmarked for research, to the South Carolina ALS Association, 130 Gardners Circle, PMB 622, Johns Island, South Carolina 29455.

A memorial service will be held on Monday May 16,2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Buncombe Street United Methodist Church Sanctuary with visitation to follow until 4:00 p.m. in the Parlor.

Family and friends who are unable to attend the service can view the Live Stream by visiting www.buncombestreetumc.org.

Thomas Ross Tolbert, M.D., 54, of Franklin, North Carolina, died peacefully on December 31, 2021, after a five year struggle with melanoma.

Tom was born on October 3, 1967, in Atlanta, Georgia to Julian Hudson Tolbert and Helen Ross Tolbert. He attended Sarah Smith Elementary School and Sutton Middle School. He entered The Westminster Schools in ninth grade where he excelled academically and finished as a National Merit Scholar. He also participated in various extra-curricular activities including the varsity soccer team, musicals, and the Westminster Chorale. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout in 1985. After graduating from Westminster in 1986, he went on to study at Davidson College where he majored in math as well as completing the pre-med requirements, helped reinstate the Kappa Sigma chapter on campus, sang in the Davidson Chorale, and was a North Carolina Fellow. He graduated Cum Laude in 1990 as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

After spending a gap year delivering for Domino’s and working at Georgia Baptist Hospital in Atlanta, Tom attended the Medical College of Georgia graduating with honors in 1994. He did his internal medicine residency at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, serving for an additional year as Chief Medical Resident.

In 1999, he began working as a primary care physician at the Lexington, Kentucky VA Medical Center. While there, he trained medical students and residents as well as serving in various capacities with informatics programming.

In February 2014, he began working at the Franklin, North Carolina Community Based Outpatient Clinic of the Charles George VA in Asheville where he remained a physician until his passing.

On December 27, 1993, he married Laurie Frances Crawford at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. They were blessed with five children born between 1997 and 2009. Dedicated to his family, Tom worked with his wife Laurie to homeschool their children.

Tom loved activities with his family including singing, gardening, cooking, volunteering with course decoration for both the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and the World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park, raising livestock, building small construction projects, and hiking. He also had a lifelong love of road trips, first with his college friends and later with his family.

Tom grew up at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta where he was active in the choir and youth group and participated in a number of mission trips. He and Laurie were members of Second Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, and for years Tom led family worship in the home. In 2015, he and the family began worshiping at Mountain Grove Baptist Church in Franklin, North Carolina where he led Bible studies and participated in worship.

Tom is preceded in death by his father and is survived by his mother, Helen Ross Tolbert, of Atlanta his wife of 28 years, Laurie Crawford Tolbert, and their children Griffin Ross Tolbert, Thomas Jackson Tolbert, Rachel Hilsman Tolbert, Benjamin Llewellyn Tolbert, and Bonnie Frances Tolbert, all of Franklin, North Carolina. He is also survived his brother Julian Hudson Tolbert (Jolene) of York, Pennsylvania, his aunt Susan Ross Sawyer of Atlanta, his cousins Cindy Sawyer Mollard (Roland) and Cathy Sawyer Rice (Scott), his mother-in-law Mabel Griffin Kichline, and numerous nieces and nephews.

There will be a private family graveside service at Arlington Memorial Park on Friday, January 7, 2022, followed by a memorial service at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, Atlanta, at three o’clock. Masks will be required and social distancing is encouraged. There will also be a Celebration of Live scheduled for a later date in Franklin, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Mountain Grove Baptist Church, P. O. Box 1772, Franklin, NC 28744; Water Mission, watermission.org; YMEN, ymenchicago.com; or Answers in Genesis, answersingenesis.org.

Moffitt Family Funeral Care is honored to serve Dr. Tolbert’s family.