Nan Mitchell Fender

Nan Mitchell Fender, 69, of 100 Woodland Avenue, Asheville, died Wednesday, July 10, 2002, at her home. Mrs. Fender was born in Yancey County and was a daughter of the late Frank and Marie Hensley Mitchell. She was also preceded in death by three siblings, Mary Joyce Edwards, Ella Von Mitchell, and Walter Mitchell. She had worked with the mentally handicapped at the Black Mountain Center and was the recipient of several certificates in the mental health field. She was a devoted wife and loving mother and is survived by her husband of 49 1/2 years, Albert Fender; three daughters, Delana Dagnan and her husband Charles, Rebecca Shealy and her husband James, and Amy Ayers and her friend Brian Fuller; one son, Joe Fender; three sisters, Norma Ledford, Joan Mitchell and Mildred McCreary; five brothers, James Frank, Bill, Ted, Don, and Johnny Mitchell; and four grandchildren, Jamie Erin Fender, Kaitlyn Marie Dagnan, Jessica Ryan Ayers, and Patrick McKenzie Dagnan. Funeral services will be at 11:00 am Saturday in the Patton Avenue chapel of Groce Funeral Home with the Rev. Fr. Alexander H. Hanks, Brother Bill Mitchell and Minister Don Mitchell officiating. Burial will be at Green Hills Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jeff Ayers, April Shoupe, Boyd Peterson, Scott and Steve Staton, and Brian Fuller. Honorary pallbearers will be J. Frank Mitchell, Johnny Mitchell, Ted Mitchell, Tommy Fender, Sr., and Rachel Mitchell. Her family will receive friends at the funeral home 90 minutes prior to the service and request that memorials be made to Mountain Area Hospice, PO Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813.