Barbara Jean Monteath Buchanan

Barbara Jean Monteath Buchanan was reunited with the love of her life, Bob, on Monday, August 25, 2025, at the age of 79.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Charles Buchanan, her parents, Robert Monteath and Eloise Patterson Monteath and brother Robert Graham Monteath. She is survived by a son, Robert Buchanan (Elizabeth); grandchildren, Robbie and Megan; and a sister, Anne Hyatt, many nieces and nephews and brother and sisters in law. She is also survived by her two yorkies, Grant and Sherman, who she adored.

A lifelong native of Asheville, Barbara attended Plonk School of Creative Arts, Belmont Abbey College and Blantons for her business education. Barbara was a member of the East Asheville United Methodist Church. She was very active in the community during her life, being a member of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority of the Greater Asheville area and the Buncombe County genealogy society. She also worked at the Biltmore House and volunteered at the Smith McDowell house to further her love of local history. Barbara loved researching her family history, she could lead you to any forgotten cemetery in Buncombe County and could tell you half of the people you passed on the street were distant cousins and would proceed to rattle off the family names. Barbara was also active in the Parkway Forest neighborhood, serving as president for a year. All of this while she worked as a bookkeeper for the family Auto Business, Monteath’s Auto Service, for many years and a short stint as refund specialist for St. Joseph’s Hospital.

She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She died with the belief that she had been given the best of the best that God had gifted to her for her entire life. She will be dearly missed.

A Memorial Service is planned for Saturday, September 6, 2025, 3:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Groce Funeral Home on Tunnel Road with the Rev. Gerald Davis officiating. A visitation will begin one hour prior to the service.

The family will have a reception to celebrate her life and share fond memories at East Asheville United Methodist Church fellowship hall following the service.

Flowers are accepted or a memorial can be made to East Asheville United Methodist Church.