Garfield Leonard Ponder

Garfield Leonard Ponder, 91, of 330 Deaverview Road, Asheville, died Saturday, June 26, 2004, at the VA Medical Center. Born in Madison County, he was a son of the late L.W. and Laura Frisbee Ponder and was also preceded in death by three sisters, Vergie P. McDevitt, Minnie P. Ebbs and Lina P. Gowan. Mr. Ponder graduated from Mars Hill High School, class of 1931, and Mars Hill Junior College in 1933. A veteran of WWII, he served with the Army Field Artillary at Fort Hood, TX. He was employed by Beacon Manufacturing in Swannanoa for eight years and worked at the Cadillac Factory in Detroit, MI for two years. A master carpenter, he built houses in Jupiter, Stoney Knob, Weaverville and the Monte Vista area of Enka. He was a member of Sunrise Baptist Church. A very loving and caring husband, father and grandfather to his family, Mr. Ponder is survived by his wife of 68 years, Oleta McDevitt Ponder; two sons Leonard Ponder and his wife Gloria Anne of Maryland and David Ponder of Asheville; one sister, Orla Ponder of Marshall; one brother Alden Ponder of Mars Hill; seven grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 2:00 pm Tuesday in the Patton Avenue chapel of Groce Funeral Home with the Reverend Larry Sprinkle officiating. Burial will follow at Ashelawn Gardens. Pallbearers will be friends and family. His family will receive friends from 1:00-2:00 pm Tuesday prior to the service and request that memorials be made to Mountain Area Hospice, PO Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813.