Vivian McAbee

Vivian Kirby McAbee ASHEVILLE Vivian Kirby McAbee, 85, of 28 Vista St., passed away Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, at the Asheville Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. A lifelong resident of Buncombe County, she graduated as Salutatorian from Sand Hill High School, was a former Sales Associate with the LifeWay Christian Book Store, and a member of the Love Flowers Chapter of the Red Hats Society. Mrs. McAbee was a charter member of Reynolds Baptist Church, where she was a member of the WMU, choir and Sunday school teacher for many years. She loved her flowers and made several entries in the WNC Fair, where she won many ribbons. Mrs. McAbee was a daughter of the late Waye B. and Burnice Hipps Kirby. She was also preceded in death by her husband, R.M. McAbee, Jr.; daughter, Judy McAbee Smith; daughter-in-law, Terrie McAbee; sister, Dorotha "Dot" Boyer; and brothers, Joe Bob, Robert, Roy and Paul Cecil Kirby. Surviving are her daughters, Patricia "Patty" Dills and Janice Kerley and husband, Floyd, all of Candler, and Dena Smith, of Jupiter; sons, Bruce McAbee and wife, Rita, of Conover and Kenneth McAbee and wife, Shirley, of Asheville; 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; brother, James Ned Kirby and wife, Grace, of Sylacauga, Ala.; several nieces and nephews, and special neighbor, Janis Kaye. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 25, at Reynolds Baptist Church, with the Revs. Bobby Smith and Gayle Brown officiating. Burial will follow in the Cane Creek Cemetery, with the Deacons of the church serving as pallbearers and the Senior Citizens Sunday School Class serving as honorary pallbearers. The family will receive friends from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the church. Memorials may be made to Reynolds Baptist Church, 520 Rose Hill Rd., Asheville, NC 28803. The family would like to give a special thank you to CarePartner's Hospice and the staff at Asheville Nursing & Rehabilitation for their kindness, compassion and loving care of our loved one and family. To sign Mrs. McAbee's guestbook online, go to "Memorials" at andersrice.com.