Our Caring Team

Gary C. West

Funeral Director

Gary is a native and life-long resident of Weaverville. The son of the late Emily Jo Bishop West and Glen West, Jr., he is the fourth generation of the West family to provide funeral services to our communities.

A 1975 graduate of North Buncombe High School and 1976 graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Services, he is a licensed funeral director and embalmer, a cemetery counselor, and received his crematory operators training in 2001.

Gary is married to Vicki DeWeese West and is a member of Weaverville United Methodist Church.

Gary enjoys running and gardening.

Vicki D. West

Funeral Director

Vicki is a native of Alexander and a resident of Weaverville since 1981 when she married Gary.

She is a 1976 graduate of North Buncombe High School and a 1980 graduate of Mars Hill College with a B.S. in Accounting. She has been a licensed funeral director and cemetery counselor since 1988.

Her parents are Bill and Dora Lee Griffin DeWeese of Alexander.

Vicki is a member of Weaverville United Methodist Church.

Meredith Parker Springs

Funeral Director

Meredith grew up in High Point, NC, and has lived in WNC since 2006.

She earned her BA in Literature and Spanish from Duke University in 1999 and a degree in Funeral Service Education from Fayetteville Technical Community College.

Meredith has been licensed as a funeral director and embalmer since 2018, and is a certified crematory operator.

She enjoys reading and practicing yoga, and her family is members of Skyland United Methodist Church. Her husband, Kelly, works for the USDA, and they adore their two sons, Wilder and Cohen.

Barbie Clayton

Administrative Assistant

Barbie is a native of Buncombe County and settled in Weaverville in 2005. She is a daughter of Virginia Lamb Schweitzer and the late James Edward Clayton, Sr. She attended Mars Hill College for Music Education, earned an Associate in Arts from AB Tech in 2022 and enjoys visiting local churches to sing, play her flute, and learning piano. She joined the West Family in February 2013 to 2017 with a strong passion for genealogy research and left to work at a local cemetery and expand her Notary Signing Agent business. She returned to West in the wake of Hurricane Helene as she felt called to serve families during a difficult time for them. She enjoys lots of laughs from her two sons, Dylan (US Navy) and Jake. Two to three nights out of the week she enjoys bowling on leagues at the local bowling alleys and entering tournaments all around the region.

BJ Freeman

Assistant Office Administrator

BJ is a native and lifelong resident of Buncombe County. She graduated from Clyde A Erwin High School as well as St. Genevieve-of-the-Pines Secretarial College. She is retired from local and state government agencies with 33 years of public service to various counties.

She is the oldest daughter of Gene and Carta Freeman of Leicester, having three siblings, four nieces, four great nephews, and a great niece, with lots of emphasis on “great”. Family is a very large and important part of her life. Faith, family, and friends come first to her.

She has been with West Family Funeral Services since July 2020. BJ is very much a people person, enjoys DIY projects, small town ventures, loves southern gospel and bluegrass music, and plays piano a bit.

She and her sweet rescue kitty, Pretty Girl, share a home where she’s in charge, and that’s ok.

Liz Hamilton

Advanced Funeral Planner

As a dedicated pre-need specialist, Liz is committed to providing compassionate guidance to individuals and families navigating the important process of advanced funeral planning. She believes in empowering people through informed decision-making, offering education on a full spectrum of funeral and cremation options—with a special passion for sustainable choices like green burial.

Outside of work, Liz finds balance and inspiration in the natural world. Whether she’s jogging or hiking with her dog, diving into a great book, caring for her growing collection of plants, or trying out new cuisines, Liz brings the same curiosity and care to life that she offers in her work.

Wayne "Lee" Mangum

Family Services Counselor

Lee was born and raised in Memphis, TN. After attending Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, he spent most of his life in central Georgia (Atlanta and Macon). He moved to western North Carolina in 2021. Lee worked primarily in corporate training and development for several major corporations, as well as several consulting firms, from 1990 until 2015. He also served as Music Director for 7 different UMC churches over the span of 30 years.

Besides music, Lee has a love for architecture, history, and travel. He also loves all things outdoor: hiking, biking, kayaking, gardening, and rollerblading. He enjoys spending time with his partner, Frank, and their two dogs.

Wayne Plemmons

Funeral Director

Wayne is a native and a lifelong resident of Asheville, NC. He has been with the West Family since 2004. A graduate of Fayetteville Technical Community College with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Funeral Service, he is a licensed funeral director and embalmer, and received his crematory operator's training in 2007. He is married to Joyce Sluder Plemmons; they have one daughter, Janet P. Braxton, and three grandchildren. Wayne retired from West in 2012, but he still helps with the Care Center, embalming, and preparation of the deceased and needed.

Terry Rogers

Funeral Service Assistant

Terry is a native of Weaverville and resident of Buncombe County, N.C. He is a 1972 graduate of North Buncombe High School and attended A-B Technical College, UNC and NC State, where he received a degree in Criminal Justice. Terry retired as Troop Commander with the NC State Highway Patrol after thirty years of service throughout the state. He later retired again as Deputy Chief from The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office after twelve additional years of service.

He enjoys listening to “Golden Oldies” 60’s & 70’s music, along with southern gospel and bluegrass. Terry has been with the West Family since 2005.

He is the son of Jim and Barbara Rogers of Weaverville and married to Carolyn Edwards Rogers. They are both members of First Presbyterian Church, Weaverville.

Eddie Cole

Funeral Service Assistant

Eddie, a life-long resident of Buncombe County, joined the West Family in February 2013 after a 41-year career with the U.S. Postal Service. Eddie and his wife, Linda, have been members of First Presbyterian Church of Weaverville for 40+ years. Eddie serves as a church officer, and he and Linda participate in the music ministry. Both Eddie and Linda enjoy playing together in the Asheville Community Band. They have been members of that organization for over 20 years.

Jim Fredman

Funeral Service Assistant

Jim has lived in Weaverville since 1978. He joined the West family in 2002.

He retired from Moser/Bolton Mechanical in 2011 after 32 years. He also works part time at The Billy Graham Training Center, The Cove.

Jim and his wife, Sheila, attend Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Spruce Pine.

Alan Sonner

Funeral Service Assistant

Alan was born in Northern Virginia and has lived in Weaverville since 1998. His father was an engineer building the Blue Ridge

Parkway, and they lived in Asheville twice while he was growing up. When Alan left the Air Force, he came back to Asheville.

and worked for Applied Industrial Technologies for 34 years. After retirement, he volunteered and worked for Asheville.

Buncombe Community Christian Ministries North Office. He and his wife, Sandy, are members of the First Presbyterian Church of

Weaverville, where he sings in the choir and is a deacon. They enjoy traveling and church activities.

Eddie Fisher

Auto Detail and Groundskeeper

Eddie is a native of Gloucester, NJ and a resident of Weaverville for the past 32 years. He joined the West Family in 2008. Eddie is married to Sue Hensley Fisher and they have four children, and seven grandchildren. In his spare time he enjoys pulling for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is a member of Mount Herman Masonic Lodge #118 A. F. & A. M.

Kelly McDaris

Housekeeping

Kelly is a native of Weaverville, NC. She has been with the West Family since August 2013. Kelly is a 1987 graduate of North Buncombe High School and attended A-B Technical College. She is the daughter of the late Gene and Margaret Higgins Kuykendall. Kelly married Rodney McDaris in 1992. They have two daughters, Baylee and Rylie McDaris. They both attend school in the North Buncombe district.

Katie & Lizzie West

Katie and Lizzie are here most days with Gary & Vicki; they are always ready to cheer someone up as long as they are pet lovers. Katie and Lizzie's father was a long-haired cream from Durham, and their mother was a smooth red from Rock Hill, SC. Katie & Lizzie are referred to as strawberry blonds.