Janie Church English

Janie Church English, 87, of Drexel, NC, died on October 13 2020 after a brief illness.

Janie was born in Purlear, NC. She attended Asheville-Buncombe Technical College, earning her Associates degree; she worked as an Executive Secretary for the Metropolitan Sewer District of Buncombe County for most of her career.

Janie lived most of her life in western North Carolina. She was a long-term member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Asheville, where she trained to become a Stephens Minister and remained a student of the Bible her entire life.  She moved to Drexel in 2004 and was a member of Calvary Lutheran Church of Morganton.  She loved flower gardening, cross stitching, crochet and baking cakes; nearly everyone she was close to has one of her afghans or cross stitch pieces. She was meticulous in all things, from baking the perfect cake from scratch to improving cross stitch designs with her own additions.

Janie is survived by her daughter, Karen H Clayton; her grandchildren April E Johnston, John E Clayton II, and Sarah J Clayton, and one sister, Sue Shumate.

 She is preceded in death by her parents, Troy A Church and Lora Mae Faw Church, her son Chelsie Wayne Huffman, her husbands, Chelsie Ray Huffman, William Crowe, and James English; her siblings Leon Church, Mattie Blackburn, Beatrice Church and Tommy Church.

A private memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. December 18, 2020 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Morganton followed by interment at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Asheville. The service will be broadcast live on Dec. 18 at 10 am at https://www.facebook.com/clcmorganton 

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.