Yvonne Elizabeth Whisnant Cline

Shelby - Yvonne Elizabeth Whisnant Cline, 83, of T. R. Harris Drive passed away Friday, December 28, 2012 at Hospice House of Rutherford County. She made her home in Fallston for fifty-nine years before moving to a retirement community in Shelby.

Born March 5, 1929, she was a daughter of the late Albert Paul and Daisy Daves Whisnant of Polkville. Yvonne graduated from Polkville High School and attended Appalachian Teacher's College, Western Carolina University, and Blanton's Business College.

She was a talented artist who loved to paint in oils, charcoals, and watercolors. Yvonne was also a seamstress and for years enjoyed making dresses for her four daughters. She played the piano and organ and often accompanied the choir at her church. Over the course of her lifetime, she was active in the Fallston Women's Club, New Bethel Baptist Church, and in assisting her husband in their family owned businesses - Jim Cline Insurance Agency and Cline Apple Orchard.

She will be remembered most as the loving matriarch of her family, a nurturer to a husband, a mother-in-law, four daughters and ultimately, eight grandchildren. She leaves behind a legacy of commitment to her family that will live on, reflected in their appreciation for her and demonstrated in the love that each will make sure never dies. "Granny" would not have it any other way.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by husband, James S. Cline Jr.; brother, Bert Whisnant and sister, Joanne Whisnant Wray. She returns to the warm embrace of her husband, her mother and father, and her two siblings. We are comforted in the knowledge she will begin now to prepare her new home for that day all of us are reunited.

She is survived by four loving daughters and their spouses - Marybeth and Don Russell of Brunswick, Georgia, Nancy and Tim Cole of Charlotte, Virginia and Kenneth Deal of Shelby and Laura and Roger Robinson of Rutherfordton. Eight grandchildren also mourn her loss - James Meade, Brandon Cole, David Cole, Abby Deal Strohofer and husband Andrew, Nathan Deal and wife Jenna, Vess Frye, Madeline Frye, and Molly Frye; and great grandchild, Shepherd Strohofer.

Visitation: The family will receive friends from 4:00 until 6:00 PM Sunday at Stamey Funeral Home in Fallston.

Funeral Service: 1:00 PM Monday at New Bethel Baptist Church located at 112 New Bethel Church Road in Lawndale.

Officiating: Revs. Jason Allen and Ernie Holland

Burial: New Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery

Stamey Funeral Home in Fallston is serving the family.