Rutherford Weekly

We are sad to announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter and friend, Trina Dawn Butler Cook, on Sunday, June 14, 2026. She was born in Cleveland County to Brenda Lawson and the late Robert Butler. Left behind to cherish her memory are her spouse of 24 years, Jimmy Cook; sons, Michael Sisk and wife, Jessica and Brandon Lawson, wife, Rachel; grandson, Xander Sisk; granddaughter, Daphne Lawson; mother, Brenda Lawson and husband, Thomas.

Michael Jaynes age 50 of Spindale, NC passed away July 3, 2026. Michael was the son of the late Howard and Mary Lou Rumfelt Jaynes. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings CJ Jaynes, and Joey Jaynes.

This poster tells it all -- an ever smiling Steven Camp wins a Bronze. (Contributed photo) When Steven Camp, 35, of Forest City returned home recently from the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota, Minneapolis, he brought home his ever present smile along with a bronze medal, a silver medal and a fourth place ribbon for his bowling skills. He bowled individually and also on a team. "He was beyond excited," said his mother Thelma Twitty.

Brenda Kay Martin McFarland, age 76 of Ellenboro died Friday, June 19, 2026. Brenda was born October 30, 1949, in Rutherford County and was the daughter of the late Hubert and Florence Lewis Martin. She worked for Street's Insurance Agency in the office where she retired. She was a graduate of East Rutherford High School and was a member of M&T Ministries. She recently had been attending Temple of Victory.

Melissa LeRoy of Forest City places a card at the memorial plaque. Each card has a message from a friend or family member. These will be kept along with all the items left at the wall. Nothing is thrown away. More than 760 Vietnam veterans, including 25 from North Carolina --three from Rutherford County -- were inducted into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's (VVMF) In Memory Program in 2026. VVMF believes all those who served in the Vietnam War should be honored and remembered for their service.

Billy Osborne "Bill" Howard passed away May 3, 2026 at the age of 96. Bill resided in Tarpon Springs, FL. Bill was born in Mooresville, NC in 1930 and moved to Spindale in 1935 with his parents, Ollie and Ray Howard and sister Doris Howard Cole (all deceased). Bill was a member of Spindale United Methodist Church. Bill graduated from R.S. Central High School. In 1950 he married his high school sweetheart, Ann Blanton. They remained married for 72 years until she passed in 2021.

Sara "Nikki" Gordon, 84, of Chimney Rock, passed away Saturday, June 20, 2026. A native of Martinsville, Indiana, she was the daughter of the late Harry Edward and Mary Nadine Fisher Nash. She was a teacher, a missionary and a member of Chimney Rock Baptist Church, among a myriad of other occupations. Those left to cherish her memory is her son, Bruce Gordon and wife Terri of Florida and one grandchild, Roxanne Smith Gordon.

Juneteenth, celebrated as a federal holiday on June 19, marks the day when slavery ended in the United States after the American Civil War. On June 19, 1865, federal officers ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas. These were the last enslaved people who received their freedom in the United States. These people had not been told, and were unaware of their legal status as "free," until that date.

Tena Johnson Hernandez, age 64, of Rutherfordton, passed away Thursday, June 18, 2026. Tena was born November 10, 1961 in Rutherford County to the late William Clay Johnson and Katie May Norville Johnson. Tena was a graduate of R-S Central High School. She was a dedicated homemaker who enjoyed taking care of her family. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Ruth Dalton, Martha Bailey and Brenda Quirino.

Dunham's Sports® is excited to announce the official Grand Opening of its new Spindale store on Friday, June 19th at 9:00am. Dunham's would like to invite residents of Spindale, Forest City and the surrounding communities to our Grand Opening weekend. The new store is located in the White Oaks Plaza at 1639 US-74 Alt. Store hours are Monday-Friday 9am to 9pm, Saturday 8am to 9pm and Sunday 9am to 7pm. Join Dunham's in celebrating the opening of our new store at 9am on Friday, June 19th.