Billie Joyce Spake

It is with great sadness that the family of Billie Joyce Bunn Spake, 85, of Asheville, NC, announce her passing on the afternoon of Wednesday April 1, 2026 at John F. Keever Solace Center operated by CarePartners Hospice, after experiencing a stroke. Joyce was born on February 19, 1941 in Asheville. She was a proud member of the First Families of Old Buncombe as a descendant of one of the founding families of Asheville, the Patton family. While growing up in her grandmother Zannie Case’s house in West Asheville, one of her fondest memories of her childhood was walking to the Malvern Hills Pool with her beloved cousins, Barbara & Brenda, and then visiting a Haywood Road grocery store owned by her great-aunt & great-uncle on the way home for candy. After Joyce graduated from Lee Edwards High School (now known as Asheville High) in 1960, Joyce worked for the Asheville Citizen-Times in the circulation department until the birth of her son. Joyce was an almost lifelong member of the Grand Chapter of NC Order of the Eastern Star – District #16 in Biltmore. Joyce was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, John Thomas “Johnny” Spake Jr.; her mother, Martha Case Stirewalt; her father, William “Billy” Burgin Bunn; and her stepfather, Fredrick “Fred” Fletcher Stirewalt. She is survived by her son, John David Spake; two grandsons, Walden Alexander “Alex” Spake and Oliver Seabury Spake and their mother, Holli Alexandra Towe; a newborn great-grandson, Navy Alexander Spake; along her two brother in-laws, Winston “Rusty” Walden Pulliam Jr. and Lawrence “Larry” Calvin Pulliam – all of Asheville. The family would like to thank Dr. Rick Arwood and his nurse, Karly Frizsell, of Blue Ridge Premier Medicine, Joyce’s irreplaceable primary care providers. The family will be forever grateful for Rick & Karly for their support and guidance. The family will have a private graveside service and in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Givens Communities Ministries fund for the care & preservation of the Norma F. Pulliam Chapel at Givens Estates via Givens Development, 2360 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28803 (828-771-2649), www.givenscommunities.org/giving/ or to ABBCM, 1854 Brevard Road, Arden, NC 28704 (828-259-5300 ) www.abccm.org/donations-listing/ .

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Billie Joyce Spake

February 19, 1941 - April 1, 2026