James Connor, Jr. WOODFIN – James McDean “Mike” Connor Jr., 39, of 165 ½ Elk Mountain Road, died Thursday. A native of Buncombe County, he was a self-employed carpenter with High-Country Carpenters. He was a member of Elk Mountain Baptist Church and a graduate of Erwin High School. He attended Asheville-Buncombe Technical Institute. He was a Navy veteran of the Vietnam conflict and a member of the VFW Post No. 891 and the National Beekeepers Association. He was the son of James McDean “Dean” and Mary Lee Bridges Connor Sr. of Asheville. Surviving, in addition to his parents, are his wife, Debi Banks Connor; a son, James McDean “Jamey” Connor III of the home; a daughter; Ashley Lynn Connor of the home; and the maternal grandmother, Gwendolyn W. Bridges of Asheville. Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in the chapel of Anders-Rice Funeral Home. The Revs. Bill Nelson and Lester Humphries will officiate. Burial will be in Ashelawn Gardens of Memory. The family will receive friends from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.



Lightning Strike Leaves One Dead, Three Injured

From Staff Reports – Asheville Citizen-Times

A construction worker killed Thursday evening when he was struck by lightning was identified Friday. James McDean “Mike” Connor, 39, of Woodfin was killed when lightning zapped a nearby tree. Three other employees of High Country Carpenters were injured during the incident. John “Randy” Munday, 28, was admitted to Memorial Mission Hospital and listed in fair condition Friday evening, according to a nursing supervisor. Jason Garrett, 15, and Troy Pegg, 27, were treated at the hospital and released Thursday, she said. The men were working at a construction site off of Blackberry Inn Road about a mile from Reems Creek Road when lightning struck a nearby tree about 6:45 p.m., said Bobby Higgins of the Reems Creek Volunteer Fire Department.