Mary Ellen Burgess

Mary C. Burgess, 88, of Asheville, died Thursday, March 19th, 2026, at Bear Mountain Health and Rehabilitation after an extended illness. Mrs. Burgess was born in Asheville and was the daughter of the late Benjamin F. Cothran, Sr. and Edith Brown Ball. She married James L. Burgess, Sr. on July 27, 1968. They were married until his death in 2003. She was also preceded in death by her son, Christopher Dean Burgess, sisters, Jane Harrison and Deborah Milner, and brothers, Ralph Ball, Jr., James “Jim” Ball, and nephew, Jeffrey Harrison.

She was a graduate of Memorial Mission School of Nursing class of 1957. Mary was proud to be a Mission Belle and remained active with Mission Belle alumni association. She was very involved with her family and friends. Prior to retiring from the Charles George VA Medical Center, Mary had been the Director of Nursing at Brentwood Nursing Home (now Bear Mountain Health Care). She assisted her late husband in operating Burgess Nurses Registry. Mary worked not only at Mission Hospital, but at hospitals in Atlanta, Georgia and Knoxville, Tennessee. Mary was licensed in North Carolina as a Registered Nurse for 60 years.

She is survived by her son, James Burgess and wife Serena of Mars Hill; two daughters, Mary Lisa Loggins Knight and her husband Dwayne of Monroe, GA and Amber Cox and husband Jason of Hendersonville; four grandsons, Garrett, Dillon and wife Savannah, and Wyatt Knight of Monroe, GA and Kolin Burgess of Mars Hill, and three granddaughters, Katelyn Ferrell and her husband Michael of Palmyra, VA, Kelland Cox of Hendersonville, and Josey Burgess of Mars Hill. Mary was also the great grandmother of two, Bentley and Jackson Ferrell. She is also survived by her brother by choice, Mark Smith of Asheville. Her daughters-in-law, Ashley Tweed and Kristi Hendrix of Palmyra, VA and April Rice of Weaverville survive. Her brother, Benjamin F. Cothran, Jr. and sister, Sandra, three nephews, three nieces, and their children survive as well.

She will be fondly remembered by her family and friends for her quick wit and willingness to volunteer with time, talents, or money. Her children and grandchildren were her life after the passing of Jim- followed closely by ACC Basketball, the Atlanta Braves, and the Carolina Panthers.

The family would like to extend their sincere thanks to Bear Mountain and Four Seasons Hospice for taking such good care of Momma. Also, many thanks to Momma’s friend, Pat Melton, and all the Water Lillies for making her final years fun. Mary was also active in the alumni group of the Memorial Mission nursing school. Her Mission Belle friends include Peggy Packett, Peggy Whisnant, Jan Wright, and Sheila Howard.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 1st, at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Ave. with Rob Phelan officiating. The family will receive friends from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Crossnore Communities for Children, Hendersonville Office, 1410 Greenville Highway, Hendersonville, NC 28792 or Meals on Wheels of Asheville & Buncombe County, 146 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 28801.