Wanda Marie Scroggs Hampton passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, surrounded by her family and those who dearly loved her at Autumn Care of Waynesville, North Carolina. Wanda exhibited strength, grace, and dignity in everything she did, even in her last moments. She was ready to join her Savior and see her husband and sons again. She lived a life well-lived for 95 and a half years, and she often said, “It’s been a good run.” She was a strong woman who overcame many obstacles, saying “We just did the best we could.” She genuinely loved those she met and tried to help people in any way she could, whether by sending cards, sharing her resources, providing food or clothing, praying for others, or offering encouragement. She loved the Lord and followed Jesus’ example in how she lived her daily life. Even strangers could see the love of Jesus shining through her. Wanda exemplified the Proverbs 31 Woman.
Wanda was born on January 4, 1929, in Brasstown, North Carolina, to Fred Otto and Mary Jane “Mae” Arrant Scroggs. Fred O. and Mae were married in 1912 and had ten children, five sons and five daughters: Bob, Boyd, Mercer, Dale, and John (“JC” or “Jake”); and Lucille Brock, Blanche Smith, Faye Barnett, Wanda Hampton, and Barbara Mauney. Wanda was the remaining child of the ten. The Scroggs family are what many may call “local legends” in Brasstown, for Fred O. liked to tell long stories and is credited with rallying the residents of Brasstown to pool their resources to help establish the John C. Campbell Folk School. The Scroggs family donated land, time, and resources to the creation and organization of the Folk School. Wanda often fondly shared memories of working there as a teen. Brasstown was her early stomping grounds, and she told tales of walking to school at Ogden or riding a school wagon/bus to Martins Creek. She later went to school at Hayesville. She married Bill Bragg Hampton (1930-1997) and moved to Hazelwood, North Carolina, where they raised two sons, Keith (1946-2013) and Roger (1949-2021). She worked at Dayco in Hazelwood for forty years and then at the Haywood County Schools Central Office for ten years. Wanda was a faithful member at First Baptist Church in Hazelwood, and it was there that she introduced her grandchildren to Jesus by taking them to Mission Friends as children. She was certainly proud of her sons and their families. Wanda helped raise many children other than her own, and she will forever be loved and remembered as “Aunt Wanda” to her many nieces and nephews or “Nannie Wanda” to her grandchildren Byron and Annette Hampton, Wendy and Chris Britt, Kelly Hampton, and Amber (and Chris) Hampton as well as great-grandchildren Rachel, Daryl, Jase, and Maddan. She was a loving mother-in-law to her son Keith’s wife Betty Harrell Hampton and Roger’s wives Kitty Ann McCall and Gloria Aldridge.
After having surgery on her back around age 85, Wanda changed her residency to Autumn Care of Waynesville. She was a resident there for more than nine years, and one staff member described her as Autumn Care “royalty.” Wanda felt at home there and considered her caretakers as her own children and family. In her last days, surrounded by her loved ones, the love and respect the staff had for her was evident. Wanda’s family would like to thank them for the care they gave to Wanda and the family during this time. As per Wanda’s wishes, a private inurnment will be made at the Scroggs Family Cemetery and Hickory Stand Methodist Church Cemetery, both in Brasstown, North Carolina, at a later date.
A message of comfort may be left for the family and an online guest registry may be signed at www.garrettfuneralsandcremations.com
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