Gwendolyn Lee Pinholster Green Macpherson was welcomed into the loving arms of her Heavenly Father Sunday, November 21, 2021 at her home in Burnsville, North Carolina after a courageous battle with ALS. She was born August 18,1944 in Jacksonville, Florida to Guy and Jeanette Pinholster, and was the oldest of four children. She graduated in 1962 from Terry Parker High School and then from Grady Nursing School in Atlanta, Georgia in 1965. She is preceded in death by her parents as well as husbands Frank Green and Frank Macpherson. She is survived by children Teresa Green Mask, Jennifer Green-Lee (Tony), Jonathan Green (Betsy), and Christopher Green, siblings Gary Pinholster (Gayle, who was like a sister to her), Greg Pinholster, and Cathy Pinholster Moore (Jimmy), an Aunt, Vivian Pinholster Reedy, grandchildren Benjamin Robertson, Rebecca Mask Mitchell (Jason), Jacob Green, and Davis Green, a special niece Stacey Pinholster Vose (Todd), nephew Jason Pinholster (Becky) as well as one great-grandchild, Olivia Marie Mitchell.

Gwen worked as a nurse with Visiting Nurse Association in Jacksonville until the death of husband Frank Green in 1984 from leukemia. The following year she moved the family to Burnsville, where she initially worked as a nurse at Spruce Pine Hospital, and transitioned to working with the health department and Hospice of Yancey County (Compassionate Care of Western North Carolina), and ultimately became the Director. She loved the many patients and families she helped care for over the years, often during their most difficult times, and was a tremendous strength and comfort to them. She took several years off after marrying Frank Macpherson, then worked until her retirement at Celo Medical Center.

She had many passions, including quilting, crafting, sewing, photography, cooking, bird watching, and traveling. Every child and grandchild has a quilt she made, and her photography was featured on notecards and bookmarks in local shops. She also worked as a volunteer with Reconciliation House. Like her magnificent quilts, her life was a patchwork, and included many moments of happiness along with heartaches, and at its completion, left behind a legacy of beauty and love that will endure in the memories of all those whose lives she touched.

The family would like to thank her loving caregivers who enabled Gwen to fulfill her wish of remaining in her home, while remaining as mobile and active as permitted by her progressive illness. Julie McCurry, Marie Parker, Alana Bailey, Kirstin Ledford, Kenya Gouge, and Sheryl Briggs with Compassionate Care were indescribably kind and devoted to Gwen. Her neighbors, Norb and Janice McKinney, and Bob and Carol Griswold also ensured that she was never truly "alone" as well and lovingly cared for her like she was a part of their family. Everyone reading this can take great comfort in the fact that in Heaven, Gwen can now walk, run, and talk again.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to Compassionate Care of Western North Carolina or Reconciliation House, both of which she loved and gave generously of her time through the years.

https://www.jacksonville.com/obituaries/p0167572