April 19, 2026
Jonathan Rich
BrevardBeagle.com
Memorial service announcement for the celebration of Justin Babb’s life on April 18, 2026. The Haven of Transylvania County
Saturday afternoon more than 100 people attended a memorial service at the Jimmy Harris Railroad Depot to celebrate the life of Justin Babb.
Babb, 46, passed away April 9 after he was found unresponsive inside his tent in a wooded area of city property off Cashiers Valley Road. He had suffered a wound to the back of his head. The Brevard Police Department and the State Bureau of Investigation have ruled his death due to natural causes. Foul play is not suspected.
Local musician Keturah Allgood sings for the friends and family of Justin Babb during a community memorial for the Brevard native who passed away April 9. Brevard Beagle photo by Jonathan Rich
Saturday members of his family and his many friends gathered to tell stories, sing songs and share their memories of a Brevard native known for his deep baritone voice and the kindness he showed during his time at Brevard High School, part-time jobs around town, at Bread of Life food pantry, The Haven shelter and Sharing House community resource center, as well as to his many friends all around downtown Brevard.
“If anyone knew Justin, they knew him for that big, booming voice that brought life to wherever he was. His light will continue to shine,” said Sharing House Executive Director Shelly Webb. “One thing about remembrance is that in remembering one another and remembering the stories, we are brought together as whole again to be remembered to the body. So that’s what we’re gonna do today. “
“I saw him one time walking down the street when it was cold outside,” recalled The Haven of Transylvania County’s Executive Director Emily Lowery of the man who briefly worked at and occassionally lived inside the Oakdale Street shelter. “He was walking with a guy. The guy didn’t have a coat on. Justin took his off and he gave it to him. He always cared about who was close to him and his friends. That’s who Justin was.”
Photos and flowers displayed at Saturday’s memorial were part of the story of the man known for his “radio voice” that touched so many.
BrevardBeagle photo by Jonathan Rich
Many of those who spoke were Transylvania County residents who knew of the demons Babb struggled with privately, as well as his humorous philosophy on life.
“He was a reader, and I really like that our last conversation was about Kurt Vonnegut Jr.,” said Michael Collins Kerr, former executive director of The Bread of Life. “The best quote in one of his books is: ‘One must have chaos within them to give birth to a dancing star.’ Justin was a dancing star. Justin was a thinner man than he thought he was and he wanted to be a better man than he knew he was.”
Others in attendance remembered a friend who instantly improved relationships by sharing a kind word in a time of need with his unique, deep voice.
“He and I would have the best conversations, and it was often when I was in the dumps, not feeling too good about myself,” said Zach Stiles. “He’d always bring up some simple quote or some joke he made. There was something about his voice, I don’t know, maybe it was like your Dad when you’re a little kid and he is talking to you to calm you down. It was just so perfect.”
One of his teachers at Brevard High School knew Babb since his birth and that his vocal command was evident at an early age.
“The first time I heard Justin speak, I told him, “You’ve got a gift. It’s just … such … a gift,” explained Mary Beth Shumate of their friendship that continued during music and theater classes at Brevard High and into Babb’s adult life when he worked in the butcher shop of a local organic grocery store. “He was a phenomenal salesman,” Shumate continued. ” I think I probably bought way too many steaks there, but when I did he would always follow up with a recipe or directions on how to cook things. He was very intelligent and always had a particular piece of knowledge to share about whatever we were talking about.”
Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof said in their limited interactions downtown, she knew Babb to be a kind person who cared about the welfare of others.
“I didn’t know Justin well, but I saw him almost every day,” Copelof said. “What I do know was his heart. He was such a kind individual and he cared so much about people and all of their supplies. I just wanted to tell you how much I also miss Justin. He really did impact our community in so many ways and touch so many people. He’ll always be our hearts.”
Reverse side of the remembrance cards distributed at Justin Babb’s celebration of life gathering Saturday, April 18 in Brevard.
The Haven of Transylvania County
Perhaps one of the most moving testimonies was from Chevas Griffin, a friend of Babb’s since grade school. In their adult lives, he and Babb often camped out in the woods near the park where Saturday’s memorial was held.
“I loved Justin. He was just the best. Whenever we would walk downtown, we would have to stop about every three feet because he would see a dog that he knew, call its name, and it would come over.” Griffin said. “We might not know the owner’s name, but he would know the dogs’ names and the dogs would know him. This is a hard time for me right now going through this … What I realy want to say is he was my best friend and I’m sorry that he left so soon.”
After the celebration was over, dozens of Babb’s friends continued to enjoy a warm spring day in the park and share stories and remembrances of “the man with the voice.” BrevardBeagle photo by Jonathan Rich
Those in attendance remembered Babb as a kind soul, a good listener with a quick wit, and a compassionate friend whose words often lifted them up and a person whose presence will be missed in Brevard and beyond.
Because of that, as the author of this piece, I want to include the last time I saw Justin about a week before his passing.
Justin and I worked together in the butcher shop Shumate referenced above. We kept in touch after we both left, and I would often see him downtown near Brevard City Hall or a few doors down playing music in Clemson Plaza. I was taking photos for a story I was preparing for the launch of this website and he had been following my progress on social media when he came up to me.
“I’ve seen what you’re doing online and I want to help. I need a job, and if you’re hiring I will do whatever I can to help with the Beagle,” he said in that impressive ‘radio voice’ so many people knew him by.
I explained it was all still a work in progress, but I knew he had the skills and the determination to help me out once I got things off the ground. I also told him that right then I did not even have a website built for him to work on, but when I did I would definitely bring him on board. I then told him about a nearby restaurant I knew was expanding its hours and was hiring. I told him he should drop my name as a reference and that they had previously hired people who were “unhoused” so that would not be a barrier to getting a job there.
He said thanks, in that distinctive voice of his, and that he would give them a call. He shook my hand before looking me in the eye and said, “I do appreciate it, brother.” I smiled back and said, “No worries and no rush. I’ll let them know you might come by and hope something can be worked out.”
It was the last time I saw him. I regret he will never get to write for this website and that he won’t get to fill in for me on my morning radio news updates about things in Brevard and Transylvania County.
But I’m glad that in this small way, he could be part of BrevardBeagle.com and its mission after all.
I miss him and I know I’m not the only one.
Jonathan Rich can be reached via email at Editor@BrevardBeagle.com.