Asheville's YWCA memorializes Masterton

ASHEVILLE – Laurey Masterton, the widely loved chef and activist who passed away last year after a long battle with cancer, is gone but not likely to be forgotten.

Asheville's YWCA on Friday helped plant the memory of Masterton close, when a group of 15 Duke Energy volunteers broke ground on a Laurey Masterton Memorial Garden.

Masterton loved beekeeping — she wore a single drop of honey around her neck in a vial — and the vaguely honeycomb-shaped plant beds are meant to echo her bee affinity.

Masterton served on the YWCA board from 1997 through 2003. "The YWCA's mission, empowering women, eliminating racism, Laurey believed in it 1,000 percent," her sister Heather Masterton said.

Laurey Masterton remained active with the YWCA after her tenure with the board was over, helping to start an urban garden for the association's school-age children, something YWCA chief executive officer Beth Maczka says is one of Masterton's many enduring gifts.

"The YWCA's success today is in large part because of Laurey's leadership," Maczka said.

The 15 volunteers from Duke Energy worked through a chilly March day to build the garden, designed by Asheville DesignBuild students.

The garden will include a picnic table and bench, serving as a place to enjoy the "snackable" nature of the fruits and vegetables planted for the YWCA staff and children to enjoy.

Asheville Greenworks provided the soil and the plants for the garden.

The Asheville YWCA is at 185 S. French Broad Ave.