Nellie Lyons 1930-2016
Funeral services for Nellie Mae Spencer Lyons, 86, of Wills Point, are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, April 16, 2016, at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.
Burial will follow at Haven of Memories in Canton.
Services are under the direction of Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home.
She was the third daughter of seven children of Bud Spencer and Rebecca Smith Spencer. She was born on Feb. 26, 1930.
Mrs. Lyons was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and Christian. She was quiet, but dedicated and loving person in all of her relationships. She was raised on share cropping farms both south and north of Wills Point.
She was baptized into God's family at an early age at Wesley Chapel Baptist Church under Pastor Riggins. She received her education at Cartwright High School in Wills Point and was in the first graduating class of 1949.
In the 1940s, she and her parents united with Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. It was there she met the love of her life, Joe Lyons. They married Dec. 31, 1949. They were blessed to raise three sons, Bobby, David and Steven.
She worked as a local domestic worker while her older two children were young and later had a long career as a seamstress for the local Malouf Manufacturing Company.
She and Joe lived happily on North Sixth Street for over 40 years together until the Lord called Joe home on March 3, 1995. After going to school and obtaining certification at the age of 65, her last occupation was as a home health aide.
In her 70 years at Pleasant Hill, she served tirelessly and willingly in many ministries, Deaconess, Sunday school teacher, plays and drama leader, Church secretary, custodian, youth summer trip coordinator, and annual homecoming fundraiser.
After 62 years in her beloved home on Sixth Street, failing heath prompted her family to move her to Bethel Senior Care in Garland where she lived out the last two years of her life.
She was preceded in death by both of her parents; four siblings, Grady, Fred, Pearline, and Celestene; and one grandson, Nathan.
Living now to cherish her memories are sons, Bobby (Emma), David (Ethelene) and Steven (Christie); two brothers, Ralph Spencer, Sr. and Joe (Sheila) Spencer; grandchildren, Byron, Shaun, Cedric, Andrea, Alana, Candalyn, and Preston; 15 great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; brother-in-law T.O. Love; sisters-in-law, Leola Lyons and Darlene Spencer; along with a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbors and friends.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 15, 2016, with a wake starting at 6:30 p.m. at Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point.
