Mrs. Willie Mae Lyles

O.T Edwards Sr.(d.)and Ella Edwards(d.) were blessed with a baby girl named Willie Mae on September 16, 1946 in Sprout, Alabama. She was raised in Gadsden, AL with siblings George, Clarence(d.), Barbara(d.), Alfred Thomas(d.), and O.T Jr. As a young woman, she fell in love and married Theo Lyles Sr. They then had two children Theo Jr. & Annette. For a while she lived in Detroit, MI where her older brother George and wife Peggy amongst many other family members. Eventually, she found her way back south, residing in Tampa, Fl and eventually settling back in her hometown of Gadsden where she worked and retired from Mitchell Elementary school in 2017. While she lived a very full life, she also was sure to make time for her grandchildren Tamisha Sims, Terrance Lyles(d.), Erin Hawthorne, Frank Hawthorne Jr. and Tre' Sims. Before her passing, she also was blessed to meet her two great granddaughters Tamia Lyles, and Kimoni Sims.

Though Willie Mae’s immediate family was small, she leaves behind her son and daughter, grandchildren and great grandchildren a host of friends, 2 brothers, nieces, nephews, and cousins that have all been able to enjoy her beautiful and loving spirit. While she is no longer with us, her legacy will forever live on in the hearts and lives of any and everyone that ever had the pleasure of meeting her.

while we know grief can be a difficult time, we would like for you to consider these words, as we imagine this is something she’d share to encourage us:

If death is the only possible final destination in the journey of my life, then I at least want to enjoy the ride. May it be full, and filled with love. May the pain I endure only make me stronger and more mindful of my blessings. May I only ever leave light where my path crosses another’s. And may peace find you in the moments I am not able to be present with you until we meet again.

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