Georgella Lyles

Funeral services for Georgella Virginia Lyles, 81, Lawrence will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 11, 2009 at 9th Street Baptist Church.  Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.
She died December 6, 2009 at the Hickory Point Nursing Home in Oskaloosa, KS.

She was born April 12, 1928 in Sedalia, MO the daughter of Roma Richard and Eunice Odessa (Gray) Marshall.  She was the eldest of nine children.  After graduating from Smith Cotton High in 1946 she moved to Kansas City Missouri.  In 1951 she married Clark Levion Lyles in Sedalia, Missouri they divorced in 1971.  She moved to Lawrence, Kansas in 1955 and graduated from Emporia State University with a B.A. in Social Work.

She was active in the community and instrumental in starting the first Head Start program in Lawrence.  She worked for Valley View Nursing Home, Kansas University and operated a booth at Quantril’s Flea Market for many years.

But most importantly, she was the mother of eight children and is survived by two sons, Clark Lyles, Lawrence, KS, Clarence Lyles and wife Susan, St. Francis, WI;
five daughters, Arnell Walker, Lawrence, KS, Marsha Lyles-Cook, Lawrence, KS, Terri Lyles, Kansas City, MO, Lijia Lyles, Baldwin City, KS, Lori Pearson and husband Jarrett, Lawrence, KS; two sisters, Bonnie Jones, and husband Cecil, Bonham, TX, Willine Hardy, Sedalia, MO; three brothers, Albert Marshall and wife Geraldine Warren-Robbins, GA, Clarence Marshall and wife Rannie, Byron GA, Charles Marshall and wife Wanda, Lawrence, KS; 16 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, best friend, Charlene Burditt of Kansas City, MO and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by one son, Raymond Eugene Marshall and two grandsons, David Eugene Walker II and Ty Leon Lyles.

The family will greet friends Thursday, December 10, 2009 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Warren-McElwain Mortuary.

The family suggests memorials in her name to Hickory Pointe Nursing Home in Oskaloosa, KS and may be sent in care of the mortuary.

Online condolences may be sent to www.warrenmcelwain.com Subject:  Lyles.