In Memory of

Lelia

May

Garner

Obituary for Lelia May Garner

GRAVESIDE SERVICES FOR LELIA MAY GARNER, 96, OF ATHENS ARE SCHEDULED FOR 4:00 P.M., MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2018 AT ATHENS CEMETEREY WITH BRO. FRANK UPCHURCH OFFICIATING. SERVICES WILL BE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF HANNIGAN SMITH FUNERAL HOME.

LELIA MAY DICKERSON GARNER OF LAKELAND HOUSE IN ATHENS PASSED AWAY ON FEBRUARY 9TH AT EAST TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, ATHENS AT THE AGE OF 96 YEARS FOLLOWING A BRIEF ILLNESS.

LELIA MAY, OFTEN CALLED MISS MAY, WAS BORN AUGUST 28, 1921 TO MYRTLE MAY BASS DICKERSON AND BEN DAVE DICKERSON, SR OF ATHENS. SHE ATTENDED SCHOOL IN ATHENS AND GRADUATED AT THE AGE OF 15 AND LATER ATTENDED HENDERSON COUNTY JR COLLEGE.
LELIA MAY WAS MARRIED TO ALVIS ODELL GARNER ON MAY 14, 1938. THEY HAD THREE CHILDREN. LELIA MAY WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER PARENTS, HER HUSBAND ALVIS, BROTHER BEN (BUDDY) DICKERSON, JR OF CORSICANA, SISTER LERA FAYE WILLIAMS OF FLORIDA, BROTHER BILL DICKERSON OF KENTUCKY, SON-IN-LAW JERRY KING OF ATHENS, GREAT-GRANDSON JERROD RACHEL OF CROSS ROADS AND GREAT-GREAT-GRANDSON DAKOTA SCHNEIDER OF FLORIDA.

SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER DAUGHTER PAT AND HUSBAND BOB LYNCH OF DECATUR, GEORGIA, DAUGHTER KAY KING OF ATHENS, AND SON GARY GARNER AND WIFE BILLIE OF ATHENS. GRANDCHILDREN DEIDRA LYNCH CRICKS OF ORLANDO, FLORIDA, LEAH REUTER OF DECATUR GEORGIA, RANDY PAROLINE OF BROWNSBORO, LORI AND HUSBAND MIKE RACHEL OF CROSS ROADS, LISA DAVIS OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, KRISTI STEVENS OF FRISCO, KASEY GARNER AND WIFE JENNIFER OF CHANDLER. GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN ALICIA RAMOS OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ZACHARY SCHNEIDER OF AUSTIN, AUTUMN RAIN CRICKS OF ORLANDO, FLORIDA, RACHEL REUTER OF DECATUR, GEORGIA, ANNA REUTER OF DECATUR, GEORGIA, SPENCER STEVENS OF FRISCO, PEYTON STEVENS OF FRISCO, COOPER GARNER OF CHANDLER, MALLORY GARNER OF CHANDLER, ABBY DAVIS OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA AND GRACE WATTIGNEY OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. SHE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY NIECES SHARON WELLS OF ATHENS AND JULIE WILKERSON OF RUIDOSA, NEW MEXICO, LINDA FOWLER OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, MYNAN GUIDRY OF BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA AND SPECIAL GRANDDAUGHTERS RUTHIE FETTERMAN OF MANSFIELD, LOUISIANA AND RENATE PAROLINE OF ATHENS ALONG WITH SPECIAL GREAT-GRANDSON COOPER FETTERMAN OF MANSFIELD, LOUISIANA.

LELIA MAY WAS A LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF ATHENS. SHE GAVE HER TIME TO THE COMMUNITY OF ATHENS THROUGH MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS SERVING AS 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE ATHENS MUSIC STUDY CLUB, AND PRESIDENT/VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE ATHENS B&PW. SHE WORKED AT BOB BASS TRACTOR, L.R. BARRON COMPANY AND AT THE DIXIE THEATRE AS A BOOKKEEPER. SHE WAS DEPUTY DISTRICT CLERK UNDER ROBERT TURLINGTON THEN ENTERED POLITICS WHEN SHE RAN FOR DISTRICT CLERK OF HENDERSON COUNTY IN 1954 AND WAS ELECTED FOR 10 CONSECUTIVE FOUR-YEAR TERMS AND RETIRED IN 1994.

SHE STUDIED PIANO UNDER MRS TINDLE AND TOOK CLASSICAL MUSIC. JAZZ WAS A FAVORITE. SHE PLAYED THE PIANO FOR THE LIONS CLUB FOR MANY YEARS AND FOR THE DANCE RECITALS OF FANNIE LOUISE CARLTON.

A BIG THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND RESIDENTS OF LAKELAND HOUSE FOR THE LOVING CARE AND FRIENDS SHE MADE THERE. ALSO THANK YOU TO DR. QUALLS OF ATHENS FOR HIS CARE.
YOU MY LIGHT A CANDLE OR WRITE A CONDOLENCE TO THE FAMILY AT: www.hannigansmith.com