Mary Garner Lyles

Mary Martha Garner Lyles, 95, former resident of Pawnee Trail, died Saturday, January 17, 2009 at Life Care Center. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. at Jackson Heights Church of Christ with Andrew Roberts officiating. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Monday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols. Memorials may be made to Columbia Academy, 1101 West 7th Street, Columbia 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to www.oakesandnichols.com. The Maury County native was the daughter of the late Tom Garner and Martha Hines Garner. She was a charter member of Jackson Heights Church of Christ. For 13 years, Mrs. Lyles was a sales lady and bookkeeper for R. C. May Jewelers. Married in 1931, her husband of 53 years, Robert Patterson "Pat" Lyles, died January 15, 1984. Survivors include daughters, Nelda (Buddy) Nichols of Columbia and Betty (Martin) Lemon of Dyersburg; daughter-in-law, Judy Bennett Lyles of Columbia; grandchildren, Danny (Merrill) Lemon of Dyersburg, Susan (Bill) Newsom of Newbern, Pam (Steve) Mayo of West Chester, Ohio, Wayne Lyles, Jr. of Columbia, Lucy Oldham of Columbia, and Ben Lyles of Nashville; great-grandchildren, Shelley Lemon, Alicia Lemon, Jenna Lemon, Blake Newsom, Nathan Newsom, Matthew Mayo, McKenzie Mayo, Melissa Mayo, Amber (Wayne) Meacham, Cassie Lyles, Ellie Oldham, and Will Oldham; great-great-grandson, Thomas Meacham; nephews, Don Garner and Douglas Garner. She was preceded in death by a son, Thomas Wayne Lyles, Sr. in 2008; sisters, Delia Garner and Elsie McConnell and brothers, Willard Garner, Charlie Garner, and Homer Garner. Active pallbearers are Wayne Lyles, Jr., Danny Lemon, Ben Lyles, Bill Newsom, Steve Mayo, Blake Newsom, and Nathan Newsom. Honorary pallbearers include Elders and Deacons of Jackson Heights Church of Christ, Dr. Steven Simmons, staff and caregivers at Life Care Center, Jerry Weatherford, Edward Lyles, Don Garner, Douglas Garner, Carl May, and Al May.