Wayne Helms
1937-2018
Wayne Helms, 81, died Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018 in Snyder.
Funeral service for Mr. Helms will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Miller Family Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Clay Giddens officiating. Burial will follow at Cottonwood Flat Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 6-7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Mr. Helms was born on April 15, 1937 in Rotan to Cecil and Quinnie (Dowden) Helms. He enjoyed fishing, skeet shooting, ranching and “tinkering.”
He was preceded in death by his father, Cecil Owen Helms, his mother, Quinnie Alice Helms, and two brothers, Jasper Riley “J.R.” Helms and Charlie Joe Helms.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia Lou Helms of Snyder; two sons, John Wayne Helms and his wife, Kathy, of Round Rock and Mark Owen Helms and his wife, Shelley, of Cedar Park; one granddaughter, Kate Elizabeth Helms of Austin; three grandsons, Christopher John Helms of Round Rock and Hayden Davies Helms and Hogan Davies Helms, both of Cedar Park; and one brother, Owen Riley Helms of Abilene.
Online condolences may be posted at www.millerfamilyfuneralhome.com.
Lillie Sullivan
1931-2018
Lillie Mae McCleskey Sullivan died Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 in Lubbock.
A memorial service for Mrs. Sullivan will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Broadway Church of Christ in Lubbock.
Lillie was born on April 28, 1931 in Fisher County, the youngest of six children of George and Bessie Yantis McCleskey. Her parents farmed near Rotan and Lillie and her older siblings attended the Dowell School. After the country school burned, Lillie finished her remaining two years at Rotan High School, where she graduated in 1948. She was a 1952 graduate of Abilene Christian College, majoring in Spanish. In 1985, Lillie earned her master of arts degree in Spanish from Texas Tech University. Her teaching career began at East Elementary School in Snyder, included one year at Borden County ISD and concluded with a long run at Ira ISD, where she was hired to implement the school’s first foreign language program. She retired at the age of 69 after 16 years of teaching at Ira, a school and community that always held a special place in her heart.
The Snyder years from 1952-1985 were filled with raising five children. She was busy with PTA activities, piano recitals, Bible school lessons, athletic contests and laundry. Lots of laundry. She was a seamstress, an excellent cook and a businessperson as part owner of Lad and Lassie in Snyder for many years. Lillie served on the Scurry County Library board and was also elected to two terms on the Snyder ISD board of trustees, serving from 1979-85. Even in retirement, Lillie continued to substitute teach.
Nurturing family ties was a vitally important part of Lillie’s life. Her older sisters left Texas during World War II, both relocating to Washington state. Her brothers both served in World War II. Letters and visits from all of them were a treasure to Lillie, the youngest still at home with their widowed mother Bessie. Lillie made sure her five children had the chance to travel to visit their aunts and uncles, spending time with them and their first cousins. In recent years, she delighted in seeing her grandchildren and great-grandchildren continue to experience such close family dynamics with their great-aunts and great-uncles and cousins.
Lillie was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters, Frances McCleskey, Eula Bustetter and Roberta Clark, and her brother, Preston McCleskey.
Survivors include her brother, Dr. Clifton McCleskey, and his wife, Jo, of Charlottesville, Va.; two sons, Scotty Sullivan and his wife, Mary, of Abilene and Shane Sullivan of Lubbock, who lived with Mother the past two years and provided wonderful care; three daughters, Sue Jane Sullivan of Gail, Dr. Sara Dodd and her husband, Dr. Tim, of Lubbock, and Sabrina Blankenship and her husband, Kelly, of Buffalo Lake; nine grandchildren, Hayley Conger and her husband, Brent, of San Antonio, Julie Allison and her husband, John, of Dallas, Kassidy Johnston and her husband, Dr. Blake, of Lubbock, Emily Rollins and her husband, Zach, of Snyder, Tori Ericson and her husband, Jarred, of Lubbock, Christopher Dodd and his wife, Kelly, of Austin, Hannah Sullivan of Lubbock, Katie Joiner and her husband, Evan, of Austin and Michael Dodd of Austin; 12 great-grandchildren; numerous special nieces and nephews with whom she was close; and, of course her dog, Chang.
Flowers are welcome, as Lillie loved her gardening.
Memorials may be made to the George and Bessie Yantis McCleskey Memorial Scholarship, c/o Community Foundation of West Texas, 6102 82nd Street 8B, Lubbock, TX 79424. Each year, the scholarship is presented to a graduating senior from Rotan High School.