Funeral services for Billie Jean Lyles McAlister, 92, were held Saturday, May 30, 2020 at the Wilson-Little Funeral Home Chapel. Interment was at the Noble IOOF Cemetery in Noble. Services will be under the direction of the Wilson-Little Funeral Home in Purcell.
Mrs. McAlister passed away Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
She was the fifth child born to her parents Walter and Lillie Grayson in Erick, Okla., June 12, 1927. There she grew up on a farm and attended school near Erick, Okla., at Hext Switch until the seventh grade, when her parents moved to McClain County near Washington, Okla. She started to school at Washington and graduated in 1946.
She was married that year to Raymond W. Lyles Jr. for over 48 years, who had served his country in the U.S. Navy. They lived in Oklahoma City where both were employed until moving to Norman where she worked for Southwestern Bell, as a telephone operator and Raymond was employed at Tinker AFB. They later bought a farm in Goldsby and raised their two children.
She then started working at Norman Regional Hospital and on to Goddard Health Center. Both were very involved with their children’s activities, she being Home Room Mother, FFA Mother and attending ball games and church activities, to taking them to music lessons and Boy Scouts. She was a member of the HCE Club for 25 years organizing a breakfast for the class of 1946, that is held in February each year. She has kept that active for over 40 years and was instrumental in getting a Senior Citizen Center in Washington, and still attended as her health allowed.
Billie loved to cook, sew and travel. Family dinners were a must for her, and she also hosted family reunions. She loved her cousins, nieces and nephews. She was a friendly outgoing person. Her grandchildren were truly a joy for her, and especially her great grandkids. They had a special place in her heart, and everyone knew her as “Nanny Bill.”
Billie was a widow for 10 years, when she married Jake R. McAlister, February 26, 2005, a fine and honorable gentleman who attended school in Washington and graduated in 1944. He was retired from the U.S. Air Force. He passed away June 21, 2006 after just 16 short months together.
Billie was a member of Washington First Baptist Church. She loved her church family, and her wishes were, in lieu of flowers, to give to the Washington First Baptist Church Building Fund. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her! The family wishes to thank the staff of Westbrook Gardens and Sunset Estates, for the love and kindness towards Nanny Bill.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Raymond W. Lyles Jr.; her parents, Walter and Lillie Bynum Grayson; three brothers, Woodie Grayson, Travis Grayson and Ollis Grayson; two sisters, Maggie Thomas and Lucille Grayson; sister-in-law, Mamie Jo Grayson; brother-in-law, Ralph Thomas; niece, Penny McCoy; nephew, Philip Thomas, Bruce Thomas, Sam Grayson and Mike Grayson and great-nephew, Cole Anderson.
She is survived by two children, Twila Taylor and husband, Johnny, of Purcell, Okla., and Wilson Lyles and wife, Dee, of Goldsby, Okla.; grandchildren, Justin Taylor and wife, Brandy, of Washington, Okla., Tianna Elliott and husband, Roger, of Washington, Okla., Blake Lyles and wife, Vanessa, of Goldsby, Okla.; seven great-grandchildren, Case and Lane Taylor, Will Taylor, Taylon and Eastyn Elliott and Reagan and Rozlyn Lyles; three sisters-in-law, Ruth Grayson of Noble, Okla., Carolyn Grayson of Noble, Okla., and Ruth Lyles of Goldsby, Okla.
Online condolences may be made at wilsonlittle.com.
