Mrs. Susie B. Lyle's Obituary
Susie Brown Lyle departed this life on Friday, December 12, 2014 surrounded by her loving family. She was 97 years old.
Born on July 27, 1917 in Giles County, Tennessee, she was the daughter of Odie Edmundson and George Polk. She was the granddaughter of David and Fannie Edmundson, former slaves on the Edmundson Plantation in Giles.
When Susie was only seventeen-months-old, her mother succumbed to the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and 1919 that killed an estimated 21.5 million people in this country. Following the death of her mother, Susie’s uncle Anthony Martin journeyed to Giles County, put the infant Susie on his lap and rode her in his horse and buggy the 89.9 miles to Nashville, Tennessee. Once in Nashville, Susie was raised by Hattie Martin, Anthony’s mother.
In her teen years, Susie graduated from Pearl High School in Nashville, Tennessee. Although she had aspirations of attending Fisk University and becoming a teacher, she met and married Jake Garfield Lyle, her husband of fifty-five years. The couple had three sons – Joseph William, Leroy, and Lester Harding Lyle.
With a family now to call her own, Susie became a devoted housewife and mother. She particularly doted on her children, teaching them the value of education and the importance of attending college.
A loving mother and wife, Susie mastered the art of cooking and served three meals to her family every day. She learned to cook by perfecting recipes taken from newspapers and magazines. One of her favorite recipes was pinto beans that she prepared in a special way.
Susie loved books and was an avid reader. She had a great sense of humor and loved people. She had many friends and looked forward to entertaining them at dinners in her home. She loved concerts and plays. She adored flowers and was always overjoyed when someone gave them to her. She loved animals, particularly dogs and cats. And even though some of the animals in the neighborhood didn’t belong to her, she didn’t hesitate to feed or take care of them.
A true Leo, Susie loved clothes and was a sharp dresser. She loved taking good care of herself, and maintaining her appearance. She lived by the motto that “age is just a number.” Never thinking of herself as a senior citizen or elderly person, she never acknowledged being “older” until age 93.
Susie was a very spiritual person who had a strong belief in God. She humbly exhibited Christian values of kindness, generosity and forgiveness. She extended her humanity to all those who came into contact with her. She was sweet, kind and never had a bad thing to say about anyone. She was generous with her love, providing warmth and comfort to everyone around her. She believed in forgiveness, never harboring animosity toward anyone.
In spite of the hardships that she endured in her earlier life, Susie showed an amazing amount of strength in overcoming all the obstacles put in her path. Heroically, she overcame each hurdle through positive thinking and an optimistic outlook on life. She was a forward-thinking person.
Regardless of the circumstances, Susie never complained. When she fell and broke her hip, she endured the pain without ever once complaining. In her final years, she always happily responded to questions of “How are you feeling?” asked by concerned relatives and caregivers with “I’m doing pretty good today!”
Susie was a very courageous woman. In her eighties, she took her first airplane ride and traveled all the way from Nashville to New York City. She exhibited no fear while on the plane and excitedly looked forward to landing at LaGuardia Airport. Despite her age, she was a real trouper and kept up with touring New York’s many attractions, including Harlem. In the years the followed that very special trip, she was determined to return to New York City once more.
In 2008, Susie experienced another highlight in her life: she voted for the first time when Barack Obama ran for President of the United States. Her second vote was cast for him in 2012. As someone from a generation who had long endured Jim Crow in the South, she was very proud to see a Black man in the White House.
One of Susie’s favorite affirmations was “I think I can; I believe I can; I know I can,” a quote taught to her by a beloved teacher. And she lived by those words right until the day she passed away.
Susie Brown Lyle lived a very heroic and noble life. She will be missed by all. She leaves to mourn her passing: three sons – Joseph William, Leroy and Lester Harding Lyle; three grandchildren – Jana Lyle, Tish Lyle; Shaka Hill and eight great-grandchildren.
Susie’s family will receive friends and visitors on Wednesday, December 17, 2014, from 10:00am until 12:00pm at Spring Hill Funeral Home. Reverend Ed Sanders will preside over Susie’s Homegoing Services the same day, at 12:00pm, from the Chapel of Spring Hill Funeral Home. Interment will follow in the Peaceful Valley Garden of Historic Spring Hill Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to Spring Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5110 Gallatin Road, Nashville, Tennessee 37216. (615) 865-1101. www.springhillfh.com
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