Obituary of Lela Lewis Locklin

A Celebration of Life service for Lela Lewis Locklin will be held on October 2, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Talladega. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Rev. Benjamin Crawford and Dr. George Ricker will officiate. Burial will follow at Pine Hill Memorial Park, Talladega. Mrs. Locklin was a long time resident of Talladega who touched many lives as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and educator. Born on July 19, 1928, in Dallas, Texas to Arthur Thomas Lewis and Margaret Hendrix Lewis, she lived in and attended elementary school in Houston, Texas, junior high in San Antonio, Texas, and high school at North Dallas High, Dallas, Texas. She attended Monroe County High School, Monroeville, Alabama for her senior year, graduating in 1945. She was a student at The University of Alabama from 1945-1947, where she was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, Blackfriars Drums Troup, and Alpha Phi Sorority. In 1948 she married her high school sweetheart, John Marshall Locklin, and they lived in Monroeville for the next thirteen years. They were active members of First Baptist Church, Monroeville, where Lela taught Sunday School. She was a Welcome Wagon hostess and secretary to the plant manager of Vanity Fair Mills, Monroeville. In September, 1961, John, Lela and their three children moved to Auburn where John resumed his education and Lela worked as a secretary in the School of Education. After John’s graduation from Auburn University, the family moved to Tuscaloosa where John began work on his master’s degree and Lela returned to school and received her Bachelor’s degree in Education. She was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi honor society. Upon graduation, the family moved to Talladega where Lela was employed by the Talladega City School system, teaching English for the next 28 years at Talladega High School. She was the yearbook sponsor for 20 years. She also taught night classes at Gadsden State Community College Center in Talladega. During this time, she received a master’s degree and Educational Specialist degree from Jacksonville State University. Active in community affairs, Lela was a member of the Pinecrest Garden Club, the Inter Se Study Club, the Andrew Jackson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and served as a docent at Heritage Hall. She taught Sunday School at First Baptist Church for over 45 years. Her hobbies included writing, genealogical research and oil painting. She was a member of the Wednesday painters group known as “Sarah’s Girls,” studying oil painting under artist Sarah Whitson. Lela was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, her daughter, Lela Locklin Crawford, and her son, Lewis Edward Locklin. She is survived by her son, John Marshall Locklin, Jr. (Amy); daughter-in-law Dee Locklin; and son-in-law Leslie Crawford; seven grandchildren, Jason Locklin (Shelley), Katy Wright (Scott), Emily Burt (Craig), Taylor Locklin, Ben Crawford, Matt Crawford (Megan), Jac Crawford (Jacinda); and five great grandchildren, Kinsley and Cooper Wright, Greyson and Rilynn Crawford, and Kale Burt. Pall bearers will be grandsons Jac Crawford, Matt Crawford, Jason Locklin, Taylor Locklin, grandson-in-law Scott Wright, and longtime friend and neighbor Hubert Hubbard. Usrey Funeral Home of Talladega will direct the services. Donations can be made in memory of Mrs. Locklin to the Locklin-Lewis Scholarship Fund at the First Baptist Church, 216 North Street East, Talladega, Alabama 35160 Online condolences may be offered at www.usreryfuneralhome.com