Lenice Cone Justice, age 95, was an angel among us in every sense of the word. She is now enjoying her new eternal life as an angel in heaven, joining many family members and friends who have gone before her. She was appropriately born on November 1, 1929, All Saints Day, in Montgomery, Alabama. She died May 9, 2025, at Crestwood Hospital.
She was truly a saint on earth and a blessing to everyone she met. She made everyone she knew feel like they were the most important person in the world. Her hugs were the best and she could light up a room without saying a word.
She was preceded in death by the love of her life, husband David “Dave” Wesley Justice; parents, John Durwood and Maude Chastain Cone; and her still-born daughter, Linda Carol Justice. Also preceding her in death were her twin sister, Lanice Cone Ray; older sister, Wilma Ransom; brother, Leonard Cone; and brothers-in-law, Perry Ransom, Doug Ray and Bud Westlake.
She is survived by her daughters, Jan Hodnett (Jimmy) and Joy Youssef; grandchildren, Wesley and Rachel Bearden; her baby sister, Julia Cone Westlake; numerous nieces and nephews; and goddaughter and grand goddaughter, Courtney and Savannah Jeffreys.
Lenice (or Lee as she was known to those close to her), attended Trinity Baptist Church in Montgomery where she graduated from Sidney Lanier High School. She attended Blue Mountain College in Mississippi before returning to Montgomery to help her parents in their grocery store business. During her time at the grocery store, she became pen pals with the best friend of her sister Julia’s boyfriend who was stationed in Korea. She finally met and eventually married David on March 14, 1953. After he established his state residency at Troy State University, David transferred to Auburn University and Lenice became the clerk for the City of Auburn, Alabama. After graduation, David was offered a job at NASA in Huntsville where they moved and lived until his death and now her passing.
They were some of the earliest members at Weatherly Heights Baptist Church in Southeast Huntsville. They taught first graders together for decades. Lenice served as the church librarian for many decades. It was named in her honor many years ago and she was featured in an article in The Huntsville Times for her service to the church. The Weatherly Church family has been a source of strength and comfort for her through many good and difficult times.
She was an accomplished musician and loved to sing and play the piano. Her sisters formed a group and once sang on stage with Hank Williams, Sr., and his wife in Montgomery. In addition to her musical talents, she could sew, had a giant garden and was known for her beautiful flowers. She was also known for her home’s impeccable cleanliness, her baking and cooking abilities. She could feed one or 50 people with little effort. Her Christmas specialty was “Nuts and Bolts,” her version of Chex Mix.
She was like no other person God has put on this earth and her family and friends will miss her dearly. But she’s now rejoicing in Heaven with other loved ones and has reached her heavenly reward.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. A Memorial Service at 1:30 Wednesday, May 14, at Weatherly Heights Baptist Church, 1306 Cannstatt Drive, at 1:30. The graveside service is private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Weatherly Heights Baptist Church or to the Alabama Baptist Children’s Home in Decatur.
