Ethel R. Olds (nee Lyle), age 94, passed away on May 26, 2015, after a long illness. She was born on September 8, 1920, near Decatur to Exum and Curlee Alexander Lyle. She was married to Sanders Olds Sr. on March 24, 1938; their union produced their precious children, Sanders Jr. and Sylvia.
In the 1950s, the Olds family relocated to Elyria, Ohio. In the 30 years she lived there, Ethel worked at Bendix Westinghouse and also as a domestic worker for Richard and Agnes Perry, Max Suppes, Dr. Richard Moore, and Dr. Leonard Payner. Ethel was an enthusiastic and devoted member of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, where she sang with the Gospel Choir, served as an usher and was a member of the Deaconess Board and Stewardess Board. Bingo and bowling were her favorite hobbies. After Ethel and Sanders retired back to Decatur in 1981, she remained an active member of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, and later, Garner Memorial CME Church.
Ethel was preceded in death by her parents and her stepmother, Grace Lyle; her brothers, Richard Lyle, Benjamin Lyle, Percy Lyle and Exum Lyle Jr.; her sisters, Cora Garner and Novella Gibson; her husband of 58 years, Sanders; and her son, Sanders Jr. Left behind to cherish her memory and legacy are daughter and son-in-law, Sylvia and John Mand of Burlington, North Carolina; grandchildren, Karlos Olds, LaNita Olds, Lisa Olds, Eboni (Eric) Johnson, Erich Francis, Vaughn Francis, Kohy Washington and Joshua (Nathalie) Mand; 14 great-grandchildren and a host of other family, friends and loved ones.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 7 p.m. at Reynolds Funeral Home, 103 13th Avenue N.W. Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Living Hope COGIC in Decatur and burial will follow in Decatur City Cemetery.
