Lyla Mann McMullen passed away peacefully on Monday, July 13th, 2026. At ninety-six years old, she was the queen of many hearts.
Born August 27th, 1929, Lyla was the ninth child of Clifton Odell Mann, Sr., and Fannie Wilson Mann. She liked to tell stories that included her five brothers, Wilson Mann, John Davis Mann, Clifton Odell Mann, James Allison Mann, and Dewey Thomas Mann, and five sisters, Mattie Roberts, Bertie Carpenter, Frances Roberson, Imogene Butler, and Lela Bell McCrory. Preceded in death by all of her siblings, she was forever proud of and thankful for her large, lively family. When she was a child, her parents hosted Sunday lunch weekly, and as early as eight years old, it was Lyla’s duty to pluck two hens and make three cakes with divinity icing for these Sunday parties. For the rest of her life, Lyla carried out her family’s legacy of hospitality, generosity, and faith. She was known for her wisdom, composure, and magnanimity, but above all, she lived to feed the people she loved.
Lyla was a graduate of Madison County High School, a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service, and a member of the Madison County Board of Registrars. For many years, she operated her own catering business. She was an active member of the Gurley Methodist Church.
She met her husband, Blake McMullen, when her brakes failed, and she drove her father’s 1939 Chevrolet through the produce display in the picture window of Mr. Pegue’s grocery store. Blake liked to say that he saw Lyla amidst all the apples and oranges and immediately wanted to “find out who this pretty girl was.” Partners for life, their jitterbug cleared the dance floor; they were married for seventy years.
Lyla was preceded in death by her son Michael Blake McMullen, whom she loved dearly. She is survived by her daughter, Lyla McMullen Peebles; her grandchildren, Michelle McMullen, Clay McMullen, Jordan (Seth) Dye, and Memory (Jacob) Risinger; and her seven great-grandchildren, Troy McMullen, Ashlyn McMullen, Lyla Lynn Dye, Lou Lou Dye, Royal Dye, Willa Risinger, and Alice Risinger. She was particularly grateful for and humbled by the care and company of her luminous friend, Sadie Winn.
The biweekly meetings of her bridge partners, Jane Tanner, Dorothy Proccopio, Helen Jean Lamar, Sherry Bice, Diane Smith, Pat Sparkman, Lyla Peebles, Renee Mann, and Dianne Mann nourished her spirits and kept her mind exceptionally sharp. Her nephew Don Mann’s tomatoes were “the best in the world,” and she loved to visit with her nephew Clifton Mann and his wife, Margaret Earle. Her family is thankful to all the caregivers who attended to her, with special appreciation for Jeanette of Caring Strategies who provided tender and intelligent care to Lyla in her final weeks and days.
Loved by many, Lyla had special places in her heart for watching Jeopardy, making the best Thanksgiving dressing, and playing bridge with her sisters, daughter, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, and friends.
In bridge, “100 honors” is awarded when a single player holds four or five of the top honors in the trump suit. Anyone who loved her would surely agree that knowing Lyla McMullen was like having 100 honors; we are forever grateful to God for dealing us into her hand.
Visitation will be on Friday, July 17th, at 10 am at Gurley Methodist Church, with a service immediately following at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Gurley Methodist Church, 121 College St, Gurley, AL 35748.
www.nhfh.net
