Willard Coleman Pyles was born on Dec. 10, 1932, to Fred Tom and Louetta (Sanders) Pyles and was raised on the family farm near Diana in Giles County, Tennessee. He peacefully passed from this life into eternity, surrounded by his family, on April 16, 2016, at the age of 83.
Willard Pyles attended grade school in Diana and graduated as valedictorian of his class at Beech Hill High School in 1950. Preparing for a life in ministry, he attended David Lipscomb College in Nashville, graduating with a B.A. degree in Bible in 1954. He later earned an M.S. in Counseling from Eastern Kentucky University. He served as a minister with churches of Christ in Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, South Carolina, and Kentucky. He served as a missionary in Liberia, West Africa, worked in numerous domestic evangelistic campaigns, and was involved in mission trips to Canada, Scotland, Australia, and several African nations. As an educator, he served as a teacher and an administrator in both public and private schools. For 15 years, he worked as an instructor and an administrator at International Bible College (now Heritage Christian University) in Florence, Alabama mentoring and training young men and women for ministry.
He was preceded in death by his parents and by his loving wife of 52 years, Shelby Jean (Sheffield), who passed away in 2010. He is survived by two children and their spouses, Karen and Darrel Fontenot, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, and Tim and Kim Pyles, of Tulsa, Oklahoma; four grandchildren, Carter Peake, Hannah Pyles, Coleman Pyles, and Derreck Fontenot; and three great-grandchildren, Bryce, Dezi, and William. He is also survived by numerous cousins; his late wife’s niece and nephew, Sandra Taunton and Don Harper; and many, many loving friends.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday, April 22, 2016, at 10 a.m. from the chapel of Cornersville Funeral Home, with burial to follow in Cochran Cemetery.
The family will be at Cornersville Funeral Home today from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. for visitation.
Cornersville Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
