Lena Hoyle

Lena Reynolds Hoyle VALDESE Mrs. Lena Reynolds Hoyle, 86, of George Hildebran School Road, Connelly Springs, passed away Sunday, March 11, 2012, at Autumn Care of Drexel, following a period of declining health. Mrs. Hoyle was born Feb. 13, 1926, in Burke County, to the late John Joseph and Rosalie Hildebrand Reynolds. After retirement in 1987, she enjoyed going to town every week with her sisters and nephew. Pauline and Josie were her biggest advisors and confidants. She also enjoyed visiting her daughter, Patty, and spending time with her two grandsons, Patterson and Reynolds. Lena was a member of the NEA, NCEA, and a guest of the Lions Club, and she volunteered at Burke Hospice and Palliative Care and Burke County Meals on Wheels. She was a faithful member of St. John Baptist Church. As written in her own words, "When I was in the first grade, R.L. Patton, then superintendent of Burke County Public Schools, took me to Charlotte to the eye, ear and throat clinic and got me my first pair of glasses. That was so nice. After my daddy learned where it was, he took Josie and me there every year or two to get our eyes checked. He always took very good care of his two little girls who couldn't see good. "After graduating from Mars Hill I went to work in Asheville for the Army Air Force. After about a year there we were all transferred to Langley Field Air Base near Norfolk, Va. I worked there until after World War II was over. I came home and graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne College, and then I started teaching at George Hildebran School for the next 38 years. I began in 1950 and I married Glenn P. Hoyle the same year on Thanksgiving Day. My first class, fourth grade, had 42 students and I made $150 a month and I thought I was rich." She was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn Patterson Hoyle; four brothers, Vance Reynolds of Valdese, Joe Reynolds of Connelly Springs, Paul "Dick" Reynolds of Polkville, and Johnny Reynolds of Connelly Springs; and two sisters, Beatrice Pons of Valdese and Bonnie Walker of Virginia. Survivors include her only child, Patty Lynn Hoyle of Charlotte; two grandsons, Patterson Maharajh and Reynolds Maharajh, and their father, Dr. Garnet D. Maharajh, all of Charlotte; two sisters, Pauline Rudisill of Vale and Josephine Brittain of Connelly Springs; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Reynolds of Connelly Springs; and numerous nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held Wednesday, March 14, at 3 p.m. at St. John Baptist Church with the Revs. Johnny Johnson and Mike Hoyle officiating. Mrs. Hoyle will lie in state for 30 minutes prior to the service. Music will be provided by Tyler Young and Timothy Laxton. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Pallbearers will be Danny Hildebran, Travis Cook, Malcolm Reynolds, John Reynolds, Steve Brittain, Brian Hilde-bran and Kyle Hilde-bran. The family will receive friends today, March 13, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Heritage Funeral Service, Valdese. Memorials may be made to the Hildebran Lions Club, P.O. Box 7, Hildebran, NC 28637. An online guestbook and obituary are available at heritagefuneral services.com. Heritage Funeral Service & Crematory of Valdese is serving the family.