Features Editor

There is no doubt in the minds of the membership of Banks Baptist Church that Lois Brantley was a Christian. They knew it by her love.

As a lasting tribute to this "kind, gentle and loving lady," the members of the adult Sunday school class dedicated their classroom to the memory of Lois Brantley during the Sunday morning worship service.

"Miss Lois was a dearly loved lady in her church and in her community," said Buren Thompson, who conducted the dedication service. "I got to know Miss Lois when I was driving a school bus and she was teaching at Pike County Elementary School. She was an outstanding teacher and she had love and concern for her students. She wanted the best for them. They all loved her and she had a good relationship with all the teachers. She was one of the most dedicated teachers I have ever known."

When Thompson and his wife started to church at Banks Baptist Church, he said Mrs. Brantley was there to welcome them with open arms.

"She was devoted to her church and her church family and I am so proud to have been a part of her family," Thompson said. "All of us have memories of Miss Lois that we will always cherish. She was a faithful member of this church and she loved her Lord."

Mrs. Brantley daughter Martha Fleming also spoke of her mother’s love – for her family, her friends and, most of all, for the Lord.

Mrs. Brantley was known as a talented artist who painted in oils, but her speciality was china painting.

"And she was a master teacher," Mrs. Fleming said. "She believed that all children could read. And they did. She never let them be satisfied with doing less than their best. Her students are now grown with children and grandchildren of their own, but wherever we went, people would stop her and thank her for the strong foundation she gave them."

Mrs. Brantley was a great cook and always received raves for homemade apple pies which she decorated with designs in the crust.

Whatever the occasion, Mrs. Brantley would cut an appropriate design in the pie – a flag for patriotic holidays, a candy cane for Christmas, a heart for Valentine’s Day and a "B" for her little grandson Ben’s birthday.

"Ben would always run to see if mother had put a ‘B’ on the pie for him," Mrs. Brantley said.

Each person who knew Lois Brantley has a special memory of her.

"And none of us will ever forget her and what she meant to her church, her community, her family and her friends," Thompson said. " It is comforting for us to know that when our time comes, that Miss Lois will be standing and waiting to welcome us with open arms to our heavenly home just as she always did here on earth."