Call to Order Flowers by Phone 1-888-579-7953 Code: 2003246P Emma Lillard was born October 25, 1918 as the sixth of twelve children born to the union of Huston and Nancy (Jarrett) Lillard. She grew up in Holly Grove, Arkansas, and received her education at Pleasant Grove School in Phillips County. She married Joseph Gray and reared a family before moving to St. Louis. Emma was affectionately known as E.L. by many. She confessed her faith in Christ through baptism at an early age and throughout the years actively practiced her faith through membership and fellowship in various church homes, with Hopewell M. B. Church being her last and permanent church home. She loved her church and faithfully attended until prevented by her illness. She never wanted to miss her Sunday School class, was loyal to Mission, and was faithful in paying her tithes and checking on the sick. E.L. worked in maintenance and domestic work until she became ill. After her first serious illness, she enjoyed a remarkable recovery. And for the most part, she was able to continue for many years doing the things she had previously enjoyed in life: going to church, cooking, reading her Bible, driving her car with her granddaughter at her side, gathering and preserving her own seasonal vegetables along with any one of her friends or sisters, working picture puzzles and Word Find, watching Matlock and Texas Ranger, talking with long-time friends by telephone, and being a library of memories for all who could no longer remember a name, details of an event, or relationships. In other words, she was the one person everyone could count on when wanting to know something of bygone years. For more than the last year and half she was a resident at Christian Care Home and departed this world in Christian Hospital Northeast on Tuesday, August 19, 2014, knowing that she was not alone and that she was loved. During her long life, she was not just a memory-bank but a memory-maker as well. E.L. will truly be missed. Preceding her in death were both parents, two of her eight children, Theodis and Joe Willie, as well as ten siblings. Left to cherish her many memories are: her six children ~ Mary Wells (Pixley, CA), Josephine Oliver-Pope (Tulare, CA), Ruthie Waits and Verben Badgett (Florissant, MO), Henry Graves (St. Louis, MO) and Johnny Gray (North Little Rock, AR); sole surviving sibling ~ Ollie Bailey; 14 grandchildren ~ Michelle Waits, Christopher Weaver, Melody Cox (Matthew), Capucine Milo, Crystal Oliver, Courtney Oliver, Yolonda Gray, Kendrick Gray (Courtney), Keith Gray, Mary Ann Bowman, Diane Wells, David Wells (Lorraine), Johnny Wells (Sylvia), Richelle Fitts; Henry, Joseph, Gwendolyn, Dorothy, Tiarra, Montrel and Brandy Graves; 25 great-grandchildren ~ Krichel Childress, Aaliyah Birge, Alexandria Bloodworth, Taylar and Loryn Damico, Ryan Cox, Megan and Morgan Wells, J. R. and Daryl Jackson, Ashley and Brent Wells, Jackie Jackson, Jarrett and Justin Bowman, Jasmine Whitfield, Kennedy Sorrell, Tiara and Raven Gray; 10 great-great-grandchildren ~ Kaylee Lambert, Jaslynn Harris, Ava and Ignacio Jackson, Daryl Jackson, Jr.; and a host of nieces, nephews, one sister-in-law and other family members and friends.

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