Nora Brooks Pyles

Nora Brooks Pyles passed away Friday, August 31, 2018 after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease.  She was 85.

Visitation will be Saturday, September 1, 2018 from 6:00-8:00PM, McLeighton Funeral Service, Roberta, GA.  The funeral will be held Sunday, September 2, 2018 at 2:00 PM, Bethel United Methodist Church, Sandy Point Road, Crawford County. A graveside service will follow in the church cemetery. The Reverend David Carter will officiate.

Addie Nora Brooks was born March 27, 1933 in Sandersville, GA to Bennie Frank and Fannie Adams Brooks.  After graduating from high school, and at the urging of a cousin who saw her potential, she bravely boarded the Nancy Hanks to travel to Rome, GA to attend Berry College.  She paid her way through college by working in Berry’s laundry and weaving rooms.  While earning her degree in education, she enjoyed singing in the Berry choir. 

Upon graduation from Berry, Miss Brooks moved to Crawford County where she would begin a long teaching career.  It is there that she met and married Malcolm Pyles and became a farmer’s wife.  They eventually moved to Malcolm’s “old home place” and raised their four children.

Mrs. Pyles, after a time of staying at home with her young children, continued to teach second and third grades at Crawford County Elementary School. She was known there as a very strict but very good teacher.  She became an active member of Bethel UMC and directed Vacation Bible School there during her summers off.  She had a heart for the children in the Sandy Point community and often took them to church if they didn’t have a way.

Mrs. Pyles retired early to care for Malcolm during his battle with cancer.  After his death and before her health began to deteriorate, she enjoyed reading (especially her Bible), traveling the United States, and spending time with her grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and her husband, Mrs. Pyles was preceded in death by her brothers, Frank and Lennard Brooks, and her sister Frances Wilcher.

Mrs. Pyles is survived by her children:  Doug and Sue Pyles of Fayetteville, GA, Bryant Pyles of Knoxville, GA, Deborah Hammock of Macon, GA, and Beth and Barry Merritt of Lizella, GA.  She is survived by ten grandchildren:  Brooke Pyles Adams, Zach Pyles, Jessica Pyles Newberry, Wyatt Pyles, Christopher Dodson, Billy Pyles, Christen Hammock, Ethan Hammock, Aubrey Merritt, and Mason Merritt. She is survived by five great grands:  Asa and Montgomery Adams, and Jailyn, Jaclyn, and Jamilyn Newberry.  Additionally, she is survived by a brother, William Brooks of Sandersville GA.

The family wishes to express many thanks to Maxine Word and the staff of Baptist Village who lovingly cared for Mrs. Pyles during the beginning stages of her illness. They also wish to express their appreciation for the exceptional care and love given by the nurses and CNAs at Zebulon Park Health and Rehab where she was affectionately known as “Ma Pyles.”

The family would be honored to have any memorial contributions go to Bethel United Methodist Church or the Methodist Home for Children.

You may sign our online register at www.mcleightonfuneralservice.com

McLeighton Funeral Service of Roberta is in charge of arrangements.

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