Herrington Land of Memory Funeral Home
1929-2022
Our brave and beautiful Mother fell gently into the loving arms of Jesus on Wednesday evening, June 1, 2022, at the age of 92.
Known to her family as Little Lady, MeMe, MeeMaw, Auntie, and Sister, our Mother was born in Palestine, Texas on November 20, 1929, to Marion Lee Boyd and Ima Lucile Sutton Boyd. After graduating from Palestine High School, she attended Stephens College before transferring to Southern Methodist University where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. It was at SMU that she met her future husband, Tucker K. Royall, on a blind date. They married in 1950 and moved to Palestine where our father worked at the Royall National Bank, founded by his great-grandfather in 1873. Their first child, Rebecca, was born in 1951 followed by Tucker in 1954 and Frances in 1956.
Following our father's untimely death in 1976, Mother found love again and married our precious stepfather, Ted Maffitt. What a Godsend he was for us! His wonderful children, Andrea (Paul) Morris, Angela Woodard (Woody), Stuart Ann Fox (Lyndon), and Allison Maffitt became our stepsisters adding more grandchildren and great-grandchildren to our family.
Mother is survived by her three children, Rebecca Royall of Dallas, Texas, Tucker Boyd Royall, Sr. of Palestine, Texas, and Frances Royall Alexander (Bobby) of Park City, Utah; her five grandchildren, Tucker Royall, Jr. (Caitlin), Andrew Royall (fiance Alyssa), Nathan Royall (Mattie), Lucy and Royall Sidford; four great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Sutton, Tucker III, and Millie Royall; and grand-dogs, Cody Joe, Shimmer, Tango, Bella, Lu Lu, Madison, Lily Grace, and Taylyn.
Mother was preceded in death by her mother and father, Lucile and Marion Boyd; her younger sister, Marion Boyd Baker and brother-in-law, Rhodes S. Baker, III; her first husband, Tucker Kimball Royall; her second husband, Theodore S. Maffitt, Jr.; her daughter-in-law, Debra S. Royall; and her great niece, Elizabeth Anne Worsham.
The family would like to thank Dr. Michael Gorby, M.D. and staff, Hospice Plus, her hospice nurse Victor Posada, hospice aide Ty Henderson, and her devoted caregivers Annie Clark, Margaret Harmon, Kisha Stotts, Donna Scott, and Christina Smith.
A funeral service will be held at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 106 E. Crawford Street, Palestine, Texas, at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, with burial to follow at East Hill Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Herrington/Land of Memory Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Tucker Royall, Jr., Andrew Royall, Nathan Royall, Royall Sidford, Rhodes Baker IV, Rhodes Baker V, Joe Worsham, Paul Morris, Joe Ed Johnston, Cliff Davis, Bobby Alexander, Ted Woodard, Samuel Woodard, Jon Paul Morris, and Jeremiah Morris.
We will miss you forever our darling, courageous, classy, mischievous, funny Mother. We are grateful that you loved us so deeply. Thank you for all that you taught us and for always believing in us. Rest in God's Peace, Little Lady.
Donations in our Mother's name may be made to St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Fund for the Poor, 106 E. Crawford, Palestine, Texas 75801; We Care Palestine, P.O. Box 3468, Palestine, Texas, 75802; and Casa of Trinity Valley, P.O. Box 2259, Athens, Texas, 75751.
View online: www.herringtonfuneral.com.
LINKS
The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasmorningnews.com
Memories
Gallery
Guestbook