A service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Hopewell Freewill Baptist Church for Lela Belle Whitmire, 82, Coleman, lifelong resident of Johnston County, who died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007, at Durant. Bro. Randy Tadlock will officiate. Skip Robinson will assist.

Lela was born June 25, 1925, in Bromide to Richard Newman and Lola (Gregory) Blevins. She married Joseph Riley Whitmire in Durant on May 14, 1941. She was a loving wife and mother, and friend to those she met. She was retired after 33 years at Potter's Sausage Company. She enjoyed fishing, hunting, square dancing and spending time with her large family.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her loving husband, Joseph Riley Whitmire, brother, Robert Blevins, son-in-law Don Hokett, grandson Michael Carman, and great-grandson, Garrett Morgan.

She is survived by her son, Richard Whitmire and wife Shirley of Coleman; daughters, Pat Watson and husband Jack of Caney, Jolene Capshaw and husband David of Calera, Carolyn Hokett of Coleman, Kathy Morgan of Colbert, Shirley Carman and husband Kenneth of Wapanucka, and Sheila Ammons and husband Steve of Durant; 27 grandchildren; 49 great-grandchildren; and 12 great-great-grandchildren; brothers Richard Clifford Blevins of Garden Grove, California, Kenneth David Blevins of Fort Worth, Texas; and sister, Willie Lovena Moore of Bentley.

Family hour will be today from 6 - 7 p.m. at Coffey-Murray Funeral Home.

Burial will be in Center Hill Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be her grand-son-in-laws, John Layton, Scott Burkett, Keith Ridgway, Montie Lawless, Teddy Clements, Stacy Bryant, John Riley and James Culbreath.

Coffey~Murray Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.