Gail Jeanine (Lord) Lierly, 76, of Augusta, Illinois went to be with her beloved Savior whom she knew and loved deeply, on Thursday May 24, 2018 surrounded by her family. Born September 29, 1941, she was the oldest daughter of the late Clyde F. & late Lois V. O’Harrow Lord. She was united in marriage to Bryan Lierly on June 6, 1959.
He survives. Gail lived her childhood years in Augusta attending schools there and graduating in 1959. After marrying, the couple resided in Galesburg, IL.
Later, they lived in Waynesville, MO from 1961-1963 while her husband was stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood. Upon his discharge, the couple moved to Moline, IL where later Gail was a busy stay-at-home mom with three children.
The Lierly’s moved to Augusta when they purchased the Lord Insurance Agency. Gail worked in the insurance office from 1975 until 1986. In the early 1980’s Gail enrolled in JWCC art classes and discovered her passion for drawing and painting.
Afterwards, she joined a few local painting classes and did many drawings and paintings for family and friends. This opened another career door for her in the mid-1980 as she was hired by Jack’s in Quincy to work in its Art Department to draw their weekly ads. She was one of the first to learn and produce Jack’s ads using Photoshop.
While working at Jack’s for 11 years, many of those she worked with became her life-long friends. In the mid-1990’s, she was hired by Media Call, an advertising design agency, in Macomb, IL. Gail worked there for over eight years and advanced to Manager over the agency’s staff.
She retired in 2004. Gail then began still another career of flipping houses in Keokuk, Colchester and Augusta for several more years with a very dear friend. The work was intensely hard and incredibly dirty, but very rewarding to her creatively and personally.
Throughout her life she also had a deep love of music that started from playing the piano at an early age and continued on through her entire life. For the past 50 years she has served continuously in her local churches as a Choir Director, a pianist or keyboardist, a singer in church ensembles, and directing the church choir in beautiful Cantatas during Christmas and Easter seasons and other special occasions. She has been a Sunday school teacher in every church she attended, a Kay Arthur Bible Study leader for many years, and led many bible studies in the Augusta-Plymouth communities.
Gail had a faithful, life-long passion for serving Jesus through singing, witnessing, teaching, and serving at each church she attended. Being an involved and caring grandmother was so special to her. And when her great-grandchildren began to arrive, she found herself getting to relive the fun, innocent adventures of little ones all over again, much to her delight.
Gail had a wide circle of friends and neighbors whom she loved, and enjoyed their visits and calls. She always looked forward to visiting with her high school girlfriends monthly at Panera to celebrate one of their birthdays. Gail was a compassionate, helpful wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend, who was loved dearly and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Surviving besides her husband, Bryan, are three children: Jeff (Leslie) Lierly of Redding, CA; Kris (John) Jefferson of Augusta, IL; and Kelly (Eric) Kim of Sebastopol, CA. Twelve grandchildren: Zack Lierly of Sacramento, CA; Kayla Lierly, Wyatt Lierly, Kyra Lierly, of Redding, CA; Bryan (Melanie) Jefferson of Marion, IA; Kari Jefferson of Carthage, IL; Tim Jefferson of Mattoon, IL; Cody Jefferson of Nashville, TN; Michelle Jefferson of Pittsfield, IL; Lloyd Dobbs of, Belleville, IL; Zoelie and Jett Kim of Sebastopol, CA. Five great-grandchildren: Kylin, Grant, Eden Jefferson and Christine Jefferson and Carter Mayo.
Two sisters: Lynn (Brian) Fleming of Quincy, IL; and Connie (Terry) Paben of La Prairie, IL. Five nephews: John Fleming of Morton, IL; Matt Paben of Camp Point, IL, Greg Paben of Golden, IL; Joe Paben and Robert Paben of La Prairie, IL. One niece: Cindy (Rob) Scheiter of Camp Point, IL; and a dear friend Mavis Jefferson The family would like to thank Dr. Ali and the staff of the Cancer Center at Blessing Hospital, the Blessing Hospital Oncology staff, Dr. Romee and his former staff of the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St Louis and UnityPoint Hospice Care staff for their compassion and excellent care of Gail.
She was preceded in death by her parents. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm Sunday May 27, 2018 at the Hamilton Funeral Home in Augusta, IL. Burial will be in Woodlawn cemetery in Augusta.
Visitation will be held from Noon until the time of services Sunday at the Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Plymouth. The Hamilton Funeral Home in Augusta, IL is handling arrangements.
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