Lila Lawton

Lila Mae Lawton, daughter of Lyle Charles Oakes and Cora Amanda Parker Oakes, was born September 8, 1938 at the Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson, Iowa, and died July 4, 2004 at the Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, Iowa at the age of 65 years, 9 months, and 26 days. Lila grew up in the Churdan, Iowa area and attended a country school until she turned seven and her family moved to Jefferson, Iowa. She attended Jefferson Grade and High School and graduated with the Class of 1956. After graduating from high school she attended the Iowa State Teachers College which is now the University of Northern Iowa with a two year teaching degree in 1958. On August 16, 1958 Lila was united in marriage to James Lawton at the Methodist Church in Jefferson. They were the parents of three children: Lora, Lisa, and Leah. They made their home outside of Paton, Iowa and then Grand Junction. Lila taught from 1958 to 1969 in the Paton-Churdan Elementary School in Paton. From 1969 to 1975, they lived in the Ames area and Lila taught in the North Polk School system. In 1975, Lila and James moved to Boxholm, Iowa where Lila became James office manager for his new Veterinary Clinic until 1985. From 1985 to 2002, Lila went on the road with James and together they drove a truck. Lila loved doing family genealogy, having a flower garden and crossword puzzles. She also liked to crochet and became known for making little gifts and leaving them for people on their travels. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Boxholm, Iowa, Greene County Genealogy Society, Iowa Genealogy Society, Iowa Lincoln Highway Association, Westside Guild, the United Methodist Women (Joy Circle), and the Boxholm Community Club. Lila was preceded in death by her parents Lyle and Cora Oakes, her daughter Leah Leone, and her father-in-law: John Lawton. She is survived by her husband James Lawton of Boxholm, Iowa; her daughters: Lora Farris and her husband Richard of Nashville, Tennessee, and Lisa Lawton and her husband Ulises Segovia of Boxholm, Iowa; her son: Robert Lawton of Des Moines, Iowa; her foster daughter: Kim Jepsen Peppin and her husband Robert of Stuart, Iowa; her foster sons: Charles Tilley III and his wife Amy of Paullina, Iowa, and Mattau Tilley of Des Moines, Iowa; three grandchildren: James, John, and Leah Segovia of Boxholm, Iowa; 3 sisters: Irene Crone and her husband Dallas of Laurens, Iowa, Anna Diekmann and her husband Roy of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Judy Dahlin and her husband Leland of Cedar Falls, Iowa; 2 brothers: Glen Oakes and his wife Nancy of Cherokee Village, Arkansas, and Roger Oakes and his wife Susan of Milo, Iowa; her mother-in-law: Isabelle Lawton Godwin of Jefferson, Iowa Hastings Funeral Home in Jefferson was in charge of arrangements.