Ozella Hunt Lilly of Paris || Obituary

Ozella Hunt Lilly was born on July 22, 1920 and passed away on June 8, 2023 in Paris.  She was born in Chattanooga, Ok, the daughter of Alva Lee and Velma Bills Hunt.

She married Luther Lilly on July 12, 1937, in Brownsville, and they celebrated seventy-one years of marriage. Together, they were blessed with three children: a son, Kenneth Lilly, and two daughters, Janice Mosley and Velma Skelton.

The family relocated to Paris in 1951 and became members of the Lamar Avenue Church of Christ. Ozella dedicated several years to teaching the fourth-grade Sunday School class and also contributed to Vacation Bible and Latch Key programs. On June 29, 2003, she was honored, along with three other ladies, for her many years of dedicated service as a Bereaved Family Food Coordinator—a job she loved, but eventually had to give up due to health reasons.

Ozella was an active member of AARP, where she served as secretary and participated in various committees. She was also a former member of the McCuistian Auxiliary, where she worked in the snack bar. Additionally, she worked at the Good Housekeeping Shoppe, handling bookkeeping and sales.

Family gatherings and holidays were especially cherished by Ozella, and she took great pleasure in cooking for her loved ones. Playing dominoes and bridge were among her favorite pastimes.

She is survived by her children, Kenneth Lilly and his wife Ginny of Richardson, Janice and her husband Freddie of Paris, nine grandchildren (including two step-grandchildren), eighteen great-grandchildren (including four step-grandchildren), four great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Ozella was preceded in death by her husband Luther, her parents, her daughter Velma Lee Skelton, and her sisters Vera Chamberlain and Era Wisdom, as well as her brother Jimmy Lee Hunt.

A visitation with friends and family will be Saturday, June 17 from 12 – 1 p.m. Services will begin at 1 p.m. at Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home. Burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery.