Lela M Vales

Lela was born in Brave, PA on January 31, 1928 to Harry and Mary Burris and grew up in Fredericktown, MO. She graduated from Fredericktown High School and went on to attend Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO. She married and raised her children in Cahokia, IL.
Lela worked for many years at Liberty Loan Corp. and Southwestern Bell Corp. Finally retiring from Southwestern Bell in 1995 at the age of 67.
She spent her first 15 years of retirement living on her family farm in Fredericktown, MO and working part-time for Town and Country Store and Walmart, until she moved to Wentzville, MO in 2010 to be closer to her family. She finally retired "again" from Walmart in 2015 at the age of 87.
Lela was an avid gardener and enjoyed spending all of her free time outdoors. She loved animals of all kinds and enjoyed raising and rescuing them. Lela was very religious and loved studying the Bible and spending time with her friends at First Baptist Church of Lake St Louis.
Lela also enjoyed reading, sewing, traveling and spending time with her family. She never met a stranger and always had a smile on her face. She was truly loved and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Humane Society of Missouri or Five Acres Animal Shelter.
She was preceded in death by her father, Harry R Burris Sr., mother Mary Burris, brother Harry R Burris Jr., sister Edith Dean, daughter Carlin Ann King and son-in-law Floyd Armstrong.
She is survived by her brother Dr. Edwin Burris and his wife Marjorie, sister-in-law Ruth Burris, son Alvin King and his wife Debbie, daughter Mary Bostic, daughter Charlene Salyers and her husband Rod and numerous; nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
Visitation will be January 20, 2019 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm at Newcomer Cremation, Funerals & Receptions 837 Mid Rivers Mall Dr. St Peters, MO. Funeral service will start at 3:00pm at the funeral home.