Grace Lechlider - Obituary

race Inez Lechlider, a 14-year resident of Olive Branch, MS and previously of Waldorf, MD, passed away at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto after a brief illness, on Friday, April 3, 2015. Grace was born September 5, 1928 in Nelson County, VA, to the late John and Hester Phillips. She completed her education in Nelson County. Her 39-year career was spent as a clerk and cashier with Safeway Food Stores. She was a member of VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Post 5471 and Whitehall Baptist Church in Accokeek, MD until she moved to Olive Branch, MS, where she was a member of Longview Heights Baptist Church and was actively involved in the Good News Sunday school class, where she served as Caregiver Leader and Social Coordinator. She took great joy in not being idle and was always working on one project or another. Grace is survived by her husband, Clyde T. Lechlider and daughter, Patricia Ann Small and husband Bobby Joe of Falls Church, VA and Daughter-in-law Carla Painter, as well as 5 grandchildren: Bobby Small, Jr. and wife Virginia of Littleton, CO; Medena (Dena) Jones of Falls Church, VA; Joshua Small of Richmond, VA; Jason Painter and wife Connie of Welcome, VA; Carrie Sager and husband Mike of Mechanicsville, MD and 8 great-grandchildren: Taylor Small and Keely Small of Littleton, CO; Patrisha (Noel) Jones of Stephens City, VA; Austin Jones of Berryville, VA; Wesley and Dustin Painter of Welcome, MD; and Dominic and Lily Sager of Mechanicsville, MD. Grace is also survived by four stepchildren: Melissa Kennedy of Hephzibah, GA; Lorraine Bartholomew and husband Graham Bartholomew of Waldorf, MD; Dorothy “Dot” Horstman and husband Jim of Lake Worth, FL; and Jaime Yanes, Jr. and wife Celeste of Collierville, TN. In addition she is survived by 12 step-grandchildren and 10 step-great-grandchildren: Michael Kennedy and wife Tamara of Martinez, GA, and children Brandon Kennedy of Lakeview, WA, Alyssa and Kimmie Kennedy of Martinez, GA; Michelle Hixson and husband Brian and children Dontavia, Tiara and Alicia Moore of Augusta, GA; Christine Harris and husband Lester and children Brittany, Deja, Lester Jr., and Izauh Kennedy of Augusta, GA; James and Brooke Horstman of Lake Worth, FL; Christopher Yanes of Collierville, TN; Evan Yanes and wife Elena of Germantown, TN; and Katelyn Yanes of Nashville, TN. Grace was preceded in death by her former husbands; Willard Austin Painter (1967) and Robert Lawrence Couch (1996); her son, Leonard Austin Painter (March 17, 2015) of Pomfret, MD; and her great-grandson Jordan Xavier Jones (2006). Friends are invited to Grace’s Life Celebration on Friday, April 10 from 10:30 a.m. until time of funeral service at 12:30p.m. at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 6160 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill, MD. Interment to immediately follow at Trinity Memorial Gardens in Waldorf, MD. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association.