Mrs. Sylvia Toler Lewis, age 68, a resident of 300 Tolers Ave., Blounts Creek, N.C., died Monday, May 9, 2011, at Pitt County Memorial Hospital.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 12, 2011, at Smyrna Original Free Will Baptist Church officiated by Rev. Joel Cannon. Burial will follow in the Toler Family Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Terry Hodges, Dean Toler, Jeffrey Harding, Larry Thomas, Fred Porter and Dennis Mayo.

Mrs. Sylvia was born in Beaufort County on Oct. 14, 1942, daughter of the late Dean Wilbert Toler and the late Reba Paramore Toler. She attended Aurora High School and married Joseph Edward “Joe” Lewis Jr. on Aug. 22, 1958, who preceded her in death on Jan. 24, 2007. Mrs. Sylvia worked in sales at Eastern Optical of Washington and was a homemaker.  She was a member of Smyrna Original Free Will Baptist Church where she led the children’s choir, directed many seasonal plays and coordinated their annual youth fun day. Her church benefited by her being a Sunday School teacher, Bible School coordinator and treasurer of the ladies auxiliary.

Survivors include a daughter: Deborah L. Griffin and her husband Greg of Greenville; two sons: Ray Lewis and his wife Debra of Blounts Creek and Roy Lewis and his wife Allison of Greenville; a sister: Sandra T. Mayo and her husband Sam of Blounts Creek; three brothers: Joe Toler and his wife Audrey of Washington, Dallas Toler and his wife Faye of Blounts Creek and Gary Toler and his wife Dorothy of Chocowinity; four grandchildren: Stephanie Porter, Samuel Griffin, Amie Lewis and Lindsay Lewis and three great-grandchildren: Jaden Spain, Alex Spain and Allie Jo Porter. Mrs. Sylvia was preceded in death by a brother Glenn “Bill” Toler and a sister Fray T. Sheler.

The family will receive friends from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington and at other times at Mrs. Sylvia’s home.

Flowers are welcome and appreciated and the family kindly asks that any memorial contributions be made to Smyrna Original Free will Baptist Church, Building Fund, P.O. Box 62, Blounts Creek, NC 27814.

Condolences may be offered by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.

Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Lewis family.

Paid Obituary