Memorial services for Elaine Sylvester Smyly, 85, of Leland will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 17 at St. James Catholic Church, Leland with Father Charles Buccantini officiating. She died Sunday, January 11 at her home surrounded by family in the care of Delta Regional Hospice nurse Tracy O’neal and personal care tech Sarah Cooperwood. Burial will be in Hollandale Cemetery under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Leland.
Elaine was born in Paducah, KY to Johnny and Lola Sylvester two years before moving to Catchings, MS where she graduated from Catchings High School in 1947. In 1950 she began working in insurance in Hollandale and retired at the age of 83 due to health issues. Elaine was also a notary public. She moved to Leland in 1973 where she was a longtime member of St. James Catholic Church. She loved attending her grandson’s baseball games, sewing, and crocheting. She was loved by all who knew her and will be dearly missed.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, Wallace Steve Boykin and Maxie Smyly, her sisters, Virginia Stanley and Elizabeth Wheeler and a stepson, James Maxie Smyly. She is survived by 2 sons, Frederick Layne Boykin and wife Kathy of Leland, and their four children, Dey (Carder), Stevie, Layne, and Cayne; David Franklin Boykin and wife Brenda of Crystal Springs and their four children, Lindi, Chris, Elizabeth, and David, Jr.; step-children, Debra Magee and husband Randy of Leland and their three children, Owen, Bryce, and Mitchell, John Smyly and wife Angela of Pontotoc and their two children, Bryan and Matt, and Joe Smyly of Anguilla; step daughter-in-law, Carol Smyly of Sevierville, TN and her two children, Ryan and Raven. She is also survived by sister-in-law and best friend, Hattie Myrle Pugh and 20 great grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Delta Regional Home Health and Hospice, P. O. Box 5247, Greenville, MS 38701 or to Sonrise Ministries, Attn: Children’s Home, P. O. Box 180336, Mobile, AL 36618 (www.sonrise.ministries.org).