Lyla Lee (Derry) Alexander

Lyla Lee (Derry) Alexander, a resident of Country Club Village in Hot Springs, Ark., died at the age of 94 on Sun., April 10, 2016 at the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Center in Little Rock, Ark. Lyla Lee was born the second of three daughters on Sept. 30, 1921, in Princeton, Mo., to Francis and Hazel (Higgins) Derry. Her sisters, Ledonnia Jones and Cora Margaret Moyer, preceded her in death, as did her husband of thirty-two years, Ross Alexander, Jr. of Mercer, Mo. Prior to moving to Hot Springs, Lyla Lee lived in West Memphis for 48 years, where she worked at the Bank of West Memphis, was a member and officer of Altrusa International, and was a member of Rosewood Methodist Church. She enjoyed yard work and was proud of her well-manicured lawn on Arlington Drive for over three decades. She is survived by her daughters, De Lyla Alexander Spaid (Dallas, Texas), and Dana Alexander (Arlington, Tenn.) and sons: Doug and his wife Chris (Atlanta, Ga.), Dwight and his wife Simone (Fairhope, Ala.), Drew and his wife Twylla (Jersey City, N.J.), Dulles and his wife Margo (Austin, Texas), and Dempsey and his partner Todd Snow (Hot Springs Village, Ark.) She was the proud grandmother of 12 grandchildren: USMC Lt. Col Wes Spaid;, Jeff and Steve Alexander; Erica Martini, Andrew and Tip Alexander; Reverend Jason Alexander, Elizabeth Alexander, and Katherine Lewis; Brooke Choate and Ben Alexander; and Abraham Alexander. She is also survived by 15 adoring great-grandchildren. A service celebrating Lyla Lee's life will be scheduled in the coming weeks. Thanks goes to the staff of Country Club Village for filling the final two years of Lyla Lee's life with community and caring. Great appreciation goes to the dedicated teams at Hot Springs National Park Hospital and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Center, to which she donated her body for research. Family and friends will long remember this matriarch as a true steel magnolia whose strength, determination and love of family served as a lifelong inspiration for all. Her common refrain, "It always works out for the best," provides much comfort following her passing. Contributions in her memory can be made to Our House, Hope for the Working Homeless, P.O. Box 34155 Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or the Derry Award at Princeton High School, 1008 E. Coleman St., Princeton, Mo. 64673. Condolences to the family may be sent in care of The Alexander Family at 1 Onda Lane, Hot Springs Village, Ark.71909.