Kisiah Talley Lyle

Kisiah Talley Lyle, affectionately know as “Kit,” was born on June 26, 1903 to the late Osborn and Anna Talley in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. She was the youngest daughter in a family of ten children. She departed this life on September 12, 2002 in Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.She received her education in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. She began school at the age of eight because she was too young to make the 45-minute walk each way everyday.Kisiah, having accepted Christ as a youth, continued her devotion to God at Gethsemane Baptist Church for more than 50years. She also served on the deaconess board.When she was twenty years old, she left Virginia and moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she lived with her brother and his wife. She later moved to Baltimore to live with her Aunt Kisiah. She was not happy, but she stayed there and worked as a domestic. At the age of twenty-two she met David Lyle and they were married a year later. Out of this union came nine children: Grace, Marian, Ralph, David, Joseph, James, Louisa, Elissa and Barbara.The joy of her life was her children. She wanted her children to have a better and easier life than she did. She decided that education was the key. Six out of nine children continued their education after high school, and two received their master’s degrees.She raised her children according to God’s Word. She had strength not only for her family, but for others as well. She was a very loving, caring, kind, and personal woman, with a deep concern for others, and was know to travel across state lines to care for sick and elderly. Her family and neighbors affectionately knew her as “Ma”. Family was the most important thing to Kisiah. Another joy was her grandchildren. She enjoyed reading to them and playing ball with them. Enforcing discipline she sometimes used a “ heat to the seat” paddle. Her personal joys involved gardening and puzzle solving. In her last year of life, as her health failed, she found support from family and personal care from her granddaughter Tammara until her death.She leaves to mourn nine children; Grace Patterson (Walter), Marian Stokeling (William), Ralph Lyle, David Lyle (Anna), Joseph Lyle, James Lyle, Louisa Brown (Edward), Elissa Williams (Richard), and Barbara Mock (Mitchell); thirty-three grandchildren, forty-eight great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends.

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Kisiah Talley Lyle

June 26, 1903 - September 12, 2001