Hallie Dye

CROWDER - Hallie Claire Dye, 95, died at 5 a.m. Oct. 12, 2002, at the Cypress Point Nursing Home in Dexter.

Born July 24, 1907, in Crowder, where she lived for most of her life, she was the daughter of the late Walter and Rachel Cunningham Smith. She graduated from Vanduser High School and began her teaching career in the elementary school at Crowder in the fall of the same year. Mrs. Dye continued to teach while continuing her education. She received a bachelor of arts degree and teaching credentials from the Cape Girardeau State Teachers College. It was during this time that the Crowder School closed and she relocated to the Sikeston Public School District, where she was a first grade teacher until her retirement. Her teaching career spanned 44 years and she came from a line of school teachers including her mother, Rachel Smith; her sister, Ruby Yokley; and her grandfather, William Sullivan.

On Dec. 28, 1927, she married Carl William Dye. They were married for nearly 54 years when her husband passed away on Nov. 27, 1981. Hallie and Carl traveled to every state in the United States and Canada, taking a trip every summer where she gathered many things to bring back into the classroom when school started again. That, along with fishing, was one of their favorite pastimes.

She did a lot to help other people and often mentioned that she had a wonderful life and that if she could do it again, she wouldn't miss doing a single thing that she had experienced. She was loved by many people and will be sorely missed by her family, friends and many, many students who passed through her classroom. May they have a first grade classroom for her in heaven.

Hallie is survived by one nephew, Wilbur C. Smith of Central Point, Ore.; and two nieces, Mary Jane Holman of Festus and Naomi Hilpipre of Merced, Calif.

Also preceding her in death were two brothers, Eldon Smith and Wilbur Smith; her sister, Ruby Yokley; and eight nephews, Walter Yokley, Jack D. Yokley, Charles S. Yokley, Eldon W. Smith, Gene Smith, Byron Smith, Robert G. Smith and Richard Smith.

Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel, where services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Woodrow Phillips, minister of the Morehouse Church of Christ, will officiate.

Burial will follow in Garden of Memories Cemetery.

Paid obituary