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Submitted: 1/3/16 • Approved: 1/4/16 • Last Updated: 3/25/18 • R97379-G97379-S3
William Mar. 20, 1921 - Nov 24, 1988
See his Military Marker
Ellen Feb 17, 1922 - May 21, 2010
Born in Mountain Springs, Cooke County, Texas
and died in Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas
Daughter of George Washington Lillared (1901 - 1968) and Julia Mae Newton Lillard (1901 - 1972)
Child William Troy, Jr (1940 - 1998)
*Obituary
Irene was born February 17, 1922, in Mountain Springs to the late George Washington Lillard and Julia Newton Lillard. She attended the Mountain Springs School and then graduated from Gainesville High School in 1938. She married William Troy Bryant on September 2, 1939. The next year, they celebrated the birth of their first son, Troy Jr. George came four years later, then Harold and David. After the four boys, they had three daughters, Tamera, Karen, and Jo Ellen.
In 1950, they bought the first of several parcels of land that became Five Oaks Farm.
Irene was a stay-at-home mom for many years. During that time, she also enrolled at Cooke County Junior College and taught Sunday School and served as president of the Women's Missionary Union at Calvary Baptist Church. In the 1960s, she went to work in the Cooke County Tax Collector's Office and then in the Assessor's Office. She was elected Cooke County Treasurer in 1968 and served in that office for 18 years. While in office, she worked successfully to raise not only the salary level of women officials to one comparable to the salary that men were receiving but also the level of respect given to women officials. She was extremely proud of the contributions she made to the county and its finances.
Irene was also active in Business and Professional Women, Soroptimist Club, and Cooke County Democratic Club.
Irene is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Troy, her son Troy Jr., two sisters, Betty Duke and Delsie Lillard, and three brothers, J.W., Kenneth, and Archie Lillard.
Contributed on 1/3/16 by pickincotton26
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Record #: 97379