WANITA FAYE (SHEPHERD) LYONS

Wanita Faye (Shepherd) Lyons, 85, of Melbourne, Florida, formerly of Holden, MO, passed away on Thursday, October 14, 2021, at Vitas Hospice in Melbourne, Florida.

She was born Sunday, October 27, 1935, in Deepwater, Missouri, and was the daughter of the late Leander Shepherd and the late Annis (Bray) Shepherd.

Wanita was the wife of the late Bill Lyons.

Wanita grew up in Clinton, MO and graduated from Clinton high School.

She moved to Holden, MO in 1955 and had five sons with her first husband, Wayne Carter.

She worked as a nurse and had a long career working for the Holden Manor Care Center, as well as Western Missouri Medical Center in Warrensburg.

Wanita was an active mother caring for five sons.

She never missed a sporting or school event.

She enjoyed large family gatherings and big family dinners.

She always maintained a garden, reaping the harvests of her hard work and loved canning her bounty of vegetables.

In 2001, she married Bill Lyons after meeting at a local dance.

She and Bill enjoyed attending local dances and loved caring for their farm animals.

After Bill’s death, Wanita relocated to Florida for warmer weather.

Wanita was a member of the Rebekah Lodge 297 and a member of the Calhoun United Methodist Church.

Surviving are four sons, John (Juanita) Carter of Pleasant Hill, MO, Claude (Victoria) Carter of Melbourne, FL, James (Monica) Carter of Holden, Neil (Sally) Carter of Holden; one sister, Virginia Marshall of Columbia, MO; seven grandchildren, Dexter, Jolie, Jasper, Jessie, David, Doug, Jaramia; and seven great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bill; son, Robert Carter, three sisters, Roberta Williams, Elda Johnson and Thelma Phillips.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 22, 2021, with Rev. Margie Briggs officiating at Campbell-Cast Funeral Home, located at 407 S. Pine St. Holden, Missouri 64040.

A visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral. Interment will follow in the Holden Cemetery.

Casket bearers will be James Carter, John Carter, Neil Carter, David Carter, Jasper Carter and Dennis Corkran.

Honorary casket bearers will be Dexter Carter and Doug Carter.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.castfuneralhome.com.