Lyla Mae Folston

Lyla Folston, who passed away peacefully at age 101, was born in the Kahler Basin, near Lone Rock. Her parents were R.T. and Laura Emma Brown. Her father owned sawmills. As a young girl Lyla lived at home with her folks and three older siblings - two brothers and one sister. The Browns led a homesteader's life, with no electricity, straw mattresses, a large garden, a milk cow and chickens and refrigeration from ice drawn from the local streams and rivers.

In 1926, Lyla married her first husband, Claude Frizzell, and lived in Antone. In 1929, the Frizzell's only child, Billy, was born. Billy died at 14 months of a respiratory illness. After this loss, Lyla and Claude moved to Barnhouse Basin, between Mountain Creek and Dayville, where they built a home and an attached gas station and café. In the 1940s, the couple moved to Mitchell, where they lived until Claude's death in 1966. During this time, Lyla worked at the Post Office and later at a local market.

In 1968, Lyla married Delbert (Deb) Folston, and the couple moved to Sisters. For years both worked at Ruth's Café, now The Gallery Restaurant. Deb died in the mid 1990's, and in 1999 Lyla moved from her home in Sisters to Brookside House in Redmond.

Lyla has touched many people in her life; she was always close at hand to help friends, family and neighbors, especially during times of illness and need. Young children and teenagers loved Lyla. At her 100th birthday party many whom she took care of while she lived in Mitchell thanked her for all her kindnesses. She loved family and friends dearly.

Lyla is survived by several grand-nieces and grand-nephews. The closest living relatives are her grand-niece, Diane Campbell of Sisters, and her grand-nephew, Wayne Campbell of Redmond.