Ilah Kathryn Toler's Obituary
Ilah K. Toler, age 87, passed away on January 7 in Plano, Texas, at the memory care facility where she had resided for the past five years.
Ilah was born on August 4, 1938, in Conway, Arkansas, to Sherman and Carrie Hallums. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Ilah is survived by her brother, Jerry Hallums, and his wife, Donna, of Sour Lake, Texas, and by her son, Corey Godfrey, of Plano, Texas.
After moving with her parents to Port Arthur, Texas, Ilah graduated from high school in 1956. She attended Lon Morris Junior College before continuing her education at Lamar University in Beaumont. Later in life, she returned to school at the University of Tulsa, where she worked toward a degree in Business Administration.
Ilah was deeply dedicated to her career. She spent 24 years working for ARCO Oil and Gas before beginning a second career at Bank of Oklahoma, where she worked for 23 years prior to retiring in 2010.
In her free time, Ilah loved gardening, dominating anyone brave enough to challenge her on Words with Friends on her Kindle, and spending time with friends. She maintained a large and close-knit group of friends from her ARCO years, who gathered regularly throughout the year to celebrate birthdays and enjoy one another’s company—often with plenty of pecan pie involved.
The holidays were especially dear to Ilah. Beginning in mid-November, she could be found cooking and baking nonstop until after Christmas. She delighted in making candy and cookies to share with neighbors, coworkers, and family. One holiday season alone, she used five pounds of pecans in her baking—and every bit of it was happily eaten.
Ilah began experiencing dementia in 2017 and moved to Dallas in 2018 to be closer to her son. Though time slowly took many memories, she never lost her fiercely independent spirit. She was deeply loved by the caregivers at her assisted living facility. Upon her passing, the staff lined the hallway in her honor as she left the building for the final time, while “Always On My Mind” by Willie Nelson played in tribute.
Ilah will be deeply missed as a mother, sister, and friend. There are many special women in this world, but she meant the world to all who knew and loved her.
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