Lydia Edna Randle

Mrs. Lydia Edna Randle. homesteader and early day' school teacher died Wednesday in the Pecos Valley Nursing Home in Fort Sumner, where she had lived since Jan. 1, 1970.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 2 p.m. from the First Methodist Church in Portales, with burial in the Portales cemetery.

She is survived by six children, Jessie John of Angleton, Texas, Vera Murphey of Portales, George Wesley of Placitas, N. M., Hogan Alvin of Angleton, Texas, Grady Lee of Topeka, Kansas and Walter Neal of Albuquerque.

Also surviving are 16 grandchildren and 11 greatgrandchildren; two brothers, David Oscar DuPuy, who lives in California and William Everett DuPuy of Austin, Texas; and by two sisters, Gertie (Mrs. Jim) Taylor of Albuquerque and Eva Davidson of Prescott, Ariz.

Lydia Edna Randle was born on January 29, 1892 to Edward Henry and Mattie Jane DePuy in Hamilton County, Texas. She was the fifth of 16 children.

Her father moved the family to New Mexico in 1909, and homesteaded in the New Hope community. She and three older sisters also established homestead claims nearby, and she was able to spend the required time on the claim while teaching school because the school terms were so short.

When Lydia was 16, she passed the state examination required for certification as a schoolteacher. She taught for eight years in Roosevelt county and West Texas before she married.

During this time she was able to attend "Normal School" at Canyon, Texas for a short time.

She married John Peyton Randle on November, 30, 1916. In 1927 they left O'Donnell and lived for less than a year at Sterling, Texas, for a little over a year at Richland Springs; and for about six months at Wall. Then they returned to Sterling City and remained there until 1936 when she and the children moved to Portales so the oldest son could attend Eastern New Mexico Junior College.

For a time Mrs. Randle supervised a nursery school in north Portales. Then she became visiting teacher for the, Portales public schools and served in that capacity for about 12 years before retirement. She also served for several years as juvenile officer for Roosevelt County.

She was for many years a member of Eastern Star and was a member of both Woe, National and New Mexico Education Associations until retirement. She was active in church work as long as she was able, and was a life-long member of the Methodist Church.

The Rev. David Shaw, pastor of the First United Methodist Church, will be in charge of the service Friday. Sons and grandsons will be pallbearers, and honorary pallbearers will be Dr. M. G. Hunt, David Marley, D. B. Stone, Dr. Albert Betina, Wylie Cox, Lloyd Jackson, Robert Dunn, Gerald Smith and Frank Harper.

The body will lie in state at Wheeler Mortuary until noon Friday. The casket will not be opened at the church.

Her daughter, Mrs. Paul Murphey, suggests that friends may honor Mrs. Randle with contributions to the church, or to a favorite charity.

"It should be noted the correct name of her father is Edmond Henry DuPuy."