GREENVILLE — Lola Irene Bearden, 84, longtime resident of Commerce went to meet her maker on Aug. 5, 2012, in Commerce. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Coker-Mathews Funeral Home chapel  with Pastor Johnnie Henderson officiating. Burial will follow at Memoryland Memorial Park in Greenville (in lieu of a graveside ceremony, a short preliminary ceremony will take place after the funeral service at the funeral home due to the extreme heat).  

Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.    

She was born Jan. 3, 1928, in Cumby, daughter of Frank Lee and Ida McVay Dicken. She attended public school at Miller Grove School from elementary through high school.  

She grew up in and around the Miller Grove community. She later met Murray Eugene (Tooter) Bearden, whom she married on Jan. 20, 1946. She and Tooter went on to have one son, Bobby Bearden. She spent most of her life being a housewife and mother and did work at various times, helping with the dairy, working at Shirey’s and Haggars’ clothing companies in Greenville, and much later working for 10 years for Walmart in Commerce.

Irene will be remembered, especially by her family, as a loving, thoughtful and caring mother who provided to all that unconditional love, a shoulder to cry on, someone to talk to and always advice on whatever they needed to do in just about any situation. Being of a farming family, she was involved in all of the work around the farm, including hoeing and picking cotton and helping manage a dairy and still having time to be a mom.

Irene loved her grandson and great-grandchildren every bit as much as her own children. She bragged to everyone about them. She was blessed in many ways to get to see her great-grandchildren grow up. She always had a purse full of pictures to show. Seldom was there a subject that she did not have an opinion on and was always ready to convey that opinion.

Irene actually had a good healthy life, never having much more than a bad cold. Her husband died in August of 1983, and she never quite got over that, but she did start a new career with Walmart when she was 72 years of age; and through that venture she acquired a completely new family of friends whom she simply adored. She worked until October of 2010, when she began to experience a rather severe case of dementia. As a result, she was forced to retire. From October 2010 until the present, she led a reserved life composed of watching TV and taking care of her flowers and such. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Irene is now with the Lord, and may she rest knowing that she followed the narrow path and always kept the faith.

She is survived by one son, Bobby Bearden and wife Linda of Commerce; one grandchild, Brian Bearden and wife Melissa of Bullard; two great-grandchildren, Hunter and Morgan Bearden of Bullard;  niece Shirley McPeak and husband Dean of the Shirley Community; and numerous cousins.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Murray Eugene Bearden; her parents, Lee and Ida Dicken; and one brother and sister-in-law, Dewey and Dahlia Dicken.

Pallbearers are Brian Bearden, Dean McPeak, David Rabun, Randy Koon, Terry Tate and Clint George.  

The family would like to express their deep appreciation to the dear friends and family that she relied upon so much, especially in her later years.

Online condolences may be made at www.cokermathews.com and www.heraldbanner.com.