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Obituary for Love Presley
Love Lankford Presley, devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend, passed away surrounded by the love of her family on August 10th. She was born in Eatonton in the family farmhouse and made real, through stories to us; her experiences about working on the farm milking cows, working in the garden, planting, chopping and picking cotton. She loved to tell stories of her Dad and how he and the family managed the trials of farm life in the 1920-30s and the joys of life in their large family. She attended the Florence Schoolhouse. She married the love of her life, David Leon Presley, in 1946. Her first son Hugh Cleven, was born in 1951 and her second son, Randy Keith, was born in 1952. Love, an accomplished southern family cook, put together several cookbooks that are highly prized by those who follow in the craft. She learned to sew at an early age and made clothes for her brothers, sisters, and others through the years. She worked at the Naval Ordnance Plant in Macon to support her country during World War 2. She worked many years at the Eatonton Mfg. Co. where she taught others the skill of pants making. She taught Sunday school at the First Baptist Church for many years. She always had an interest in painting and in the 70’s when the boys didn’t require so much of her time she learned how to paint from Mrs. Hut Baugh. She entered many of her paintings in art shows and received noteworthy praise for her efforts. With Leon, she opened a pecan business and made candy and peanut brittle for sale in the store. Before the days of email she spent most Sunday afternoons writing unfailingly regular letters to family. After learning email she continued correspondence in that way. She was a prolific chronicler and filled many note books with her experiences growing up and the times that her family had. She liked traveling in an RV and with Leon made several driving trips to Alaska and through the US. She had a rare green thumb and could grow a garden by the force of her will and the joy of constant tending. What may have been hard work for others came to her easily and cheerfully. Her selfless life was spent worshiping, giving, working, cooking, cleaning, teaching, writing, painting, washing, ironing, gardening, canning taking care of others, praying, caring for her husband. Bringing up boys, and through it all she made everyone else feel like she had nothing else to do but what they may need her to do. She asked little for herself, expected others not to do for her, and sacrificed much – her rewards were the joys of others in what she was able to do for them. In the final years, ailments had diminished her capabilities but not her capacity to love and gift to others – she pushed through any discomfort she may have to help someone who needed her. Truly it will be realized that those who knew and loved her will not know what they had until now that she is gone. She was of authentic seasoned old stock – a product of hard times and self-reliance. Her name foretold her life’s purpose and way she would live. She lived a meaningful life characterized by her selfless giving to others, a quiet dignity, a purposeful productivity in all that she endeavored to do, and left her piece of the world a better place because of her long life lived extraordinarily well – ascendant past her death as she loosed the bonds of her earthly life, her spirit surely welcomed as she stepped gracefully into heaven, in the love of God, family and friends. She is survived by her husband of 67 years David Leon, sons Hugh Cleven (Sue) and Randy Keith (Teresa Brock), Sister Elsie Ellington, many cousins, nieces nephews, and friends. She was preceded in death by father Charlie Nelson Lankford and mother Mollie Ann Long Lankford; brothers Jess, Jake, Cramer and George; sisters Parma, Mary Lillie, Daisy, and Tennie. Visitation will be on Tuesday, August 13th at Vining Ivy Hill Chapel at 1 PM. The service will follow at 2 PM; interment will be at Pine Grove following the service. Vining Ivy Hill Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
