It was 1928 when Trudy and Harry Liles looked at their family of five and decided that one more child might be nice. Little did they know that God had other plans. Remember, things were different back in 1928. Many women had their children at home, expectant moms didn’t know the baby’s gender and there was no way to tell if the baby was developing normally. X-rays and ultrasounds would have seemed like something out of Avatar.

Trudy’s pregnancy was pretty normal except she noticed she was a little bigger than usual. So, when it came time to deliver the baby, you can imagine the couple’s surprise when the doctor announced that their last child was actually TWINS! Trudy and Harry had planned to name their baby Polly so they had to quickly think of a name that rhymed with it. They could have chosen Dolly or Holly but they knew someone named Zolly and decided it perfectly fit their last baby girl.

All of us who attended Zolly’s 81st birthday party at Pepperbelly’s on Monday, May 24, are so grateful the Liles had twins. Carol Littlefield organized the party which about 25 friends attended. Everyone told a favorite story about Zolly or Lewis and the entire group was unanimous in expressing their admiration for Zolly’s kind and caring personality and the couple’s selfless and tireless contributions to our community.

Zolly and Lewis moved to San Saba in 1990. Like many newcomers, they didn’t know anyone when they came here. Thelma and Elsie Millican, Anita Miles, Eleanor Johnson and Martha Burnham were all dental patients of Polly’s husband, Roy, who practiced in San Angelo. These ladies got to know Zolly through Roy and Kelly (Polly’s daughter who worked as the hygienist) and they helped her find her niche in our community.

Lewis became known for his superior woodworking skills. He did more projects for the Methodist Church than anyone can recall including remodeling parts of the Church kitchen and completely rebuilding and replacing the cabinets in the Church parsonage.

Zolly graduated from Belton High School in 1946. Lewis was in the Air Force when they married in 1949. He was first stationed in Brazil and later served in Korea. Their honeymoon consisted of riding the train from Texas to California! Zolly and Lewis have three children: Chuck Jones who lives in Georgia; Julie Montgomery who lives in Lake Conroe, TX; and Jane Ann Townsend who lives in California. They have four grandchildren.

Over the years, Zolly and Lewis have become a special part of our community. Zolly is always among the first to welcome visitors and new members to the Methodist Church and she continually serves others through United Methodist Women projects and as a long-time volunteer with Meals on Wheels.