Lessie Mayes Sterns born June 23, 1913, In Urania, Louisiana, to Wesley S. Mayes and Dora Vee Hatten, passed away on June 25, 2016, at the age of 103 years old.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 29, 2016, at 2:00 PM at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City, Texas. Officiating will be Reverend Kenneth Lewis of Moro, Illinois, assisted by J. D. Nezat of Denham Springs, Louisiana. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 28, 2016, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City.

Lessie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 64 years, Daymon Quincy Sterns; her son, Jimmy Ray “Bud” Sterns; and her son-in-law, Thomas Downey, Jr. She is also preceded in death by her twin sister, Stella  Cash, and five brothers, Hoyt Monroe Mayes, Floyd Lee Mayes, Jesse Andrew Mayes, Ovay Hilton Mayes and Jimmy Mayes.

Lessie is survived by her four daughters; Billie Jean Downey and Janice Marie Leonard of Bridge City, Texas, Betty Jo Voight (James “Pat”) of Nederland, Texas, and Judy Kaye Escagne (Allen P. Escagne, Jr.) of Groves, Texas; her ten grandchildren, Tina Nezat, Nina Birdwell, Nanette Graham, Keith Downey, Allen Escagne, III, April Turner, Shawn Escagne, Christopher Leonard, Melissa Evans, and Chrystal Sterns. Mrs. Sterns is also survived by fourteen great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, with one more on the way.

The family wishes to extend their appreciation to Judy Scrivner, Jeanette Vail, Pam Bodin, Carrie Self and Jada Gentile for their dedication, love and caring support of their mother. To the Southeast Texas Medical Center ER Staff, the 4^th floor nursing staff, Dr. K. A. Kaissi, MD and New Century Hospice, a grateful “Thank You” for the comfort and attention given to Mrs. Sterns and her family.

“Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: ‘there are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but YOU surpass them all!’” Proverbs 31:28, 29 NLT