Washington – Lula Belle (Sizemore) Despres, (known to many as Lula or Lou) made her final journey with the Angels on Thursday, February 19, 2015. She battled valiantly for many years with diabetes, CKD, heart disease, & COPD.
Lula Belle was born February 20, 1942 in Lizemore, WV; to Irene Mamie (Morton) & Clyde Bennett Sizemore. Her father passed in 1941, prior to Lula Belle’s birth. Her mother passed in 1986.
She married Grenvil Richard Jones of Donager, WV in 1957. They made their home in West Virginia, then Buffalo; moving to Washington state in 1962. They had 3 children, and were divorced in 1976.
She met her companion Benjamin Mokus in 1987, & shared her life with him & their beloved pets Brownie & Tom until she left this earthly world.
Lula Belle was an amazing cook; she loved to garden & can. Her family & friends enjoyed her jams, salsa & canned fruits & vegetables year round. She kept an immaculate home; anyone, including repairmen, were often chastised for not removing their shoes before entering her home! There was always plentiful food, love & laughter found there.
Lou worked for most of her life as a “Dust Control Engineer”, cleaning people’s homes. Her last occupation was with the Black Diamond school district as a janitor. She retired in 1996 due to a back injury.
Lula Belle is survived by her companion Ben of Lake Bay, WA; her 3 siblings, Donald (Corine) Sizemore of Buffalo NY; Kenneth (Carole) Sizemore of Buffalo NY; and Anna May (Roland) Cadle of Desert Hot Springs, CA. She is also survived by 3 half siblings; Freddie Joe Sizemore of Milwaukee, WI; Carol June (Michael) Stone of Masslion, Ohio & Rita Fay Stone of Lizemore, WV.
She is survived by her 3 children; Diana (Ken) Duex of Bothell, WA; Clyde (Brenda) Jones of Pacific, WA; & Denise Jones of Puyallup, WA along with their Dad, Grenvil Jones of Puyallup, WA
Known as Grandma Lou, or Grams or G’Ma…she loved her 6 grandchildren: Shantyle, Tyler, Chelsea, Jessica, Jesse & Jeremy. There was also a very special place in her heart for her 8 great grandchildren: Haley, Adam, Brayden, Lance, Wyatt, Brody, Ryder, & Gerald.
There was an Open House/Celebration of Life @ Lou & Ben’s home on Sunday March 8th from 11:00 am-6:00 pm. All friends and family were welcome to come share a memory, a smile or a prayer.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to one of the following: The American Heart Association, The National Kidney Foundation, or The American Diabetes Association.
