Lyla Beth Hadley

Lyla Beth (Bury) Hadley was born on June 14, 1940 in Mason City, WA to Peter & Helen (Munn) Bury where her father helped to build the Grand Coulee Dam. When she was a toddler, her family moved, for the first of many times, to Winona Lake, Indiana where her father attended seminary. At a young age, before she even started school, she made the most important decision of her life, by accepting Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She knew even then, that she wanted to tell the world about Jesus and the hope that he can bring to your life.

When she did start school they were living in Modesto, CA and by the time she finished 3rd grade she had changed schools 13 times and moved to homes in Portland, OR; Buffalo, NY; Forks, WA; and Quilcene, WA. Her favorite of them all was Quilcene because of the beautiful landscape and the proximity to her grandparents and cousins. But then her dad took a pastoral position in Johnstown, PA, so they moved the family again, and there she was able to finish out her primary and secondary education.

As the oldest of 5 children and a preacher’s kid, Lyla was very busy helping to care for all of her siblings, teaching Sunday school classes, and singing in church while doing her best to get good grades in school. Every responsibility she treated as preparation for one day becoming a missionary, and sharing the Gospel Of Jesus with people all over the world. She found a way to make even the most mundane chores feel like games for her brothers and sister.

She graduated from high school in 1958 then moved to Newberg, OR to attend George Fox College, where she joined the choir and sang alto in a ladies trio. There she met a shy Idaho farm boy, Melvin Hadley, who winked at her from across the table, every evening at dinner. It didn’t take long for him to win her heart and they were soon engaged.

Melvin and Lyla were married on August 12, 1960 and had a dairy farm in Star, Idaho for 4 years. Lyla embraced the role of a farmer’s wife with gusto by learning to schedule meals around the milking times, preparing meals for hay crews, all while caring for their young children. But the farm hit hard times, and Melvin was able to get a position with the Boise Fire Department in October of 1964 and they moved away from the farm to Boise, where they lived for the next 32 years. 

Being free from the farm-wife routine, Lyla continued to be a devoted town-wife and mother who was able to pursue the interests that she was passionate about. She loved camping and travel, turning every outing into an “Adventure.” Her love for music led her to sing in church choirs and she made sure that her children got the musical training that she never had. She loved every concert and recital as if it were her own. She became an avid gardener, taking pride in how much food her garden provided the family. She canned, juiced, dehydrated and froze all that couldn’t be eaten fresh, and frequently raided her stash to help a neighbor in need. She joined Bible Study Fellowship and began mentoring other women in their faith. She continued teaching the children at church, led youth group activities, and became a foster parent in order to help kids in need. Somehow she still found time to sell Avon, work in a 5 and Dime store, work as a playground attendant at the elementary school, and was the bookkeeper and receptionist for a rain-gutter business (Melvin’s side job) to supplement the family income. 

Lyla’s desire to be a missionary never went away, but she also knew that she had a mission field right in her back yard. So she got involved with the international student program, which her church had, at Boise State University. She became the “American Mamma” to numerous international students, and there was rarely a holiday in her home, that the menu didn’t include foods from around the world, to honor the students spending time with her family.

After raising her children, Lyla enrolled at Boise State University to complete her Elementary Education Degree. She then substitute taught until she landed a 3rd grade teaching position at Ustick Elementary School in the Meridian School District. She taught for 6 years. During that time Melvin retired from the Fire Department and went to Bible School, then on her summer breaks they went on missions trips to Papua New Guinea and Bulgaria.

 In 1996 Lyla’s dream of becoming a full-time missionary became a reality when she and Melvin moved to Shelton, WA as regional missionaries with American Missionary Fellowship (AMF). They provided support to small churches on the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas where they provided summer camps and Vacation Bible Schools for kids and teens from that region. They helped get a church started on Harstine Island and spent time ministering to the youth at a detention center as well. Considering herself a life-long learner, she earned a Masters degree in Biblical Studies, while serving as a missionary to the community around her.

In 2006 they retired from InFaith (formerly AMF) and moved to Port Hadlock, WA, where she spent the rest of her days.

Even in her last days Lyla’s love for Jesus Christ never waivered. She loved singing hymns and reading the Bible even when everything else in life was clouded in confusion.

The family is so very grateful to Crystal (in-home provider) and the staff at Life Care Center Port Townsend, for their loving care of Lyla over the past couple of years. 

Lyla is survived by: her husband of 64 years Melvin, her children John Gordon (Catherine), Marybeth Iverson, Ronald Hadley (Sharon), Susan Rose (James), and Ruth Anderson (daughter by choice), 12 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, two of her siblings Darlene Keafer (Sheldon), Daniel Bury (Bonnie) and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Lt. Col. James Bury, and Robert Bury (survived by Torhild).

Gifts or honorariums may be given to the Christian mission’s agency of your choice or to support research for Dementia and Alzheimer’s (www.act.alz.org)