Lydia S. Reavis

Memorial services for Lydia S. Reavis, 71, of Tyler, will be held on Saturday, November 25, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. in the Stewart Family Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Gerry Giles, of Marvin United Methodist Church officiating. Mrs. Reavis passed away Friday, September 29, 2017 in Tyler. She was born August 10, 1946 in Dallas to Virginia Lee Cunningham Stocks and Aubrey Banks Stocks. Lydia was a member of Marvin United Methodist Church, a former member of the Marvin Chancel Choir and a member of the Tyler Civic Chorale. She graduated from Bonham High School, Bonham, TX, in 1964, Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Music Education in 1968, and Texas A&M at Commerce with a Master of Choral Conducting in 1979. While at TCU, Lydia was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority, was one of the originators and directors of “The Kappa Pickers,”a member of Phi Mu Epsilon Honorary Music Sorority, Fort Worth’s Schola Cantorum, and the Fort Worth Opera Company chorus. Lydia was a longtime resident of Jacksonville, TX where she was the choir director at Jacksonville High School, 1979-1981, handbell and children’s choir director, First Christian Church 1980-1988, and the co-owner and manager of Walker Real Estate 1982-1988. After moving to Tyler in 1989, Lydia was a voice and piano instructor for many years, teaching privately in her home as well as an adjunct professor of voice at the University of Texas at Tyler. Mrs. Reavis is survived by the love of her life, William D. Reavis of Katy, TX, and by her children, Vicki Gotcher of Washington, D.C. and Andy Gotcher and his wife, Valerie Gotcher, along with Lydia’s grandchildren, Avarie and Evan Gotcher, of Prosper, TX; her step daughter, Cadence Morris and her husband, Jay Morris and their children, Madeline, Amelia, Blaine, and Carter Morris of Cypress, TX and her step daughter, Danza Martin and her husband, Terry Martin and their children, Zane and Aubrey of Richmond, TX. Visitation is scheduled 1 hour prior to the memorial service at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, in Tyler. If desired, memorials may be made to BIND: Brain Injury Network of Dallas http://thebind.org/get_involved/. Valerie Gotcher, Lydia’s daughter-in-law, was inspired to create this non-profit organization after Lydia suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm in 2002.

Lydia S. Reavis

August 10, 1946 - September 29, 2017