Olean Justice

Olean Watson Justice was called home by the Lord on February 11, 2023. She was born on October 4, 1926 to Cliff and Minnie Smith Watson in Easonville, AL and grew up in that area now covered by Logan Martin Lake. She married her sweetheart, Garland Justice, when she was fifteen years old and they had just celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary when he passed away in 2011. They lived in the New London area of St. Clair County until 1956 when they moved to Childersburg. After the move, she attended Birmingham Beauty College and worked at Dru’s Beauty Shop in Childersburg until she and her sister-in-law, Dell, bought it from Dru and renamed it Del-Lean’s Beauty Shop. They operated it for many years together and when Dell retired, she continued to operate the shop for several more years before retiring herself.

Olean became an active member of the First Baptist Church of Childersburg upon moving there and enjoyed her Sunday School class, the XYZ Club, and the quilting group for many years. An excellent cook and hostess, she was always happy to help with events at the church. Her cornbread salad and mini pecan pies were favorites of everyone. She was a charter member of the Childersburg Garden Club and remained a member until it disbanded. She and Garland enjoyed traveling with friends and getting together regularly to play dominoes. He coached baseball and she spent almost as much time at the ball fields as he did over the years. An avid gardener, she enjoyed growing vegetables and puttering in her yard.

She was preceded in death by her parents, loving husband, two sisters, Sara Bynum and Donie Watson, and three brothers, Tom, Harvey, and Ray Watson. In her 96 plus years here on earth, she was a devoted Christian and lived her life with a very strong faith every day. She loved her family very much and considered them her greatest blessing. She leaves a legacy of love in her two daughters, Linda Simpson and Freida Hillard (Larry), four grandchildren, Allison Bell (Ken), Todd Teague, Lesley Leiserson (Eric), and Lindsey Little, and nine great-grandchildren, Josh Bell, Jessica Poor (Ryan), Taylor, Clay, and Wesly Teague, Riley and Justice Little, and Jacob and Jackson Leiserson.

Serving as pall bearers will be Todd Teague, Taylor Teague, Clay Teague, Wesly Teague, Josh Bell, and Ryan Poor. Honorary pall bearers are Bobbie Sue Ogle, Bill and Joanne O’Neal, Audrey Pate, Eddie and Diane Slaten, Royce Warren, Gene and Marilyn Watson, and Carolyn Young.

Visitation will be at First Baptist Church of Childersburg from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. followed by a funeral service at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. Pastor Skip Parvin will be officiating the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to First Baptist Church Childersburg, 200 8th Ave SW, Childersburg, AL 35044.