Lola was born on December 19, 1937 in Bradford, AL to parents Robert and Ollie Brasher. Lola’s father was a pastor in Alabama for 47 years and her mother was a nurse’s aide at Carraway and St. Vincent’s hospitals in Birmingham for many years. Lola’s family moved frequently during her childhood due to changes in her father’s pastoral assignments before the family finally settled in Gardendale, AL in 1949.
Lola met her husband Roscoe at church in 1953 and they were married in January 1955. Since Roscoe was already working as a steel worker for Nashville Bridge (later Bristol Steel) in Bessemer, AL, the couple settled there. About 3 months after she was married, Lola entered beauty school and graduated 7 months later. She immediately went to work at a salon in Central Park on the west side of Birmingham in November 1955 as a hairdresser and she remained a hairdresser for the next 60+ years.
In 1964, Lola decided it was time to open her own beauty salon, so she opened Lola’s Beauty Salon in Bessemer. Lola’s business quickly grew and she owned her own salon for the next 50+ years. Lola always knew she was doing what the Lord had planned for her. She had a gift and a passion for helping her customers find the right look and hair style that best fit them. Lola had many loyal customers that became dear friends. She never tired of her career as a hairdresser.
Lola had an interest in music and she taught herself how to play the piano and accordion. Roscoe also played the guitar and was a singer/songwriter performing around Alabama with his brother Walter as a member of the Borden Brothers duo. Lola and Roscoe would occasionally perform together at her father’s church. In the 1960’s, Lola also played the piano for a local gospel group for 2.5 years. Since neither Lola or Roscoe could read music, they sang and played their respective musical instruments by ear.
Lola and Roscoe were active members in The Stogies and The Jackals dance clubs in Birmingham for almost 20 years. She loved to dance! Dancing was a big part of her life and she made great friends and always looked forward to her “dance nights”. She was gifted in arts and crafts and she served as the social director for both clubs for several years.
Roscoe also passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2004 and Lola eventually moved from Bessemer to Pelham, AL in 2010. She loved her new neighborhood and her neighbors. She had loyal friends who loved and supported her for many years and lunch with her friends was always a treat. She was also quick to help a friend in need.
Lola will be remembered for her giving spirit, dedication, hard work and precision to details.
She was “MaMa” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was very proud of her grandchildren and lovingly talked about her great-grandchildren to her friends.
Lola is survived by sons Steve Borden (Linda) and Phillip Borden (Marsha). She had 5 grandchildren (Kristi, Melissa, Kevin, Mark, and Julie) and 3 great-children. She is also survived by a sister and many nieces and nephews.
Lola was a Christian who was welcomed into Heaven by her Savior, Jesus Christ. For her Christian relatives and friends who remain, their hope, as written by the Apostle Paul, can be found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13:18:
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant brethren concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Lola’s Celebration of Life will be December 18th at Metropolitan Church in Birmingham, AL. Visitation will be from 9:30am-10:30am with her celebration service immediately following from 10:30am-11:30am. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the American Cancer Society or The Foundry Ministries in Bessemer, AL.
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