Lillie Mae Thomas Aikens, 83, of Center Street in East Liverpool, went to be with her Lord and other loved ones at 8:51 p.m. Saturday, September 23, 2017, at Southern Care Hospice, Heritage Valley Beaver. She was surrounded at the time of her death by her loving and supportive family.

Born May 5, 1934 in East Liverpool, she was a daughter of the late Bert and Celestia Wellman Thomas. Lillie was in the top ten of the Class of 1952 at East Liverpool High School, and spent her entire lifetime in this area.

On June 20, 1952, she married Norman J. Aikens, and they made their home and raised their family of seven children here. They were founding members of the East Liverpool High School Alumni Association, and together took great pride in helping on virtually every committee in the early days – but were especially dedicated to the annual Pottery Auction and their class reunion committee.

Norman preceded her in death on August 21, 2008.

Lillie, a member of Boyce United Methodist Church, was a devoted and caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and “neighborhood mom” to many. Quiet and unassuming, she was a dedicated worker who set a constant example of what it meant to treat others with loving kindness.

She will be greatly missed by her two daughters, Barbara Wright and her husband Jamie, and Judy Powell and her husband Dan, all of East Liverpool, and four sons: John Aikens and his wife Diane; James Aikens and his wife Tana, all of East Liverpool; Dennis Aikens of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina; and Robert Aikens and his wife Myrna, of Chula Vista, California, and her daughter-in-law, Robin Aikens of East Liverpool.

On April 2, 2017, she was preceded in death by her son, Chris.

There are twelve grandchildren: Kandice Aikens; Michael Wright and his wife Crystal; Vanessa Messenger and her husband Mike; Josh Aikens and his wife Kim; Tori Brown and her husband, David; David Aikens and his companion, Anna; Tamika Potts and her husband, Aaron; Crystal Ward and her husband Justin; Robbie Powell; Daniel Powell; James Aikens; and Steven Aikens.

There are twelve great-grandchildren: Emily, Renee and Adam Wright, Ashtin, Alaina and Amelia “Mia” Ward, Gemma Messenger, Jonathen and Kerstin Aikens, Ethan and Olivia Brown, and Gabriella Aikens, along with numerous nieces, nephews and beloved family members and friends. Lillie considered “the kids” from the Class of 1952 as her second family, and cherished their friendships.

Rev. Willard Chuck Adkins of the First Church of Christ (Disciples) is to conduct a service at the Dawson Funeral Home at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Friends may visit with the family on Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

A private burial will take place at Riverview Cemetery at a later date.

Contributions may be made in her memory to the East Liverpool High School Alumni Association, 216 East Fourth Street, East Liverpool, OH 43920.

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