Lois Eileen Ipson Firmin, 98, graduated from her Earthly confines to her Heavenly reward on September 18, 2023, at the Christian Care Center in Mesquite, where she had lived since 2005. She died peacefully after a short time of declining health.
Graveside services were scheduled for 10 a.m., Monday, September 25, 2023 at Ochiltree Cemetery, 9 miles south of Perryton, TX on TX-70. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at First Methodist Church, 321 S. Baylor St., Perryton, where Eileen was a member for 47 years. Rev. Mark Metzger, pastor of First Methodist, will conduct the service. Funeral arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home, Inc. of Perryton.
She lived in independent living in her own apartment. Within three weeks of her passing, she could win 90% of games played with her family. Her mind was sharp until the last few weeks.
Eileen was born on March 26, 1925 on a farm outside of Rolla, Kansas. She attended school in Rolla until she graduated in 1943. She played basketball and was secretary of her senior class. She lived out her senior class motto “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last” throughout her long life.
Eileen was a charter member of the Wolf Creek chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, member of the United Methodist Women at Perryton First Methodist Church and a Girl Scout leader. She taught kindergarteners in Sunday School for 15 years and worked in Perryton school cafeterias for 12 years.
Eileen was a country girl at heart, having been a farm wife in Kansas and the chief cook and bottle washer for the Firmin and Sons harvest crew. They went on the wheat harvest trail from Texas northward toward Canada for decades. The family was involved in custom wheat harvesting and held strong friendships with many repeat customers.
One of her most distinguished accomplishments was serving as a Rosie Riveter at the Douglas Aircraft Company factory in Long Beach, California while her fiancé served in the U. S. Marine Corps in the Pacific during World War II. She said the workers quickly learned to install the rivets correctly because it was a lot of extra work to drill and replace rivets that were found faulty by many inspections. Like many of her generation, Eileen endured without complaint the Dust Bowl during the 1930s Depression.
Most significantly, Eileen was devoted to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whom she taught and modeled to her three children. She said she felt the Holy Spirit descend when her children were baptized together.
Preceding Eileen in death are her loving husband C.D. “Duane” Firmin of Perryton; her son, Philip Firmin of Perryton; her parents, Earl and Beva Bartley Ipson of Rolla, Kansas; brother Roger Ipson of Elkhart, Kansas; brother Louis Ipson of Derby, Kansas; sister Earlene Ipson Williams of Rolla; and grandson Brian Templeton of Azle.
She is survived by her daughter Lois Templeton and husband Bob of Azle,; her son Michael Firmin, his wife Evasue of Garland, and their daughter Jennifer of Dallas.; her grandson Mark Templeton, his wife Candace and their son Trevor of Azle; and her brother Howard Ipson of Canon City, Colorado.
The family requests any tributes to Eileen be directed toward Methodist Women, First Methodist Church, 321 S. Baylor St., Perryton, TX 79070 or organizations of your choice.