Kathleen Marie Provence Lusk

Springtown ~ Kathleen Marie Provence Lusk, 91, passed away peacefully at home in her sleep May 22, 2021.  She was born January 7, 1930 during a blizzard in Lamesa, Texas to Charles and Lola Tyler, the firstborn of seven children.

Kathleen grew up around Whitesboro, Texas during the Depression, and experienced the hardships of that era.  As a teen, she hoed and picked cotton with her Dad and siblings.  Later she worked in a sewing factory, then was a manager at the soda fountain in Collier’s Drug Store in Fort Worth.

In November of 1963 she lost her sister who was almost as close to her as a twin.  She and her family were devastated.  Her sister, brother-in-law, and their youngest child were hit by a drunk driver.  Only her niece survived.  Through the years they became as close as sisters.

She married the love of her life, Ed Provence, on September 16, 1961.  They were together until his death in the Spring of 2005.  They reared two children together and welcomed Ed’s son, Michael, from a previous marriage whenever he could visit them. She loved her children unconditionally. It was not an easy life, but they worked together and raised animals and had a large garden every year.  She spent much of the Spring and Summer planting, harvesting, and canning or freezing the produce.  She sewed clothes for everyone and even cut their hair.

Kathleen loved people and people loved her.  She had many friends and stayed in touch with family.  She would spend much of her spare time on the phone to catch up on any news or make sure they were okay. She had a great sense of humor and loved to tell stories and jokes and even wrote some stories and poems.  Her hospitality was unsurpassed.  If someone just popped by, they would not leave without something to drink and a snack or a meal.  She was a good cook and usually had something she could whip up at a moment’s notice.

She was a woman of faith and taught her children right from wrong and how to treat people with respect.  Kathleen was a Jehovah’s Witness and she tried to help others by teaching them what she had learned in the Bible.

Kathleen’s love for her children flowed also to their spouses and to her grandchildren.  She spent many hours sewing clothes for them.  She made her future daughter-in-law’s wedding dress and dresses for others in the wedding party, and did the same for her daughter’s wedding.  It brought her great joy to spend time with her grandchildren.

After they became empty nesters, Kathleen and Ed became friends with two other couples and enjoyed many card games with them and they all went to senior dances together.  They also loved to travel, and went on many trips with friends or just the two of them. They traveled to California several times to visit their daughter and her husband.

In March of 2009, she married Jim Lusk and they enjoyed going dancing or listening to music every week until he became ill.  They lived in Collinsville until he went into the nursing home and she moved in with her daughter.

She loved life until the very end and even though she suffered from memory loss and many other ailments, she charmed everyone she came in contact with.  Her home care nurses and physical therapists all fell in love with her.  She would always thank them for coming and tell them she loved them.  She had such a sweet disposition and was a joy to her family.

She was preceded by her parents; husband, Ed Provence; husband, Jim Lusk; grandchild, Mikaela Grauman; sisters, Charlene Riddlehoover and Dorothy Nell Fritts; and her brother, Jack Tyler.

Those left behind to cherish her memory are Gena Grauman and husband Shane of Springtown; sons, Mark Provence and wife Lori of Weatherford, and Michael Provence and wife Sue of Boyd; 7 grandchildren, Joey, Mindy, Brent, Amber, Misty, Shawna, and Michael; 4 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters, Melba Melton and Glenda Tyler; and her brother, Donald Tyler.

Funeral Service is 2:00 p.m. Thursday, May 27, 2021 at Hawkins Funeral Home Boyd with burial at Cottondale Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Elder Dan Lindsey will officiate.  Pallbearers will include Joey Fritts, Royce Melton, Todd Grauman, Vernon Allison, Austin Allison, and James Miller.