Iva Dell Gilliam Salyer

Iva Dell Gilliam Salyer, 83, passed away Thursday, November 6, 2014 at her home in Kingsport surrounded by family after a long illness. Iva was born in Independence, Tennessee on September 4, 1931 and lived most of her life in Kingsport. She was a beautician having worked a period of time in the 1950s in Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio. She returned to Kingsport and opened her own beauty salon until the 1980s. Iva was a member of Bethel Presbyterian Church on Warpath Drive serving on numerous committees and was a member of the choir. She was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer R. and Myrtle R. (Edens) Gilliam; a son, US Marine Corps Corporal Alvin Laviere Williams; infant daughter, Edna Lee Taylor, former husband Lee E. (Ed) Taylor; sister and brother-in-law, Dana and Frank Crutchfield; and step-son Lee Roy Taylor.

Those remaining on God's beautiful earth are her devoted and loving husband of 47 years, Dennis W. Salyer; son Lee E. (Eddie) Taylor II of Kansas City, MO; step-daughters Ima Jean Taylor of Kingsport; Denise Adams of Sacramento, CA and Elaine (and husband Jim) Starmer of Oregon; former daughter-in-law Dr. Mary (and husband Jack) Jinks of Loudon, TN; grandchildren Amanda Luallen (and husband Jeff) of Knoxville, TN; former daughter-in-law Dr. Kori Humphrey of Gladstone, MO and grandchildren Doone Jamison Taylor of Gladstone, MO; Nickolas Adams and Lindsay Adams of Sacramento, CA; great granddaughter Audrey Luallen of Knoxville, TN; brother SGM E. Ray (and wife Rebecca) Gilliam, Jr (Retired, U.S. Army), sister Lula (and husband Bill) Fink and sister-in-law Loraine (and husband Eddie) Phillips, all of Kingsport. Nephews and nieces are Kathy (and husband Robert) Irving and Jerry (and wife Diane) Brady of Philadelphia, PA; Bill, Perry and Terry Crutchfield of Johnson City, TN; Paul Bachman, Ray (and wife Teresa) Gilliam, and Iva (and husband Jim) Rice, all of Kingsport; Anadel Gilliam of Raleigh, NC; Angie (and husband Don) Yates of Atlanta, GA; Michael Taylor of Indianapolis, IN; Tracie Chandler of Kingsport; Ray (and wife Shirley) Haynes of Kingsport; Sharon (and husband Ronnie) Freeman of DeBary, Florida; and several grand and great-grand nephews and nieces in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

An exceptional thank you is requested for nephew Ray Gilliam and care-givers Kristi Burke and Emma Hart. These three individuals provided magnificent support to Iva and Dennis during Iva’s last months. Ray sacrificed his personal time enormously by showing his love to help his aunt and uncle through taking them to doctor appointments, supporting Uncle Dennis when Aunt Iva was in the hospital and bring them biscuits and gravy for breakfast multiple times a week. Kristi and Emma are the ultimate in care-givers. They truly were able to balance professional responsibilities with personal feelings in caring for Iva. Their abilities and actions truly reflect their passion for what they do as in-home care-givers. Thank you ladies so very much for all you did. The family, from the bottom of our heart, appreciate everything you did to keep Ms. Iva comfortable in her final days.

Graveside services for Mrs. Iva Dell Gilliam Salyer will be held Monday, November 10, 2014 at 2:00pm in the Garden of Everlasting Life III with E. Ray “Boy” Gilliam, III officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Bethel Presbyterian Church 1593 Warpath Drive, Kingsport, TN 37664 or to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Headquarters; 406 W. 34th Street, Suite 920; Kansas City, MO 64111.

East Lawn Funeral Home, 4997 Memorial Blvd, Kingsport, TN 37664; 423-288-2081; is honored to be serving the Salyer family.