Grace Evelyn Wiley

Grace Evelyn Wiley, born April 22, 1947, passed away peacefully at home on March 13, 2026, at the age of 78, surrounded by the family she cherished.

A woman of deep and unwavering faith, Grace was a devoted member of Lonestar Pentecostal Church in Glenmora, Louisiana. The Word of God lived in her heart and flowed freely from her lips. She met every person—family, friend, or stranger—with a word of wisdom, encouragement, prayer, or a gentle reminder of God’s goodness. Her faith was not only spoken but lived out daily through love and service.

Grace expressed her love most warmly through her hands in the kitchen. Cooking was one of her greatest joys, and to her, food meant comfort, fellowship, and belonging. Her home was a gathering place filled with laughter and care. She cooked for every holiday and celebration, yet needed no occasion at all—if you walked through her door, you were going to eat. Her son Marvin stopped by each day during his lunch break to share a meal and time with her, while her daughter Melinda joined her for supper in the evenings. To her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even her great-great-granddaughter, she was beloved “Maw Grace.” Many grew up running into her kitchen hoping for her famous donut holes, a sweet tradition that became a lasting memory for generations.

Grace knew both the joy of family and the sorrow of loss. She carried the deep love for her son Louis throughout her life, and she now rests in the comfort of their heavenly reunion. She is survived by her children, Melinda Clark Willis and Marvin Clark and his wife Nell; her grandchildren Nikki Shows and husband John, Zack Willis, Stormy Willis and wife Andrea, Brittany Clark, Jacob Clark and wife Kayla, Katie Coker, Dustin Clark and wife Heather, Nathan Clark and wife Shenna, Savannah Brown and husband Justin, and Lauren Linzay and husband Thomas; twenty-six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; and her brothers Charles Milton Smith and wife Debra, Rev. Curtis (Butch) Smith and wife Rose, Jimmy Dale Smith and wife Sue, and Donnie Wayne Smith and wife Brenda. She was preceded in death by her husband Royd Wiley, her parents Willie Rudolph and Ellazene Boyd Smith, her son Earl Louis Clark Jr., her sister Willie Jean Smith, and her late husband Earl Louis Clark Sr.

Grace fought the good fight, kept the faith, and left behind a legacy of love, scripture, and open-hearted generosity that will continue in every shared meal, every prayer, and every cherished memory of her presence.