Niavalene Yvonne (Brunson) Blythe

WALLINGFORD - Niavalene Yvonne Blythe, of Wallingford, passed away on August 27, 2022, one day after her 87th birthday. She was the loving wife of over 63 years to David R. Blythe, Sr. and had been a Wallingford resident since 1960.  Born on August 26, 1935 in Hamlin, Texas, she was the daughter of the late Samuel T. and Bessie (Core) Brunson. She was raised in Hamlin and Slaton, Texas before moving to Sulfur Springs, Arkansas where she attended Sulfur Springs High School, was a member of both the girls' basketball and baseball teams and graduated in 1954.

Niavalene enlisted in the United States Army WAC program in 1956.  After first being stationed at Fort Mead, MD, she was deployed and served in the AG section, Western Area Command Headquarters in Kaiserslautern, Germany.  There she was a member of the WAC baseball team and met her future husband, David, who was also serving in the U.S. Army at Western Area Command Headquarters. They were married in Kaiserslautern on March 3, 1959. Niavalene was honorably discharged from service to her country in 1959.

During her lifetime, she was employed at Gaylord Hospital, Wallingford Convalescent Home and Masonic Home and Hospital from which she retired after 25 years of service and had been known to her friends and colleagues as "Yvonne."

Niavalene was active in numerous organizations to include Sphinx Shrine Ladies Club where she served as a past president, Kabbans Ladies Club, Daughters of the Nile and Order of the Eastern Star.

In addition to her husband, David, she is survived by her three sons, David Jr. (Alison) of Wallingford, Thomas of Farmington, NH and Robert (Daisy) of Northford, CT; five grandchildren, Drew, Lauren, Jonathan (Kaitlin), Natasha and Nathan, and soon to be born, a great-granddaughter.  In addition to her parents, Niavalene was predeceased by her three brothers and three sisters.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 at 12:00 PM at Our Lady of Fatima Church, 382 Hope Hill Road, Wallingford. Relatives and Friends are invited to attend calling hours on Tuesday morning prior to mass from 10:00 AM to 11:15AM at the B.C. Bailey Funeral Home Funeral Home, 273 South Elm Street, Wallingford. Burial will immediately follow at In Memoriam Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Niavalene's honor may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, 516 Carew St, Springfield, MA 01104 or to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl, Memphis, TN 38105.  To leave a message of remembrance, please visit www.BaileyCares.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Niavalene Yvonne (Brunson) Blythe, please visit our floral store.