Nathalie Aytes

Nathalie Doris Wagner Aytes Nathalie Aytes passed from this life on June 30, 2014, at Scott County Hospital following a stroke she experienced at Easter. Nathalie was born January 2, 1933, to Eunice Lucille (Feldkirchner) and Oren George Wagner in Vichy, Missouri. She grew up in Bland, Missouri, with her beloved Grandma Decker (her mother's mother) until she reached age twelve when she went to live with her mother in Owensville, Missouri, where she eventually met James "Jimmy" Wayne Aytes. They were married December 30, 1949, in Salem, Arkansas. Jimmy and Nathalie moved to Scott City in 1951 where Jimmy went to work for a local farmer. Four children were born of their union, James Michael, Pamela Rae, Scot DeWayne and Greg Alan Aytes. Nathalie was a faithful member of First Baptist Church, where she was an active participant in the Senior Adult Ministry in the last few years. She enjoyed teaching Sunday school and helping with funeral dinners in earlier years. In a letter to her children she wrote of this difficult time,"Be happy for me, I'm bound for the Glory Land." Praise God for the comfort of her salvation and the certainty of her eternal destiny! Nathalie loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her life was focused on them and their happiness. She and Jim took their grandchildren on vacation trips for years creating many fond memories. She supported her children in their school endeavors and sports events, always encouraging them to do their best and to believe in their potential to be whatever they chose to be. She continued to faithfully watch sporting and other school events of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She went to work at Ideal Foods in the early sixties and work there for 27 years, starting as a checker and ending as a bookkeeper and front-end manager. After a year of retirement she went to work part time in the Food Service for USD 466 and continued there for 10 years. At age 71 she retired again so she could take care of her great-grandchildren on a regular basis, which she always considered one of the greatest blessings in her life and one for which she would accept no pay. She was continuing to watch her great-grandchildren up until the week prior to her stroke. Nathalie was always an avid basketball and football fan. She often entered sports bracket contests and won first place many times, much to the chagrin of area men who couldn't believe an 80 year old grandma could beat them! She took great pleasure in that success. She especially enjoyed Cardinals baseball as she grew up in the St. Louis area and was taken to games by her uncle who was a published sports writer. She was an avid reader and loved to read newspapers each morning, and especially enjoyed reading papers from big cities whenever her kids brought her one from wherever they traveled. She enjoyed going to the library every day. She consumed many mystery novels in her later years, keeping the local librarians hopping to keep her in new books! She was definitely a favored customer. Nathalie was a unique person of strong character, a well love mother and grandmother. She will be missed. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband who passed away September 8, 2007, and an infant granddaughter Jessica Leigh Aytes. She is survived by her step-father, Waldo Ehlers of Union, Missouri, two sister-in-laws, Rae Jean Nelson of St. James, Missouri, and Bonnie and husband August Hengstenberg of Owensville, Missouri, three sons, Mike Aytes and wife Lindsay of Richmond, Missouri, Scot Aytes of Scott City, and Greg Aytes and wife Anne, Linwood, KS, one daughter, Pam Wheeler and husband Rod of Scott City, seven grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Graveside services are scheduled for Thursday, July 3rd at 10:00 a.m., at Scott County Cemetery. The family requests Memorials to be given to the Scott County Library in care of Price and Sons Funeral Home. There will be no calling times.