Lila Nelson Weller, the matriarch of our bookstore family and bedrock of the store itself, died April 14, 2021. She was 105.

We sometimes referred to Lila as the world's oldest working bookseller. Until the covid outbreak in early 2020, Lila came to work in the bookstore for a couple hours most days of the week, spending her time in the Rare Books room with her son, Tony. She was upset in February of 2020 when Tony told her she couldn't come to work any more because the risk to her health was too great. She spent the last year of her life at home lovingly cared for by Debra Krings. That is where she died, asleep in her bed surrounded by bookshelves and pictures of the people she loved.

105 years is a long time to live. Lila scoffed at people remarking upon it and wanting to celebrate her extraordinary life. "All I ever did was not die," she said. She did so much more than that in her years. The Weller family and its booksellers from throughout the decades will miss her terribly.

A celebration of her life will be held when it is safe to gather.

Click here to read more about Lila N. Weller.