Mary Ellen Rutledge Shook passed away peacefully in her residence at Sunnybrook Retirement Center in Madison, Mississippi, March 1, 2015. She was born April 1, 1921, to William Madison and Ellen Bertha Jackson Rutledge of Troy, Mississippi in Pontotoc County. Shortly after graduating from Pontotoc High School she moved to Starkville, MS where she lived most of her life and began her long career of 44 years with BellSouth. At the end of WWII she was introduced to Boyce Shook, her husband of 41 years. She was a member of the Telephone Pioneers Association of America and a proud member of First Baptist Church of Starkville. She loved attending the MSU baseball and basketball games on campus. She was an excellent cook and through the years there was always a host of her children’s friends sitting around her kitchen table. Her daughter said, “you never knew who was going to be coming in the door at meal time and she always made them feel welcomed.” She loved gardening and taking her flowers to the sick or homebound. She loved children and her grandchildren were her pride and joy. With a personality bigger than life she never met a stranger, was devoted to her family and always had time to help a friend, cook them a meal and make them laugh.

She was preceded in death by her husband Boyce C. Shook of Starkville, Mississippi. Mrs. Shook was the last surviving sibling of her beloved brothers and sisters, Bernice Josey (Jesse) and Eloise Good (Epp), of Starkville, Charlotte Roye, of Memphis, Earnestine Mills, of Corinth, James M. Rutledge, of Greenwood, Felix W. Rutledge of Pontotoc. She is survived by her son, William B.”Bill” Shook, of Perdido Key, FL and her daughter, Jo Ellen Swain of Madison, MS. Her grandchildren James C. Duckworth, of Madison, Katie Shook Thompson (John), of Starkville, Jeremy A. Shook(Amanda), of Brandon, and Kimberly Shook Mistal (Jayme) of Brandon. She was blessed to enjoy her great grandchildren Avery and Eden Mistal, Wasson, Mary Kate, and Madison Emory Thompson. Mrs. Shook is fondly remembered as Aunt Ellen to a host of cherished nieces and nephews as well. Memorials may be made to the Mississippi Sheriffs’ Boys and Girls Ranch, or Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children.

Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, 2015 from 9:30-11:00 a.m. at Welch Funeral Home in Starkville. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Welch Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Memorial Garden Park.