Mary L Shanklin, 81, of Scott Depot, formerly of Ruthdale died Saturday, October 6, 2007 at CAMC Putnam Division after a brief illness.
Mary was born in Derby, Ohio and spent her childhood there. Upon her graduation from Derby High School in 1944, Mary played semi-professional basketball and softball during WWII and pitched a no-hitter for the Columbus Coded Fabric’s softball team. She was a lifetime sports enthusiast, especially WVU Mountaineer football and basketball. Fittingly, she had her TV tuned into a WVU football game when she died. She married Lester Shanklin, Jr. after meeting him when they both worked at Woolworth’s Department store in Ohio and married in Greenup, Kentucky in 1947. Then they moved to Dunbar, West Virginia and later settled in Ruthdale in the mid-1950s. Mary’s faith was with the Lord and she was a member of the Southridge Free Will Baptist Church.
After raising five children, she worked as a market researcher and later operated Mary’s Plants at the Capitol Farmer’s Market, mostly for camaraderie and not for profit. She enjoyed bowling, gardening, loved board games, especially bingo and any card game. She owned a seasonal home in Florida and after retirement became a “snowbird”. She was an avid traveler and had extensive visits to Europe, Canada, Mexico and throughout the USA. Mary had a wonderful, contagious, friendly personality and never met a stranger. Her passion, however, was her family, and “Grandma” was always ready to listen and offer advice. After 59 years of marriage, her beloved husband, Lester, died in October 2006.
She is survived by her brothers, Charles and Betty Hicks of Florida and Bill and Juanita Hicks of Arizona; sister, Margaret Speakman of Ohio; son, Lester W. “Bill” Shanklin, III ( Debbie) and Bill’s daughters, Kara Cole (Brett) and their daughter, Addysen, Jessica Hopp (Mike)and their mother, Joyce Shanklin and Amanda and Kristen; daughter, Vicky Lacey (Virgil) and their daughters, Cindy Maze (Travis) and their children, Lacey Cale, Aiden, Kayla and Paige Maze; Jennifer Shearer (Derreck); Jamie Walters (Chad) and their son, Bodee; son, Robert “Bob” Shanklin and his son, Lee and daughters, Amy and Loren; daughter, Ruth Ann (Smith) Bowe (Terry) and daughters, Alisha Dumrongkietiman (Scott) and their daughter, Riley, Emily and Audra Smith and Vickie and Elizabeth Russell and sons, Nathan and Michael Bowe; son, Mark and his sons, Preston Shanklin and Dustin Fields (Jennifer) and their daughter Laci and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sherman and Eva Hicks; brothers, Woodrow Hicks and Ed Hicks; sisters, Thelma Boggs and Fanny Ruth Ginden; grandchild, Dustin Timothy Fields and Baby Shanklin.
Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, 2007 at the Southridge Free Will Baptist Church, Ruthdale, with Pastor David Cooper officiating. Burial will be held in the Holmes Family Cemetery on Holmes Branch near Charleston. Friends may call from to 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the church. Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, is in charge of the arrangements.