Joette Sledd Shields

             Mrs. Joette Sledd Shields, age 73, of Murray, Kentucky, passed away on Monday, October 23, 2023, at the Marshall County Hospital in Benton, Kentucky.

            Mrs. Shields was born on May 12, 1950, in Detroit, Michigan to the late Joseph Sledd and Larue Hall Sledd. She retired as an Administrative Assistant at Murray State University having been in the Journalism Department last. Mrs. Shields was a member of the Grace Baptist Church, and also loved the congregations she had previously been a member of at Coldwater, West Fork, and Blood River. She was always so very proud of being from Stella and her family heritage there with the Sledd’s Grocery. She enjoyed genealogy research and valued old family photographs and hand-written letters. Lovingly known as “Mawga” to her granddaughters, she enjoyed reading them nursery rhymes for hours. She found joy in building their personal libraries with titles from Sandra Boynton to Junie B. Jones and The Chronicles of Narnia.  Many Christmases were large wrapped cardboard boxes filled with books. She spent alot of her time making beautifully embroidered quilts for each of her four granddaughters future wedding gifts and baby quilts for greatly anticipated great-grandchildren.  

            In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Omer Lee Shields; one sister, Sharon Hopkins; as well as one nephew, Charles R. Hopkins. 

            Survivors include one daughter, Ruth Ann Drew and husband Chris of Murray, Kentucky; two sisters, Dawn Hollamon and husband Greg of Henderson, Tennessee and Renee Turnbow and husband Bruce of Benton, Kentucky; one brother, Terry Joe Sledd of Murray, Kentucky; four granddaughters, Paige Holland and husband Austin of Sharon, Tennessee, Emily Stapp and husband Jagger of Nashville, Tennessee, Maggie Drew of Murray, Kentucky, and Ellen Drew of Murray, Kentucky; two great grandchildren, Charlotte Holland and Cash Stapp; as well as several nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews, including Dalton, Mary, & Iris Deffenbaugh, Micah Hollamon, Jessica Norwood, Ralph Norwood, David and Grace Hopkins, Stephen, Allison, Erin, Evan, & Eli Hopkins. 

            A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, October 30, 2023, at the West Fork Baptist Church Cemetery. There will be no public visitation held before the graveside.

            Expressions of sympathy can be made to the Calloway County Public Library, 710 Main Street Murray, Kentucky 42071.

            Online condolences can be made at, www.jhchurchill.com