- Date Of Birth: August 27, 1936
- Date Of Death: May 12, 2018
- State: Mississippi
On Saturday, May 12, 2018, the day before Mother’s Day, Miss Shelby passed away peacefully surrounded by her family. She was 81 years old.
Shelby was born at home on Thursday, August, 27th, 1936 to Audrey Lee Jordan Edwards and Howard Clinton Edwards in Richton, Mississippi, and the eldest of 2 daughters, the mother of 3 children, the grandmother to 3 granddaughters and the great-grandmother to 2 great-grandchildren. She grew up in Richton and spent the majority of her life in the Deep South.
Miss Shelby graduated from Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College in 1978 with a Registered Nurse degree and worked in the Surgical department and the Dialysis Unit at Singing River Hospital for many years. She was an exceptional and capable care-giver and looked after her patients as though they were members of her own family. In her mind, there was no such thing as dirty work in nursing. She would do it all, no matter how messy or menial. Her practicality and compassion defined her style of nursing and it can be said that she truly was an angel of mercy.
The textbook definition of a Southern lady right down to her core, Shelby was gracious, generous, soft-spoken and elegant. She also had a spine made of stainless steel. This tiny woman possessed an enormous capacity for love and kindness, which she shared abundantly with all people, all animals, family, friends and strangers. Her positivity and exuberance were contagious and she was a comfort to be around when storm clouds gathered. Hurricanes Camille and Katrina, among others, were no match for her resilience and endurance.
True to her Southern roots, she was a marvel in the kitchen, creating wonderful “from scratch” dishes out of practically nothing. Her seafood gumbo was the bomb. So were her biscuits.
Some of Shelby’s favorite things besides cooking for everyone on the planet were reading, fishing, painting, gardening, music and cultivating beautiful environments both indoors and out. She was not above getting knee deep in flour, dirt, fish bait and good books. A natural beauty, we will always be mystified at how she could be just as stunning with flour and fish guts under her fingernails as she was in a shimmering evening gown and her favorite pearls.
Miss Shelby did not divide her love and devotion to her children. She multiplied it and then some more. Tony, Bridgette and Angela are some of the most fortunate people on Earth to have been gifted with such a cool, fun and amazing Mama. Her example that she set for her kids and many others as a mother will be forever cherished. Fun fact: She, Angie and her grand-daughters have matching tattoos on the top of their feet.
Those who follow her include her children, Tony Newell, Bridgette Newell Thacker and Angela Newell Battaglia; her grandchildren, Vanessa Traufler, Tiffany Trichter and Maegan Battaglia Foster; her sister, Carolyn Edwards Blue; her great granddaughter, Adelyn Traufler; and great grandson, Jaxon Foster; Joel Brunt , M.D.; and many other cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Miss Shelby will love that.
