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Shellye Stanley McCarty, 71, passed away February 14, 2018 at her home surrounded by her family and friends after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was born in Quitman, Mississippi, on July 29, 1946, daughter of the late Helen Florence Atkinson Stanley and the late Fred Edwin Stanley, Sr. She was youngest of two children and a loving mother who was known for her sweet and forgiving spirit and beautiful smile. Mrs. McCarty graduated from Quitman High School in 1964 where she was drum major of the band. She graduated from Ole Miss in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Home Economics. While at Ole Miss she was a Rebelette, Campus Cutie, Clarke County’s Miss Hospitality and University Dancer.
Mrs. McCarty touched the hearts of numerous people and made a significant impact on many different segments of various communities during her lifetime. Her family was her life; however, she was able to extend that same love, devotion and loyalty to her many friends in their time of need. Mrs. McCarty was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church of Magee. She served with the Jackson Symphony League; Magee Woman’s Club – Past President; Magee Youth Center – Past Treasurer; Simpson County Junior Miss Program – Past Director; Miss Simpson County Pageant – Past Director; Simpson County Academy – Past Secretary Board of Directors, Cheerleader Sponsor, PTO President; Magee Public Schools – Past Member, Board of Trustees, PTA Vice President; State of Mississippi YMCA – Past Member, Board of Directors; First Methodist Church – Past Pastor-Parish Relations Board, Children’s Coordinator, Youth Coordinator, Board of Trustees, Bible School Superintendent; Brownie Scout and Cub Scout Leader.
Mrs. McCarty was Phi Mu Pledge Class President, Recommendations Chairman and House President while attending Ole Miss. In 1995 she helped organize the Greater Jackson Alumnae Chapter, was Membership Chairman 1995-96 and an Executive Committee Member-at-Large from 1996-present. Over the past forty years, she served the Area and National Phi Mu Offices in various capacities. She was District Collegiate Director 1974-76; Delta Area Coordinator 1976-80; National Council Member-at-Large 1980-84; Epsilon Area Collegiate Director 1989; National Collegiate Vice President 1990-92 and National Membership Team Coordinator 1996-present. She was on the Alpha Delta Advisory Council for 23 years; Alpha Delta House Corporation Member and Officer; Gamma Epsilon Adviser; Special Supervisor at various times for Alpha Delta, Alpha Omicron, Epsilon, Epsilon Alpha, Epsilon Kappa, Delta Kappa, and Xi Kappa; National Blue ribbon Task Force. She worked as a volunteer with chapters in Mississippi and Kentucky on rush and membership recruitment; and she continuously recruited collegiate chapter members to apply for Chapter Consultants and alumnae members to get actively involved either on a local, area or national level.
Additionally, Mrs. McCarty was a Phi Mu Foundation Board Member from 1982-84; Foundation Board 2nd Vice President 1993-96; Endowed Scholarship for President of Alpha Delta Chapter; she coordinated Endowing of Scholarship in honor of Alpha Delta Alumna and Retired Housemother, Deane H. Chrestman; she was a charter Member of Fidelity Society; Founding Member of 1852 Society and a Medallion Level Giver. Mrs. McCarty was the first recipient of Jackson Alumnae Panhellenic Athena Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community and Sorority by a Sorority Alumna. She received “Sparkplug” Award from Andrew Jackson Council of Boy Scouts for her contributions to scouting.
Mrs. McCarty is survived by her daughter, Mary Helen McCarty Griffis, her husband Judge T. Kenny Griffis, Jr. of Ridgeland and their children Sean Michael O’Hara, Thomas Kenneth Griffis III, Edwin McCarty Griffis, Robert Samuel Griffis, and Parker Brooks Griffis; son, Michael Anderson McCarty of Magee; her brother, Fred Edwin Stanley, Jr. and his wife Helen Lehmann Stanley of Waynesboro; John R. McCarty of Brandon, father of Mary Helen and Michael; sister-in-law Patti McCarty Sullivan and her husband Jerry M. Sullivan, Jr. of Ridgeland; brother-in-law, Donald H. Flynt of Flowood; brother-in-law, Terry B. Wells of Ridgeland; nieces, Rachel Stanley Warren, her husband Mitchell and their children Walker, Jackson, Katy Rix and Stella of Kingwood, TX; Elizabeth Stevens Buyan and her husband Greg of Jackson; Angela F. Urbina and her husband Javier of Brandon; Ashley W. Hullender and her husband Tripp of Atlanta; Leslie W. Baskin and her husband Brad of Jackson; Kelly Sullivan Hirn and her husband Chad of Ridgeland; nephews, Jacob Keahey Stanley, his wife Kristen and their children Rachel, Ella and Caroline of Waynesboro; Charles Edwin Stanley of Redding, CA; Alex Stevens and his wife Lauren of Nashville, TN; Allen M. Flynt and his wife Dacia of Mount Washington, KY; Mack Sullivan of Jackson; Ryan Sullivan and his wife Alayna of Charleston, SC; along with numerous cousins, aunts, great nieces and nephews, other extended family members and a host of friends. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters-in-law, Mary Ellen McCarty, Marsha McCarty Wells, Katherine McCarty Flynt, her father-in-law, H.F. McCarty, Jr. and mother-in-law, Mary Ann Henry McCarty.
Memorials may be made to the H.F. McCarty, Jr. Family Foundation, 6360 I-55 North, Suite 480, Jackson, MS 39211.
Visitation will be held Saturday, February 17, 2018 from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. at Tutor Funeral Home in Magee, MS. A Celebration of Life will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Magee on Sunday, February 18 at 2:00 P.M. with Reverend Barry S. Male officiating; Mary Margaret Hyer, soloist. Interment will follow at Magee City Cemetery, Magee, MS.
Pallbearers will be Jacob Keahey Stanley, Walker Lehmann Warren, Allen McCarty Flynt, William Alexander Stevens, III, Scott Foster Harris and Dr. Thomas R. Blackledge.