Tex Shelnutt

Mrs. Tex Shelnutt, 83, died March 31, after a long and valiant battle with cancer, at her daughter's home in Pinehurst, Georgia.  She was born March 17, 1924, in Paulding County, the sixth of seven children of the late William F. Ruff and Caroline Ruff.  She was a graduate of Acworth High School and attended Reinhardt College and Georgia Women's College in Atlanta.     Mrs. Shelnutt married the late Rev. Dumas B. Shelnutt October 18, 1947.  She was an outstanding preacher's wife and served faithfully beside him in the following United Methodist Churches:  Fairmount, Sandy Springs, Martha Brown, Gainesville First, Rome District, Griffin First, Atlanta-Southwest District, Atlanta-Emory District and Embry Hills where they retired in June, 1986.  Following their retirement they lived in Fayette County for sixteen years until moving to Wesley Woods in 2002. Tex was an active member of the United Methodist Church particularly in United Methodist Women on all levels: local, district, conference and national.  She was an active member of the Auxiliary Board of the Nell Hodgsen School of Nursing of Emory University.   Her love of Emory University and medical research inspired her to will her body to the Woodruff School of Medicine at Emory University upon her death but due to her condition, they were unable to accept it. She is survived by her four children, Drew and Jan (Shelnutt) Whalen of Griffin, Georgia, Carl and Debbie (Shelnutt) Williams of Oglethorpe, Georgia, Dee and Kandy Shelnutt of Alpharetta, Georgia, and Mark and Chris Shelnutt of Columbus, Georgia; ten grandchildren, two sisters: Gladys Tilley of Taylorsville, Georgia, Mary Austin of Acworth, Georgia, and one brother, The Rev. Dr. William H. Ruff of Bogart, Georgia. The family will receive guests at Turner Funeral Home in Decatur, Georgia, on Tuesday, April 3 from 6:30 - 8:30pm. Following a private family burial at the Powder Springs Cemetery, a memorial service will be held Wednesday, April 4, at 2:00 pm in the sanctuary of Embry Hills United Methodist Church.   In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Texana Ruff Shelnutt Scholarship Fund at Reinhardt College, 7300 Reinhardt College Circle, Waleska, Georgia 30183-2981