Stella Mae Blanton

Stella Mae Shores was born on January 29, 1923, to Charles and Eva (Richardson) Shores. She and her 7 siblings were raised in Macomb, Missouri, on their family farm. Stella married William "Bill" Blanton on August 17, 1941, in Yuma, Arizona, even though she told him it would be a cold day in July before she married him. They were blessed with seventy-one years of marriage before Bill's passing. During this union they had two children, Diana and David, who then gave her four grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren. Stella loved her family and spent many Sunday afternoons hosting family dinners with everyone around the table.

Bill and Stella raised their family in Norwood. Stella worked for many years at SeMaNo Electric and then helped run their family variety store, Blanton's Discount Center, all while keeping a home and caring for her family.

Stella was saved as a young child and brought her family to church whenever the doors were open. Stella was a member of Corinth Baptist Church where she held many service positions and was known to sing specials with her sisters. She attended Corinth till her health did not allow.

In 1999, Bill and Stella moved to Mountain Grove to be closer to family, but it also gave Bill an opportunity to buy the new house Stella always dreamed of. They resided there till they moved to Springfield to be closer to medical facilities.

Besides her parents, Stella was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Blanton, her son, David Blanton, three brothers, James Shores, Everett Shores, and Billy Ray Shores, and three sisters, Bonnie King, Bertha Atchison, and Grace Nicholson.

She is survived by her daughter, Diana Blanton Lawler and her husband, Tommy, of Nixa, Missouri, her daughter-in-law, Judy Blanton of Nixa, Missouri, one brother, John Shores and his wife, Shirley, of Norwood, Missouri, four grandchildren, Sonya Everett and her husband, Bud, Wes Housley and his wife, Lee Anne, Tara Ecklund and her husband, Craig, and Tana Byerly and her husband, Jared, twelve great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends who will miss her dearly.

Stella's last residence was at Birch Pointe Rehab and Care facility, Springfield, Missouri. Stella's family is thankful to Birch Pointe for the care they gave Stella along with Phoenix Hospice. Special thanks to Pam Murphy, hospice nurse, who provided excellent and exceptional care for our loved one and our family.