At age 86, Patsy Shaffer has crossed from this life to the life eternal. Patsy died Saturday at NMMC Hospice Unit after a period of declining health. Patsy Lou Ausborn was born on April 7, 1938 in Monroe County to the late Grady Ausborn and Kittye Taylor Ausborn, she grew up in the Smithville area. She has lived most of her adult life in the Belden area. Strong, independent, outspoken, and resilient, Patsy first owned ABC Sales, a general repair shop, but spent most of her working life in Retail Furniture Sales with Furniture Center later retiring from Hielig-Myers. Patsy loved the outdoors, could be seen any week keeping her yard to perfection or riding her l940s John Deere 40 model tractor, which she cherished. A woman full of love for everyone, she always kept her vehicle in top shape. Later in life, she had a great admiration for sunsets and made thousands of pictures of Mississippi sunsets. She was a member of the Assembly of God Church, loved gospel music especially if Elvis sang it, and found her survival instincts in New Testament teachings. Her family was most important to her and she cherished the time spent with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. A kind hearted soul, she will be missed by all.
A service celebrating her life will be held at 11 AM Tuesday, August 6, 2024 in the Sadie Holland Memorial Chapel at Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo with her son-in-law, Pete Kennedy presiding. Private burial will follow in Lee Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 5PM-7PM tonight (Mon. Aug. 5, 2024) and from 10 AM –service time Tuesday. For those unable to attend, the service may be viewed at 11 AM at hollandfuneraldirectors.com/Live-streaming and will be archived thereafter.
Patsy is survived by her two children, Kitsi Kennedy and husband, Pete of Belden, and Steve Shaffer and wife, Mary Ann of Saltillo; her grandchildren, Lane Bryant (Jeff) , Brandi Bridges (Caleb Palmer), Dillon Kennedy (Brooke) and Austin Kennedy; the great-grandchildren, Hayden Gregory, Clay Kennedy, Walker Bryant, Henley Bryant, Charlie Sudduth, Bryson Palmer, Jeremy Shaffer, Marlee and Karlee Burchfield, and Dilon Kennedy (Brooke) and their son, Clay Kennedy; several great-great-grandchildren; her sisters, Sandra Boozer (Robert) of Amory, and Wilma Brasfield of Picayune, MS; several nieces, nephews, cousins and their families; her special little buddy, Kaiden Jarvis, and special friends and caregivers, DenisePulliam, Amy Franks, and the staff of Countrywood Manor in Mantachie and Casey Wilburn and the 5th Floor NMMC Hospice team. She was preceded in death by her parents Grady and Kittye Ausborn; her son, Tony Shaffer, 3 sisters, Eddie Nell Stanford, Peggy Nunez and Bernadine Bratton, a niece, Ruth Hall, and a nephew, Jay Nunez.
Pallbearers will be Jeff Boozer, Bobby Stanford, Chris Stanford, Mike Brasfield, Hayden Gregory, Dillon Kennedy, Austin Kennedy, Jeremy Shaffer, Caleb Palmer, Jeff Bryant, and Austin Stanford.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
