Lena Mae (Quinn) Gillespie

Lena Mae (Quinn) Gillespie , 75, wife of Larry “Frog” Gillespie of Charleston, MO, was called home to glory Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at Missouri Delta in Sikeston, MO.

She was born May 18, 1945, in Dorena, MO, to Bert and Ella Mae (Chick) Quinn. Lena is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sisters, Betty Lee Quinn and Kathryn Mae Davis, one brother, Melvin Lee Quinn, one son, Tyrone L. Gillespie, and one grandson, Qwinton “Turtle” Shackleford.

Lena was a loving and heart fulfilling woman to all she encountered as well as a devoted wife to Mr. Gillespie, whom she married in Henson, MO in June of 1978, giving them 42 years of an unfeigned marriage.

Throughout her life, Lena was a member of Holly Grove M.B. under Rev. T.R. Tyus and Shining Light Baptist Church. After attending Lincoln School, she went on to work for many employers, and those included the Brown Shoe Co., Charleston Host House, Home Child Care, and Charleston Nutrition Center. She was also active in her community as a nutrition educator for the Green Thumb program, 4H Leader, MBRC/Bootheel Healthy Start, Grandparenting program, and Woman to Woman program.

Lena enjoyed collecting recipes, making crafts, sowing, solving crossword/word search puzzles, and watching her soap operas, or her “picture” as she called them. She took pleasure in picking pecans and greens, being the “neighborhood watch”, and being able to make her family and friends laugh by telling them old stories. She would literally give you the shirt off of her back if you asked for it with no hesitation.

Lena leaves to cherish her most honorable memories to her three sons, Stacy (Barbara) Andrews of Bloomington, IL, Michael (Dianna) Andrews of Sikeston, MO, and Larry (Kim) Andrews of Charleston, MO, two daughters, Carolyn Andrews of Charleston, MO and Vicky (Darryl) Shackleford of O’Fallon, IL, one brother, Jimmy Quinn of Charleston, MO, brothers-in-law, Rev. Sylvester Davis and Solomon Nelson, sisters-in-law, Debra Quinn and Geannie Gillespie, a daughter-in-law, Shalonda Fennell-Andrews, 15 grandchildren, Brandon, Stacy, William “Billy”, James, Calyn, Otivisit, Myron, Makayala “Precious”, Derentez, Diondre, Tomorrow “R.J”, Marquelis “Poohbear”, Jazman, Marquis “Beanie”, and Kendra, 25 great grandchildren, three adoptive sons, Sylvester Lee (Josephine) Davis, Reginald (Rebecca) Suggs, and Brian (Kiara) Andrews, a special nephew, Melvin Lee Quinn Jr., two sister friends, Willie Ann Carpenter and Barbara Murray, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Friends may call Saturday, December 19, 2020 from 12:00 noon until the funeral hour of 1:00 pm at the Williams Funeral Chapel in Charleston, Missouri with Reverend Sylvester Davis officiating.  Interment will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery with the Williams Funeral Homes of Charleston in charge of arrangements.