OBITUARY:
EVELYN LOUISE GIRDNER MULKEY
September 19, 1918 – July 8, 2012
Evelyn Louise Girdner Mulkey went to be with her Lord and to join her loving husband on Sunday July 8, 2012 at her home in Celeste surrounded by her caring family. Funeral services will be Wednesday July 11th at 10:00 A.M. at the Celeste United Methodist Church. Bro. Bob Layman and Bro. Bill Eason, her pastor, will officiate. Burial will follow in the Celeste Cemetery at Hogeye. Family visitation will be Tuesday July 10th from 6 until 8 p.m. at the Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Chapel at Leonard.
Evelyn Girdner Mulkey, 93, was born on September 19, 1918 in the Jacobia Community to Howard Girdner and Maude Smith Girdner. She attended school there until her senior year when she transferred to Celeste. She was a 1938 CHS graduate and was voted CHS Football Sweetheart, the first recorded football sweetheart in Celeste school history. She was married to Billy C. Mulkey on December 9, 1939 in Celeste. They spent most of their married lives in their hometown as joint-owners of several businesses, serving together the community, school, church and organizations. Evelyn was known for her homemade pies and for helping with the Hogeye Community Center stews and Methodist women activities. Besides the Celeste UMC, she was a member of the Bingo Club and Domino Club. She worked puzzles and quilted with a passion and completed works of art. Most of all, she was devoted to her family, especially her grandchildren.
Surviving are her daughter: Sandra Mulkey Pearce of Celeste; her daughter-in-law: Sherry Mulkey of Caddo Mills; her brother and sister-in-law: Bobby and Martha Girdner of Jacobia; her four grandsons: David Mulkey and his wife Mary of Greenville, Greg Mulkey and his wife Nanette of Caddo Mills, Michael Pearce and his wife Heather of Garland and Matt Pearce and his wife Shasta of Celeste. Also surviving are fourteen great-grandchildren: Megan, Brady, Jenna and Jayton Mulkey of Caddo Mills, Connor, Cole and Carter Mulkey of Greenville, Ian, Paden and Gabriel Pearce of Garland, Madalyne, Alana, Liberty and Fallon Pearce of Celeste; several nieces and nephews and many friends.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Billy C. Mulkey, her beloved son, Anthony Mulkey in 2005, and her two brothers, Hayward Girdner and Smith Girdner.
Pallbearers will be grandson, David and Greg Mulkey and Michael and Matt Pearce and Wayne Whitworth of Celeste, and Steve Mulkey, a nephew.
The family would like to thank the many friends from the community and the church who have been an encouragement and help, especially in these last few week and to Odyssey Hospice.
Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home of Leonard is in charge of arrangement. You may sign the on-line register at TJMFuneral.com.