Mrs. Nelda Shaw Furlow, 85, passed away at King’s DaughtersMedical Center on Feb. 19, 2009. Riverwood Family Funeral Serviceis in charge of her arrangements. Her funeral service will be heldon Feb. 23 at First United Methodist Church in Brookhaven at 2 p.m.with visitation starting before the service at 12:30 p.m.

Mrs. Furlow moved to Brookhaven to attend Whitworth Collegeafter graduating from her high school in San Antonio, Texas. Aftertwo years at Whitworth, she transferred to LSU, where she receiveda B.A. in Speech. She then returned to Whitworth to teach, and shemet and married Brookhaven native William L. Furlow after hereturned from service in World War II. The Furlows lived away fromBrookhaven for several years but returned in 1956, and for morethan half of a century, Mrs. Furlow considered Brookhaven herhometown.

Mrs. Furlow had a long involvement in civic activities. For 17years, she ran the Red Cross office in Lincoln County and tookgreat satisfaction in helping others, especially in facilitatingcommunications for local military personnel. She was active in theNational Association of Junior Auxiliaries and received theBrookhaven Chapter’s first Golden Crown Award in 1989. Among herother volunteer activities were reading to the blind overMississippi Public Broadcasting, teaching adults to read andtutoring elementary students in reading, something she did untilnear the end of her life.

Among her proudest accomplishments were helping found theBrookhaven Little Theatre. She directed and acted in plays, servedon the board of directors, and in 1990, she received its JohnLandress Award.

Preceding her in death were her husband, William Lowry Furlow;her parents, Albert Watson and Marion Sharp Shaw; her sister, EdnaLee Shaw; her brother, Albert W. Shaw; and her sister-in-law, HelenF. Scruggs.

Survivors include her three sons, William Albert Furlow and wifeDavilynn, of Natchez, Ransome Shaw Furlow, of Wesson, and AlbertBrown Furlow, of New York City, N.Y.; her daughter, Suellen Furlow,of Laurel; her grandchildren, Richard Bennett Furlow and RansomeCole Furlow; her great-granddaughter, Julia Marie Furlow; hernephews, Richard F. Scruggs and Brian Shaw; and her niece, VirginiaIshmael.

Memorials may be made to the United Methodist Children’s Home,P. O. Box 2589, Madison, MS 39130; the Brookhaven Little Theatre;or the Special Olympics.