Jessie Elaine Cheek

Jessie Elaine Rushing Cheek are 89 entered into rest on February 22, 2020. Born to Grace Jessee Rushing and David Rushing, Jessie grew up on farms in communities around Arnold near Nevada, Texas (her dad kept moving from place to place until he bought a farm). Her mom, Ma Grace, named her Jessie Elaine and her family called her Elaine until some Jessee relatives visited and were upset the she wasn't called Jessie so she became Jessie. As she grew older, Jessie decided she wanted to be called Elaine. She attended a 2-room school house in Arnold for most of her elementary years. Elaine graduated in from Nevada High School in 1947 when she was 16—she didn't turn 17 until July—because only 11 years of school were required at that time. Elaine moved to Dallas to attend Draughnon's Business School after which she worked as a secretary, then for the telephone company. Through mutual friends, she met Horace Cheek from Mabank and they married in January 1950. While Horace was attending SMU on the G.I. Bill, his Naval Reserve Company was called up to serve in Japan in the Korean War. By this time, Elaine was pregnant with her first child, Yvonne. After Horace returned, they had three more children: Linda, Benny and Charlie. She had 4 kids in 5 years—how did she do it?!! Elaine did great, that's what. She was a loving, wonderful, patient and very involved mom, serving as Cub Scouts den mother and Camp Fire Girls leader, homeroom mother, and in various roles in her church at Lochwood Baptist Church. In the 1960's, she and Horace decided she needed a career to support the family if anything happened to him. She didn't think she could do it (though she was Salutatorian of her high school senior class). She worried all the time about making good grades and she graduated from North Texas State University magnum cum laude with a 3.8 average, and it was only that low because her senior year Horace had a heart attack. He survived but she had to settle for some B's that semester. Some years later, she achieved a master's in Education through East Texas State University. After working for 20 years as a 4th grade teacher at Rowlett Elementary for Garland ISD, Elaine retired to become busy taking care of her landscape and garden, playing canasta, taking several trips around the country and the world, and serving as Sunday School teacher at her Church. She sold her house and moved into a senior apartment in Garland 10 years ago. She still played canasta, visited friends, stayed busy in her church (she moved her membership to Calvary Hill Baptist Church), and was totally independent until she broke 7 ribs and fractured a vertebrae in August. She developed breathing problems, went to Methodist Richardson, was put on hospice and passed on February 22, 2020, almost 90 years old. Elaine is now with her precious Jesus and the angels, that's what she believed.