Ouida Rose Fleming English

Marshallville, GA – Ouida Rose English, aged 85, of El Paso, TX passed away on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Oaks Nursing and Personal Care Home, Marshallville, surrounded by her loving family. A Graveside Service will be held at Master's Cemetery in Ellenwood, GA at 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 11, 2025,
Born in Griffin, GA on January 17, 1940, Ouida's beloved parents include the late Hosea McCall Fleming and the late Mary Steele McKee. On June 18, 1942, her father, Seaman Second Class, died when the S.S. Millinocket was sunk by a Nazi U-boat for which he received a purple heart. Just two years old, she found her mother crying after her father's death, and she poured talcum powder on her to make her feel better. A few years later, her mother married Rev. Ray Ellis Shelton, "Daddy Ray," and soon she was the older sister of two brothers - Chris and Paul, and two sisters - Lucinda and Miriam. Leaving for Carson-Newman College, Ouida inspired her siblings who with her parents, were on the mission field in Uruguay. Always desiring to serve the Lord, she sought preparation, graduating with a B.S. in Home Economics at Carson-Newman College, followed by a Master's in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. After serving briefly in church ministry and working at Casa Bautista de Publicaciones, she became a teacher in the Ysleta Independent School District, El Paso, TX where she taught for 27 years. After retirement, she began a business called Border Crossing Fine Art, an expansion of her oil painting hobby. She was meticulous in her appearance and dress, displaying a certain flair of elegance. She was an avid oil painter and taught those skills to others. She enjoyed being a poll worker at election time and participated in community art and choral groups. Ouida was a proud "Pasoan" having lived sixty years in El Paso, TX, until moving to Georgia to be near family in August 2024 due to her declining health. Along with other themes, her oil paintings featured the indigenous women and children of the Southwest as well as several historic Spanish missions. In later years, she recreated these themes on tiles while experimenting with watercolor, pencil drawings, and other techniques.
She was a devoted Christian and an active member of Cielo Vista Church, among other things teaching in the Awana program for grades 1-6. She loved singing in Christmas choirs and made elaborate costumes for the Christmas programs as well as Church Banners. She shared her faith with her neighbors and made mission trips to Indonesia, Ecuador, and Cuba. She loved her family, her friends, her pets, her plants and flowers, and her home. She enjoyed collecting dolls, bells, shells, spoons, rocks, clocks, oil lamps, figurines, art books, and art supplies. She is preceded in death by her father Hosea M. Fleming, her mother Mary M. Shelton, and her "Daddy Ray" Ray E. Shelton.
She is survived by her four siblings: Chrispian (Ellen) Shelton of Minneapolis, MN; Paul (Laura) Shelton of Via Alista, CA; Lucinda (Victor) Lyons of Pineview, GA; and Miriam (Dan) Shelton of New York City, NY; numerous nieces and nephews as well as loving cousins.
In lieu of flowers, donations made be made to l Paso Animal Services https://www.friendsofepas.org or Cielo Vista Church El Paso https://www.cielovista.church/give.
For those who wish to express online condolences, please visit www.hughesandwright.com. Hughes & Wright Funeral Home, Inc. is been entrusted with these arrangements.