Mrs. Evelyn Rousseau Shealy

February 19, 1923 - February 4, 2016

Mrs. Evelyn Rousseau Shealy, 92, of Franklin Springs died Thursday, February 4, 2016, in the loving presence of her children, at Alive Hospice in Nashville, TN. Born February 19, 1923 in Hong Kong, she was the daughter of the late Rev. T. H. Rousseau and Eva Brown Rousseau, missionaries to China through the Pentecostal Holiness Church. She was fluent in Cantonese and assisted her parents in the mission field. In 1940 when Japan invaded China, the American consul ordered all citizens to evacuate and she returned to the United States to live with family in Denver, Colorado where she completed high school. Evelyn moved to Franklin Springs where she graduated from Emmanuel College, then completed her education at Piedmont College and taught school. In 1946 she accompanied her sister Sybil Rousseau and Eleanor Dean Cates to do mission work in Hong Kong. Again because of war in 1951, she returned to the United States and became employed at Advocate Press (now Lifesprings). She married Alton Shealy in 1955. Evelyn retired as administrative secretary after many years of service with Charles Bradshaw. Evelyn was a help and a blessing to many people. She is preceded in death by her husband Alton; brothers, Mark Rousseau and Jim Rousseau; and sisters, Elizabeth McClelland and Sybil Cates. Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Patti and Jim Guill of Nashville, TN; son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Tammy Shealy of Raleigh, NC; and five grandchildren: Stirling, Caitlin and Patrick Guill; and Michael and Taylor Shealy. Funeral services for Mrs. Shealy will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 11, 2016, at the Pruitt Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow in the Franklin Springs City Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Pruitt Funeral Home from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening. The family is at their respective homes. Memorials may be made to Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson Street Nashville, TN 37203 or alivehospice.org. Pruitt Funeral Home in Royston, GA is in charge of arrangements.