Mittie " Nubbin " Shattles

Booneville - Mittie Pearl "Nubbin" Payne Shattles, 77, died Tuesday, September 15, 2009, at The North Mississippi Medical Center after an extended illness. A Lee County native, she was born February 13, 1932, to Samuel and Lillia Ellis Payne. After growing up and living a number of years in Lee County, she also spent 20 years on Pickwick Lake after her children were grown. She had lived in Booneville the past 12 years. She was married to Raymond Shattles who died Jan. 5, 2009. An accomplished musician, she sang on the Mississippi Slim radio show on WELO. In 1945, she won second place in the Mississippi Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in Tupelo, beating Elvis, who came in fifth. She is recognized at the Elvis Presley Museum in Tupelo for that accomplishment. She was also featured on the Biography Channel on the life of Elvis and in the book, Elvis, The Tupelo Years, by Bill Burke. According to Burke, she recorded an album which sold 20 million copies less than Elvis. Her singing career came to a halt in order to start her family which took priority in her life. She was an avid gardner, wonderful cook, and loved her children, grandchildren and her dog, Peanut. She was a longtime member of the Church of Christ and loved God with all her heart. She leaves a legacy of faith for her family.

Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at The Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues with Rev. Horace Barnes officiating. Burial will be in Payne Cemetery.

Survivors include three daughters, Jewel Reeves (Robert) of Booneville, Susan Whitmon (Bro. William) of Mooreville and Renita Brown (Robert) of Booneville; four sons, Danny Stevenson of Mooreville, Rick Stevenson (Sherry) of Enid, Bobby Taylor of Southaven, and Jon Mark Taylor (Jamie) of Nettleton; one sister, Patsy Carr of Mooreville; one brother,Era Gilmore of Nettleton; one step-sister, Martha Dickerson of Tupelo; two step-brothers, Charles Gilmore of Nettleton, Bobby Gilmore of Tupelo; 17 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 33 years, Raymond Shattles; one son, James Ralph Stevenson; two brothers, Sam Thomas Payne and J.B. Payne.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Jeff Reeves, Rusty Lemmon, Richard Johnson, Gregory Johnson, Corey Taylor, Jesse Stevenson.

Visitation will be 5-9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.