Mrs. Ella Mae Austin Beshears, age 100, passed away Friday, December 31, 2010 at Forsyth Medical Center. She was born December 20, 1910 in Watauga County to Samuel Monroe and Minnie Payne Austin. Mrs. Beshears was a retired teacher of 34 years. She graduated from Appalachian State Teachers College and received a master's degree from George Peabody College which is now Vanderbilt University. Mrs. Beshears was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Teaching Sorority and the Eastern Star as well as a lifelong member of Oak Grove Baptist Church in Boone and First Baptist Church of Elkin. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Ralph L. Beshears, Sr. Survivors include her son Ralph L. Beshears, Jr. and his wife Libby of Elkin; daughter Pat Chastain and her husband Joel Zibelin of Knoxville, TN.; sister Daisy Adams of Boone; sisters-in-Law Roberta Austin of Boone and Louise Beshears of Charlotte; grandchildren Lane Beshears and his wife Teresa, Adam Beshears and his wife Cindy, Austin Beshears, Alicia Chastain and her husband Ranga Bodla , and Andria Chastain and her husband Edmund Velasco, great grandchildren Isabella Velasco, Matthew Beshears, and Sarah Beshears; and numerous nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be conducted Sunday, January 2, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. at Mount Lawn Memorial Park in Boone with Dr. Bill Johnson officiating. A memorial Service will follow at 7:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Elkin. The family requests that memorials be made to the Minister's Community Relief Fund, PO Box 618, Elkin, NC 28621. The family would like to thank special caregiver Wilma Myers.
