MARY ELLEN WASEM SULLENGER, age 97, a resident of Cape Girardeau, MO formerly of Charleston, MO died Thursday, February 26, 2009 at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau, MO.

She was born February 24, 1912 in Wickliffe, KY to the late Marshall Henry and Lillie Virginia Riley Rollins. She grew up in Wickliffe where she became a member of the First Baptist Church and attended Wickliffe High School where she was a star basketball player and had the nickname "Babe". At age 16 she moved to Cape Girardeau to attend Cape Girardeau School of Beauty Culture, living with her sister and brother in law, Gertrude and Michael O'Hara family. Following her marriage, she and her husband, Carl Wasem, moved to Charleston in 1947 where they started the Wasem News Agency; a wholesale and retail magazine distributorship which covered a 285 mile route in Southeast Missouri. It covered an area from Scott City south to the Arkansas border and west to Poplar Bluff. They also had the newspaper delivery agency in Charleston. She and her husband worked side by side in their business until his death in 1956. Following Carl's death, she sold the business and began concentrating on raising her two daughters and sharing her love of flowers. She was known by flower lovers through out Southeast Missouri for her Azalea plantings and for "Mary's Thicket". She helped friends plant nearly all of the "old" azaleas in Charleston, never tiring of promoting her love for the town and the Dogwood/Azalea Festival. In 1999 she was honored by being named Grand Marshall of the Annual Dogwood/Azalea Parade. In addition to her dedication to Charleston's flowering beauty as a member of the Molly French Garden Club, she was also a dedicated member of the First Baptist Church where she sang in the choir for over 50 years and was active in the Women's Missionary Union(WMU), and also was an active member of the Katherine Boone Music Club, the Athena Club, and the Women's Study Club.

She first married Carl Emil Wasem on August 14, 1940 who preceded her in death on November 25, 1956. Then on May 13, 1967 she married Wade Sullenger who preceded her in death on Jan. 27, 1972.

Surviving are her two daughters and one son in law, Mary Carl Thilenius of Perryville and Jeanette (Jenny) and Robert Strickland of Cape Girardeau; six grandsons and one great grandson.

One Sister, Gertrude O'hara, preceded her in death.

Funeral Services were conducted at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 28, 2009 at the First Baptist Church in Charleston. Rev. Michael Brewer, pastor officiated and Betty C. Hearnes served as eulogist.

Interment will follow in the Wickliffe City Cemetery at Wickliffe, KY under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Choir Fund, 301 S. Main, Charleston, Mo. 63834 or to the American Cancer Society, c/o Jeanne Rolwing, 1306 State Street, Charleston, MO 63834

Pallbearers will be: Howie Thilenius, III; Carl Thilenius, Theron Thilenius, Van Strickland, Jason Strickland, Matthew Strickland and Robert Strickland.