Shirley Rae Sessions Ludlow

Shirley Rae Sessions Ludlow, 82, devoted mother, wife, daughter, and friend, moved on to her heavenly reward after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer on Saturday, December 15, in Dallas, Texas. She was born on January 4, 1936, in Atwell, Callahan County, Texas, to Etha Belle (Jones) and Dayton Lee Sessions. Raised on a peanut farm outside Cross Plains, Texas, she graduated high school in 1953 and received her Associates degree from Cisco Junior College. She moved to Dallas and to Midland, Tx in 1958 where she met and married Stephen Collins Ludlow after a six week whirlwind courtship.  They moved to Ennis and Dallas before settling in DeSoto in 1965.   Always putting others first, Shirley was the consummate mother, wife and servant leader. She served as room mother, PTA president, Girl Scout troop leader, Boy Scout den mother, Sunbeam leader, Sunday School teacher, choir member, Beta Sigma Phi sorority officer, DeSoto Charter Chapter of the American Business Women's Assoc. (ABWA) President, Christian Women's Club officer, and all around "how can I help" person. After the unexpected death of her husband in 1972 when she was only 36, Shirley went back to college and graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education degree from Dallas Baptist College (now University).  She achieved this while raising her three children who were 9, 11 and 13 when she started. They say they learned much from their mother, watching her simultaneously attend college, teach private Kindergarten part-time, sell Tupperware at night, and then coming home to do her college homework. They remember many nights falling asleep to the tapping sound of her blue, electric, Royal typewriter in the living room as she typed her college papers after a long day and then her getting up early the next morning to do it all again.She received many accolades: Life Member from DeSoto Preschool PTA, Girl of the Year from Beta Sigma Phi, and Woman of the Year from ABWA to name a few.After a successful career as a mortgage underwriter, Shirley retired and soon thereafter began substitute teaching in DeSoto ISD, mainly Ruby Young Elementary. She substitute taught until she was 79 years old and loved it.Shirley considered being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother her greatest joy.  She is survived by son, Roger Ludlow, and daughter-in-law, Stephanie Huebinger Ludlow of Round Rock, Texas; daughter, Stephanie Ludlow Kelly and partner Gomer Wilson of McKinney, Texas; son, Geoff Ludlow of DeSoto; granddaughters Elizabeth Butler and Savannah Kelly; and great grandson, Landon Butler Gaus. The family would like to recognize neighbor, Terrie Cantrell, who became like family.A celebration of Shirley's life will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday - December 19, 2018 in the Chapel of West/Hurtt Funeral Home. Friends are encouraged to share memories of Shirley at the celebration. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Shirley's honor to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN.org).