Mary Ellen (Yearwood) Capps, 87, passed away at 4:57 am March 5, 2025 at her residence. She was born November 10, 1937 in Mount Vernon, Illinois, the daughter of Charles (Bud) Yearwood and Irene (Garrett) Yearwood. She married James Earl Capps on October 24, 1956 in Corinth Alcorn County, Mississippi. They were blessed with sixty years of marriage before he preceded her in death on January 1, 2017. Mary Ellen cherished her family. Her husband and sons were her life. Her close relations with her brothers and their families meant the world to her.
A lifelong residence of Mount Vernon, she attended Mount Vernon Township High School and graduated with the Class of 1955. She was a member of Second Baptist Church and a member of the DAR, Sgt. Caleb Hopkins Chapter.
Mary Ellen worked at Illinois Bell Telephone in for twenty-eight years and AT&T in Saint Louis for six years. She started her career in Mount Vernon as a telephone operator in 1955, transferring to the business office in 1964. She was promoted to Business Office Supervisor in 1970, responsible for covering the Mount Vernon, Centralia, Salem, and Cairo offices. She was promoted to the position of business office manager for the Mount Vernon and Centralia offices in 1980. In early 1983, IBT began closing business offices across the state preceding the breakup of the Bell system. She transferred to the AT&T in December 1989 she had held the position of Acting District Manager.
Mary Ellen loved to read and spent her free time reading her favorite authors. After her retirement she spent years researching the genealogy of her maternal and paternal families. She was proud of the results of her investigations and the fact that she could leave actual historical documents and facts for her extended family.
She is survived by a son, Michael Brent Capps (Jennifer) of Mount Vernon; grandchildren, Alyson Greenwalt (Noah) of Horn Lake, Mississippi, Brenda Krutsinger (Jesse) of Marion, Illinois, and Jessica Beel (partner, Sam King) of Glendale, Arizona; great-grandchildren, Konner Jas Halama, Olivia Marie Dieter; special great-grandchildren, Treager and Jack Evelyn Halama; brothers, Lee Yearwood (Elaine) of Waco, Texas, Darrell Yearwood (Lynn) of Saint Louis, Missouri; nephews, Scott Yearwood (Jeri) of Huntersville, North Carolina, David Yearwood of Portland, Maine; nieces, Lisa Judd (Lonnie) of Waco, Texas, Lori Yearwood of Waco, Texas, and Kristi Chobanian of Mount Vernon, Illinois; close cousins, Don Yearwood and Linda Hodges.
Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, David Wayne Capps; brother, Charles (Sonny) Yearwood; her twin, Jerry Allen Yearwood; and sister-in-law, Phyllis Yearwood.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Cheryl Emmons for the wonderful care and support she gave to Mary Ellen over the years and to Jim before his death.
It was her request that she be cremated with graveside services only. Graveside services will be held Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 1:00 pm at New Shiloh Cemetery on Richview Road in Jefferson County, Illinois. Those attending the service should go directly to the cemetery.
If desired, memorials may be made in her memory to New Shiloh Cemetery Association or The Wounded Warrior Project, and will be accepted at or can be mailed to Hughey Funeral Home at 1314 Main Street, Mount Vernon, Illinois.
Call Hughey Funeral Home at 618-242-3348 or visit hugheyfh.com for further information.