Mt. Vernon Register-News

Obituaries

November 2, 2007

Robert Shields

Robert Shields

DAYTON, Wash. (AP) — The Rev. Robert Shields, a retired schoolteacher and minister whose massive diary detailed everything from his dreams and bodily functions to his grocery store receipts, has died. He was 89.

Shields, whose 3,000- to 4,000-word daily output for more than 20 years gained worldwide attention in the mid-1990s, died Oct. 15 of complications following a series of strokes, according to Hubbard-Rogg Funeral Home, which handled memorial arrangements.

Everything was entered in the diary from 1972 to 1996, when a stroke hampered his ability to type, Shields told Oprah Winfrey on her show in 1997.

His compendium of grocery receipts, personal hygiene, urination, bowel movements, events large and small and random thoughts and observations, typed on a succession of IBM Memory Typewriter 100s, filled 91 cardboard boxes and amounted to an estimated 36.5 million words when it was delivered to Washington State University in 1999.

In 1987 he donated his life savings to establish a charitable trust providing $100,000 for Washington State to care for his diaries but specified that they be closed from public view for 50 years following his death.

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Obituaries
  • Robert Winder

    Robert Leroy “Bob” Winder, 85, of Mt. Vernon, passed away at his home 10:46 a.m., Friday. Feb. 10, 2012.

    February 11, 2012

  • Ellis Willie J. "Bill" Ellis

    Willie J. "Bill"  Ellis, 85, of Du Quoin and a former resident of Mt. Vernon died 1:45 a.m. Wednesday,  Feb. 8, 2012 at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.
    Willie was born September 5, 1926  in Lilbourn, Missouri, the son of John E. and Alice Myrtle (Hicks) Ellis. He first married Edna M. (Crunk) on Sept. 3, 1951 in Piggott, Arkansas. She preceded him in death on Oct. 26, 1990. He later married Lorene (Porro) O'Rourke on Feb. 14, 1993, in Du Quoin,  IL. She survives in Du Quoin.

    February 9, 2012 1 Photo

  • Janet Mays Janet Mays

    Jeanetta Rosetta “Janet” Mays, 91, passed away 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, at her son’s home in Woodlawn with her family by her side.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • Donna Scott Donna Scott

    Donna Casada Scott, 60, of Mt. Vernon, passed away at 6:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, at Good Samaritan Regional Health Center in Mt. Vernon.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • Charles Pickett

    Charles G.  Pickett, age 72, of Woodlawn, died 12:48 p.m. Friday,  Feb. 3, 2012, at his home in Woodlawn.

    February 6, 2012

  • Eva Gregory

    Eva E. Gregory, 89, a former resident of Wayne City, passed away 8:45 p.m. Feb. 4, 2012, at Mt. Vernon Health Care Center.

    February 6, 2012

  • Zella A. Payne

    Zella A. Payne, 96, of Dahlgren, died 3 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, at Hamilton Memorial Nursing Center in McLeansboro.
    She was born Sept. 19, 1915, in Jefferson County, the daughter of George W. and Emma Jane (Page) Capps. She married Harry Payne May 29, 1933; he preceded her in death May 11, 1977.

    February 3, 2012

  • Gilliam Vera M. Gilliam

    Vera M. Gilliam, 93, of West Frankfort, died 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, at West Side Rehabilitation and Care Center in West Frankfort.
    She was born Monday, Oct. 14, 1918, in Benton, the daughter of Jarvis and Callie (Harris) O’Neal. She married Russell A. wicks on Feb. 22, 1942; he preceded her in death July 7, 1979. She married Myron Dale Gilliam on Nov. 11, 1980; he preceded her in death on Dec. 26, 2011.

    February 3, 2012 1 Photo

  • Barbara Abbott Barbara Abbott

    Barbara Jean Abbott, 82, of McLeansboro, passed away at 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, at Hamilton Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro.

    February 3, 2012 1 Photo

  • Eileen Sweetin Eileen Sweetin

    Eileen A. Sweetin, 93, passed away Jan. 29, 2012, at Good Samaritan Hospital.

    February 2, 2012 1 Photo