Sue W. Shanks, 76, of Greenville, passed away on October 27, 2020, in Greenville. A graveside service to celebrate her life will be 2:00 P.M., Sunday, November 1, 2020, at Memoryland Memorial Park with Rev. Chris Yost officiating. Visitation will be 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M., Saturday, October 31, 2020, at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home.
Sue was born March 16, 1944, in Greenville, Texas, to A.O. Whitehead and Billie Bench. She married Preston Shanks in Oklahoma on December 9, 1961. She was a graduate of Greenville High School and East Texas State University, where she obtained Bachelors and Masters degrees in Education.
Sue began a life long career in education in 1967 as a history teacher at Greenville High School. She had a great passion for history and loved sharing this passion with her students. Every day she poured her heart and soul into the students of GHS and challenged them to strive to achieve things they often thought beyond their reach. While at Greenville, she was able to take students on journeys to Europe, which allowed them to experience history and gain a better understanding of her teachings. She made a significant impact on numerous students in GISD and loved seeing and visiting with former students. Sue left GHS in 1998 for a position in Dallas ISD to oversee their Odyssey of the Mind (OM) Creative Problem-Solving Program. She transitioned DISD to Destination Imagination (DI) in 1999 as the Dallas Regional Director. In 2002, Sue took the position of Affiliate Director of Texas Destination Imagination, and the program was never the same. Under her guidance, Texas DI became one of the world's largest chapters, with almost 4,000 teams. Other Affiliate Directors often looked to Sue for her advice on developing a program as successful as Texas. Texas DI amassed hundreds of Global Finals awards and championships under her tenure. Sue served on the DI International Board of Trustees and as the President of the DI Affiliate Directors organization. Her passion for creative problem-solving was unparalleled.
She was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church and served on the board for GISD’s New Horizons High School for many years. Sue volunteered for Bras for the Cause, where her legacy will live on as the “Brabie” Award Statuette creator.
Sue treasured her many friends and loved nothing better than a laugh or a good story with them. She loved decorating for holidays, as well as celebrating them. She loved good food and enjoyed cooking for others. Sue was a “larger than life” personality whose signature style was bright colors and gaudy costume jewelry. In her honor, friends are asked to wear something bright to the visitation and memorial service.
Sue is survived by her mother, Billie Summerlin, daughters, Stephanie Lamm (Mark) and Staci Prier (Cliff), and the lights of her life, grandchildren, Maisie Lamm, Brendan Prier, and Cade Prier. As well as her numerous friends she made through Destination Imagination, which she considered to be family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Preston Shanks; father, A.O. Whitehead; grandmother, Myrtle Bench.
Pallbearers will be Mitch Adams, Boyd Barnes, Katrin Beacom Beeson, Andy Bench, Robert Chance, Elizabeth Ransom Donham, Dorsey Brown Martensen, Greg Norton, and Kim Winans. They were all beloved members of her early Greenville High School Odyssey of the Mind Teams.
In place of flowers, the family request donations to the Sue Shanks Texas DI Memorial Scholarship Fund, where her legacy and passion for creative problem solving will continue to influence others. www.SueShanksMemorial.com/TXDI
We are requesting that everyone limit the size of gatherings during the viewing due to concerns regarding Covid. Please feel free to come and pay your respects but limit your contact with others per recommended guidelines from the CDC.