Shirley Mae Scott

December 31, 1934 - December 2, 2020

Shirley Mae (Dent) Scott, 85, of Independence, Missouri, passed away on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at her home. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 5, 2020 at the Odessa Cemetery in Odessa, MO. Memorials are suggested to Great Plains SPCA, Attn: Development, 5428 Antioch Drive, Merriam, KS 66202 or may be left in care of the funeral home. Memories of Shirley and condolences for her family may be left on our website www.LedfordFamilyFh.com or our Facebook Page. Arrangements have been entrusted to Ralph O. Jones Funeral Home, 306 S. 2nd Street, Odessa, MO, 64076, 816-633-5524. Shirley was born on December 31, 1934 in Stoutsville, MO to Charles and Lucy Mae (Barnes) Dent. She graduated salutatorian from Odessa High School in 1953 and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science in Education from Central Missouri State University in 1957 and a Master of Science in Education in 1975, also from CMSU. Shirley also received a Master of Arts from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1959. Shirley taught speech and debate for 30 years at Raytown South High School in Raytown, MO. She then went on to sell real estate for Century 21 B&L in Blue Springs, MO. Shirley was a member of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association and the Independence Optimist Club. She was well-loved by her students and student-teachers, who kept in touch with her well after her retirement. In addition to spending time with family and friends, Shirley enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and being involved in her grandson’s baseball and grand-daughter’s theatre. She also took part in Independence Community Theatre both at the Old Jailhouse on the Independence square during Santa-Cali-Gon as well as at the Independence Sermon Center. She was an avid sports fan, participated in many bowling leagues over the years, and an animal lover who was involved in rescuing lost and abandoned animals. Survivors include her daughter, Tracy Mueller and husband Jon of Independence, Mo; two grandchildren, Ian S. Mueller and wife Riece of Overland Park, KS, and Brianne N. Mueller and fiancée Logan Coy of Blue Springs, MO; as well as one niece and two nephews. In addition to her parents, Shirley was preceded in death by her brother, Charles Spencer Dent.