Ronald Traughber Shupe

Published 4:44 pm Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Nov. 22, 1938 – Jan. 22, 2025

NATCHEZ – Funeral services for Ronald Traughber Shupe are on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church, Natchez, by the Rev. Doug Broome.

Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. at First Baptist before the service. Burial will follow at Natchez City Cemetery.

Ron died at his home in Natchez on Wednesday morning, Jan. 22, surrounded by his family.

Ron was born on Nov. 22, 1938, to Lavada Traughber Reed and John Dixon Shupe in Mayfield, KY.

He was raised in Kentucky, moved to Natchez in 1955, and graduated from Washington High School in 1958.

At Washington High School, he met his wife-to-be, Rose Diane Wilkinson. The two were married on Aug. 28, 1959. Diane preceded him in death in 2015 after 56 years of marriage.

He married Ruth Johnson Malone in 2019, who survives.

Ron served in the United States Army National Guard and was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC.

Ron worked for Harbison-Fischer Oilfield Supply and owned Shupe’s Bakery on Liberty Road next to Jeans and Things, a popular clothing store he also once owned.

In 1977, Ron accepted a position as sales manager with Norris Sucker Rods and moved his family to Houston. Later, he was promoted within that company and moved to Tulsa, OK, where he worked until his retirement in 2002.

Following retirement, the Shupes’ bought the Peter Crist House and returned to Natchez, where he lived until his death.

Ron loved playing music, particularly with his brother, Donald, and the bands they formed with friends. He played piano, guitar, harmonica, and banjo and particularly loved old-school country music, Elvis Presley, and Gaither-style Gospel music. He loved to entertain and was good at it. He also enjoyed watching Westerns and cowboy movies on television, playing golf when he lived in Houston and Tulsa, and participated in Civil War reenactments in Mississippi.

Ron loved to dance and did so until just recently when he danced with his daughters.

He had dogs as pets all his life and particularly loved his current dog, Duke.

Ron had an affinity for eating sweets. Chess pie was his favorite.

He is survived by his three daughters, Tanya Shupe (Glenn) Benoist of Southlake, TX, Shannon (Greg) Wheeler of Keller, TX, and Rhonda Shupe (Sergio) Uribe of Lewisville, NC; grandchildren, Jake (Brooke) Benoist of Southlake, Patrick (Julie) Benoist of Dallas, Caroline Benoist of Dallas, Ally Wheeler of Houston, Sam Wheeler of Fort Worth, Andrew Uribe of Lewisville, and Katy Uribe of Naperville, IL; and great-grandchild, Bartlett Benoist of Dallas; his brother, Donald Shupe of Natchez; and sisters, Mattillee Waycaster of Brookhaven and Tillie McWhorter of Mount Pleasant, TN.

Laird Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at lairdfh.com.