Mary Ellen Collenette

MaryEllen (Sheasley) Collenette, 87, passed away on January 18, 2025. She was born on May 30, 1937 in a farmhouse in Coolspring Twp., Mercer County, PA, to the late Blaine and Ellen (Finney) Sheasley. She married her beloved husband, Richard Collenette, of Sharon, PA in Denver, Colorado in 1960. He proceeded her in death in 2007. She was of the Protestant faith and a member of the Stoneboro Methodist Church in Stoneboro, PA. She attended a one room school house until they closed in 1948. Mary Ellen was in the first graduating class of Lakeview High School in 1955. She then went on and graduated from Sharon General School of Nursing in 1958.  She spent her career starting out at Hamot Hospital in Erie, PA for seven years, and then retiring from Grove City Hospital after 20 years.

In her younger years Mary Ellen spent time volunteering for the ladies auxiliary, the Stoneboro Fire Department and Meals on Wheels. Before the passing of her husband, they would often take family trips to Lake Erie to camp in their camper. Mary Ellen loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren, they were the light of her life. Some of her favorite past times included going to yard sales, doing crossword puzzles, as well as being an avid reader and movie buff. She was in a local card club for over thirty years with several of her close friends. For years she looked forward to her monthly lunches with nursing school classmates, and after the passing of her husband, Mary Ellen joined a support group which she also look forward to attending. 

Survived by her sons: John Collenette (Donna), Greenville, PA; Stephen Collenette (Darla) Greenville, PA; Sister-In-Law, Ann Sheasley; grandchildren: Amanda (Brandon) Kitch and Stephanie Collenette; Willis and Natalie Vaughn (which she helped raised); and Isaac Morrow; great grandchildren: Camdyn, Declyn, Holdyn and Tennisyn Kitch; Richard Seelbaugh, Maddie and Emma Joy,  and several nieces and nephews and cousins and a special niece, Valeria Victor.

Mary Elllen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Richard Collenette; her daughter, Carol Vaughn; a grandson, Cecil Vaughn; her sister, Linda Young; her brother, Jim Sheasley; her sister-in-law, Shirley Victor; a daughter-in-law, Brenda (Morrow) Collenette.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Rose and Black Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. 99 Franklin St. Stoneboro, PA 16153. Visitation will take place at the funeral home from 4-7 PM on Friday, January 24. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Saturday, January 25 starting at 11:00AM, with an hour of visitation preceding the service. This service will be live-streamed on Rose and Black Funeral Home's Facebook page, and the live stream will start at approximately 10:55AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations in Mary Ellen’s name be made to the Lakeview Area Library at 3265 S. Main Street, Sandy Lake, PA 16145.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.RoseAndBlackFH.com