Sheila Flournoy Utzman's Obituary
Sheila Flournoy Utzman was born in Natchez, Mississippi on July 21, 1949, to James and Mary Margaret Flournoy. As a result of her father being in the United States Army and her first husband being in the United States Air Force, she had the opportunity to live in the following places: Columbia, South Carolina; Lawton, Oklahoma; Anchorage, Alaska; Leesville, Louisiana; Champaign, Illinois; and San Antonio, Texas. Home, however, remained Natchez and surrounding areas until she and her family moved to East Texas in 1974. Except for a brief move with her daughter, Audra, to Bradenton, Florida, she continued to reside in the Kilgore/Longview area.
Sheila worked primarily in retail and as an accomplished seamstress. However, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis early on and it became increasingly difficult to continue in those jobs. She later attended Kilgore College where she received her associates degree. Following that she worked for a time at the Longview Salvation Army’s Social Services Department as well as being a member of the Salvation Army Longview Corps.
Her fondest pastime was singing, both at church activities and at karaoke. She organized the musical entertainment for her church’s Homecoming weekends. She once performed at the Gladewater Opry.
Sheila was the proud mother of three children - Audra DiTucci Eades, Shawn Glidden, and Windy Glidden Pettitte. Sheila was preceded in death by daughters Audra and Windy as well as her parents, her stepfather Leslie Rand, and her sister Sandra Shelburne.
She is survived by Shawn, who was a great help and comfort to her in the last couple of years. Additionally, she is survived by her stepdaughter Janet Rosser and husband Steve. Also surviving are her sister Sharon Flournoy and her husband Willie Simpson, her sons-in-law Billy Eades and Ricky Pettitte. She has three grandsons- Travis Eades and fiancé Haley, Taylor Pettitte and Alexander Glidden and five granddaughters- Krystian Glidden; Sara Davis and husband Jared; Maegan Eades, Emily Pettitte and fiancé’ Dakota; and Arrianna Glidden. She also is survived by three nieces- Tira Shelburne and husband Randy; Teresa Fitzgerald and husband James; and Kimberly Leur; and by several great grandchildren.
There will be a visitation for family and friends at Rader Funeral Home, Longview Friday, May 8, 2026, 3pm-5pm, and a Celebration of Life later at the Salvation Army chapel.
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