Jimmie Lee Shanklin III a.k.a. "DeDe" was born on January 22, 1970 in East St. Louis, IL to Patricia Ann Price-Shanklin and Jimmie Lee Shanklin Jr. II. Jimmie attended school in District #189 and was very active in music and fashion. Jimmie enjoyed music and dancing so much that he started breakdancing in his mid-teens and continued with dancing and rapping in his late teens to early 20's. Jimmie started a male group in his early 20's called UMENS. They rapped, sang, and danced. He was very proud of his group. "Shank" is what they called him at that time in life. He would often say he was a ladies' man. Jimmie enjoyed listening to Tupac Shakur, DMX, and reggae.

Jimmie is preceded in death by his parents, Patricia Ann Price-Shanklin and Jimmie Lee Shanklin Jr.; maternal grandparents, Joseph & Anne Hart and Hortense & Frank Green; paternal grandparents, Jimmie Lee Shanklin Sr. and Lula Bee "Scarbough" Shanklin; sisters, Chaquita Price and Lisa Shanklin; aunts and uncles, Sarah Shanklin, Abraham (Annie) Shanklin, Benjamin (Phyllis) Shanklin, Yvonne (Johnnie) McCray, Connie (Earl) Mohammed, Henry (Peggy) Shanklin, and Keith Shanklin.

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, God called Jimmie Lee Shanklin III home, leaving many memories with his family and friends. Jimmie leaves to cherish his memories his sons, Jimmie Lee Shanklin IV and Jimmie E. Shanklin; daughters, Latosha Attrice, Jessica White, Poe'Etic Shanklin, Alexus Shanklin, Jamilah Shanklin, Anuew Shanklin, Taylin Shanklin; sisters, Donna McNamee and Danielle Shanklin; aunts, Deloris Johnson, Millie Lee, Gwendolyn Shanklin, Pamela Shanklin, and Paula Shanklin; uncles, Marvin Lee and Leonard (Linda) Shanklin, a host of nieces, nephews, grandchildren, cousins and friends.