Joanna May Wilkiins Shirley

Joanna May Wilkins Shirley
August 15, 1934 - November 30, 2020

Joanna Shirley died peacefully in her sleep on the morning of November 30, 2020. Joanna shared her life with Joseph Samuel Shirley for over 67 years and they shared four children: Robert Shirley and wife Darlene, Lynne Shirley Grinstead and husband Steve Grinstead, Melanie Ann Shirley Marshall, and daughter Hope Renee Shirley, whom they lost in 1967.

Memorial services will be held October 30, 2021, at 2:00 pm at Shepherd United Methodist Church in Shepherd, TX. Visitation will be held afterwords in their fellowship hall. For those able to attend, attire is bright and cheerful, as that is what Joanna would have liked.

Joanna was born in Franklin, KY and grew up on a dairy farm in Russellville, KY. Her parents were Robert Burr Wilkins and Anna Regina Etheridge Wilkins. She had an older sister, Mary Regina Wilkins Turner, and a younger brother, Robert Burr Wilkins, Jr., who all preceded her in death. She was loved by 8 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and lifetime friends.

As newlyweds, they took the bold step of moving to Texas with their newborn son in 1954 and made Texas their permanent home, moving first to Houston, but then made Shepherd, TX their home 1970-2009. Joanna worked as the secretary for Shepherd Junior School for many years. In 1980 she resumed her college education (while still working full time) and received her undergraduate degree in education in 1986 from SHSU at the age of 53 before a very proud family. She went on to teach all business education classes at Shepherd High School for the next 11 years, touching many young students. In 2009 she and Sam moved to Frisco, TX for their permanent retirement.

Growing up on a farm, she was very active in farm life, FHA, home economics, cooking, sewing, reading, crosswords, church choir, and loved to play the piano. She was a devoted mother and very active in all of their children’s outside activities. She was very active in Shepherd United Methodist Church, as organist for 38 years and served many years on their board. She and Sam loved to travel in their recreational vehicle to many parts of the USA. Joanna was quick to smile, laugh, converse, and she never met a stranger. She was loved by all, will be missed always, and we rejoice that she has been received into the loving arms of our Lord, her parents, and daughter, Renee.

In lieu of flowers, please consider Memorial Donations in memory of Joanna Shirley to:
American Heart Association or The Dementia Society of America, by mail to PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901, or online www.DementiaSociety.org/donate.