- Date Of Death: July 14, 2022
- State: Maryland
Shirley Ann Moxley Cole, 87, of Westminster, MD, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Shirley was born on July 3, 1935 to the late Everest M. Moxley and Margaret Moxley Welsh. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 38 years, Robert Denmead Cole, Sr.; by her brothers, Donald Moxley, Larry Moxley, and Everest (“JR”) Moxley, Jr.; and by her first husband and father of her children, Joseph Deadrick.
Shirley is survived by her brothers, Bernard Moxley and Allen “Mack” Moxley; her children, Steve Deadrick (Cathie); Debbie Anderson (Charles); Kathy Cantrill (Jim); Mike Deadrick (Laurie); and Scott Deadrick (Maura); six grandchildren, Shelley Burns, Michael Anderson, Kate Wright, Matthew Deadrick, Lindsay Marshall, and Heather Hoover; eight great-grandchildren, Tyler, Ryan, Mary, Hannah, Ridge, Everley, Weston, and Charleigh; and her cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Shirley was raised in Damascus, MD. As a child, she grew up on a farm and helped her family tend the animals, cultivate the land, and care for her younger siblings. It was this way of life that taught her the meaning of hard work, perseverance, and the importance of family and community. Shirley graduated from Damascus High School in 1953 and started a family after she married Joseph Deadrick. She moved to Clarksville, MD and worked as a school bus driver for Howard County Public Schools for many years while raising five children. In 1983, Shirley married Robert (“Bob”) Cole and began working as an office administrator for Montgomery Internal Medicine Associates in Olney, Maryland. She worked for the medical practice for over twenty years before retiring.
For many years, Shirley was a devoted member of Montgomery United Methodist Church in Damascus and faith was always at the center of her life. As a child, Shirley was raised with regular attendance in church and began singing in the choir at age 12. As an adult, she continued to sing in the church choir and ensured her children also knew the importance of focusing on prayer and practicing gratitude on a daily basis. Shirley truly lived out God’s word to help those less fortunate and to always put others before yourself. Every year at Thanksgiving, Shirley would open her home to family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, and often people who simply had nowhere else to go. At times, the Thanksgiving table at Shirley’s house would serve more than 40 people in one evening. Her generosity lasted throughout the year as she would regularly drop off meals for people recovering from illness and she always worked hard to donate clothing and food during church and community drives.
Shirley’s loving and warm personality were often expressed not only by her bright smile and easy laugh, but through her cooking. For her entire life, Shirley loved feeding people and her recipes are legendary among her family and friends. For many individuals, the memory they will have of Shirley is seeing her standing in her kitchen wearing her apron, arms open, and inviting them to sit, stay a while, and have something more to eat.
Shirley was never happier, or prouder, than when she was talking about her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
