- Date Of Birth: July 5, 1938
- Date Of Death: December 31, 1969
- State: North Carolina
Although Shirley and Durward had no children of their own, they were the doting godparents to six godsons: Randall Ray, Cam McCamy, Ashby Ray, Jacob Pitsenbarger, Jonathan Williams and Drew Wilkinson. Shirley had many special friends whom she loved dearly and who loved her deeply in return.
Always artistically inclined, Shirley studied fashion illustration at Richmond Professional Institute, now Virginia Commonwealth University, and will be long-remembered for her talents in watercolors, flower arranging, calligraphy and decorating, as well as her natural elegance and intelligence. Her delight in the Outlander television series was perhaps exceeded only by her love for all things English, from travels there to novels, Masterpiece Theater productions, and England’s monarchial histories. Shirley graced this world with impeccable style and beauty and, in fact, was mistaken for Jackie Kennedy on numerous occasions while she and Durward worked for the FBI in Washington during the Kennedy Administration.
Many special people deserve thanks for loving and supporting Shirley during her illness. Her family is deeply grateful to oncologist Dr. Robert Wehbie and his staff for their dedicated treatment during her three-and-a-half year valiant battle with cancer. The “Lunch Ladies” from St.
One of Shirley’s favorite authors was Charles Finch, writer of English Victorian mysteries. In a dedication of A Death in the Small Hours, he wrote “until we die, we will remember every single thing, recall every word, love every loss: then we will, as we must, leave it to others to love, love that can grow brighter and deeper till the very end, gaining strength and getting more precious all the way.”
