Gay Shirley Obituary (1942 – 2020) – Shreveport, LA – Shreveport Times – Legacy.com

Gay Evelyn Watson Shirley

Shreveport – A long-awaited memorial service celebrating the life of Gay Evelyn Watson Shirley will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, at Noel Memorial United Methodist Church, 520 Herndon Street, Shreveport, Louisiana. Reverend Max Zehner will officiate, and there will be an informal visitation in the sanctuary at 10:00 a.m.

Our mother passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, March 28, 2020, surrounded by family. Born on October 24, 1942, in Shreveport to LaMuriel Taylor Watson and E.J. Watson, she was a proud oboe player in the band at C.E. Byrd High School and sociology major at Baylor University where she made many lifelong friends.

After graduation she took off for Washington, D.C., and was hired as a legislative aid in the office of Congressman Joe D. Waggonner, Jr. During a congressional recess, Gay returned to Shreveport and met the love of her life, Mickey Shirley, whom she married on March 20, 1965. They shared 55 years of marriage and created a family with two daughters, Erin and Sarah.

Connecting with others was Gay’s passion. As a social worker, she touched many lives including adoptive birth mothers, adoptive parents, people in addiction recovery and the children of Bossier parish. She encouraged everyone she met to pursue their dreams and embrace the next gift in their lives, especially emphasizing educational pursuits. She applied this to her own life, earning a Master of Social Work from Grambling University in 1993.

She and Mickey were active members of Noel Memorial United Methodist Church and the Upper Room Sunday School Class. They enjoyed being with dear friends through bridge clubs, book clubs and shared meals. She created beautiful quilts, handmade crafts and a garden full of color and variety worthy of her Master Gardener status. Gay and Mickey loved traveling the world together and especially making memories such as zip-lining with their grandchildren in Costa Rica and Alaska.

Gay was a wonderful daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother and “Gammie.” Her family meant the world to her, and her home was full of unconditional love, laughter and care. We will never forget the loving energy and support she poured into each of us every single day, and we would not be the people we are without her. The world is a better place because of her.

Gay was dearly loved and will be deeply missed by daughters, Erin Shirley Cannon and husband, John, of Lafayette, LA and Sarah Shirley Pullani and husband, Arun, of Atlanta, GA; beloved grandchildren, Michael, David, Elizabeth and Mary Claire; sister, Tommie Watson Heenan; sisters-in-law, Peggy Shirley, Alice Shirley Singer and Geraldine Shirley; numerous well-loved nieces and nephews who will miss their Aunt Gay, and many other family and friends.