Shirley Ann Brown, 75, departed this earthly life on Oct. 25, 2023.
A memorial service will be held at Shackelford Funeral Home Crook Avenue Chapel at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4. The family will receive friends beginning at 2 p.m. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to an animal shelter or a veteran’s organization.
She was born in Jackson on Aug. 24, 1948. She was the daughter of the late Earnest Wayne Clay and Dorothy Lorene Franks. She graduated from South Side High School in 1966 and spent many years in sales. Always looking for a challenge, she worked for various companies such as Coca-Cola, Nintendo, Bendix and Sara Lee. While working for Coca-Cola, she was chosen to be a model for their print and billboard advertisements. She was also an avid reader and even owned her own bookstore at one time. After her retirement, her love of antiques led her to keep various sales booths in both Jackson and Henderson.
She will be remembered by her many friends and loving family members for her spunky personality. The Shakespearean quote, “Though she be but little, she is fierce,” accurately describes her small frame and her unwavering feminine determination.
She was also an excellent conversationalist. If you were with her, you were her focus, and you felt special. Many people will miss long conversations with her and her excellent advice. Her best piece of advice that she shared with many was, “If in doubt, don’t.” She definitely lived life to the fullest. She loved going to estate sales, working in her flowers, watching detective shows and taking yearly trips with her sisters and their daughters. She loved her family and, most importantly, she was a believer in Jesus Christ.
She was a giver. She gave the most thoughtful birthday and Christmas gifts. As an organ donor, her last gift is perhaps the most precious. She loved animals and made monthly donations to both ASPCA and the Humane Society of the United States. She also gave to various Veterans organizations such as AMVETS and DAV.
She is survived by her son, Shane (Bethany) Brown; her grandchildren, Heather (Chris) Brown McCaskill, Zachary (Jennifer) Brown, Audrey Grace Brown and Alayna Faith Brown; her great-grandchildren Declan and Olivia McCaskill and Isabel Brown; her sisters, Linda (Ernie) Lewis, Tina (Johnny Casey) Collins, Cheryl Assemany, Karen (Ardie) Shaffer, and Nancy (Jim) Shannon; nephew, Chuck (Donna) Ward; nieces, Penny (Bill) Britton and Tonya (Jason) Self; and the love of her life, Jimmy Goodrich.
