Sept. 27, 1939 - Jan. 18, 2025
Shirley Edna Parker Cooper, 85, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday morning, January 18, 2025, with her precious loving dachshund Sir Winston laying by her side.
Funeral services will be held at Gray Memorial Chapel, 4378 Gray Highway, Gray, Georgia, January 25, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. Rev. John Haney and Rev. Jason Dillard will officiate.
Interment will follow at Cedar Ridge Cemetery.
Mrs. Cooper, the daughter of the late Jehu Parker and Lilly Mae Belle Parker, was born in Lakeland, Florida, on September 27, 1939. She attended Andrew College and then attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
Mrs. Shirley met the love of her life, George Cooper, while attending the University of Southern Mississippi.
Mrs. Shirley married Mr. George on August 10, 1961, and had 48 beautiful years together. They shared love of music, fishing, picnics, and most of all family gatherings every holiday.
Mrs. Shirley and George made their home in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Laurel, Mississippi, Enterprise, Mississippi, Ocilla, Georgia, Claxton, Georgia, Cross City, Florida before moving to Gray in 1972. When they moved to Gray, they knew this special small town was where they wanted to spend the rest of their lives and raise their three children, Diane, George, and Cindy.
Mrs. Shirley retired with over 20 years of service with the Jones County School System.
She and Kay Griffin were teachers who worked together with special needs children at Gray Elementary School. After retiring, Kay Griffin and her worked with special needs adult which is now known as River Edge.
She retired from River Edge with over 25 years of service. Mrs. Shirley retired and went back to work with River Edge, the very next day doing for her clients as every other day.
Mrs. Shirley also worked part time with United Cerebral Palsy of Georgia. She had two clients, Charles and Buddy Scarborough that she truly loved and loved working with. When she became legally blind at age 80, she had to stop working, this was very hard for her. Mrs.
Shirley amongst many other adventures had a sailing team that had a place at Lake Tobesofkee. She and her team were able to travel to other states and compete as well in Georgia Special Olympics.
Mrs. Shirley and her family joined United Methodist Church of Gray in 1972. Mrs. Shirley and her husband George sung in the choir every Sunday for a long time.
In her later years, her daughter Diane would take her to church every Sunday and after church would go out to eat at Chevy’s pizza with other members of her Sunday School class, Called Back to the Bible.
Mrs. Shirley experienced the loss Mr. George in 2008. As hard as it was, she continued to be the rock of the family.
All of her great-grandchildren were born after his passing. Mrs. Shirley truly enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Every holiday, birthday, or family gathering. She would do everything in her power to make that gathering a special occasion.
Mrs. Shirley truly loved sitting around the table, or the pool spending time with her family. She was always holding one of her great-grandchildren. She was in hog heaven when her grandsons Shawn and Coty were cooking.
Her great-granddaughter Brandy would be running around playing with the great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Shirley felt very blessed to have her daughter Cindy and her grandchild Lilly move in with her, Diane that lived only four houses down and Coty her grandson that always was by her side doing whatever needed to be done.
Mrs. Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, George Edmond Cooper, her two sons, Jimmy Aaron Cooper and George Edmond Cooper, Jr., her son-in-law, Anthony D.
Gordon and her first grandchild, Anthony D.
Gordon, Jr.
Mrs. Shirley is survived by her daughters, Diane Gordon and Cindy Cooper; grandsons, Shawn (Kathleen) Self, Coty Self and granddaughter, Brandy (Garrett Seiy) Hawkins; great-grandchildren, Brayden, Avree, Lilly, Rosaleigh, Waylon, and Ezra; and her precious companion, Sir Winston, her Dachshund.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Shirley Cooper to Gray Methodist Church, 117 South Jefferson Street, Gray, Georgia 31032.
