Shirley Dianne Kelley was the oldest of three children born to Jack and Alice Thompson on Aug. 17, 1951, in Opelika, Alabama. Shirley passed away Friday, March 10, 2023, surrounded by loving family at East Alabama Medical Center at the young age of 71.
Shirley enjoyed cooking and baking, reading and spending time with family and friends. Her storytelling captivated everyone around her, and she will always be remembered for her wonderful sense of humor that never failed to make everyone laugh.
Also known as “Naw Naw,” Shirley loved her family more than anything in the world. She was kind and generous and always had the best advice. You could always depend on her to answer when you called and know exactly what you needed to hear. As a loving grandmother she spent countless hours baking treats, handmaking costumes and making personalized gifts for her grandchildren.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Floyd Jackson “Jack” Thompson and Alice Bell Thompson; her brother, Jackie Thompson (Wanda); one nephew, David Darnell (Jill); and one great-niece Abbey Darnell.
She is survived by the love of her life, Lee Roy Kelley, and would have celebrated 53 years of marriage in April. Shirley is also survived by her sister, Wanda McCary; two children: Gerald Kelley (Charlotte) and Karen Ingram (Billy); five grandchildren: Piper Ingram, Parker Ingram, Pryce Alley (Perry), Owen Kelley and Jebediah Kelley; one great-granddaughter, Posie Alley; one niece, Twyla Thompson, and four nephews: Shane Thompson (Beverly), Josh McCary (Edith), Jonathon “JP” McCary and Kelley Darnell (Tonya); two great-nieces, Jessica Core and Grace Darnell (Tonya) and six great-nephews: Christian McCary, Gabriel McCary, Benjamin Darnell, Thomas Darnell, Daniel Darnell and Jack Darnell.
To know her was to love her, and to be loved by her was immeasurable. She will be missed immensely and will be remembered through every memory she’s left behind.
Services were held at the Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home Monday, March 13, 2023, with graveside interment immediately following at Hephzibah Cemetery. Phillip Saylor of Fountain Gate Church officiated.
