Carroll Shirley

Carroll Shirley, 86, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 18, 2021, in Temple, surrounded by his loving family.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, April 22, 2021 at Live Oak Baptist Church.  Interment will follow at Restland Cemetery.

John Carroll Shirley was born January 20, 1935 in the Coryell Church community near Oglesby.  along with his twin brother, George Harold Shirley, to the late Joe Frank Shirley, Sr. and Ruth (Rhoads) Shirley. Carroll resided in and around Gatesville all his life.  He graduated from Gatesville High School in 1953 and attended Texas A&M University for one year, where was a member of the Corps.  He worked as a lab tech for Rocketdyne of McGregor, for seven years and as a salesman in the life insurance business for American National Insurance Company in Waco for 34 years.

He accepted Christ as his Savior when he was twelve years old.  He was a member of Live Oak Baptist Church for over 60 years, where he served as Church Clerk, Sunday School teacher, Sunday School Director and Deacon for over 50 years.

He enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard in 1957 and was assigned to Company D, 949^th Ordnance Battalion, 49^th Armored Division as Company Clerk (SP4 E-4).  His unit was activated to Ft. Polk, LA for 10 months, from 1961 – 1962.  He was Honorably Discharged on 25 September 1962.  He returned to American National Insurance Company in Waco, until his retirement in 1997.  At that time, he began what he referred to as his favorite job – “Mr. Mom” to his two youngest children, who were school age.

He enjoyed gardening, watching baseball and football, reading, and going on camping trips with his family all over the United States.  He faithfully visited shut-ins and nursing home residents, bringing them church material.   He had a great sense of humor and didn’t meet a stranger.  He married Jane Davidson in Waco on October 15, 1983.  He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.  His legacy lives on through them. He was very much a family man.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe F. Shirley, Sr. and Ruth Shirley; sisters, Gladys Lowery and Neta Schaub; brothers, “Baby Boy” Shirley, Harold Shirley, Joe Frank Shirley, Jr., and Billy Don Shirley.

He is survived by his wife, Jane Shirley; children, Debbie Johnson and husband, Mike, David Shirley and wife, Brenda, Denise Gray and husband, Jeff, Amanda Shirley, Megan Forrester and husband, Drennon; brothers, Eugene Shirley and wife, Linda, Wayne Shirley and wife, Jay; 14 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren and expecting one great-great-grandson.

Memorials can be made to the Live Oak Baptist Church Benevolence Fund, 113 FM 107, Gatesville, TX 76528.