Our mother, Shirley Ann Georgia, entered into eternal rest on Saturday, February 3 after suffering a stroke. She was born on July 1, 1964 to the late Marvin Richards and Virginia Turner, and was later regarded as the honorary daughter of Judi Gerstacker. Beloved sister of Tina (Richards) Girdner (Mike) and the late Michael Richards; later in life, she also discovered and reconnected with her brother, Steven (Deborah) McManus. In a twist on the typical sibling dynamics, Shirley, the middle sister, and her brother, the youngest, enjoyed teaming up against Tina, the oldest. Outside of her time with her siblings, as a young girl, Shirley met and ran around with who would become her lifelong friend, Tammy (Hayes) Schreiber (Mike). At this time, she also met the man who would become the great love of her life and father to one of her children, stepfather to two of her children, the late John Charles Wilke.

Shirley demonstrated strength and resilience throughout her entire life. As a survivor of a major accident as a young girl that changed her path and taught her the lesson too young that life is short, she determined to live the exact way she wanted to. Upon graduating from Ritenour High School, she considered a career in health care due to her desire to help others, but ultimately found that she was best suited for work that allowed her to follow a set routine. She found the most success in two different fields that allowed her to work with purpose: as a worker at Mrs. Allison's Cookie Factory and later as a house cleaner.

Shirley is the loving mother of three daughters: Sarah Ann Georgia (Kris Little), Brandy Nicole Georgia, and Jessica Marie (Wilke) Baker (Tad). She is the devoted Memaw of two grandsons whom she treasured: Caleb Anthony Risner and Kaden Aaron Little. Her whole heart beat for her family and she committed herself to them fully.

Shirley had many joys in life and desired to experience them as often as she could. From activities like playing Bingo and Pokeno to partaking in card games like Texas Hold 'Em with friends, Shirley had a competitive spirit; her smile was biggest when she won and could affectionately boast of herself as the victor.  She never said no to a good meal, especially if it involved her favorite food: ribs. Her love of beautiful things was evident all the way from her collection of "pretties" down to her impressive curation of elephants in various forms (of which she would be happy to see go to those whom she loved; contact Jessica if you would like one).

Shirley's life was marked by her desire for love and acceptance. It was this very trait that led to her having an incredibly big heart where she was always willing to make room for anyone who wanted in. Those who knew her best understood and accepted her distinctive personality traits for what they were: the things that simply made Shirley, Shirley. She always had the best of intentions and strived to treat others the way she wanted to be treated. The greatest lesson she wanted her children and grandchildren to learn and live is "kill them with kindness". She will forever be deeply missed and loved by those whom she leaves behind.

Memorial visitation Saturday, February 10, 4:00 PM until time of memorial service 7:00 PM at COLLIER'S Funeral Home, 3400 N. Lindbergh Blvd. (St. Ann).