Shirley Williams Willard

Shirley was born in Manhattan, NY. Her father moved the family to Coral Gables, FL. when she was a year old. Shirley’s father was an editor for the daily racing forum. He met Shirley’s mother on stage in England, she was a dancer. They married and had 4 children. Shirley was the youngest of four siblings, sisters Marion and Jaclynn and brother Harry. Shirley's father passed away when she was 8 and her mother when she was 20.

Shirley’s eldest sister Marion always looked after her and loved her dearly, she was 20+ years older.

Shirley was married at 21 to Warren Lanier Willard. They had two children, Jo Ellen & Warren Lanier.

First and foremost, Shirley raised and loved her two children dearly, they were her life and she always put them first. Shirley was divorced when her children were 3 and 5 years old. She tried to be both mother and father. She was very close with her family and spent a lot of quality time with all of her siblings and their children.

Shirley worked for Broward County as a facilities manager for 30 years and retired at age of 60. Once retired Shirley traveled many places with her two nieces, Patricia and Phyllis and had lots of time to spend with her grandchildren, Carl and Rory.

Shirley was actively involved in church and very close to God all of her life. She counted on God to get her through the tough times, always grateful for his guidance and protection.

She loved her grandsons Carl & Rory as her own and couldn’t do enough for them. They were her life! Shirley was a giver, that’s all she knew. She took care of her loved ones…

Shirley was a second mom to a couple of her daughters’ friends, Nancy and Dawn. She frequently asked about her daughter’s friends; Joanne, Annette and Atalya, she loved them too. She had one other “adoptive” daughter Sherry, her son’s girlfriend.

Shirley knew when someone was a good person. She had this intuitiveness when it came to seeing the good in someone. This was also instilled in her daughter Jo Ellen.

Shirley was fiercely independent and strong. She was her daughter and son’s rock! Even after Shirley passed her daughter felt her presence so strongly and for those few moments it gave her strength. She knew her mom was comforting her and said out loud, “Mom even after you have passed you are still looking out for me!”. It was an incredible, sobering and loving experience for Jo Ellen.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents Willa Mae McCain & Harry Williams, sisters Marion Baker, Jaclynn Brown and brother Harry Williams and son Warren Lanier Willard.

She is survived by her daughter, Jo Ellen Morrissette, grandsons; Carl Lettera, Rory Lettera, Reef Willard and her granddaughter Coral Doyle.

The family would like to thank Stonehenge Senior Living and Appalachian Hospice for the care and compassion they showed our loved one in her final days. Shirely couldn’t have been in a more loving place for the last 9 months of her life. She had a family at Stonehenge and they loved her as much as she loved them.