Shirley Gasaway's Obituary
Decatur ' Shirley Yvonne Melhorn Gasaway, 85, of 1968 East Main Street, Decatur, passed away at 11:10 p. m. on Saturday, March 5, 2011 at Heartland of Decatur, after being discharged from St. Mary's Hospital, and spending one night back in her own home. Gravesite services and interment will be held at 10:00 a. m. on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at Fairlawn Cemetery, Decatur. Rev. Jason Butterick of Prairie Avenue Christian Church will preside. Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Friends of St. Mary's Hospital, Decatur.Shirley was born June 22, 1925, at 3645 East Division Street, in Decatur, the eighth of nine children born to Roy Gordy and Edna Dora (Hudson) Melhorn. She attended grades one through eight at Brush College Grade School, and was graduated from Stephen Decatur High School with the class of 1942.Shirley was married to Floyd Dallas 'Toots' Gasaway in Decatur on Feb. 22, 1945. He was a veteran of World War II and passed away on Feb. 15, 1966 after an extended illness, during which Shirley cared for him at their home. She was a homemaker and resided in her home at 1968 East Main Street for over 66 years. She was very proud of the work she had done re-modeling her house, much of which she did by herself. She enjoyed working with wood and also made things from found objects. She was an artist and had produced and sold many oil paintings over the years, before she became legally blind for more than a decade. She was also self-taught in music, and enjoyed playing the electric organ and the Hawaiian guitar. She was happiest when she was able to work in her yard, which was full of plants and colorful flowers, many of which she ordered from catalogs. Even as recently as this past fall she would spend from sunrise until it was too dark to see, working on her flowers. She oftentimes still mowed her own yard with an electric lawnmower, even when she was hooked-up to oxygen. In the past ten years, she rarely left her home and yard except for medical appointments, and relied on her friends and neighbors, P. J. and David to get her groceries and to run errands for her. She continued to be as independent and self-reliant as possible until her last illness, beginning Jan. 31st, 2011.A son, T. M. Gasaway, whose address has been unknown to Shirley since 1983, and a brother, LaRue Melhorn of Decatur, and several nieces and nephews survive her. Preceding her in death were her parents; three brothers; an infant, Maynard Melhorn and Keith Melhorn, and four sisters; Dorothy Kinney, Alberta Roarick, Marguerite Belcher, and Betty Belcher. Willard Lee Roady and Bob James also preceded her in death. A special nephew, Roger and Sue Kinney of Madera, California and friends, Mark and Tanya Dickerson of Huntington, Tennessee survive. Her friends and neighbors, P. J. Coventry, Rick Stolle, Kevin Strocher, the Jason Butterick family, and David Kent Coy, her Power of Attorney for Health Care, also survive her. Obituary written by David Kent Coy.
What’s your fondest memory of Shirley?
What’s a lesson you learned from Shirley?
Share a story where Shirley's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Shirley you’ll never forget.
How did Shirley make you smile?