Delores Fay Shirley

November 29, 1934 – June 9, 2025

Delores Drahem Shirley, 90, of Bryan, passed away on Monday, June 9, 2025.

Visitation will be on Friday, June 27, 2025 from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan.

Services are set for Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 10:00 am at Calvary Fellowship Church in Bryan, with Reverend Ray Spradling officiating. Interment will follow at the Reliance Cemetery.

Delores Shirley was born near Caldwell, Texas on November 29, 1934 to Henry and Bessie Drahem and remained in Caldwell until she graduated from high school in 1953. After high school Delores moved to Bryan, where she met the love of her life, Perry Shirley. Delores and Perry married on September 1, 1956 and were blessed (and sometimes cursed!) with two boisterous sons, Dywane and Randy. The family attended worship services at Reliance Baptist Church and later moved their membership to Calvary Baptist Church (now known as Calvary Fellowship).

Delores was a stay-at-home mom over the next decade until 1968, when she began taking college courses while also raising two boys. She graduated from Texas A&M University in 1972 with a degree in Elementary Education and soon began teaching at Sul Ross Elementary School in the Bryan Independent School District. Delores continued to teach at Sul Ross for the next twenty years, retiring in 1992. After retirement, Delores became an active member of the Brazos County Chapter of the Texas Retired Teachers Association, where she made many new friendships that lasted for the rest of her life.

Delores and Perry loved to travel and were fortunate to take several wonderful European trips, as well as cruises to Alaska and the Panama Canal; a train trip through the Canadian Rockies; and a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Hawaii. After retirement, Perry’s cousin, Sue O’Dell, and her husband Bill, would hop in their RV and drive from Sacramento to Bryan to pick up Delores and Perry. The four would continue driving and exploring America for the next several weeks. The group made three or four of these trips. The Shirley’s also took many trips across Texas to the coast with friends from their Calvary church family (the Grant’s, Sinclair’s, and Hodges’). Several of these trips were to Rockport to listen to Christian music and just have a good time. During every trip, Delores came away with new friends and phone numbers and often kept in touch over the years.

Perry was a veteran of World War II and joined the Earl Graham Post 159 of the American Legion. Delores was at his side attending meetings, helping organize social events, and doing everything possible to support military families and promote patriotism.

Delores supported her sons in every way possible, attending every sporting and school event, often serving as team mom, or being a member of the PTO. Later in life she enjoyed attending events and supporting all her grandchildren in any way she could.

Delores loved watching her grandchildren grow and spending time with them, which included cooking in the kitchen, building ghost houses, and surprising them with their parents’ old toys, which they played with for hours. She was proud of everything they accomplished and loved sharing their accomplishments with her siblings and friends.

While Delores and her three siblings were always close, COVID and technology actually allowed them to become closer. In 2020, Ruby started organizing a daily zoom meeting for the four. Elaine, Ruby, Milton and Delores zoomed four or five times a week from 2020 until Milton passed away in January 2024. After that, the three sisters continued the tradition until Delores’ recent passing. This new technology allowed the four to remain close as they shared all the special events in their lives.

Delores was outgoing, spunky, vibrant, and energetic! She never met a stranger and made friends easily because she listened to people and got to know them and their families. She would meet someone new and immediately know and remember their name, occupation, spouse, kids and where they lived. Delores was also an amazing mother-in-law, always warm, loving, welcoming, charming, and fun!

Delores always seemed to be on the go and could not sit still for long. She and Perry used to love to go dancing; attend or watch sporting events of her beloved Aggies; play dominoes with their Calvary Joy group; host family meals or cookouts; and just catch up with family and friends. She also had a vegetable garden every year and enjoyed bringing fresh vegetables to the table to share with family and friends.

In her down time, Delores loved to read. She read about a multitude of subjects but especially enjoyed books about God as she always strived to determine how she could best serve the Lord. She strongly understood and believed in the power of prayer and will always be remembered by her family and friends as a devout and dedicated Christian who loved her Lord more than anything else.

Delores is survived by her two sons, Dywane Shirley and his wife Sharon of College Station; Randy Shirley and his wife Colleen of Bryan; and two sisters, Elaine Goforth of Nacogdoches and Ruby Culp and her husband Gene of San Antonio. She is also survived by four grandsons, Matt Shirley of Austin; Kyle Shirley and his wife Brittanie of Bryan; Chris Shirley of Washington, D.C.; Nick Shirley of San Antonio; a granddaughter by marriage, Rianna Berg of Austin; and two great-grandchildren, Maddie Shirley and Barrett Shirley of Bryan.

Delores was preceded in death by Perry Shirley, her cherished and loving husband of fifty-three years; her parents, Henry and Bessie Drahem; her brother Milton Drahem and his wife Diane; and her brother in-laws, Paul Goforth, Lewis Shirley, Jr., and Frank Shirley.

The family would like to acknowledge and thank the many wonderful neighbors that lived around Delores. In her later years, they constantly checked on her and did things for her which allowed her to remain at home until the end of her life. And finally, we give a special thank you to Stephanie Hancock. Stephanie was Delores’ housekeeper, friend, and eventual care giver. Stephanie’s compassion, warmth, and love will never be forgotten.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Calvary Fellowship, 2009 Cavitt Avenue, Bryan, TX 77801.