Danna Alexander Shirley died on Monday, April 22, 2019, at St. Dominic Hospital. The daughter of Margaret Harper and H. L. Hutcherson, she was born March 19, 1933, in Meridian, Mississippi. She graduated from Central High School, Jackson, Mississippi, in 1951 and received her B. A. degree cum laude from Millsaps College in 1966 where she was the recipient of the Chi Omega Award in Social Sciences (female student with the highest GPA in Social Sciences). Following graduation she served as research assistant to Dr. Russell Levanway, Department of Psychology Chair. She obtained her Masters in Psychology at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1976 followed by her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology in 1978 there. She then practiced Clinical Psychology in Jackson from 1979 – 2000. She served as a board member of the Mississippi Mental Health Association and was a member of the Mississippi, Southeastern, and American Psychological Associations.
She was an avid golfer who enjoyed the sport at Brookwood, Colonial, and Northbay Country Clubs. A Tennessee Walking Horse enthusiast, she took great pride in having owned and shown four champions. She also never met a cat or dog she didn’t love.
She was a member of Christ United Methodist Church and would proclaim boldly, “Jesus is the love of my life!”.
Danna is survived by daughter Jan Morgan (David) of Starkville; grandsons Dr. Derek Dyess (Laura) of Jackson and Sean Dyess of Starkville; great-granddaughters Mary Beth and Ginny Dyess of Jackson and Arianna and Zoë Dyess of Starkville; and brother Howard Hutcherson, Jr. (Jean) of Tampa, FL.
She was predeceased by her parents, husband Norbert Shirley, and son David Harper Shafer of Mineral Wells, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Animal Rescue Fund of MS or the American Cancer Society.
