Shirley Evelyn Millsap

Although attending different High Schools, Shirley and her future husband, Mel Millsap, were brought together by a blind date arranged by a mutual friend. A short year or so later the romance was interrupted when that same friend (a real troublemaker) talked Mel into joining the US Navy.

After a stint in the Navy and a first year at Washington University studying art, Shirley and Mel were married in June of 1948. Shirley worked the years Mel attended several other schools around the country and eventually the couple returned to home in St. Louis. Two children, Lynn and Pete were born to the couple in the next few years.

They sold their home in the West suburbs of St Louis in 1961 and the family moved to Phoenix along with many extended family members.

Shirley was an amazing mother and homemaker and eventually realized a long standing dream of learning to weave, spin and all aspects of the fiber arts. She joined the Arizona Desert Weavers Guild making lifelong friends and honing her skills in the Fiber arts. She served as president of the Guild two terms. Eventually she added quilting to her abilities and even made huge sails for the family sailboats.

The couple traveled to Europe and around the U.S. including the adventure of Steamboating down the Mississippi on an antique riverboat.

She is survived by Mel, Lynn, Pete; Daughter-in-Law Marla, Son-in-Law Jim, and Grandchildren, John, Nate, Nicole, Jennifer (and new son Robbie), Sundra and Christine.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at Sunland Mortuary, 15826 Del Webb Blvd, Sun City, AZ. She will be laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, AZ.