Neil Wayne Shirley

Neil Wayne Shirley, 100, passed away at home surrounded by loved ones on April 19, 2016 after a brief illness. Neil was born on March 4, 1916 in Aline, Oklahoma and was the son of Dwight and Mary Shirley. Neil was a member of the First Christian Church, Denison, Texas.

Neil met his future wife, Mary Marie Jennings, when she was one of his band students. They did not start dating until she was in college. They were married June 29, 1941, in the First Baptist Church, Denison. They often talked about it being so hot that the candles were drooping over from the heat. Mary died, July 3, 2006.

Neil graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1938 and was the first paid band director for the Denison School System. After Pearl Harbor, Neil joined the Army Air Corps, and was stationed in Independence, Kansas where his job was an Army Supply Sargent and the director of three dance bands for the military. After World War II, he and Mary came back to Denison and joined Mary’s father, Walter Jennings, in his furniture store until his retirement in 1984. In addition to the furniture store, Neil co-owned Better Television. Better Television was the first cable TV system for the Denison area, and the second in the state of Texas.

Neil had a wonderful, quirky sense of humor and was loved by everyone who got to know him. Neil maintained a great sense of humor all the way to the end. He touched many lives through the years.

Neil is survived by his son, Wayne Shirley, of Cedar Crest, New Mexico, daughter, Ann Shirley of Denison, daughter in law, Candy Shirley, Cedar Crest, New Mexico, granddaughters, Marlena Shirley and Francesca Shirley of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and grandsons, Jess Shirley of Austin, Texas, Timothy Shirley and Jeremy Shirley of Denison.

The family will be at Bratcher Funeral Home for visitation Friday, April 22, 2016 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am, Saturday, April 23, 2016 at First Christian Church in Denison, Texas with Rev. Jeff Johnson officiating. Burial will follow at Cedarlawn Memorial Park in Sherman, Texas.