William Lawrence Shirley

Born to J.T. and Letha Shirley, Lawrence grew up alongside his older brother, Tom Shirley (Sherry), and younger sisters, Linda Vance (David), Helen Covington (Michael), and Sandra Shirley, with whom he shared lifelong bonds.

Lawrence is survived by his son, Todd Shirley (Jennifer) and granddaughter, Lilly. In addition to his siblings and their spouses, his loving family includes many nieces and nephews.

Lawrence was a veteran of the United States Army. After military service, he worked for Decatur Dekalb News and Northside News. In the early 1970's he began working for Ace Mailing Service where he kept the machinery running smoothly and eventually became head mechanic. He retired from Ace Mailing/World Marketing after more than 40 years of service.

He enjoyed fishing, carpentry, and tending to his vegetable garden. He loved watching professional boxing, cheering on the Atlanta Braves and Georgia Bulldogs. His greatest joy of all was spending time with his granddaughter, Lilly. He was proud to attend her play and chorus performances and brought her fresh donuts every Sunday morning without fail.

Lawrence’s life was defined by his work ethic, generosity, and most of all, his devotion to family.

Visitation will be held at Roswell Funeral Home on Sunday, December 28th at 2pm, followed by graveside service at 3pm at Green Lawn Cemetery.