Doris Jones Shirey

Doris Jones Shirey, 94, died peacefully on August 16, 2026, two months after the love of her life, William, passed away. William and Doris were married for 75 years. Doris was born in Gladys, Virginia, and grew up with her four siblings and loving parents in a farmhouse. Her father grew tobacco and raised cattle, and Doris had many responsibilities on the farm. Each morning, she milked the cows before school. One of her most demanding chores was helping her father plant, cut, hang, and dry the tobacco leaves.

The surrounding farms belonged to many relatives, and the families were very close. Doris often told the story of an aunt and uncle who lived on a neighboring farm and had four sons who served as soldiers during World War II. Three went to Normandy, while one was sent to Italy. As a twelve-year-old girl, Doris wrote to her cousins almost every week throughout the war, and they wrote back to her. Years later, the brothers told her that her letters helped them feel the love of family from home.

Doris attended Gravel Ridge, a three-room schoolhouse where students in grades one through eight learned together. She walked a mile to school in rain, sleet, and snow. During one especially large snowstorm, her father walked ahead of her so she could follow in his footsteps. Doris and her family were devout Methodists and attended New Bethel Methodist Church. She later attended Longwood College, where, as a freshman, she met her future husband, William, a senior at Hampden-Sydney College. They married, and shortly afterward, William joined the service.

Doris was an exceptional homemaker and a wonderful cook and baker. She had been known for her cakes and pies since her teenage years and continued to delight family and friends throughout her life. She made the best chocolate pie, using a recipe she received from a door-to-door salesman who frequently visited the farm in those days. Her other famous treats included lemon meringue pie, hummingbird cake, carrot cake, and her famous Toll House cookies. No one could bake them quite like Doris.

After living in several places, including Denver, Colorado, Cocoa Beach, Florida, and Baltimore, where their two children were born, Doris and Bill settled in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1964. Bill worked for Sperry Marine Systems, while Doris became deeply involved in her children’s activities.

Doris was an avid seamstress who made many of her own clothes as well as her daughter’s. She was an artist with fabric and yarn, and her talents included crochet, knitting, and embroidery. She taught her daughter many of these skills as well.

She was also a sought-after substitute teacher. The secretaries at Holy Comforter and Woodbrook Elementary Schools regularly called on her, and she often filled in for six-week stretches.

As a “founding” member of Meadows Presbyterian Church, Doris was active in Sunday school and the JOY women’s group. She often brought her famous desserts to the church’s Sunday evening potluck dinners, where they disappeared in a flash.

Doris’s interests extended beyond her home and church. While living in Baltimore, she became a devoted fan of the Baltimore Orioles. Bill and Doris often attended games with friends, and she knew all the players and their statistics. After moving to Charlottesville, her allegiance shifted to the Washington Nationals, and she was thrilled to witness their 2019 World Series championship.

Another lifelong passion was Big Band music. Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey were at the top of her list. Bill and Doris traveled with friends up and down the North Carolina and Virginia seacoasts to attend Big Band concerts, many of which were held at venues near the beach.

Doris was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 75 years, William Shirey; her daughter in-law, the late Martha Shirey; and her son-in-law, the late Dr. Michael O’Brien.

She is survived by her son, William Shirey, Jr., and her daughter, Patricia O’Brien. Her grandchildren are Amy Leigh Covert and her partner, Kevin Reichard; Ann O’Brien Singh and her husband, Gurpreet Singh; Charlie Shirey and his wife, Tabitha Shirey; and Walter Shirey and his wife, Dr. Christa Nevin. Her great-grandchildren are Emily Elizabeth Covert, Fallon O’Brien Singh, and Rafe Walia Singh.

A small gathering of immediate family will be held at the graveside. Just two months ago, Doris joined loved ones at a beautiful church celebration honoring William, where she was surrounded by family and friends who had traveled from near and far to offer their love and support. The gathering became a celebration of Doris’s life as well, and her family is deeply grateful that she was able to be there, receive that love, and share in the memories.

Doris leaves behind a legacy of devotion, kindness, faith, and love—woven through the family she cherished, the friendships she nurtured, and the many lives she touched. Her warmth, humor, talents, and generous spirit will be remembered with gratitude, and her love will continue to live on in the generations who follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude

Children’s Research Hospital through the memorial fund or to an organization that supports veterans.