Jackie Shires

Jackie Griswold Shires, of Midland, passed away Monday, August 9, 2010 after fighting cancer for several years. She was born August 31, 1930 to R. S. and Nancy Griswold in Wichita Falls, Texas. Jackie was a small child when the family moved to Henrietta where she started the first grade in 1936. She graduated from Henrietta High School in the class of 1947. On August 29, 1948 she married U. M. “Art” Shires. The couple lived in Wichita Falls several years before moving to West Texas.

In July, 1956 she moved to Odessa, Texas and thought she had seen the ends of the earth. It took several years for her to adjust to the sand storms, etc. of West Texas. She finally did and called West Texas her “home town”. She and Art moved around to several West Texas towns as Art followed his job with an Oil Field Service Company. In the late 1960’s they lived in Houston, returning to Midland in 1970 to live out their lives and careers. Art Shires passed away in 1983, but Jackie stayed to make her life in Midland. She worked for several Oil Companies, and in later years, established her own accounting practice. She considered her clients her friends even if she only saw them a few times each year. In 1998, she really “jumped off the deep end” and bought “The Blue Max”, a club near the airport in Midland. She would laugh and say she didn’t make any money, but she sure had fun. She considered her friends there her “extended family” and enjoyed every minute of it.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her brother. Jackie is survived by one sister, Nancy Cox of Arlington, TX’ her daughter, Sharon of Ruidoso, NM; and special nieces and nephews. Also surviving are two granddaughters, and “the Apple of her eye”, one great-granddaughter. Her motto in life was “live, laugh and love”, and she tried to live that way.

The family will receive friends at Ellis Funeral Home, Tuesday, August 10, 2010 between the hours of 5:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M.

Funeral services have been scheduled for 3:00 P.M. Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at Ellis Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home. Condolences may be offered at www.ellisfunerals.com.