She was survived by her son, Robin Kelly Gamel, his wife Pat and their children; Brad, his wife Lora their children Aaron and Elainah; Kandi, her children Parker and Bentley; Taylor, his wife Rachel and their children Hayden, Gray, Janie and Wyatt; and Alex, with his son, Kane. Also, granddaughter Whitney Lester, her husband John and their children Ava and John Ross; and nephew, Brett and his wife, Laura Lehr. She was preceded in death by her husband William Frank (Rocky) Gamel and daughter, Deborah Lynn Moore.
Shirley married the love of her life, Rocky Gamel, on May 30, 1955. Rocky was her whole world. He loved spoiling her. She became the picture of a 1950s woman; happy to stay at home keeping house and taking care of her family. She was handy at the sewing machine making drapes, pillows, tablecloths and napkins to make her home as lavish as possible. Her favorite hobby was shopping. If you knew Shirley, you know she lived for the accessories. Not just in her home but in fashion as well. While jewelry, purses and shoes were items she loved shopping for, her collection of hats earned her the title “The Hat Lady.” An outfit was not complete with all the matching accessories. She was also very generous in sharing these items with anyone who paid her a compliment. She loved life and loved sharing it with her family. She will be missed by so many.
Shirley will be remembered and honored in a Celebration of Life Monday, January 27, 2025, at the church she loved and was a member of Rose Park Baptist Church, 5560 Buncombe Rd., Shreveport, LA 71129. Visitation will be in the sanctuary at 10 am followed by the memorial service at 11am.
The family would like to offer a big thanks to Kathy Stephens for sitting with and taking care of Shirley in her later days to give a little relief to the household. We could not have done it without you. In addition, we would like to thank Superior Hospice, Debbie and Diane for their tender care and concern in keeping her comfortable during these last few months. Finally, a special thanks to Mrs. Pat Smith, Shirley’s life long friend, who was there for Shirley through the good, the bad and the ugly. Shirley lived for coffee and shopping dates with Mrs. Pat and when going out was no longer an option, she was content sitting at the table sipping on a hot cup of coffee with her best friend. You were the light in her world.
