Shirley Giles Santifer Lane

Shirley was born on October 7, 1936, in Texarkana, Arkansas to A.L. Giles and Velma Turner Giles. She attended Union Elementary School, Arkansas Junior and Senior High Schools, and Texarkana College. She was honored to serve as Secretary of her Arkansas High Class of 1954 and “Most Likely to Succeed,” the National Honor Society, and Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen.

In 1955, she married Robert “Bobby” Dale Santifer. After marriage, Shirley served as Secretary for the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas, from 1955 until 1957, working with Mayor Roy A. Scott, and City Engineer, Carl Smith. Shirley and Bobby then founded Economy Lumber Company of Texarkana in 1959 after Bobby’s duties in the U.S. Army, and she worked actively with him there for thirty years.

Shirley was a proud Christian, actively attending Arabella Heights, Immanuel Baptist, and Beech Street First Baptist churches. Through the years, she taught adults and youth and worked Vacation Bible School sessions. She loved to welcome church family to her home for class meetings, Bible studies, and special events.

Following a hard-fought battle against leukemia, Bobby passed in 1989. Shirley joined a survivor’s support group for leukemia and met John W. Lane. They later supported one another in marriage and companionship in 1991, traveling the globe with friends and in their motor home. They photographed mission trips to Canada, Rome, Italy, New Zealand, and the Holy Land.

Shirley was an avid painter, preferring acrylic on canvas medium; her artwork was often shared with family and friends as one-of-a-kind Christmas cards, and a beach sunrise painting was published in a calendar as a fundraiser for survivors of cancer. She loved to cook, and her family boasts on (and tries to replicate) her homemade biscuits, legendary Blackberry Jam Cake, and perfected “Divinity.”

She is preceded in death by her parents, A.L and Velma Giles; a sister, Barbara Ann Giles; her husband, Robert Dale Santifer Sr.; son, Robert Dale Santifer Jr.; husband and travel partner, John W. Lane; and a lifelong family friend, Willie Bell Dixon.

She is survived in death by her son, Darrell A. Santifer and wife, Debbie Santifer; stepson, Mark Lane, and wife Lisa; stepdaughter, Allene, and husband, Dave McCown. She had five grandchildren, who loved her as “Honey”: Brandon Michael Santifer and wife Amanda Santifer; Dara Lynn Santifer and husband, Christopher Ball; and Robert “Tre” Dale Santifer III and wife, Anne Santifer; Kyle Lane, and Megan Lane. Shirley is survived by six great grandchildren, Carly Anne Santifer, Dylan Wrigley Santifer, Morgan Mae Santifer, Mason Robert Santifer, Heath Jaster Hehman and Jonah Dale Hehman. Shirley loved and shared many memories with nieces and nephews, extended family, and friends.

The family welcomes visitation on Monday, June 1, at East Funeral Home from 6:00-8:00pm. A private burial will be held at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. A memorial service will be officiated by Dr. Roger Copeland on Tuesday, June 2 at 11am, at East Funeral Home-Downtown.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests charitable donation to Beech Street First Baptist Church, or any charitable organization of choice.

Online tributes can be posted at www.eastfuneralhome.com.