Shirley Daniels

Shirley Gailey Daniels arrived in this world on January 21, 1948. She was a rainbow baby, a gift to her parents, Theresa and Elmer Gailey, after the loss of their first child, Michael. She grew up surrounded by family and friends in the loving community of Strawn, Texas, and spent many hours on the family ranch on Tudor Road. On April 3, 1970, Shirley married the love of her life, Raymond Daniels.

Shirley often wished she would have grown up in a time where women could choose a trade. No doubt she could have chosen from many careers with her many talents. Shirley was an excellent carpenter, tearing down walls on her own and remodeling anything she could get her hands on. She was an incredible fashion designer; her children and grandchildren were always best dressed in her handmade creations. She refused payment and freely made her own gardens and those of her friends beautiful, with the skill of some of the most experienced landscapers. No doubt she put any event planner to shame, having planned some of the most memorable weddings and parties around.

The list of things she could have done is long, but the list of things she did is too long to write. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to many. She loved her biological family, and she adopted almost everyone she met into a much bigger family. She was generous with everything she had: talents, time, money, resources, energy, and love. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her husband, Raymond Daniels, two daughters, Cari Daniels and April Shanafelt and husband Doug, four grandchildren, Kassie Shanafelt, Cheyenne Spivey and husband Colby, Jayson Shanafelt and wife Aoife, and Ciara Martinez and husband Freddie, two great-grandchildren, Cashton and Carter Martinez, niece Gia Gailey Vandever and her children Tyler and Nina, nephew Ian Gailey and partner Melanie and children Dallas and London. She also leaves many other relatives behind in the USA, England, and Australia that she considered immediate family and loved dearly. They were all written on her heart, even if this program ran out of room to write them all.

She is reunited with many she loved who have gone before her, but she was most looking forward to spending eternity with her parents, Theresa and Elmer Gailey, her brothers Michael and John, her grandmother, Octie Pearl Gailey, her aunt and uncle, J.R and Dovie Hunt, and her cousin and his wife, Jimmy and Judy Hunt.

Visitation will be held at Higginbotham Funeral Home in Gorman, Texas, on Friday, August 8th from 6:00-8:00 pm. A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 9th at First Baptist Church in Strawn, Texas at 1:00pm.