Shirley Ann (Wilson) Killingsworth

Shirley Ann (Wilson) Killingsworth passed away at home on Monday, April 19, 2021, at the age of 80.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 22, 2021 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 25, 2021 at the Hogan Cemetery Pavilion, with Rev. Bill Sutton officiating.

Shirley was born November 12, 1940 in Groesbeck to Vergil Wilson and Illa Murphy Wilson.  While she was young the family moved to Garland where her father was building houses, and Shirley attended school in Garland.

Shirley married Jerry Eaves and they had two children, Keith and Misty.   Shirley and the children moved to Groesbeck while the children were real young and they attended Groesbeck schools. 

When Shirley later married James Fewell, her life really began, with his four children and her two in the home, and the family was known as the “Brady Bunch.”    She raised the children with a strong work ethic; she always thought a little hard work never hurt anyone because she was working harder than all of them.   A person could eat off her clean floors, and there was never anything out of place in the house, with each child responsible for their chores.    She had “her way” of the yard being mowed which the children had to practice, and still do, to this day.  In the summers, they all went to a local truck farm and picked vegetables which she preserved.   The kids would pick and shuck a whole pickup load of corn for her to freeze, and there were grapes to pick so she could make grape juice and jelly; and she even made their own ketchup.    

Shirley was very involved with each of the children’s activities, with 4 of the 6 being in high school at the same time.   She served as room mother, PTA president, band boosters president, and attended all their sports and other activities, and the livestock shows in which they were involved. 

Shirley also worked outside the home while raising the children, including at the Limestone County Extension Office as secretary for the County Agent, Mitchell Brown.    She then went to work in the courthouse basement for Ms. Mary Padgett Bryant at the title company.   Shirley’s work ethic and skills were good for this very detailed job.

Shirley changed work to cooking at the Groesbeck Nursing Home, which caused her to decide to go to college in Waco and earn a degree as a licensed nutritionist. 

She later went to work for an oil and gas company in title research and was on the road researching mineral ownership in various courthouses around Texas, including working in Mineola for many years.    When the company she worked for bought out the title agency in Groesbeck they asked her to manage the Groesbeck Abstract and Title Company.  Her mother Illa had worked there for 25 years, and Misty went to work there also.  

Shirley was married to Glen Killingsworth for around twenty-two years.  She also faithfully cared for her brother David after his stroke, in the home for many years and later in the nursing home. 

Shirley changed employers to the tax attorney firm, MBVA Law in Waco, where she was involved in filing suits on delinquent taxes.

She decided to retire, but she didn’t stay retired.  She and Misty worked together again in the oil and gas business, leasing land and researching titles.    They worked at Fairfield, San Augustine, Brenham, and Madisonville, traveling many miles to be home at Groesbeck at night.

She loved cooking for the family and checking up on what all the family were doing and what they needed.   Shirley had been involved in Keith’s nursery business at one time, helping in the greenhouse, and assisted in the planting when he landscaped yards.   She also painted many of the Christmas yard-art decorations he made and sold.   Shirley continued to love raising flowers at home and had an outstanding display in her yard.   She helped Misty and Sheriff build their house.   She also wanted to help her granddaughter when she became a cosmetologist and purchased the “Cutting Up” building for her.  She was always willing and eager to “come help you” with anything.

Shirley loved Christmas, and shopping, and it was extremely important to her that all received the same number of presents and the same amount spent on each one.

Shirley loved working on local elections and was very involved in campaigning for “her candidates.”     She never met a stranger, and anyone she met became her good friend.  However, she never hesitated to say what was on her mind, to the kids but to others as well.   She kept in touch with her extended family and her friends, although her own family was her greatest passion in life. 

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, David Wilson; and great granddaughter, Rustlyn Price-Dingler; as well as many other of her extended family.

She is survived by her son Keith Eaves and his dear life partner, Candace Miller of Groesbeck; and by her daughter and son-in-law, Misty and Sheriff Dingler, of Groesbeck; and her four step-children and their spouses: Brett and Wanda Fewell, Jimmy and Johnnie Gail Fewell, June and Kevin Stone, Sherrie and Michael McGilvray.    Her grandchildren are Cassi (Eaves) Henderson and husband Rusty Henderson of Mexia, and Sherimi Dingler of Groesbeck; and great grandchildren, Jaci Henderson, Case Henderson, Shayli Aparicio, Jailyn Aparicio, and Harleigh LeJune; also, her 7 step grandchildren and the step great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate any donations made in memory of Shirley to St. Jude Children's Hospital or the American Heart Association.