Mona Adele Cunningham Shaver

Mona Adele Cunningham Shaver, age 83 of Dallas, passed away on October 10, 2015. She was born in DeKalb Texas on March 18th, 1932 to Jack and Opal Cunningham. She attended DeKalb High School where in her freshman year she met George Shaver, a sophomore on the football team. She would later marry her high school sweetheart.

She has accepted Christ as a teenager. After she graduated high school Mona worked as a church secretary until she and George moved to Dallas. Mona married George on Dec 21st 1949. In 1950 they moved to Dallas with the very few possessions they had and lived in Oak cliff on Turner Ave. In 1952, they later moved to Pleasant Grove to raise their two sons Michael and Stephen. In 1997 they moved to Buckner Terrace. In the 1960s, she worked the late shift at Texas Instrument inspecting transistors to buy a houseful of furniture. To which some of that furniture can still be found in the home. In the early 70’s she went to work for DISD as an attendance clerk staying for 20 years. The day she made her twenty years she retired.

Mona & George have been married for 65 years. George stood by her side every step of the way, spending countless hours with her in the hospital. Mona has a love for collectibles. She has over 100 pieces of Swarovski Crystal. (I must say it is heck dusting them.) Her collection also includes Precious Moments figurines & Family Circus figurines. She also had a collection of coins and stamps. All of her collectibles are kept on glass shelves or a curio or a cabinet George built just for her. Hidden in the back bedroom is a collection of music boxes from all of her travels. Mona later took up painting. She was quite good at it.

More than anything her biggest passion was her books. Mona loved to read. She must have the largest selection of Harlequin romance and other romance books in general, Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown to name a few. She also loved reading mystery. James Patterson, John Sanford, John Grisham and countless other authors. She would read till dawn losing track of time. We all remember the wall of shelves in the Master bedroom was lined with only books she read and sometimes re read. She never stopped reading even when Alzheimer took over. Her books are one of the few things she remembered.

Mona was meticulous at planning the family travel vacations. She knew exactly where she wanted to go, what she wanted to do and what she wanted to see. They drove for miles to see Lighthouses, covered bridges, museums, places of history. Her travels has taken her and George to all 48 continuous states, including Alaska & Hawaii (which she would always pronounce “How why ya “). She has been to Europe three times and Canada several times. When Mona and George got in the car to start a vacation on the road, George would ask “Where to”. Mona would have maps, brochures, hotel info etc. all in order.

Mona was also an avid photographer. She loved taking pictures. She was always behind the camera and never like having her picture taken. The countless photo albums she made of everywhere she went and family photos done in such detail and labeled. She collected information of each place visited.

She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. You hardly ever saw her angry or raised her voice. She never showed her anger in public. She will truly be missed.

She was preceded in death by her son Michael Shaver and his wife Loree Shaver and her only granddaughter Jamie Leilani Shaver.

Mona is survived by her husband of 65 years George, her son Steve and wife Christine, Grandsons David Shaver, Colton Shaver, Chad and wife Kristin Shaver of Waxahachie and Blake Shaver. Mona also has her Great granddaughters Clementine Noel Fellers, Sophia Kailani Shaver and Olivia Loree Shaver. Several brother and sister in laws, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 form 5-8 PM at Grove Hill Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be on Thursday, October 15 at 10 AM at the Bethany Baptist Church 7300 Bruton Road Dallas, Texas 75217. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park, Dallas.