Shirley Ann Britton

Shirley Ann Britton, age 89, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 in Houston, Texas after a brief illness, leaving a void her family cannot fill.

Shirley was born on October 8, 1935, as the eldest child of the late Alex Willam Hommel and Adalia Estelle Kunkel Hommel. She was raised on a farm in Otto, Texas, near Waco, alongside her sisters, Linda and Betty. Shirley graduated from Mart High School before relocating to the Houston area in the 1950s.

In 1958, Shirley married her husband of 40 years, Theodore "Ted" Garfield Britton II. The couple first met at a dance at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Houston. Ted had initially attended in search of a husband for his sister, Helen Britton, but instead found a lifelong love in Shirley.

Shirley dedicated many years as a bookkeeper with the Harris County Engineering Department, where she formed cherished, lifelong friendships. After retiring, she gave generously of her time as a volunteer at Houston Methodist Hospital in Sugar Land.

Her life was defined by her love of family, fishing, traveling, cooking, and gardening. She was a devoted mother to her children, Kim, Ted, and Brian, and a loving aunt to her nieces and nephews. A lifelong Methodist, Shirley was most recently a member of First United Methodist Church in Missouri City and a regular attendee of Lunch Bunch gatherings.

Shirley Ann Britton is survived and deeply missed by her children: Kimberly "Kim" Nagel (husband Buddy Nagel), Theodore "Ted" Britton, and Brian Britton (wife Joni Britton); her sisters, Linda Shirley (husband Eugene Shirley) and Betty Wolkse; her grandchildren, Brittony Nagel (husband Curtis Drake), Carson Britton (girlfriend Jordan Stewart), Nathan Nagel, Kate Nagel, Travis Britton, and Bailey Britton; her great-grandchild, Brinleigh Britton; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Alex Willam Hommel and Adalia Estelle Kunkel Hommel; her husband, Theodore "Ted" Garfield Britton II; her grandson, Nicholas Garrett Nagel; and her daughter-in-law, Kathleen "Kathy" Melanie Britton.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. at The Settegast-Kopf Company at Sugar Creek, 15015 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, TX 77478. A funeral service will follow at 10:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Shirley’s name to the Houston SPCA.