Shirley Ann Beall McLain was born on September 30, 1930, in Milam, Texas during the heart of the depression. She grew up on a farm in a house with no running water or electricity. Though they were poor they always had a milk cow and a garden, so they were never hungry. She and her siblings had to work hard to help their parents make ends meet. She used to tell a story about helping her dad at a sawmill. Her job was to push the planks through the saw while he did the guiding. Sounds dangerous for a ten-year-old little girl! At an early age Shirley learned to sew and play the piano; two passions she kept for the rest of her life. She spent many hours playing the piano and singing with her best childhood girlfriends, Frankie Toney, and Reba Arnold. Shirley graduated high school at sixteen. Her mother was an educator and determined that her daughter attend college. So, in 1946 Shirley’s father took her to Ford’s Corner (a little fork in the road near Hemphill, Texas) to catch a bus to TSCW Women’s College in Denton, Texas. Back then there was not an I20, so the bus traveled down highway 80 making stops to pick up other people (and animals). Shirley said at one stop she got off to change buses and after the bus left, she realized it was going in the wrong direction. She informed the driver who got out and flagged down another bus going to Denton.
On August 25, 1956, she married the love of her life, Dick McLain. Dick jumped around working various jobs in the clothing industry and preaching at small country churches. In 1962 with zero money and no credit he somehow convinced Stone Fort National Bank to lend him enough money to buy out Burows Brothers clothing store and opened McLain’s Men’s Wear. They were always a real team with Dick selling the clothes and Shirley doing the alterations. After closing the store in 1994 they went from “haberdashers” to “Sanford and Son” by going into the antique business. They continued that until 2009 when Dick passed away.
Shirley’s life truly revolved around Dick, and she was always up for any hairbrained idea or project he’d come up with. Their love was Godly, Biblical, and deep. Shirley was an amazing example for all of us to follow. She dedicated her life to loving Dick and being his helper. Her family often thought about Genesis 2:18 when they thought of her. The verse reads “After God had created Adam, he said it is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper suitable for him.” That was Shirley.
Shirley loved to study the Bible and teach her little class of ladies. The Lord allowed her to live her faith every day in everything she said and did. In her last days Bailey found a folder with several pages of names that filled the sheets. He asked her about it, and she told him it was her prayer list. We are positive that many of you here today are on that list.
In her final moments the hospice nurse told the family that in her seventeen years she had never known anyone so ready and excited to leave this earth nor anyone as confident as Shirley was in knowing where she was going.
Her prayer for all of you was to know Jesus Christ and accept him as your very own personal Savior. After she died Bailey found a hand scribbled note with directions for her funeral. It read, “talk about the Lord Jesus Christ… how he died, and our sins were on Him!”
She is preceded in death by her husband, Dick McLain, her parents Arvid and Belva Beall and brother CA Beall Jr.
She is survived by her two sons, Bailey McLain and wife Diane of Nacogdoches, TX and Kress McLain and wife Keitha of Flint, TX; five grandchildren, Becca McEuen and husband Todd of Borne, TX, John Mark McLain and wife Erin of New Braunfels, TX, Jake McLain of San Antonio, TX, Brenna and Nathan McLain both of Flint, TX; four great-grandchildren, Claire McEuen, Sam McEuen, Maddie McEuen and Luke Allen McLain; brother Neil Beall and sister Ronnie Greer both of Milam, TX.
A visitation for Shirley will be held Thursday, June 27, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors, 5400 North St, Nacogdoches, Texas 75965, followed by a celebration of life at 2:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers it is Mrs. McLain's wish that memorial donations be made to the Grace Bible Church building fund.
Partager l'avis de décès
v.1.11.1