Shirley V. Lloyd

When Shirley V. Lloyd walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Shirley was and how she impacted those around her. Shirley was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Shirley wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Shirley was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

Shirley was born on February 11, 1923 in Miami, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of Thomas and Reita Kyker. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Shirley might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Shirley was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

Shirley was raised in Oklahoma and with two sisters, Betty and Chesta. Shirley was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Shirley was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Shirley well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

As a young girl, Shirley was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Shirley was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. In her spare time she liked art and gardening. Shirley had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

On July 1, 1944, Shirley exchanged wedding vows with Price Edward in Kansas City, Missouri. Shirley's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. Shirley was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.

Shirley was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Shirley, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Lloyd home. Shirley's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Shirley was blessed with four children: Linda, Gary, Judee, and Walt. She was also blessed with eight grandchildren: Shawn, Kelly, Shannon, Jessica, Brent, Christina, Kerri, and Michael, and 15 great-grandchildren.

Shirley was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was as housewife and as a hostess at Union Plaza Hotel. Shirley was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Shirley had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Shirley's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

Because Shirley loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuit was art, especially pastels. Shirley had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Shirley's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

Shirley was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member of the Church of Religious Science. She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

Shirley was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of her favorites was Mini Pin, a Jack Russel Terrier, who was a best friend for ten years.

Shirley Lloyd passed away on February 21, 2011 at Del Mar Gardens after fighting a brave battle against cancer. She is survived by her three children, seven grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. She was proceeded in death by her son, Gary; granddaughter, Kerri McGinnis; and great-granddaughter, Brenna McGinnis. Services were held at Palm Mortuary, Eastern Chapel. Shirley was laid to rest in Palm Eastern Cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Shirley. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Shirley Lloyd for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Shirley was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.