Shirley Anne Bailey was born July 18, 1941 in Tioga, Pennsylvania, and was the daughter of Clifford and Marian (Freeman) Harrower. She was raised with Mattie and Russell Niles and 9 sisters and 1 brother. She was a beloved Mom, Grandmother and Great Grandmother and walked with the Lord to that big Mansion in the sky (her reference to Heaven) on May 21, 2020. She was a member of Lifeline Community Church in Oklahoma City and had been a Sunday School Teacher to all the little children who she loved so much. She graduated from Mansfield Jr. Sr. High school in 1957. After she graduated, she moved to Rochester, N.Y. where she went to Rochester Business Institute. After graduating she worked at Shuron Optical, where she met her husband Robert G. Thornton and married on June 4, 1960. They had four children. Robert Joseph, Nancy Jane, Scott Michael and Richard James.
They moved to California Dec. 1962 and moved back to New York in 1966 and then was transferred to Texas in 1971 where she worked in a law firm. In 1979, she adopted a baby boy, she named him James Robert. Moved to Oklahoma in 1980, got her degree at Rose State College and was a Social Service Director at Woodcrest Nursing Center. She was a member of the Eastern Star in Rochester, N.Y. She loved her family dearly and looked forward to visits from her children, grandchildren & great grandchildren. She married Tholan Eugene Shelley in 1981. She loved horses, gospel music & country/ western music.
Survivors include Robert Thornton & wife Pamela, Nancy Lee, Scott & Sandy Thornton & James Thornton all of Oklahoma City, Ok. She is also survived by sisters, Phyllis & Lee Surber & Connie & Harry Streck of Barton, N.Y.; 10 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; and several nieces & nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Tholan Eugene Shelley; mother, Marian Barden; brothers, Clifford Harrower, James Barden; and stepfather, George Barden. She will forever be missed and loved by many family and friends.
Visitation will be 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at Hahn-Cook/ Street & Draper Funeral Home, 6600 Broadway Extension, Oklahoma City, OK 73116. A Graveside service will be held 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at Arlington Memory Gardens Cemetery, 3400 N. Midwest Blvd. Midwest City, OK 73141. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lifeline Community Church, 4231 N.W. 50th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73112.
