Shirley Thomas, 86, of Greenville passed away on December 22, 2022, in Greenville surrounded by her loving family. Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, December 28, 2022, at Crossroads Assembly of God with Pastor Mike Sanders officiating, burial will follow the service at Memoryland Memorial Park. Visitation will be Tuesday from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home.
Shirley was born on March 5, 1936, in Greenville, Texas to George W Mitchell and Armenda Buck. Shirley attended Greenville schools and East Texas State University. She began playing the piano at 9 years old. She later taught piano lessons for 30 years and played the piano and organ for over 50 years at several churches in Greenville. Shirley owned “Shirley’s Fashions” in 1984 located in downtown Greenville.
Shirley married Ronald Clyde Houston on February 15, 1956. Shirley and Ronnie had 3 children… Rickey, Dennis and Robin. Shirley married Gordon R Thomas on March 12, 1993. She worked in the medical field for 20 years and was a devout member of Crossroads Assembly of God church.
Shirley loved sewing, traveling, making ceramics, playing the piano and organ, watching the Dallas Cowboys, spending time with family and loving on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A final thought…to know Shirley was to know how much she loved God. Every night she would cry out to God for her children’s well-being, protection, and salvation. If you were related in ANY way to Shirley…she had you covered with prayers, love, and the mercy of God. Church was all she knew. Her mother raised her to be sold out to God and set apart. She has passed on this great spiritual legacy to all of her children and her grandchildren. Her selfless life is something we can all learn from. Loving people, like Shirley did, is her greatest gift to us all.
Shirley is survived by her sister Kay Mixson and husband Mickey; sons, Rickey Houston and wife Sherri, Dennis Houston and wife Diann; daughter, Robin Houston O’Dell and husband Billy; grandchildren, Adam Houston, Ryan and Kayla Houston, Amanda and McKlane Bobbitt, Kayla and Justin Bright, Jared and Ashley Bruner, Ashley and Colten Strait, and 14 great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents, brother, George (Sonny) Mitchell; and husbands, Ronnie Houston and Gordon Thomas.
Pallbearers will be Adam Houston, Ryan Houston, McKlane Bobbitt, Trevor Wooten, Tristan Wooten and Derame Mitchell. Lee Fogleman and Mickey Mixson will serve as honorary pallbearers.
