Shirley Jean Owens was born in Rosemont, West Virginia on November 10, 1939.\u00a0 She was the 5th child born of her parents Willie and Enetta Owens, totaling a family of ten.<\/p>\n
At an early age, Shirley was her mother\u2019s helper, assisting her siblings Florence, Bitsy, and Melvin along with doing household chores. She would also go to her aunts and uncles\u2019 homes to assist her younger cousins.\u00a0 Growing up, Shirley attended Lincoln School with her brothers and sisters.\u00a0 It was one of the first black schools in West Virginia.\u00a0 This one classroom schoolhouse is now a historical site.\u00a0\u00a0 In 1952, the family relocated to Copley, Ohio where she attended and graduated from Copley High School in 1957.<\/p>\n
One of Shirley\u2019s greatest joys was the birth of her only child, Everett Leo Dalton Jr., nicknamed by the family as Squeekie.\u00a0 Squeekie was the apple of her eye even after his untimely death at the age 9.<\/p>\n
On September 1, 1979, Shirley married Herman Matthews with whom she shared 42 years of matrimony filled with love and companionship until his passing in 2021. Together, they built a beautiful life filled with adventures and cherished memories.<\/p>\n
As a young lady, Shirley held several jobs before she found her passion at Akron City Hospital as a Pharmacy Technician where she worked for 35 years until her retirement.<\/p>\n
Shirley was a member of the Red Hat Society for many years, she was also the President of the Woods-Owens family reunion committee, and a part of bowling leagues throughout the years.\u00a0 Shirley hosted, alongside her husband, gatherings at their homes on Peckham St., Terex Rd., and Larchmont Rd. for many family and friends. She loved to listen to soulful music, you could always catch her singing or humming.<\/p>\n
Shirley\u2019s mentality was to stay cool, calm, and collected at all times. She was a leader within her family, consistently being an example of love and compassion.\u00a0 Shirley never met a stranger and delighted herself in making others feel good.\u00a0 She had a pure heart of gold and was a joy to be around.\u00a0 She was a mother to one but also unquestionably a \u201cmother\u201d to many. Shirley was also an awesome cook; you can probably taste the big pot of homemade spaghetti now! But in the kitchen, she was best known for her baking.\u00a0 Many of you had slices of her delicious desserts that she would happily grace you with.\u00a0 If you were feeling down, a caramel, red velvet, or cheesecake would be one of the many treats she would whip right up for you to try to eat your sorrows away.<\/p>\n
Shirley was always up for an adventure and always set out to live her life to the fullest.\u00a0 In 2024, she was added to the Castle Noel\u2019s Wall of Fame located in Medina, Ohio for being one of the oldest people to slide down the \u2018Christmas Story\u2019 slide.\u00a0 Even in her last days, she never lost her personality or sense of humor.<\/p>\n
Shirley is warmly remembered among her family and friends as someone who was kind, generous, funny, a practical joker, who had a million-dollar smile and loved to laugh. She has touched many people during her time here on earth. She leaves us all with enough memories for a lifetime and will be truly missed!<\/p>\n
Shirley had a special loving relationship with her nephew Carl and his wife Dannielle, who were her main caregiver during her later years in life.<\/p>\n
Shirley is preceded in death by her beloved son, Everett \u201cSqueekie\u201d Dalton Jr.; husband, Herman Matthews; parents, Willie and Enetta Owens Sr.; brothers, Willie \u201cLaw\u201d, Paul, Donald \u201cSatch\u201d Owens, Rev. Melvin Owens and Rev. Howard Owens; sister, Florence I. Taylor; niece, Barbara Janelle Purdy; nephew, Damon Owens; Grandson, Demetrius Burney.<\/p>\n
She leaves to cherish her memory, loving sister, Mildred “Bitsy” Owens-Bibby; sisters-in-law, Delores Owens, and Alverna Matthews; brother-in-law, Henry (Kathy) Matthews; stepsons, Dwight (Lynne) Beasley and Herman Duane Matthews; step-daughters, Hermonia Burney and Kathleen Matthews; special nephew, Carl (Dannielle) Owens; niece, Tammy (Antwaun) Nixon; grandchildren, Duane (Madeline) Matthews, Jessica Matthews, Latasha Hunter, Keisha Burney, Ashley (James) Hilton, and Shawnte Beasley; a host of great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces, other relatives, and friends.<\/p>\n
Friends may call on Saturday, August 24, 2024, from 10:00 am until 11:00 am at Sommerville Funeral Services, 1695 Diagonal Rd. Akron, Oh 44320. Funeral service will immediately follow and will be live streamed at sommervillefuneralservice.com<\/p>\n
Interment Mount Peace Cemetery.<\/p>\n","Image":false,"separate_servicevisitation":false,"funeral_location":"","funeral_service_date":"","viewing_time":"","service_time":"","video_link":"