September 24, 2024, 85, Pikeville —
Shirley Ann (Long) Matthews, 85, of Pikeville, NC died Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 12:40 pm at Vidant Hospital in Greenville, NC. Shirley was born September 2, 1939, in Hoopeston, Illinois, the daughter of Roy Edward and Gladys (Tucker) Long.
She is survived by her daughters: Kim (Eddie) Grantham, of Goldsboro, NC, Debbie (Don) Dee of Marysville, OH, Diana Kissner of Magnolia, NC and Julie Gatrell who lived with her of Pikeville, NC. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Brian Grantham and Hannah (Danny) Milewski of NC, Kelly Dee of OH, Kerry (Nina) Dee of MD, Katie (Luke) Sutton of OH, Tracie (Jeffrey) Moore of NC and a special grandson who has lived with her, Jeremy Gatrell. She has 14 great-grandchildren, Cuyler, Walker, Wade, Webb, Hailey, Jenna, Anthony, Landon, Pearl, Aaron, Audra, Jeffrey, Kobi, and Maverick.
She has many nieces and nephews who she stayed in touch with and were all special to her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, Tex Simmons and William (Bill) Matthews, her brothers, James Long, Tom Long, Harold Long, and Mike Long, and two sisters, Judy Long and Sandra Samet.
Shirley was in a caregiving role most of her life. As a young mother, she not only took care of her four daughters but did childcare for many others in Hoopeston, IL. After moving to Columbus, OH, she worked as a nurse’s assistant in a hospital. When she moved to Goldsboro, she worked at O’Berry Center. Later in life, she and Julie fostered dogs, helping to heal abused pets and getting them ready for a new home.
She enjoyed reading and visiting with friends. Shirley enjoyed researching ancestry, recently connecting to a relative in Ireland. She especially loved her favorite four-legged friend, Toby, one of her rescue dogs. Everyone who knew her loved ‘Miss Shirley’.
A service to celebrate Shirley’s life will be held at the graveside on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. in the Pikeville Cemetery with Rev. Bill Rose officiating. The family will greet friends following the service at the cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in her memory to Diamonds in the Ruff Canine Rescue, P.O. Box 10033, Goldsboro, NC 27532.
