Shirley Cone

Shirley Ann Cone, of Bridge City, passed away Oct. 27, in Beaumont.

Funeral services, under the direction of Claybar Funeral Home will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at Second Baptist Church in Bridge City. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.

A gathering of friends and family will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at the church.

Shirley, born in Denton, Aug. 12, 1925, was a lifelong resident of Bridge City. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She also excelled as a small business owner (Town & Country, Village Squire, and The Frame & Art Company) and for 19 years as a special education teacher for the Bridge City ISD. Shirley lived her formative years in Kirbyville, where she graduated from high school as Valedictorian. After raising her family she attended Lamar University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Deaf Education.

Shirley was a gifted vocalist and artist. She was an active member of her church and was often called on to sing at weddings and other official events. As an artist she was skilled in china painting and quilting. Her greatest achievement was using her artistic talents to teach children who often struggled to learn. Above all else Shirley lived her life as a champion for the less fortunate-especially children.

Shirley was preceded in death by her mother, Alpha Musgrave Jacobs, of Umpire, Arkansas; husband, Thomas Edwin Cone and son, Thomas Edwin Cone, Jr.

She is survived by her daughter, Anita Murchison and husband Barry; grandchildren, Kim Long and husband Philip, Jill Kizer and husband Aaron, Michael Brown, Sherry Flusche, Chris Nilsson and wife Monique, Jay Murchison and wife Lindsay and Wesley Murchison; along with 11 great-grandchildren.

Serving as pallbearers will be Michael Brown, Chris Nilsson, Jay Murchison, Philip Long, Aaron Kizer and Johnny Lane. Honorary pallbearers are Wesley Murchison, John Nickum, David Stamps and Richard Lee.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Second Baptist Church in Bridge City at 340 Bland Dr., Bridge City, TX 77611 or to Compassion International at 12290 Voyager Parkway, Colorado Springs, Co 80997.