Shirley Sweetin O'Connor passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on April 7, 2018, at her assisted living apartment home in Edmonds, Washington. She was 91 years old. Shirley was born in Springfield and graduated from Drury College, where she met the love of her life, Joseph P. O'Connor, Jr. They spent most of their married life in Texas, where Joe was an exploration geologist. She loved music, traveling, cooking and entertaining, her family and many friends and, most of all, the Lord. Throughout her life, Shirley was active in church groups and choirs, Junior League, supporting her children's school activities and loved going to Christian conferences at Laity Lodge in Leakey, Texas. She had a beautiful voice and often performed solo at numerous events and weddings. Heaven has just welcomed a songbird with a Texas accent.

After Joe's untimely death 31 years ago, Shirley moved to the Seattle area to be near her three children, Mike O'Connor, P J O'Connor, and Nancy Eustice (husband Brad) and her two grandchildren, Tyler and Virginia Eustice. She showered unconditional love on all of us until the day she left. She loved watching the ferries coming and going and felt especially blessed by God's grace and love while watching the sinking sun go down behind the Olympic mountains.

A celebration of her life will be held on Monday, April 16, 2018, at 2:00 PM at National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer's Association for dementia research or the Drury Music Department's Friends of Music Fund c/o Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home.