Shirley Carroll Cox Garner, 74 of Athens, passed away on Wednesday, January 10th, 2024, at Athens Health and Rehab. Mrs. Garner was born on February 5th, 1949, in Kentucky, to Adrian Liggett Carroll and Carolyn Ann Putman.
Mrs. Garner is survived by her children Tary Fuller (Ann-Michelle), of Lexington, KY, and Christina Shepherd (Tab), of Athens; grandchildren Max Fuller (Marlee DuBois) of Frankfort, KY, Kennedy Shepherd, of Athens, and Morgan Shepherd, of Athens; brother David Carroll, of Elizabethtown, KY; sister Angela Shimer (Rick), of Cottontown, TN; father Bobby Caskey, of Madisonville, KY; 7 nieces and nephews; 7 great-nieces and nephews; and best friend and first cousin Almedia Johnson.
She is preceded in death by her parents; brother Larry Carroll; and late husbands Robert “Bobby” Cox and Ronald “Poppie” Garner.
Shirley was a Christian and a God-fearing woman. She graduated from North Hopkins High School in 1967, where she was chairman of the Dramatics Club, Beta, and Glee Club. She was a professional secretary for 40 years, serving as Director of the Arthritis Foundation, Board of Directors for Owensboro, KY, and was awarded secretary of the year. She retired from Wyatt, Tarrant and Combs Nashville office. She was an avid reader and history buff with a brilliant mind. She loved sports and watching UK basketball.
Her favorite pastime was on the back of a Harley with the wind in her hair. She loved vacationing in the mountains. Her many talents were cooking, singing, dancing, playing the piano, and was an amazing story teller. Her greatest joy in life came from being a wife, mother, and Nonnie. She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.
A Celebration of Life for Shirley will be held on Saturday, April 6th, 2024, at Concord Missionary Baptist Church in White Plains, KY, at 1:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Wounded Warrior Project or the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.
