Shirley Jean Darby Brown, age 75, of Gadsden, Alabama, passed away peacefully in her
sleep on Monday, August 17, 2026, surrounded by her family.
Shirley was born on May 25, 1951, in Phoenix, Arizona, to Harry and Verna Darby, and was the youngest of six children. She spent her childhood in Phoenix, and as a teen, her family moved to Pilot Grove, Missouri, where she finished her schooling at Adventist Academy in nearby Centralia. As an adult, she spent the majority of her career working at Tyson Foods, training others and mentoring those around her.
When she retired in 2010, she left her colleagues with a wealth of knowledge to continue on and flourish in her stead. She found joy in the simple things in life, spending quality time with family and friends, and taking care of her dogs alongside her devoted husband of forty-three years.
Shirley is preceded in death by her five brothers: Harry, Bob, Alvin, Calvin, and Harold
Darby, and her sister Louise Darby Hughes, as well as her daughter Angela (Palmer) Brown.
She leaves behind her loving husband Grover Brown, her son Nathan (Kim) Coffee, her daughter Rachael (Rodney) Couch, her grandchildren: Bradley Palmer, Hanah Couch, Coleman Coffee, Tristan Palmer, Emma Couch, Morgan Coffee, Conner Couch, Jefferson Couch, and Owen Coffee, great-grandchildren Charlie Skinner and Eleanor Palmer, and a host of nieces, nephews, and other extended family.
To honor Shirley’s and the family’s wishes, no formal service will be held. In lieu of this,
the family has requested the following: If you are a spiritual person, find your favorite verse, light a candle, and say a prayer; otherwise, pour your favorite drink, raise a glass, and have a memorial toast to Shirley Jean.
The family expresses its sincerest gratitude to Shirley’s physician Dr. K. J. Shah and his
staff, the nurses and staff of Gentiva Hospice, and Cremation Services of East Alabama for their care and service.
