It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Robert Mark Shirley, Sr., loving husband, doting father and loyal friend, on April 19, 2019. “Bub” was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel and Rosalie Shirley, father-in-law, Walter Bradley, and two sons, Brian and Michael Moore. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Doris Shirley, and four children, Lisa Stackhouse (Brian), Robert Shirley Jr. (Dorothy), Colleen Shirley (Donald Swanson), and Chris Moore (Bobbi Jo). Also left behind to mourn his loss are three sisters, Peg Shirley, Virginia Atkinson, Donna Unger (Barry), and one brother, Thomas Shirley (Stacey), 14 grandchildren, Katie Neal (John), Julie, Darcy and Colby Stackhouse, Gabrielle, Austin and Calvin Shirley, Madison Nessel (Nick Kappra), Piper and Bridget White, Parker Chapman, Tiffany Hardwick (James), Cody Moore and Morgan Dorr (Jason), 6 great-grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews.
Bub was Born on January 31st, 1941 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Haverford High School in 1959 and received a diploma from Temple University’s College of Engineering. He had a brilliant mind with a never ending thirst for knowledge, proven by the thousands of files he created when researching random subjects. He knew a little about everything, which made him an excellent conversationalist to all walks of life. Bub had many hobbies-woodworking, birdwatching, book reading, gardening, flea-marketing and fishing the shores of Avalon New Jersey- but his most favorite thing was to strike up a conversation with a total stranger and make a new friend, which was easy for him to do with his quick wit, infectious laugh and his kind and compassionate spirit. To know him was to love him and he will be sorely missed. A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, May 4 at 3 o’clock at the First Baptist Church of Ceredo on Main Street. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to The Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House, 3100 Staunton Road Huntington, WV 25702, whose organization was truly a blessing to us during this difficult time.
Mr. Shirley was such a fine man and great friend to all of us at the old Chatterbox in Kenova. I worked there for many years and when he first started coming in there, he was such a friendly person from the very beginning. Our nickname for him was “Mr. New Jersey” . We loved to joke around with him and often he would want us to teach him how to cook something. He was a really good guy. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.