byChrisWhite – 2024

Shirley Lucille Ragland – Shannon
September 11, 1942 – September 13, 2024
 
Shirley Lucille Ragland Shannon of Springfield, Tennessee, slipped peacefully from this life in her sleep on Friday, September 13th, 2024, at the age of 82. Born in the small town of Springfield, Tennessee, to James Henry Bond Ragland, a son of Kentucky soil from Lewisburg, and Ora Lucille Simpson, a distinguished young lady from Pleasant View, Shirley was a soul shaped by the deep roots of Southern tradition. She was preceded in her journey by her first husband, Louis William White of Antioch, and their firstborn son, Michael Louis White. She was also widowed by her second husband, William G. Shannon of Mississippi, and survived the loss of her three brothers, Raymond Bonds Ragland of Miami, Thomas Edward Ragland of Springfield, and James Winfred Ragland of Brentwood.

Shirley leaves behind a legacy carried on by her daughters, Cynthia L. Tilton, wife to Chris R. Tilton, and Lisa G. Sims, both of Murfreesboro, along with her son Jon (Chris) White, and his wife Emily Cartwright, of Shelbyville. Her life continues in the hearts of her nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, each one touched by her indomitable spirit.

Shirley was a woman who wore her heart bold and bright, a flame that seemingly could not be dimmed. She was lively, strong-willed, fiercely capable, and possessed of a wisdom that seemed to flow straight from the earth beneath her feet. A loving mother and a determined professional, she was never content to be boxed in by the expectations placed on women of her generation. No, Shirley was one to kick the doors wide open, clearing the way for those who followed in her footsteps. She led not through force but with a sharp wit and the power of her words, knowing when to speak and when to let silence make its point.

There was no hiding who Shirley was, a firecracker of intuition, insight, and unshakable energy. She could light up a room with her laughter, but that same fire sometimes made it hard for her to bridge the distance between herself and others. Yet for those who truly knew her, Shirley was a well of honesty and depth, a person who, in her complexity, was a rare and treasured soul.

Her first love, Hugh “Bo” Harris, hailed from Springfield, and though the tides of time and the strict ways of the 1950s kept them from marriage, their youthful romance brought forth her first child, Cindy. Later, while working in Nashville, she found love again with Louis, who became the father of Lisa, Mike, and Chris. Life did not spare her from sorrow, she bore the loss of a great love, two husbands, and a son, but Shirley, ever the rock of her family, stood firm, guiding her loved ones through all the rough patches with the same strength she carried all her life.

Shirley Lucille Ragland Shannon was a bright, bold soul in a world that often tries to dim such lights, and she will be missed more deeply than words can convey. She embodied grace and unwavering principles in all aspects of her life. She was, in every sense, a force of nature, and the memory of her will carry on as long asher family walks this earth.