On February 11, 2021, Shirley Demarcus (Granny Shirl) left this world to be reunited with her beloved husband Joe Demarcus (Poppy) in Heaven. Shirley was the most wonderful and devoted wife, mother, granny, friend and confidant to everyone who knew her. She was vibrant, energetic, sweet and kind and always there for her friends and family. If you wanted someone to talk to, be comforted by, confide in, have fun with or just talk to Shirley would be there and ready to help.

Losing her father at the age of 7 Shirley worked at some type of job from a very young age while at the same time skipping grades in school and she graduated Norris High School in 1950 at the age of 16. After working several years at Union Peoples Bank in Norris and Clinton and the Norris Post Office Shirley retired from the TVA Engineering Lab in Norris after 25 years. She very much loved and enjoyed her immaculate home and beautiful home town of Norris, Tennessee where she happily raised her families and lived for more than 70 years.

Shirley was preceded in passing by her husband Joe Demarcus, brothers Carl and Paul Ray, sisters Judy and Betty and step-daughter Katie. She leaves behind brother Glen (Louise) Meridieth, sons Stanley (Annette) Weaver and Steven (Janet) Weaver; grandchildren who she loved most of all Hannah (Justin) Shepard, Kelsey Weaver, Ian Weaver and Morgan (Matt) Godfrey, step-grandchildren Scarlett and Joey Smith; Great grandchildren Sutton and Emery Godfrey, Thomas Shepard, and Hailey Weaver. She also leaves behind many Demarcus, Meridieth, Merritt, and Weaver family relatives who were so near and dear to her. In addition to her traditional family Shirley was uniquely fortunate to have other families that she never forgot, the Higdons, Pyatts, and Reynolds families of Norris during her high school years and more recently her treasured Museum of Appalachia family of Elaine (Ed) Irwin Meyer, their children Will Meyer, Lindsey (Jason) Gallaher and John (Sara) Meyer, and most especially Elaine's grandchildren Rese, Avery, and Landry Meyer, and Parker and Meyer Gallaher who adopted Shirley as their own and who Shirley loved so very dearly. Finally, Shirley will miss her Church family at Norris First Baptist Church, especially her Sunday School class (the ole fuddy duddys per their teacher) and most importantly to Shirley her dearest friends too many to list here (you know who you are). Shirley was a truly blessed lady.

Friends and family can come to Holley Gamble Funeral Home at their convenience on Sunday, February 14, 2021 from 12:00-4:00pm to sign the register book.  Due to the pandemic the family will have a private graveside service on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at Norris Memorial Garden. In-lieu-of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Museum of Appalachia, PO Box 1189, Norris, Tennessee 37828 or to Norris First Baptist Church, PO Box 340, Norris, Tennessee 37828. Holley Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton is in charge of all arrangements.  holleygamble.com