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Shirley Arlene Furry, 90, formerly of Altoona, passed away peacefully on July 21, 2026. Born in Altoona, Shirley was the daughter of Paul T. and Mildred L. Schill. She has resided in Haines City, Fla., since 2002.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of more than 51 years, Dale Furry; her parents; and her sister, Joyce Hunter.
Shirley would be the first to tell you that she had a wonderful life. She was blessed with a loving marriage, devoted children and grandchildren, treasured friendships and more adventures than she ever imagined.
Nothing defined Shirley more than the love she shared with her husband, Dale. He was truly the light of her life. Together, they built a family rooted in love, faith, laughter and unwavering support. Their marriage of just over 51 years was a beautiful example of lifelong partnership, friendship and devotion.
A gifted musician from an early age, Shirley filled the lives of those around her with music. She played the piano, violin, dulcimer, psaltery and harp -- the latter three lovingly handcrafted by Dale. Blessed with a beautiful singing voice, she continued sharing her talents throughout her life. In her later years, in addition to singing in the church choir, she performed with Act 4 in Haines City, Fla., bringing music, laughter and skits to community events and assisted living facilities.
Shirley was a woman of many talents. She owned and operated an interior decorating franchise for many years and generously shared her decorating expertise with family and friends. She was an accomplished seamstress whose creativity never faded; at the time of her death, a garment she was altering still rested beside her sewing machine. She approached every project with care, precision and a desire to make things more beautiful.
Her interests and passions were as vibrant as she was. She enjoyed bowling with friends at Lake Henry Estates, attended monthly productions at Winter Haven Theater and loved traveling, especially cruising. In a fitting final adventure, she celebrated her 90th birthday aboard a Caribbean cruise with some of her family in May.
Above all else, Shirley loved her family. She was a devoted mother to Deb (Kristin) Furry, Tami (Sam) Wolfe, Candie (Joe) Anderson and Jody (Jeff) Kelly. She was a proud grandmother to Cara Anderson-Briggs, Lauren (Kelli) Wolfe, Hayden Kelly and Slade Kelly, and a loving great-grandmother to Christopher Briggs and Arwen Briggs.
Shirley's legacy is one of love, kindness, creativity, perseverance and joy. She lived fully, loved deeply and left the world better than she found it. Her family finds comfort in knowing she is reunited with Dale and grateful for the countless memories she leaves behind.
Though her absence leaves a profound void, her example will continue to inspire those who were fortunate enough to know and love her. "Well done, good and faithful servant."
A Celebration of Life honoring Shirley will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, 548 Stevens Hill Road, Tyrone.