Obituary of Shirley Irene Speir

Shirley Irene Bailey Speir was born on October 17, 1937, to Martha Minerva Priscilla Tow and Clarence Jackson Bailey. She was the youngest of six children. She was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Shirley went to be with our Lord on November 5, 2023, at home, surrounded by her loving family. She was 86 years and 19 days old.

 

On September 25, 1954, she was united in marriage with Rondal Keith Busbee in El Reno, Oklahoma. They were blessed with four daughters: Debra Ann, Karene Leigh, Lori Leann and Rhonda Kay. 

 

Shirley was a homemaker and took care of her daughters. Except for one month out of the year during tax season, she worked at H&R Block. As her kids grew older, she went to cosmetology school and worked as a hairdresser for several years. Later in life, when her kids were grown, she went back to school. She attended Vaughan’s School of Business, where she received a vocational degree. She then went to work for the Chickasaw Nation as a contract worker for the FAA in Oklahoma City, Ok. She worked there for 17 years before she retired. After retiring, she moved to Clarinda, Iowa, to be with her oldest daughter, Debra, and her son-in-law, Richard Marshall. 

 

Left to cherish Shirley’s memory are her sister Alta James of Oklahoma City, OK; daughter Debra (Richard) Marshall of Clarinda, IA; their children Gregg (Regina) Marshall, Danny (Faith) Marshall, and Phillip (Kellie) Marshall; daughter Karene (Brad) Lynch of Oklahoma City, OK; their children Randal (Nancy) Lynch, Christopher Lynch, Bradley Lynch, Jason Lynch, and Sarah Ramirez; daughter Lori Adams of Oklahoma City, OK; her children Amber Meade, Karl Steven Johnson II, and Matthew (Mariah) Spangler; daughter Rhonda (Scott) Koman of Oklahoma City, OK; 22 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. 

 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Martha and Clarence Bailey; brothers and sisters-in-law Clarence Lee Bailey (Pat) and Richard (Modine) Bailey; sisters and brothers-in-law Judy Ellis (Gene) and Florene (Harold) Smith; and brother-in-law Al James; sons-in-law Loren Adams and Karl Johnson Sr.; and great-grandson Gabriel Romero.