Shirley Davis McAnulty

Shirley Davis McAnulty, 86, of Asheboro, passed away peacefully on August 19, 2022.  Shirley was born on June 8, 1936, to Dalton and Sallie Cockman Davis in Robbins. She married John William (Bill) McAnulty on April 4, 1954, and went on to have three children, Suzanne, Maia, and Wally.

Shirley was driven, bright, and larger than life. She worked hard, was stubborn, was deeply involved in the community, and loved to play golf, travel (especially to Ireland), and spend summers gardening and canning in Celo, North Carolina. Of all of her titles and accomplishments – and there were many – her proudest was being “Nana” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They remember sleepovers at her house, White Rain shampoo and Dove soap, falling asleep to her reading Amelia Bedelia, and waking to the sound of her singing and the smell of Folgers coffee. They admired her makeup collection, her fastidious housekeeping, her silky robes and fuzzy house slippers, and how every piece of her home decor matched. They cherish their memories of her driving her gigantic Cadillac, listening to 99.5, singing loudly in church, and taking them to the movies. They will never forget the tiny biscuits she baked and sharing a glass of “Christmas Milk” after she coordinated the annual family enactment of the Christmas Nativity, with appropriate costumes and props. They fear Belk department store stocks will fall and ratings for “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” will plummet now that she’s gone, but find relief that she will be buried across the street from Dixie Express. They are grateful for her pride in their accomplishments and her unwavering support.

Shirley’s other accomplishments were vast. A longtime member of Central United Methodist Church, she served as president of the United Methodist Women, receiving multiple Mission Recognition pins, and kitchen coordinator for several years. She served as president of the American Business Women’s Association, of which she was a member for 42 years. She served as a Trustee on the Randolph Community College Board of Trustees. She was a former president of the Republican Women of Randolph County and secretary of the Randolph County Republican Party, receiving the Alice Ward award for her steadfast service to the Party.
Shirley was predeceased by her parents and parents-in-law; her brothers-in-law, Bill McDuffie and Frank Lane; and her daughter-in-law, Connie McAnulty. She is survived by her sister, Sue Davis McDuffie, and brother, Dalton Davis, Jr. (Linda); siblings-in-law, Jerry (Shel) McAnulty and Sarah McAnulty Lane; her children, Suzanne (Randy) Clendenin, Maia (Britt) Setzer, and Wally (Prissy) McAnulty; her grandchildren, Lauren (Randy) Thomas, Andrew (Cyndy) Clendenin, Lydia Clendenin, Susanna (Ryan) Binkley, Caitlin Clendenin, Lindsey (Lucas Bayless) McAnulty, Joseph Setzer, Benjamin (Katherine) Setzer, Meghan McAnulty, and Kelsey McAnulty; her step-grandchildren, McKnight Pope and Porter Pope; her twelve great-grandchildren; her nephews and nieces; and the staff of Hospice of Randolph and her in-home caregivers.

A service to honor Shirley’s legacy will be held at Central United Methodist Church on Thursday, August 25 at 2:00 pm. Family and friends are invited to greet Bill and the family in the church narthex from 1 to 1:45 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Central UMC and Hospice of Randolph.