Obituary of Shirley Mae Owens

Shirley Mae Owens was born on November 4, 1937, in Philadelphia, PA to the late David Brown and Mary Anderson Brown. She passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 26, 2020, in West Deptford, NJ, at the age of 83. At an early age, Shirley joined the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Philadelphia, PA, and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She was educated in the Philadelphia public schools and graduated from Murrell Dobbins Vocational Technical School in 1956, where she studied Beauty Culture. Shirley was a fun-loving, passionate young woman who enjoyed participating in sports activities like volleyball and roller skating as well as artistic endeavors like creating wedding crafts and hand-made Raggedy Ann Dolls. She also liked completing crossword puzzles (seek and find) and adult coloring books.

As the second eldest of eleven children, Shirley was called upon to help her mother care for her younger siblings-combing their hair and willingly assisting with anything else that needed to be done. After completing high school she worked in several beauty salons in the Philadelphia area and subsequently established her own clientele, which allowed her to set up her own salon in the basement of her home.

On January 3, 1957, Shirley married her childhood sweetheart, Lambert Lamar Owens, Sr. From this union four children were born, Lambert Lamar, Jr. (Deceased), Tyrone (Deceased), Cheryl Denise and Marcus Garvey. In addition to faithfully filling her cherished obligations as a full-time wife and mother, Shirley worked in the sales department at the Sheraton Hotel, and in various insurance companies throughout the Philadelphia area, including the Presbyterian Minister Fund from which she retired in .When her granddaughter Cherisse started daycare and had difficulty adjusting to her new environment Shirley “volunteered” at Cherisse’s daycare center to ease her transition. Shirley ended up working at the daycare center for nine years.

Shirley will be best remembered as a kind and generous person – always extending a helping hand to those in need and never expecting anything in return. Her deepest passion, however, was her family. She loved, adored and cherished her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandson. Her legacy of love and compassion will endure through the family and friends who remain.

Shirley leaves to cherish her precious memory:

Daughter - Cheryl D. Owens-Lundy (Anthony), Son - Marcus G. Owens; Four Granddaughters – Amber Nichole, Cherisse Chantel, Toni Cheyenne, and Brooklyn Avery; One Great-grandson - Isaac Lamar; Three Sisters – Linda Walters, Beverly Weems, and Valerie Brown; Three Brothers – Ramadan Bayyan, Craig Brown, and Bruce Brown (Jo Ann); Two Step-Brothers – Richard Brewington (Marilyn) and Jerome Carey; Three Brothers-In-Law – Edgar Owens (Cozetta), Richard Owens, and Robert Owens; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and a dedicated lifelong friend who deserves special mention: Robert Harris (Angela).

Shirley was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Lambert Owens, Sr., and Two sons: Lambert Owens, Jr., and Tyrone Owens; her parents: David and Mary Brown; Four sisters: Dolores Wiggins, Vanessa Brown, Marilyn Fry, and Amy Brown; and One brother: David Brown.

Sorrowfully Submitted, The Family

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her visitation on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at 10:00 AM, at the McGuinness Funeral Home – Woodbury, NJ, 34 Hunter Street. Funeral Services will be held at the funeral home at 11:00 AM, with interment to follow at Gloucester County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Williamstown, NJ.

To view a live stream of Shirley's visitation and Funeral Ceremony, click HERE