GULF STREAM — Shirley Coulter Cleveland, 86, of Gulf Stream, Florida, and formerly of Houston, Texas, passed away suddenly on March 6, 2022. There are a lot of trios now looking for a fourth for bridge.
A blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty, Shirley was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, on August 29, 1935. After finishing high school in Michigan, Shirley spent a year thawing out at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Apparently a year was enough and Shirley returned to finish her education at Michigan State University, where she was a member of Delta Zeta Sorority. While at Michigan State she met her first husband, Roger, the father of her three wonderful children, Scott, Kim, and Kerry.When Shirley met the light and love of her life, Al Cleveland, the adventure truly began. He was her knight in shining armor, and if you found an old card from her to him (which we did) you would have seen that she wrote in it to Al “You Are My Life.” And he was.
The first priority for Shirley and Al was creating an “outstanding” blended family. Stepchildren Coree, Christine, Bob, and Jim joined Shirley’s three. We know that they are happy with their success in this family venture as they see us sitting here collectively writing this remembrance as a family of seven loving siblings.
Shirley and Al’s 25 years together were filled to the brim with tennis, travel, and all manner of family celebrations: college graduations, 60th/70th/80th birthday festivities, holidays and beyond. Wherever and whenever, what was important to Shirley was together time with family. She loved the water, from Cherry Beach, to backyard pools, to the Gulf of Mexico (navigating the Houston Ship Channel with Al in their post-retirement boat the “New Life”), to cruising the world together.
Shirley was devastated in 2004 by Al’s passing. In the years since then Shirley lived an active, full, happy life surrounded by family and dear friends who were blessed by her presence. She enjoyed playing the slot machines in Las Vegas and weekly Friday game nights. After she relocated from Houston to Florida to be closer to family, Shirley’s days were filled with playing cards (especially bridge), shopping, reading (highlights include World War II books and, most recently, books on Navy SEAL Team Six including Fearless and Black Hawk Down), meals with friends, watching movies, visits to out-of-state family, college football, and March Madness. The hours spent watching her twin grandsons play tennis were highlighted when their coach mistakenly thought she was their aunt, not their grandmother.
Shirley was gracious, warm, easygoing, considerate, fun-loving, lively, young at heart, and always up for an adventure. She was incredibly chic, customarily wearing vibrant colors that reflected her perpetually sunny disposition. Her answer to every question that began with “Do you want to …” was “Yes!” She made everyone around her feel important. And she really loved mashed potatoes.
Shirley was greatly loved and will be missed by her seven children and 13 grandchildren. She was the best of mothers to Scott Miller of Houston, Texas; Kimberly Miller of Houston, Texas; Kerry (Chris) Metz of Boynton Beach, Florida; Corinne (Dave) Henderson of Vienna, Virginia; Christine (Dan) Ewell of Boerne, Texas; James (Debbie) Cleveland of Wilmington, Delaware; and Robert (Donna) Cleveland of Vineland, New Jersey. She is also survived by her brother Doug (Sheila) Coulter of Newport Beach, California.
She was Grandma and Grandma Shirley to Kylie (Zack) McDonald, Matthew C. Metz, Thomas Coulter Metz, Tyler L. Henderson, Anna Elise Henderson, Katherine E. Ewell, Grace V. Ewell, Charles A. Ewell, Victoria A. Cleveland, Ryan B. Cleveland, Calysta G. Cleveland and daughter Aspen, Collin L. Cleveland, and Caulten E. Cleveland.
Her family will celebrate her life privately at Memorial Oaks Cemetery in Houston, Texas. The family would be honored if you choose to make a donation to the charity of your choice in her honor.
— Obituary submitted by the family
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