Shirley Ann Beals

February 13, 1936 - April 29, 2021

Shirley Ann Simmons Beals, age 85, resident of Spring Hill, passed away on Thursday, April 29, 2021 at Traditions of Spring Hill.

Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Shirley was born on Thursday February 13th, 1936, in Jones County, Georgia, to mother Bennie Shefield Simmons and father James Melton Simmons.

Known as “Little Whiskey” by her Uncle Jim “Whiskey” Simmons, Shirley had two brothers and six sisters. She is survived by her husband Richard, and all of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, her sisters Bettie, Josie, Mary Frances, and numerous nephews and nieces and their children.

Shirley was married to Richard Beals on Saturday, September 8th 1956. Richard, aka “Dick”, was discharged from the US Army on September 6th in Chicago after returning from deployment to Europe. He flew to Georgia and married Shirley two days later, not having seen his bride-to-be for 16 months.

She immediately moved to Colorado with her new husband. They found themselves a motel in Golden, Colorado so that Dick could attend Colorado School of Mines. With no student housing available, they bought a 35’ Safeway trailer and parked in a trailer park near the campus. For the two years they lived in the trailer, Shirley worked at Liberty Mutual.

The couple then moved to married student housing in Boulder for Dick to attend University of Colorado. Shirley worked as a secretary to the Dean of the Business School. While in student housing, they met many who would become lifelong friends. In later years, those friends would again come together to play Bridge and socialize.

After graduating, Dick went to work for Public Service Company of Colorado. Shirley returned to work for Liberty Mutual until the adoption of their first child Scott. They moved to Arvada and took up residence on Quail Street. Two years later, they adopted their second child Julie.

Shirley participated in several sports activities including tennis and skiing. She often played tennis at Mountain Shadows in Wheatridge in a women's amateurs’ league. During the winter months, the entire family would ski together. Having established lifelong friendships with neighbors on Quail Street, families from the block would take weekend long trips to Winter Park for skiing and sledding.

In 1972, the couple moved to their new house in the Sierra Vista subdivision in northern Arvada. After the kids were in their teens, Shirley returned to work as office manager for Dr. Rudy Woessner, DDS.

In 1986, her first grandchild was born: Erika Sue Beals. In 1987, her second grandchild was born: Alexandra Marie Humphrey. In 1988, her third grandchild, Keenan Alexander Beals, was born. In 1989, her final grandchild Renae Nicole Humphrey was born. Shirley and Dick helped with the daycare for Erika and Keenan so that they could attend, for a time, Sierra Elementary as their father had.

They remained in their Arvada house until 2019 when they moved to Spring Hill Tennessee to be near family.