Shirley Champion

Shirley Evelyn Champion of Abilene passed away Saturday, November 2, 2024, at the age of 76.

Shirley was born August 28, 1948 in Franklin, Tennessee to Ulys Arthur and Melissa Irene Story Beard.  She married Tommie Weldon Champion July 11, 1969.

Shirley worked several types of jobs over the years including secretary at Abilene Christian College, assembling watches at Timex, seamstress for Nieman Marcus, baker and food service for the Allen school district, and mailroom supervisor at Pride Pipeline Company. She served as a supervisor for the mailroom at the TDCJ John Middleton Unit, where she and Weldon walked out hand in hand on the same retirement day in 2012.

Shirley was a talented seamstress, making and designing dresses and creating custom western shirts for Weldon and her brothers. She designed wedding dresses for both herself and her baby sister Annette. To say Shirley could cook is an understatement, her gift for hospitality meant that no one would ever go hungry around her. Thanksgivings and Christmases were extravagant with gifts, foods and desserts to make all who entered her home feel welcomed and loved. This gift of hospitality carried over to Melissa, whose sweetest memories involved working side by side with her mom to design and decorate birthday parties, baby showers, wedding showers, and other events.  Shirley was the second mama to her brothers and sisters and well as a second grandma to many nieces and nephews. Her love knew no bounds when it came to her two granddaughters, Sandra and Emoni and even more when sweet baby Ellie was born in May.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ulys and Irene Beard, brothers Billy Beard and Jimmy Beard and sisters Janice Sadler and Annette Beard.

Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Tommie Weldon Champion of Abilene; daughter Melissa Fisher and husband Michael of Krakow, Poland; granddaughters Sandra Hughes and husband Graham of Romeo, Michigan and Emoni Spells of DeSoto; great granddaughter Eliana Lee Hughes of Romeo, Michigan; sister Gaile Green and husband Bo of Waxahachie; brothers Don Beard and wife Kim of Eula, Olan Beard and wife Debbie of Abilene, Johnny Beard and wife Myra of Dixon, Tennessee and Bobby Beard and wife Rhonda of Clyde; cousin (brother in spirit) Kenneth Groves and wife Faye of Franklin, Tennessee, as well as many, many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

Shirley’s last days were filled with special times holding Ellie and surrounded by her granddaughters, daughter Melissa and loving husband Weldon, who did not leave her side.

A memorial service will be held Friday, November 8, 2024, at 11:00 AM in the Chapel at the Beltway Park Church South Campus, 4009 Beltway South, in Abilene.  A reception will follow in the fellowship hall.

The family suggests memorials to the cancer research organization of your choice, Hendrick Hospice Care or Love and Care Ministries.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Shirley Champion, please visit our floral store.