Shirley McCasland Kelly of Starkville, MS, went to be with her Lord on April 6, 2016, after a long illness.

Shirley was born on August 31, 1935, to Lee S. and Katherine McCasland in Illinois, the fourth of five children. She spent many years in Illinois, and in 1968, moved to Starkville, MS, where she and her husband, Jim, opened a family business, Starkville Tool and Die. Shirley began her career working for Illinois Central Bell as a switchboard operator in Kankakee, Illinois, and later transferred to Columbus, MS, where she worked for more than 20 years.

She was a hard worker, dependable, loved her job, while managing a busy household of five daughters, and assisting her husband with Starkville Tool and Die. Shirley continued operating the business for seven years after her husband’s death in 1991.

Besides her work, Shirley loved to spend time with her family and friends, of which she had many. She spent a lot of time keeping up with her five children’s and later seventeen grandchildren’s activities. She loved animals, especially Brianna, her 18- year-old Yorkshire terrier.

Shirley was a voracious reader, and loved to play cards with family. Mostly though she loved gardening, had a green thumb, and spent as much time as she could outside.

Visitation will be held at Welch’s funeral Home in Starkville, MS, Services on Saturday, April 9, 2016, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. with funeral services immediately following. Internment will follow at Memorial Garden Park. Rev. Jeff Morgan and Dean Jordon will officiate.

Shirley is survived by her daughters, Autumn Jordon (Dean) of Starkville, MS, Tammy Seawright (Gaylon) of Madison, AL, and Shannon Morgan (Jeff) of Starkville, MS; sister, Colleen Brown; 17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, James C. “Jim” Kelly; her daughters, Jackie Dunavant and Kim Hamilton; her sisters, Lorraine Meier and Betty Nagle; and her brother, Lee S. McCasland.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.