Obituary of Shirley Anne Newman

Shirley Anne Newman, 86, of Brandon, FL went to be with Jesus on May 15, 2022. Shirley Anne was born on August 2, 1935, in Pensacola, Florida to Glenn and Myrtie Voorhees. She was the youngest of nine children and attended Tate High School where she was a majorette. At 16, Shirley went to the University of Florida where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Shirley graduated from the University of Florida in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. In 1958, she moved to San Diego, California where she met her husband, Jimmy Ray Newman. They were married on September 3, 1968, in Santa Barbara, California and were married for 49 years before Jimmy passed in 2018. Jimmy and Shirley’s daughter, Leanne, was born on October 10, 1970. Jimmy and Shirley moved to Cypress, California in 1971 and lived there for 30 years. Shirley earned her master’s degree in School Administration and was an educator for over 40 years in Los Angeles, California. After retiring, Jimmy and Shirley moved to Florida in 2001 to be near their daughter’s family. Shirley was a breast cancer survivor. Shirley was strong!

Shirley was always putting others before herself. She loved being a mom and Mimi and loved her family fiercely. Shirley was an avid reader and life-long learner. She loved decorating for holidays and has every Hallmark ornament every made! She focused on the details of everything she was involved with and made sure everything was extra special. She loved buying presents for people and was very generous. Shirley loved the Florida Gators, cardinals, angels, dancing and having fun, family gatherings, taking care of her plants, shopping, and traveling. Shirley was intelligent, always classy, and very funny!

Shirley leaves behind a loving family including her daughter, Leanne Fussell and her husband Robby, granddaughter Katie, sister-in-law Louise Voorhees of Pensacola, FL, a loving extended family of nieces and nephews, loving friends and neighbors, and our dear friend Ren Pence. The family thanks and appreciates her loving caregivers for their devotion to Shirley for the past 10 months.

A celebration of Shirley’s life will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Bell Shoals Church, Brandon, FL at 10:00 a.m. with visitation at 9:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hope for Her, 140 Yarborough Road, Brandon, Florida 33510 or HopeForHerFL.org in memory of Shirley. Bless Your Heart!

Interment will be at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida on Monday, May 23, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. where she will be buried with her husband Jimmy Ray Newman.