William Alvin Shirley

William "Billy" Alvin Shirley, 75, a lifelong resident of Brantley, Alabama, passed away peacefully in his home on Wednesday, June 25th, 2025, while surrounded by his loving family. A graveside service for Billy will be held at 2 PM on Friday, June 27th, in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Brantley with his beloved son, Jeff Shirley, delivering the eulogy. Family and friends will meet in the cemetery at the service time.

Billy spent over 20 years at Pepsi Cola Bottling Plant where he worked his way up to warehouse manager. He also spent time working at Dorsey Trailer (likely one of his favorite jobs) and Tendura. At home, he loved working with his hands and often combined his love of the Alabama Crimson Tide with his woodworking & craft skills. He could also tell you everything you could ever want (or not want) to know about Western and war movies! If you ever wanted to know anything about history or space, just ask Billy because he could talk your ear off on any subject he loved. Though he was unable to serve his country in the military, he did enjoy his time spent with the Sons of the Confederacy over the years. He was always up for a trip to the beach, especially when it involved heading to the Florida state line for some scratch-off tickets! Billy was also just about the biggest Alabama fan around. There were few things he loved more than cheering on his beloved Crimson Tide to victory on the field, and there was no vocal support for their rival team allowed in his home...so take that nonsense to your own house!!

Billy, or "Cowboy" to so many of his dear friends, was just about the most stand-up man you could ever hope to meet. There's never been a better husband, father, Granddaddy, or great-grandfather who always put his family first no matter what. He was certainly a phenomenal role model to his family throughout the years as he displayed through his actions and deeds, rather than just words, what true generosity and selflessness looked like. His sense of humor not only made him great entertainment at any family gathering but also helped him develop the kind of strength and tenacity to endure all the slings and arrows life could possibly throw at him. His grace under fire was one of his greatest gifts and even to the end he would tell his family they could just "give it to daddy" because he'd much rather endure their troubles than leave them to face them alone. Billy was the rock the foundation of his family was built upon, and he will be sorely missed by all those he leaves behind. However, he has left behind not only all the life lessons he imparted but a treasure trove of cherished memories so that he will continue to live on in their hearts and minds for many more years to come.

Billy was preceded in death by his parents, Ernestine Tillery & Lucien Jackson; siblings, Thomas Shirley & Debra Jackson; and grandparents, Rube & Cora Duke Tillery. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Judy Broderway Shirley; their children, Jeff (Melissa) Shirley and Sharon Shirley (Michael) Compton; grandchildren, Jonathan (Lauren) Shirley, Brandon Horn, Chris (Kayla) Shirley, Alina Shirley, Jordan Hosek, Ashley (Shane) McAvinew, and Kristin (Ben) Salter; great-grandchildren, Lavon Salter, Ella Hosek, Elijah Shirley, Cayde Shirley, Teagan Shirley, and Bre'Aysiah Gullette; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Active pallbearers will be Jordan Hosek, Jonathan Shirley, Christopher Shirley, Brandon Horn, Shane McAvinew, and Christopher Woods.