Tina Beaham Shirley

Funeral services to celebrate the life of Tina Beaham Shirley will be held Saturday, January 9 at 11:00 am at a graveside service at Memory Lawn Cemetery in Natchitoches, Louisiana, under the direction of Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home. Burial will follow at the same site. The service will be officiated by James Shirley. Tina passed away January 6, 2021 after a brief illness at the age of 62. She was born October 6, 1958 in Alexandria, Louisiana to her parents Harvey and Addie Rae Beaham. She was a graduate of Hickory Ridge High School. She married Michael Shirley, her beloved husband of nearly 40 years, on February 7th, 1981. Tina was a graduate of Northwestern State University, where she earned both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Speech and Language Pathology. This led to a 24 year career working as a speech therapist in the Natchitoches Parish school system. She loved both her work and her students, and enjoyed following their progress all throughout their lives. A lifelong resident of Louisiana, Tina was extremely proud of her southern heritage and the culture that went along with it. She was fond of exploring her family’s roots in Natchitoches Parish, and loved taking long rides along the back roads while taking photographs of the Spanish moss, cypress trees, bayous and waterways, and wildlife that she encountered. In retirement, she discovered a love of crafting handmade goods and buying and selling vintage items. She also loved reading, cooking big Sunday meals for her family, and in-depth discussions about her strong Christian faith. Tina was a caring wife, devoted mother, and proud grandmother. She is survived by her husband of 39 years, Michael Shirley, son Andrew Shirley of Natchitoches, son Jon Shirley and wife Michelle, and cherished grandchildren James David Shirley and Georgiana “Georgie” Lee Shirley, all of Natchitoches. Tina was preceded in death by her parents, Harvey and Addie Rae Beaham and grandparents Sam and Sallie Gallien. Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Thomas Chester, Micah Coleman, Mason Wardell, Seth Shirley, Freddy Beall, and Kyle Shirley. Honorary pallbearers include Joe McGrath and grandson James David Shirley. The family would like to extend thanks to the staff of Highland Medical Center’s Critical Care Unit for their compassion and quality of care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.