Shirley Gurley

Shirley Jean (Berling) Gurley departed this life on October 18, 2025, for a better life with her son, Christopher, among all the angels in heaven. She had battled the effects of chronic diseases for many years and is now in a peaceful place.

Shirley was born October 9, 1937, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to parents Carl George and Mildred Magdalena (Ries) Berling. After graduation from Hughes High School, she attended Ohio State University and started a career with AT&T in Cincinnati where she met her husband to be, Thomas Brook Gurley, also an AT&T employee. They move with AT&T to Atlanta after marriage on July 13, 1963, and began their married life of 62 years.

Shirley was an Anglophile and avid reader, always having a book to read. Many weeks were spent over the years enjoying travel with Tom to Great Britain and visiting friends there. One of them was a pen pal dating to her teen years. Other travels include visits to Ireland, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France. And there was always that wonderful family vacation every summer at St. Simons Island, Georgia. She was an active member of Oak Grove United Methodist Church participating in the many activities there. Altar Guild and her Covenant Group may have been the most enjoyable ones. There were the enjoyable times attending Georgia Tech alumni and sports activities with Tom, a Georgia Tech alumnus. Other activities included assisting with Lions Club International activities of her husband Tom, PTA at her children's schools, gardening, cross stitching, and embroidery.

Her most important and satisfying activity was being the loving and devoted wife of her husband Tom and mother of two children, Brooke Elizabeth (Gurley) Harris and Thomas Christopher Gurley. Christopher departed this life at the early age of 17 with congenital heart disease. Brooke and husband, Joe Frank Harris, Jr., reside in Cartersville, Georgia. Another source of joy was her two grandchildren, Catherine Elizabeth Harris (Atlanta) and Thomas Kimsey Harris (Abby Robinson Harris) of Salt Lake City, Utah. Her last days were spent under the exceptional care of the Intensive Care Unit at Grady hospital in Atlanta.

A memorial service is planned on October 30, at 11:00 A.M. at Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Decatur, GA. In lieu of flowers, it was Shirley's wish that contributions be made to the Christopher Gurley Fund in the Georgia Tech Foundation. Contributions may also be made to the Traditional Music Program at the Oak Grove United Methodist Church.