Shirley Brown, 80, of DeLand, Florida, passed away on August 14, 2026.

Shirley was born on July 22, 1946, in New Albany, Indiana. She spent more than 25 years working as a paraprofessional at Edith I. Starke Elementary and Volusia Pines Elementary, where she was part of the lives of generations of students and families.

Shirley enjoyed life and loved being around people. She was social, fun, and always enjoyed being taken care of and doted on by those around her. Some of her happiest times were spent with her family, especially during their many trips to Disney.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husbands, Skip Freeman and Harry Brown. She is survived by her daughters, Tina (Mitch) Aten and Darcie (Adrian) Mejias; her grandchildren, Sydney, Matthew, Kristen, and Maya; her sister, Mary Douglas; her brother, Leroy England; and her beloved nieces and nephews, Terry, Dana, Duffy, Kim, Danny, Ashley, Michael, and Lisa, all of whom held a special place in her heart.

The family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the many caregivers who helped care for Shirley over the last several months. A special thank you goes to the staff at Oak Village in Orange City, and the staff of VITAS hospice team, who cared for Shirley in her final days, loved her, and always treated her with dignity and respect.

No formal service will be held. The family will gather privately at a later date to celebrate Shirley’s life.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites those wishing to honor Shirley’s memory to join or support Team Pixie Dust in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Shirley had a special love for Tinker Bell, which inspired our team name and gives us a fitting way to carry a little of her “pixie dust” with us as we walk in her memory.

Join or support Team Pixie Dust:

http://act.alz.org/goto/PixieDust 

Shirley will be remembered for her fun-loving spirit, her love of family, and the joy she found in simply enjoying life and the people around her.