January 18, 1943 – February 17, 2026
Thomas Tom” V. Shirley, 83, of Bedford, IN, passed from this life on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at his home surrounded by his family, after a 2 1/2-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Â
Tom was born in Bedford, IN to Thomas Calvin and Vivian (Cecil) Shirley. He married Katharyn (Kay) Dale Guthrie on June 29, 1962. Tom was an active member of the Oolitic Church of Christ, a lifetime farmer, and a retired employee of General Motors Company.
Tom is survived by his wife, Kay, and their children: Thomas Dale Shirley, of Brownsville, Kentucky;  Robin (Shirley) Maddox of Columbia, Missouri, and Justin K. (Tara) Shirley, of Bedford, Indiana;  six grand children:  Audrey Chantel (Logan) Wilks,  Austin Charles (Becka) Maddox, Olivia Paige (Ryan) Kuhlenschmidt, Aimee Christene Maddox, and Thomas Everett Shirley;  three great-grand-daughters:  Collette Chase Wilks, Hadley Celeste Maddox, and Amelia Kuhlenschmidt (Due May 2026);  three siblings: Sue (Mike) Dorsett, Annetta Short, Nelson (Jennifer) Shirley, a brother-in-law, Kenneth Dalton, and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson, Ethan Garrett Shirley; a sister, Wanda Dalton; a brother, Larry (Diane) Shirley, and one brother-in-law, Samuel C. Short.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the Day & Carter Mortuary, with grandson Austin Maddox officiating.  Burial will follow at the Pinhook Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 20th , and 10:00 a.m. to the time of service on Saturday at Day & Carter Mortuary.
The family asks that memorial contributions be made to in Tom’s memory to Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services.
Family and friends may express condolences at www.daycarter.com.
