Shirley Gillispie Harlow

Shirley Gillispie Harlow, 79, of Salem, passed away on Monday, May 6, 2024. She was born on October 16, 1944, in Roanoke, Va., the daughter of the late Otha Carroll and Margie Logan Spessard Gillispie. Shirley was a retiree of Lewis-Gale Medical Center, Salem, where she was employed as a Transcriptionist. Following her retirement, she worked for an additional 16 years driving a school bus for Roanoke County and Salem City Schools. Shirley sincerely loved nature, particularly birds and butterflies, and she was well known for planting and maintaining her butterfly bushes, just to attract the butterflies. She was a collector of many things throughout her life and thoroughly enjoyed her paintings; so much that she became involved with the Salem Senior Citizens Art Association, where she could share her creative work. She was a recent member of Fellowship Community Church of Salem, where numerous friendships were made. Above all, her deepest enjoyment came from spending holidays with family, socializing, eating all the wonderful dishes shared, and catching up with the latest news from among the family. In addition to her parents, Shirley was preceded in death by her late husband, James Ellis Harlow Sr. Family remaining to cherish her memory includes her children, James Ellis Harlow Jr. and Annette Marie Harlow Covey; grandchildren, Joshua Steven Harlow, Joseph Christopher Harlow, and Oakley L. Covey III; great-grandchildren, Savannah Ellis Covey, Chelsie Covey Sublett, Jocelynn Rose Harlow, Ella Renee Harlow, Jordan Riley Harlow, and Knoxley Louis Lambert Covey; great-great-grandchildren, Reign Calloway Smith and Jackson Reid Sublett; son-in-law, Oakley L. Covey II; and cousin, Jane Goode Agee. The family will receive friends on Friday, May 10, 2024, from 5 until 7 p.m. at the John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home, in Salem. Funeral services to honor her memory will be conducted on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Pastor Ken Neinke will officiate. Interment will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, in Roanoke. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Salem Animal Shelter; 1301 Indiana St, Salem, VA 24153, in Shirleys memory. Online condolences may be expressed to the Harlow family by visiting www.johnmoakey.com. Service Details. Visitation When Friday, May 10th, 2024 5:00pm - 7:00pm Location John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home Address 305 Roanoke Boulevard Salem, Virginia 24153 Service When Saturday, May 11th, 2024 2:00pm Location John M. Oakey & Son Chapel Address 305 Roanoke Boulevard Salem, Virginia 24153 Interment When Saturday, May 11th, 2024 Location Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Address 5737 Airport Road Roanoke, VA 24012