Shirley Ruth Queen Obituary (2021)

Shirley Ruth Queen, 85 of Decatur died 11:00 am. Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at Primrose Assisted Living Center. Graveside service will be held at 11:30 am. Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at Marrowbone Township Cemetery Bethany, Illinois with Pastor B.J. Leonard officiating. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the American Cancer Society. Tanzyus-Logan Funeral Service and Care is in charge of the arrangements. Shirley was born in February of 1936 in Decatur the daughter of William Oscar and Ethel May (Reber) Cummins. She was the sixth of nine children growing up in a family of meager means. Their home was located by the railroad tracks which is where the neighborhood kids would meet. In her forties she received a Bachelor of Science degree graduating Magna Cum Laude from Athens State College-Alabama. She worked as a Civil Servant at the Redstone Arsenal retiring at the age of fifty-five. Shirley married Kenneth Milton Queen in February of 1960 and he preceded her in death March 12, 1999. Surviving are her brothers, Frank (Judy) Cummins, Arthur (Sandra) Cummins, Charles (Judy) Cummins, brother-in-law, Terry Dungey, sister, Opal Huber, many nieces and nephews, special friend, James Sanford. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister, Nancy Dungey, brothers, William and Woodrow Cummins, half brothers, George and Ralph, half sister, Hazel. Shirley was an energetic, diligent, determined, opinionated and generous person. She lived in Alabama for sixty years but always considered Decatur her home. She treasured her high school years and attended many of her class reunions. She enjoyed watching sports on T. V. as a big St. Louis Cardinals, Illini football and basketball fan. She was a Christian woman and enjoyed “Bible Study Fellowship”. On her return visits to Illinois she would organize family reunions. She loved spending time with her nieces and nephews, bowling, dancing, Steak and Shake Restaurant and just talking to them. She enjoyed ballroom dancing with Kenneth, Bridge playing and reminiscing about her childhood. Her favorite bible passage was Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers and the flowers fall but the word of our God endures forever.”