Shirley (Jones) Stripling

Mrs. Shirley Jones Stripling “Toot Toot,” 77, of Tifton passed away on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at her residence.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, December 30, 2021 at 3:00 P.M. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Chula with Rev. Larry Layfield and Rev. Aaron Frasier officiating. Interment will follow in Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:45 to 2:45 P.M. at the church before the service.

Dan Richardson, Frank Jones, Keith Jones, Kirby Jones, Derrick Jones, Reid Jones, Tracy Bryan, Don Czech, III, Neil Jones, Jamy Henderson Kyle Jones, Austin Stripling and Buck Altman will serve as pallbearers.

Shirley was born on August 11, 1944 in Tift County to the late Paul Verner and the late Josie Lacey Lightfoot Jones.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Ted Stripling, her brothers, Jack Jones and his wife Nell, Hubert Jones, Hulen Jones, Derris Jones and his wife Patricia, her sister Joyce Richardson and her husband Raymond , her brother-in-law, Melvin Bryan and her sisters-in-law, Betty Jones and Jackie Stripling.

Most of her life, she had resided in Tift County where she was an active member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church and The Mt. Zion Baptist Church Choir, a past member of Springhill Country Club, past member of The Elks Club, past board member of Tifton Quality Peanuts, a member of The Georgia Agri-Business Leadership, and she was currently self employed as a partner of Chula Peanut and Grain. She graduated from Tifton High School in 1962, then she attended ABAC.  Shirley was a successful business woman, but most of all she was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend to many. She was so full of love for everyone and always wanted to help others.  Shirley was a great example of a good Christian woman.  She never missed a chance to support and care for her family and friends in every way. Her favorite things were taking trips with her daughters and granddaughters and making memories along the way. Most who knew her called her Aunt Shirley or Aunt Toot Toot. In her written instructions for her funeral service, she asked that the service not be long because she had preached her sermon by the way she lived her life and she knew where she was going and who would be there.

Shirley is survived by her two daughters and sons-in-law Vicki and Keith Dees of Chula and Holly and Dr. Jim Scott of Shellpoint FL, two granddaughters Victoria Dees of Athens and Krystina Dees of Athens, two brothers and a sister-in-law Donald Jones, Larry and Nancy Jones, her sister Joann Bryan, her sisters-in-law Judy Jones, Linda Jones, Amelia Stripling and Janice Stripling, and her brother-in-law Randy Stripling, along with many nieces, nephews and fur babies, Pootie and Remmy.

Flowers accepted or donations may be made to Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 293 Mt. Zion Church Road, Chula, Georgia 31733.

Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.