Shirley Tomes O'Neall, 65, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Gulf Breeze, FL.

Shirley was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, "grammy", and dear friend. She was born to John Wilbur "J.W." and Wilma Jean Tomes on September 7, 1958, in Pampa, TX. She grew up in the Texas panhandle and graduated from Canyon High School in 1975. In 1985, she married the love of her life, David O'Neall, who preceded her in death in 1992. They welcomed their first son, John David, into the world in 1988 and her second son, Jake Patrick, in 1990. Shirley and David moved to Florida in 1991 where David was vice president and director of flight operations for Florida Air. Shirley enjoyed being involved in her sons' activities growing up and often volunteered with their school's science classes over the years. In 1999, Shirley and her sons moved to Gulf Breeze, FL where they would both graduate from high school. In 2012, she moved to a condo on the gulf side of Pensacola Beach, which she often referred to as her "happy place". Shirley held many positions throughout her career, most recently retiring as Director of Research from IMS Expert Services.

Shirley was remarkably creative and could craft the most amazing things from recyclable or irregular materials. Some of the family's favorite examples were creations made with her grandsons, including a robot vacuum (Roomba) costume made of vinyl blinds and foam and a giraffe made of a gallon milk jug and some boxes. Shirley had a special talent for creating unique experiences tailored to each grandchild, fostering unforgettable memories.

Shirley was steadfast in her faith and was a source of guidance for many. She enjoyed spending quality time with her close circle of friends, especially during their weekly bible study. As a hobby, she enjoyed crafting décor for all her friends' milestone celebrations.

She had an infectious love for life, but most notable was her love for the beach. She found the greatest solace in the crashing of the waves and the salty sand between her toes. She spent countless hours basking in the sun, searching for the best shells, and guiding sea turtle babies to the sea. She not only delighted in the comforts of the beach, she also intensely petitioned for beach sustainment, always cleaning up and advocating for its preservation.

In addition to her husband, she is preceded in death by her father, J.W. Tomes; father-in-law, Elbert O'Neall; as well as a brother-in-law, Patrick O'Neall.

Those left to cherish her memory include her mother, Wilma Tomes; siblings, Brian Tomes (Sue), Debra Tomes, Aaron Tomes (Allison), and Allen Tomes; her sons, John David "J.D." O'Neall (Beth) and Jake O'Neall; as well as four grandchildren, David, Jack, Seamus, and Ada O'Neall. She deeply loved and touched all the lives of her family members.

A visitation will be held from 10:00am until a memorial service to begin at 11:00am Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel in Pensacola, FL.

The family requests memorial contributions be made to assist with her grandchildren's college funding. An account has been set up at Navy Federal Credit Union. Please make checks payable to Jake O'Neall and mail to 5936 Huntington Creek Blvd., Pensacola, FL 32526.

Click this link to view additional details about Shirley's Services, including any available live streams: https://my.gather.app/remember/shirley-o-neall