Shirley Angle Evans joined her loving family friends in the “Afterlife Lounge” following 88 years of fun and a most interesting life. Shirley passed away May 1, 2022, due to Ovarian Cancer under the wonderful care of The Eden Hospice. She was born to Kenneth and Orene Moore/Fletcher on Dec. 3, 1933, in Maverick, Texas.
Their family moved to Fort Thomas, Arizona, where she went to school through the 7th grade. The family then relocated to Pima, Arizona, where she graduated from high school in 1951. Shirley started nursing school at Memorial Hospital in Phoenix but dropped out.
Shirley married Melvin Angle in Lordsburg, New Mexico. They are the parents of three children, Mark, Sam, and Kathy.
Shirley worked as office Manager for the Safford Inn Hospital for several years until she went to work for the Graham County Board of Supervisors, first as a secretary and later as Clerk of the Board.
Loving politics and being a staunch Democrat, Shirley decided to be a candidate for the Office of the Clerk of the Court. Her husband, Melvin Angle, told her if she lost, she would be driving trucks for Angle’s Trucking. Well, she lost. In the early 70s there were very few lady truck drivers.
Sam Angle, her father-in-law, took her to Phoenix, bought her a new Peterbilt truck. The race was on. If Shirley passed another trucker, they had to see who was fastest. Didn’t take long for Shirley to find out, “you can’t outrun an airplane”. Slow down time.
Shirley was appointed as Graham County Recorder in May 1978, to fill the unexpired term of Lyle Grant.
As Graham County Recorder, Shirley was appointed to the first advisory committee for the training of Election Officials and served as Chairman of the committee. Governor Castro appointed her to the Juvenile Justice System, where she served for one year. Shirley also served as County Chairman of the Democratic Central Committee, President of the Democratic Women’s Club, State President of the Arizona Federation of Women’s Club, President of Safford Emblem Club, President of the Safford Business, Professional Women’s Club, State President of the Arizona Recorders Association and she was a member of the International Association of Election Officials.
Shirley and Melvin Angle divorced in 1987. In 1990, she married Loy Evans, father of four children, which made a big happy family.
Shirley and Loy loved dancing, a lot of the time the crowd would stop just to see them Waltzing.
Shirley retired as Graham County Recorder in 1998, and the Board of Supervisors appointed Wendy John to take her place.
Shirley and Loy traveled in their motorhome, where they met a lot of new friends. They started fishing at San Carlos Lake. You could find them from Sept. 1 until it got too hot at the lake. Then off to Alpine, Arizona, or White Signal, New Mexico. Sometimes it was Colorado to visit their friends.
Shirley and Loy were charter members of the Pitch & Bitch Club with their many friends, including Butch and Betty Hammon, Jeff and Ann Carey, Bob and Connie Mathey, Doug Hinton, John and Judy George, Ray, Randy and Denny Bennett, Larry and Chery Layton, Ross and Jean Reynolds, John Palmer, Barry and Sharie Ford, George and Thelma Beener, C.W. and Ann Roseberry, Neal Blume, and many others.
Shirley has designated the Pitch & Bitch Traveling Trophy gas to Barry and Sari Ford of White Signal, New Mexico.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Betty Bowman.
Shirley is survived by her loving husband, Loy Evans; children, Mark (Lisa) Angle, of Safford, Arizona, Sam (Carol) Angle, of York, Arizona, and Kathy Angle Estrada, of Kinnewick, Washington; her step-children, David, James, Lisa, and Keith; her brother, CB (Edie) Fletcher, sister, Cheryl (Larry) Layton, step-sister, Carole Brath, 19 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.
No service will be held at this time. A family memorial will be held at a later date.
When tomorrow starts without me and I’m not here to see, if the sun should rise and find your eyes filled with tears for me, I wish so much you wouldn’t cry, the way you did today, while thinking of the many things we didn’t get to say. I know how much you love me, as much as I love you, and each time you think of me, I know you will miss me too. When tomorrow starts without me, don’t think we’re far apart, for every time you think of me, I’m right there in your heart.
Lovingly written by Shirley Angle Evans
Arrangements are being cared for by McDougal’s Caldwell Funeral Chapel & Gila Valley Crematory located at 112 E. Main St., Safford, Arizona, 85546, 928-428-1740, www.caldwellfuneralchapel.com.
