Shirley Blair

Shirley A. Blair “Little Shirley” age 63 passed January 4, 2023.  She attended Cleveland High School. Shirley had a heart of gold and loved her family and community. She would spend time taking care of the elderly and volunteering at Crosspointe Church. She was basically the neighborhood maintenance keeper, working at M.D. Dotson and Sons Funeral Home, Fellowship of Praise and at Crosspointe Church. She especially loved the award given to her as an Unsung Community Hero given by the Neighbors United Counseling and Referral Services Ministry. She enjoyed crocheting, playing spades, (“she love reneging and coming back  with a boston!”) and dominos, gardening and dancing. She was a legend and an overall blessing to all who knew her. Shirley loved being in the kitchen cooking and her specialty was greens and chicken gizzards and cornbread. Shirley may have been small in stature but she would not back down from anybody.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Lester McMahan and Bertha Mae Blair, grandmother Jennie Irene Blair, two brothers, Kenneth Blair, and  William Blair, sister Danisha McMahan and son Anthony Blair.

Survivors include her two daughters, Bertha Mae Blair and Janice Blair of Cleveland, TN. Five grandchildren, Matthew Phillips of Antioch, TN., Mark Blair,  SSgt. Destiny Mears, Ill., Sysha Blair, Lanaja Blair all of Cleveland, TN. Four great-grandchildren, Harleigh Johnson, Jaylah Williamson, Aleijah Blair, and Elena Blair. Special aunt, Willa Dean Williams of Cleveland, TN. Special cousins, Bill Williams, Tona Williams, Lynnette Blair, Sinetra Blair and Vernon Williams Jr. Sister-in-law, Maureen Cash. Special friends, Caesar Rodriguez and Jonathan(Elizabeth) Jackson.
Brothers and sisters,  Todd McMahan, Ricky McMahan and Anthony McMahan all of Lance, MI, Daria McMahan of Madison, WI, and Lestra Brown of Indianapolis, IN. Goddaughters, Takeshia Hickey, Ruby Medrano, Aaliyah Goldston.  Many nieces, nephews, cousins, classmates, and friends.

Funeral services will be held Sunday, January 8, 2023 at 2:00 pm. In the chapel of M.D. Dotson and Sons Funeral Home – Cleveland, TN with minister Solomon Williams officiating. The family will receive friends one hour before the service at the funeral home from 1:00 pm. until 2:00 pm., and on Saturday from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m. Interment will follow the service at Fort Hill Cemetery.