Not long ago, Shirley Pefley visited our offices for what proved to be the last time. She looked amazingly well, except that her eyes were welling with tears.
Shirley told me she could no longer take photos for the Youth Athletics section, which has been a hit with our community – thanks to her efforts.
The doctors were doubling her chemotherapy treatments. It was then that I knew she was, in fact, fighting for her life.
I told her of people I knew in her position who had beaten cancer. I fully expected her to win the battle. So it was a shock to read her husband Dave’s email March 26 about placing an obituary for Shirley.
I don’t know all the details of Shirley’s short life, but I do know she was a special person, an amazing mother and wife.
It was easy to pick up that she was kind and caring, and so passionate about her work. She put great time and effort into her photography – whether she was shooting a high school basketball game for our Sports section or a Little League Baseball game for Youth Athletics.
Shirley’s coverage of the pre-high school sports community for Youth Athletics filled a need. She became the go-to person as word quickly spread about the quality of her work. Shirley generated enormous good will for the Town Crier.
Shirley was more than a photographer. She documented special moments in the lives of families and, in the process, became a community builder.
To say she will be missed is a massive understatement. My heart goes out to her family.
