Traver Loyd Shirley

Tarver Loyd Shirley, 93, longtime resident of Smyrna, Georgia, and formerly of Calhoun, passed away surrounded by family November 29, 2019. Tarver was born February 6, 1926, to William Asbury Shirley and Sallie Lola Blalock in Ranger, GA. Tarver was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 65 years, Bobbie Malone Shirley, his parents, and siblings, Annie Mae, Ruby, Mary, Winnie, Newton, and Willie Ola. Tarver’s early life was spent in Calhoun, GA. He served in the Army 13th Airborne Glider Infantry in France during World War II. After his military service, Tarver studied electronics in Chicago and earned his FCC Radiotelephone Second Class license. He serviced televisions in Tampa for Westinghouse and in 1954 was hired by Lockheed in Marietta. He worked in flight test instrumentation until his retirement in 1989, traveling to California, Texas, Utah, and Iran for Lockheed. Tarver enjoyed the outdoors, walked daily and was an avid gardener. In retirement, he and Bobbie traveled often, enjoyed road trips, cruises, and airborne reunions. The family was everything to Tarver. Survivors include 3 sons, Randy Shirley, Mike Shirley, and Tim Shirley, grandchildren, Kelsey (Chad) Dowell, Connor Shirley, Grant Shirley, Alex Shirley, and Scott Shirley, and great-grandchildren, Oliver and Stella Dowell. The funeral service will be held Saturday at 11 am December 7, 2019, in the chapel at Carmichael Funeral Home in Smyrna. The family will receive friends on Friday December 6 from 6-8 pm at the funeral home. Interment in the Old Sugar Valley Cemetery at 2 pm Saturday. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation (tunnel2towers.org) in his honor. Thomas Funeral Home is in charge of the local arrangements for Tarver Loyd Shirley.