Paul Shirley

PATTON, Mo. -- Paul Crawford Shirley, 91, of Blytheville, Ark., formerly of Patton, died Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007, at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro, Ark.

He was born March 4, 1916, at Patton, son of Joseph J. and Cora E. Linton Shirley. He and Pauline Kaiser were married Aug. 4, 1943.

Shirley served 30 years in the military. He first joined Missouri National Guard and then transferred to the Army Air Corps when it was formed. The past 13 years of his career he was a navigator/bombardier with the Strategic Air Command. He retired in 1963 as a lieutenant colonel.

Survivors include his wife; three sons, Peter Shirley of Mountain View, Ark., Patrick Shirley of Castro Valley, Calif., Capt. Paul Shirley Jr. of Dayton, Ohio; two daughters, Pam Capps of Jefferson Texas, Phyllis Angell of Shawnee, Kan.; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by four brothers, four sisters and a granddaughter.

Friends may call from 11 a.m. to service time Thursday at Liley Funeral Home in Patton.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Fred Ritter officiating. Burial will be in Patton Cemetery.