Shayley Mabury

BENTON, Mo. -- Shayley Reese Mabury, 11 months, of Benton went peacefully into God's hands Saturday, July 12, 2014.

She was born Aug. 2, 2013, to loving parents Shayn and Ashley Dirnberger Mabury. Shayn and Ashley were blessed with the most perfect angel from heaven. God now holds her in his arms, but her parents will forever hold her in their hearts.

In 11 months Shayley touched and inspired more people than most do in their lifetime. Shayley, or as some called her, Shay-bug, Shay-Shay, Sweetheart, Sug and Cutie Pie, showed us how to fight, how to love and, most importantly, don't take the little things for granted. Although her time here with us was spent in a hospital, the impact she had on all who knew her will last a lifetime. She followed her motto perfectly, "Why fit in when you are born to stand out." She kept many people scratching their heads daily as Shayley defied the odds and wrote her own medical book, although her family will never understand why God needed her so soon.

She is survived by her father and mother, Shayn and Ashley Mabury of Benton; maternal grandparents, Gerard and Shari Dirnberger and Elmer and Renee Vandermierden; paternal grandmother, Sharon Deckard; maternal great-grandparents, Leon and Doris Kielhofner and Vincent Dirnberger; uncles Travis (Gretchen) Dirnberger and Cody Dirnberger; aunt Heather Uht; and cousins Bennett, Breanna, Paige and Liam. She is also survived by great aunts and uncles and cousins that will forever miss her.

Shayley left behind a team of supporters known as Team Shayley. This team was made up of over 7,000 friends, family and people all across the country, some who have never met her. This team supported her with love, prayers and many other things that helped make her time on Earth one that will last a lifetime. Shayley loved getting messages and gifts from her supporters. She also loved her monk-monk pacifier, giving and receiving kisses; her pretties (Vaseline and ChapStick); her hair blowing in the wind; hand, foot and head rubs; fingernails and toes painted; hair bows, anything frilly; suckers; her swing; being held by mommy and daddy; and FaceTiming with her family/friends.

She was met at God's heavenly gates by maternal great-grandmother Monica Dirnberger and paternal great-grandparents Walter and Dorothy Deckard and Janice Gay Looper.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in New Hamburg, Missouri. A parish prayer service will be at 7:30 p.m.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the church, with the Rev. Michael Casteel and the Rev. Randy Tochtrop as concelebrants. Burial will be in St. Lawrence Cemetery in New Hamburg.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations in Shayley's memory to the Ronald McDonald House, 4381 West Pine Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108.