Shirley Ann Mitchell, 91, of Collinsville, passed away peacefully at 2:15 a.m. on Friday, June 19, 2026, at Anderson Hospital.
She was born on September 1, 1934, in Alton, Illinois, the daughter of the late Ernest and Francis Canady. On December 5, 1951, she married the love of her life, Bernard Sylvester Mitchell, in Paris, Tennessee. Together they built a life centered on faith, family, adventure, and love until Bernard’s passing on July 2, 2005.
Shirley was a faithful member of Calvary Life Church. She treasured the friendships she made through the Red Hat Society and enjoyed staying active through water aerobics at the YMCA. A woman of many talents, she found joy in painting, crafting, sewing, cooking, and baking. She was an accomplished seamstress whose creativity and caring spirit were reflected in everything she made.
Shirley and Bernard shared a passion for making memories together. Whether camping, traveling, boating, or embarking on motorcycle trips across the country, they embraced life with enthusiasm and a sense of adventure.
Above all else, Shirley’s greatest joy was her family. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, cherished grandmother, and proud great-grandmother. Her kindness, strength, and unwavering love created a legacy that will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew her.
She is survived by her daughter, Brenda Craig and her husband, Perry, of Chesterfield, Missouri; four sons, Gary Mitchell of Troy, Illinois, Randy Mitchell and his partner, Patty Odom, of New Douglas, Illinois, Michael L. Mitchell and his wife, Julie, of Sparta, Illinois, and Jeffrey Mitchell and his wife, Tammy, of Sierra Vista, Arizona; ten grandchildren, Jamie, Brooke, Ashley, Jason, James, Timothy, Sebastian, Maggie, Michael, and Matthew; eleven great-grandchildren, David, Devon, Danny, Stella, Brooklyn, Colten, Rylee, Avery, Ellie, Brody, and Marcus; her sister-in-law, Carol Canady of Granite City, Illinois; along with many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.
In addition to her beloved husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Tina Mitchell, and her brother, Charles Canady.
A celebration of Shirley’s life will be held at Calvary Life Church, 4650 Maryville Road in Granite City on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Visitation will be from 12:00 noon until the time of the funeral service at 1:00 p.m., officiated by Pastor Desi Allen. Burial will follow at Sunset Hill Memorial Estates in Glen Carbon.
Memorial contributions may be made to Calvary Life Church.
Shirley will be remembered for her loving heart, creative spirit, enduring faith, and unwavering devotion to her family. Her memory will be treasured always by those who were blessed to know and love her.
