Shirley May Davenport

Shirley Davenport, 90, of Farmington, passed away peacefully at home on March 6, 2026, with her husband of 67 years, Eugene Davenport, by her side.

Born on December 22, 1935, in Effingham, Shirley was the fifth child of Ralph and Mae Kelly. She was preceded in death by her siblings Ralph Kelley Jr., Betty, Bernice, Virginia, Bill, and Tom, and is survived by her sister Joyce Coleman and her husband Jim of Tennessee.

Shortly after graduating from high school, Shirley began her career with Sears & Roebuck Company, where she met the love of her life, Eugene. Together they built a life centered on family, faith, and hard work. She devoted many years to raising her three sons and later worked as a bookkeeper for Dewitt Isley in Paris until her retirement. Those around her were enriched by her tenderness, grace, and loving kindness. She will be fondly remembered for her Pinochle skill, her beautiful gardens, and the green thumb that brought life to every plant she touched. Her keen organizational skills and methodical bookkeeping supported her husband’s engineering work while she poured her love into her sons and, later, her grandchildren.

Shirley is survived by her husband, Eugene Davenport; her three sons and their families: Steve Davenport and his wife Lila of Pau, France; Doug Davenport, his wife Stephanie, and their son Wade Davenport of Prairie Grove; and Dave Davenport, his wife Holly, and their daughters Rheana and Braylee Davenport of West Fork.