Shirley Cyrus

SHIRLEY (MILLER) CYRUS was born May 31, 1938 in Garden City, Kansas, the oldest child of Gordon Everett Miller and Sibyl Rankin Miller. She died November 28, 2019, at Naples Community Hospital in Naples, Florida, surrounded by her loving family. After graduating with a degree in Medical Technology from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, where she belonged to Alpha Chi Omega sorority, she lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts and worked in the hematology research laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. While living in Cambridge, she met the love of her life, Kenneth M. Cyrus. Following her marriage to Ken in 1964, they lived in Tulsa and Okmulgee, Oklahoma, Kalamazoo, Michigan, London, England, Virginia Water, Surrey, England, and Bonita Springs, Florida. They had recently moved to Bentley Village in Naples. They had maintained summer homes in Traverse City, Michigan and Chesapeake, Virginia. Shirley's life centered on nurturing her children and grandchildren, maintaining life-long friendships, and enjoying classical music, art, theater, and good movies. She loved to travel, and to experience and learn about different cultures. She was an accomplished pianist, and she loved to read and participate in book club discussions. She looked forward to presentations at the Naples Council on World Affairs. She especially enjoyed her "Golf Girls" group-where the golf was less important than the social luncheons. She was a long time supporter of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra and served as President of the KSO League. She was also a member of the board and served two terms as President of Loaves and Fishes, a food pantry in Kalamazoo. She was a sixty-three year member of PEO, participating in chapters at each place she lived. She was currently a member of IH Chapter, Bonita Springs. Until her health failed, she was on the Membership Committee of the Naples United Church of Christ. She was known for her kindness and generosity, and for her cheerful laughter. Shirley is survived by her husband, Ken; brother, John Miller and his wife, Emme, of Garden City, Kansas; children, Kenny Cyrus and his husband, Daniel Rodrigues, San Francisco; Sara Cyrus and her partner, Yves Bien-Aime, New Jersey; and Rebecca Summers and her husband, William, and their children, Benjamin and Harrison, Virginia Beach, Va. She was predeceased by her granddaughter, Elizabeth Summers. A memorial service will be held at Naples United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Rd, at 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 4. Anyone who wishes to contribute to a memorial fund may consider Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, 395 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 100, Kalamazoo, Mi. 49007; The Bridge Fund, 23530 Peppermill Court, Bonita Springs, Florida, 34134, or St. Matthews House, 2601 Airport Pulling Road S., Naples, Fl. 34112.