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  1. I was blessed with the sweetest, kindest Aunt you could hope for! Love to Sheryl, Donna and Family. 🙏❤️❤️. Chet Olive

  2. Shirley was my great aunt, that I’ve known throughout my life when she and her family would come to Georgia for a visit with all her sister’s (my grandmother’s) family. We had so many good times together and she will be greatly missed while at the same time is being reunited with so many family and friends we’ve lost over the years.

  3. Thinking of you at this time and extending
    heartfelt sympathy.
    May your memories be a source of comfort for you and the family.
    Sincerely,
    Bruce and Debbie Franks

  4. I’m going to miss Shirley. We were all blessed for her having come into our life’s experience. She was such a gentle loving loving gift of love for us all. For us who mourn, remember there is no loss in God
    She is home.

  5. I am sorry to hear about your mom passing away you are in my thoughts and prayers with the family. I am here if you need anything from me. Your mom was a special lady and very sweet person. I will miss seeing her and I will miss her give us some different answers about our Sunday school class lesson also. Dawn Ford

  6. I knew Mrs. McClenny from Ridge Baptist Chruch, and she and I had a mutual acquaintance, The Late Dolly Ford, whom I knew at my former Church, Second Baptist. Through Mrs. McClenny, I was able to keep track of Mrs. Ford’s daughters, Diane and Mary. I will miss her.

  7. Shirley was a very special friend to me and Joe and the rest of my family. Joe and I were friends with her and Dan for many many years. I will miss her so much. She was a very special person. My deepest condolences to her family.

  8. Sorry to have heard of Shirley’s passing. We were long time friends and in each others weddings and enjoyed many visits over the years seeing the youngsters grow and mature into beautiful people. Please know Cheryl and Donna and all the family yoj have been in our prayers through this. Know this brings our love to all of you.

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Shirley O. McClenny

October 15, 2024

Shirley O. McClenny passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, after a series of vascular episodes due to her advanced dementia.  She was 87 years old.

She was born in Dahlgren, Virginia in 1938 where she lived what she remembered as an idyllic life on her parents tiny homestead in biking distance to her small town that centered around the Lower Station, Dahlgren Proving Ground. Her childhood included summers at the proving ground pool with her siblings, cousins and friends. She loved school and graduated from King George High School in 1956, where she played basketball and cheered for the King George Foxes football team.

After high school she moved to Richmond, Virginia to attend Richmond Polytechnic Institute before going to work for the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company where she made lifelong friends and met her husband of 57 years, Donald O. McClenny. Shirley and Don lived life to the fullest with their family and lifelong friends. Shirley loved being with friends and visiting family more than anything else. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother known for her sweet smile and gentle disposition. She liked to stay active, playing golf in her younger years and bowling into her early 80s. Her nose was always in a book, often rotating between  2 or 3 at a time. She and Don nurtured close family ties, like their parents before them, making wherever they were, feel like home between Richmond, the Outer Banks of NC and Ophelia Va. Food, music and laughter, lots of laughter, surrounded every gathering, with memories lasting the test of time for all who shared in the love. She knew where her blessings came from and gave her life to Christ as a young mother.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Bertha and Elwood Olive of Dahlgren, VA; her sister and brother in love, Phyllis and Hank Horne of Tucker, GA, and brother, Floyd Olive of Dahlgren, VA; her beloved husband, Don and her parents in love, Maebelle and “Mac” McClenny of Richmond, VA; and so many other precious family members and friends.

Shirley is survived by her brother, Chester Olive of Charlottesville, VA; her Brother and Sister in love, Robert and Nancy McClenny of Glen Allen, VA; her two daughters and sons in love, Sheryl and Kirk Gibson of Glen Allen, VA and Donna and Marty Griffin of Kill Devil Hills, NC; her grandson and granddaughter in love, Matthew and Sydney Gibson of Glen Allen; her granddaughters, Annabelle and Emmy Griffin of KDH; her great grandson, Owen Gibson of Glen Allen; nephews and neices, Mary, Larry, Barry, Jeff, Chet, Donna, John, Ted, Jeff, Jason; and so many other precious family members and friends.

A celebration of Shirley’s very full and blessed life will be held at 2pm on November 9, 2024 at Ridge Baptist Church, 1515 East Ridge Road, Henrico, VA 23229 . All who loved her dearly are invited to attend. Gallop Funeral Services was entrusted with arrangements.

Condolences

Chet Olive

I was blessed with the sweetest, kindest Aunt you could hope for! Love to Sheryl, Donna and Family. 🙏❤️❤️. Chet Olive

Kate Aldridge

Shirley was my great aunt, that I've known throughout my life when she and her family would come to Georgia for a visit with all her sister's (my grandmother's) family. We had so many good times together and she will be greatly missed while at the same time is being reunited with so many family and friends we've lost over the years.

Bruce Franks

Thinking of you at this time and extending heartfelt sympathy. May your memories be a source of comfort for you and the family. Sincerely, Bruce and Debbie Franks

Barry Horne

I'm going to miss Shirley. We were all blessed for her having come into our life's experience. She was such a gentle loving loving gift of love for us all. For us who mourn, remember there is no loss in God She is home.

Dawn Ford

I am sorry to hear about your mom passing away you are in my thoughts and prayers with the family. I am here if you need anything from me. Your mom was a special lady and very sweet person. I will miss seeing her and I will miss her give us some different answers about our Sunday school class lesson also. Dawn Ford

"Fi" Booker

I knew Mrs. McClenny from Ridge Baptist Chruch, and she and I had a mutual acquaintance, The Late Dolly Ford, whom I knew at my former Church, Second Baptist. Through Mrs. McClenny, I was able to keep track of Mrs. Ford's daughters, Diane and Mary. I will miss her.

Peggy lupini

Shirley was a very special friend to me and Joe and the rest of my family. Joe and I were friends with her and Dan for many many years. I will miss her so much. She was a very special person. My deepest condolences to her family.

William Carr

Sorry to have heard of Shirley's passing. We were long time friends and in each others weddings and enjoyed many visits over the years seeing the youngsters grow and mature into beautiful people. Please know Cheryl and Donna and all the family yoj have been in our prayers through this. Know this brings our love to all of you.