Shirley C Hartness

Shirley Lee Cowan Hartness departed this life on Saturday, March 21, 2026, from Valparaiso, Florida into the presence of her Lord Jesus Christ. She is the daughter of Irvin Turner Cowan and Eddie Lee Hales Cowan, both deceased, the sister of Turner Cowan and Eddie Thomas Cowan, both deceased, and the wife of Carl Edward Hartness for 66 years, also deceased. Shirley is survived by her son Carl Edward Hartness, Jr. (Chuck) and his wife Sue Boyle Hartness, grandchildren Stephanie Rene Hartness, Jonathan Edward Hartness and his wife Grace Touma Hartness, Rachel Beth Hartness and Leslie Nicole Hartness Valdes and her husband Daniel Andres Valdes. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Westin Robert Hartness, Joel Ethan Hartness, Gabriella Elizabeth Hartness, Zoë Grace Hartness and Madeleine Sophia Hartness, and great-grandchildren by marriage, Elijah Daniel Valdes and Esther Isabel Valdes.

Shirley was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1934 and grew up in the Lakewood Heights neighborhood of SE Atlanta, attending Lakewood Elementary and Fulton High School, later graduating from McDonough High School after her family moved to Henry County Georgia. She met Carl at Fulton High School, and after she moved to Stockbridge, Georgia, he burned the pavement on Hwy 42 every weekend to see her. It wasn’t long before they were married, and in due time God blessed them with a son.

Shirley worked as secretary for the Lakeview Baptist Church, which the family also joined, located in the Gresham Park neighborhood of Atlanta, working there almost all her son’s public-school years. In 1971 she went to work as a secretary in the legal department of the Georgia Department of Transportation, where Carl worked as a draftsman. She retired in 1987 to care for her father in her home. In retirement she loved being involved in the lives of her son and grandchildren whenever possible, and they loved their “week at grandmama’s.”

Shirley loved God, was a follower of Jesus and loved His Church. She was baptized at age 12 at the Lakewood Heights Baptist Church, committing her life to Christ. She faithfully taught 11-year-old girls in Sunday School for years and sang soprano in the choir both at Lakeview Baptist Church, Atlanta and First Baptist Church, Lithonia, Georgia. God gave her a beautiful voice which she used to worship Him and to minister to many at weddings, funerals and visiting in nursing homes.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at the First Baptist Church on Bayshore in Niceville, FL on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, with a visitation time at 10:00 am and service to follow at 11:00 am. Interment will be at Heritage Gardens Cemetery in Niceville. In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Beyond These Walls campaign at First Baptist Church on Bayshore, Niceville, FL.

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