Shirley (Lemon) Shilling

Shirley Ann (Lilly) Lemon was born to Othel Ray Lilly and Edith (Basham) Lilly on July 30, 1941, in Columbus, Ohio. After graduating from Linden-McKinley High School in 1960, Shirley married the love of her life, Roger Alan Lemon. Together, they built a family with four sons and a full and rich life.

Shirley considered Clyde and Maime Lemon (Roger’s parents) to be her mom and dad and spent more happy days than can be counted with them over the years. She loved those close to her fiercely, but sadly lost much of her bearing when Roger was taken from her in 2000 after a long battle with brain cancer. She remarried in 2005, to Ronald ‘Pops’ Shilling, a Vietnam Veteran and career-long-distance trucker, and she and her sons loved Pops until his passing in 2021.

She enjoyed old movies, cooking, church, choir, and annual camping vacations with Roger and their sons throughout the Western US for weeks each summer throughout the 1970s. Shirley was a gifted, self-taught musician. She had a beautiful alto voice and learned to play the organ and piano, composing many original songs in the 1970s and 1980s.

She enjoyed working at the downtown Lazarus during the early years of her marriage, until the business of rearing her sons took precedence and she became a homemaker. Later, she worked as a secretary at John Hancock and then at Nationwide Insurance, where Roger worked his entire career.

Shirley is survived by sons Dr. Daniel R. Lemon of Lander, WY, Todd A. Lemon (Robin) of Orient, OH, and Chad R. Lemon, of Columbus, OH. She is also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandson. She was preceded in death by her son Timothy A. Lemon, her parents Othel and Edith, her stepfather Harrison Hill, her sisters Linda and Sandy, and her brother Joseph.

The family extends our heartfelt gratitude to Capital City Hospice for the compassionate care they gave Shirley during her final months.

A private ceremony for the immediate family will be held. Instead of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Shirley’s name to your local Hospice agency or the American Cancer Society.