MIDDLETON, Shirley

Arizona Silver Belt, Globe, Arizona Wednesday, January 25, 2012 Shirley Woods Middleton passed away Jan. 18, 2012 after a brief bout with cancer. She was born Shirley Green in Cedar City, Utah and is survived by son Dean Middleton of Globe, Ariz.; sisters, Barbara Gunnels of Farmington, N.M., and Elaine Fife of St. George, Utah, and several nieces and nephews. Shirley was the iconic matriarch of the Drift Inn Saloon for the past 31 years, where she was a “mini-mom” to countless people who relied on her kindness and grace, her strength of character, and her common-sense attitude to help them through this thing called life. She never judges anyone, and was always taking care of others and expecting nothing in return. Shirley was well-known for her vegetable garden which she tended with love devotion, and she generously shared her harvest with anyone who wanted from it. Shirley will be greatly missed by the many people who called her friend (and so will her tomatoes). A celebration of life and good ol’ Irish sendoff will take place Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Drift Inn Saloon from 2 to 4 p.m.