Shirley Ann Mathena Sorrell was born in Louisville, Kentucky on September 8, 1938, to George Louis and Mamie Irene (Sutton) Mathena. She was their first born and grew into a very bright, long-legged curly-haired young lady. Shirley was shy and cautious as a child, but grew into a fierce survivor, an outspoken advocate, loyal friend, beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and cousin. Shirley passed away on October 21, 2024, at age 86, in her Happy Valley, Oregon apartment, due to complications of cancer and pancreatic disease. Her daughter Karen and son-in-law Danny were with her at the time of her death. Shirley was a Christian and humble servant of God.

A reception welcomes Shirley's friends and family from 11:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on November 23, 2024, at First Baptist Church of Sellersburg, 7912 County Rd 311, Sellersburg, Indiana, 47172. Family and friends are welcome to attend the Memorial Service that follows from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM on Nov. 23, 2024, also at First Baptist Church of Sellersburg. In a private ceremony, Shirley's ashes will be buried near her son David Sorrell in Sellersburg Cemetery and scattered on the resting place of her grandson Jonathan Sobottke in Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.

A long-time resident of Louisville, Kentucky and Sellersburg Indiana, and brief resident of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Shirley moved to Portland, Oregon in 2017 to be closer to her daughter and granddaughters. But Shirley always missed her Sellersburg home and friends.

Shirley is survived by daughter Karen Markins Snelling and son-in-Law Danny Snelling; a blended family of grandchildren including Nick and Corey Sorrell, Iris and Elsa Sobottke, Vanessa Sobottke Brush (and Kris), Marc Sobottke Jr. (and Stephanie), Hannah Snelling Huffman, DeWan Snelling Ritter (and Casey); great-grandchildren Shae, Riley, Genna and Isla Sobottke, Jayla Ritter, and her newest great-grandchild Gwendolyn Brush; nieces Rhonda Walker (and Rob), Dawn Mathena, and Kaelin Oller Guthrie; great nephew Coty Lefler, former son-in-law Marc Sobottke, plus many cousins from the Sutton and Mathena families.

She is preceded in death by her parents George and Mamie Irene Mathena, son David William Sorrell, brother George Louis Mathena Jr., grandson Jonathan David Marcus Sobottke, and countless friends.

She attended Portland Elementary and Shawnee High schools in Louisville. As a child, she attended Shawnee Baptist Church, as a young mother, Green Acres Baptist Church, and later became a long-time member of First Baptist Church of Sellersburg, Indiana.

Shirley was an AT&T Retiree from a career of nearly 25 years with Southern, South Central and Indiana Bell Telephone companies in Louisville and Southern Indiana. During many of these years she was a Communications Workers of American (CWA) member and Union Steward. She worked in the 1960s at Olin Matheson Army Ammunitions plant in Charlestown Indiana, sowing gun powder bags. After her AT&T retirement, Shirley worked in the answering service industry, spending some Indiana winters covering calls alone or with a few other stranded colleagues, when the snow was too deep for co-workers to escape their driveways. She made wonderful life-long friends at all her jobs.

Marrying James Markins when she was only 15 years old, she had one daughter 3 years after they married. They divorced in 1958, and she later married William Sorrell. They had one son and divorced in 1974.

She enjoyed listening to music, singing, and playing piano. She especially loved Christian hymns and what Shirley called "Hillbilly Music," like Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, and Kitty Wells. Shirley never turned down karaoke nights with her family, a scoop of butter pecan ice cream, a fun card game, or a light cocktail of Early Times and Pepsi. She cheered for University of Louisville football and basketball and proudly wore her LA Dodger Baseball gear during the season. Traveling to visit with family and friends throughout the U.S. was a favorite and frequent activity. She dreamed of a trip to the Holy Lands, but, sadly, it was never to be. She was fond of horse racing at Churchill Downs, and she loved sharing stories of working during Derby seasons on Millionaire's Row. As a member of the Telephone Pioneers, in 1984, she helped support the Olympic Torch bearers in Louisville, Kentucky and delighted in sharing stories of that experience. She enjoyed local, live theatre. For a fleeting time, Shirley enjoyed riding motorcycles. As an adult, she tracked the stock market daily and dabbled in trading. She was a longtime supporter of Trinity Broadcasting Network, Wounded Warriors, American Legion and Easter Seals.

She loved to laugh, cry, share stories, play, travel, pray, argue and solve the world's problems with her many loving friends through the years. With the prayers, patience and grace of her many friends, Shirley pushed through multiple illnesses, injuries and other set-backs during her adult life and was forever grateful for their support, as is her family.

Witnessing and generously supporting the daily pursuits and adventures of her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and those of her dearest friends was Shirley's biggest joy. Her greatest prayer was that each of them would accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. As an adult, whenever Shirley was asked each year what she would like for her birthday, it was that this prayer would be answered, PLUS "a Cadillac and a barrel of spending money!"

Shirley's favorite quote is from the Bible, Romans 8:38-39 - For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy and remembrance, Shirley Sorrell's family requests donations in her memory to one or more of the following:

Shriners Hospital for Children, Portland Oregon

Center for Women and Families, serving Louisville and Southern Indiana

International Mission Board, Holy Lands Crisis Response, or other IMB missions

Gilda's Club Cancer Support Community

National Council on Aging