Mrs. Shirley Iler Bazemore, 84, of Brooklet, Georgia, passed away on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at Memorial Hospital in Savannah.

Shirley was born in Savannah Georgia, to the late Jesse Willard Iler and Annie Ruth Brown Iler. Throughout her lifetime, her sister, Betty Lewis of Moultrie, Georgia, has been her best friend, and their love and compassion for one another has been an inspiration to each of their families.

Along with her faithful husband of 67 years, Shirley reared six children. As the matriarch of the family, her greatest passion was being a grandmother! She loved taking her grandchildren on trips and special outings, and her memory for all of their unique characteristics and stories was amazing!

She was naturally a great cook, and she loved feeding her family and friends. She enjoyed using fresh ingredients from the family garden and regularly canned or froze vegetables for use throughout the year. Her ability to make delicious meals, and her creativity with ingredients, made every meal special. With encouragement and assistance from her grandchildren, she even published her own cookbook that was shared with over 200 friends and family members!

Mrs. Bazemore loved the Lord, and she was a very active member of her church throughout her lifetime. She attended Bible Baptist Church in Savannah for over 30 years. Upon moving to Effingham County, she served faithfully at the Meldrim Baptist Church for 10 years, and when she later moved to Clarkesville, Georgia, she was a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church. Upon returning to Bulloch County, she joined Lighthouse Baptist Church in Stilson, Georgia. Shirley was a Sunday school teacher, and she served as the Sunday School Superintendent for several terms. She had a heart for missions, and served as President of the WMU for 5 years. She especially loved organizing and hosting events and social functions for the church family, and for women in particular.

For most of her professional career, Shirley was self-employed at Shirley Bazemore Insurance Agency and served many clients through Preferred Risk Insurance Company, among others. Shirley was also very involved with her community. She served two terms as President of the local chapter of Soroptimist International, and during her terms of service, great strides were made toward the establishment of the local Ronald McDonald House at Memorial Health University Hospital. Once the RMH was built, Mrs. Bazemore volunteered faithfully every week for 20 years.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sons, Robert Terrell (Bob) Bazemore, Jr. and James Edwin Bazemore, and her daughter-in-law, Eileen Bazemore.

She is survived by her husband, Robert Terrell Bazemore, her children, David Bazemore (Elizabeth), Dennis Bazemore (Tracey), Teri Granger (Luke), and William Bazemore (Maria), daughter-in law, Leisa Bazemore, 17 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, her sister, Betty Lewis, many nieces and nephews, and countless others that she knew and loved well.

Thomas C. Strickland & Sons Funeral Home in Pooler, Georgia, will be facilitating the services for Mrs. Bazemore on Thursday, June 15, 2023. Visitation will be held at the funeral home at 2:00 with the service following in the chapel at 3:00. A private graveside service will be held at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Meldrim, Georgia at a later date.

Although Shirley loved flowers of all types and enjoyed gardening throughout her lifetime, the family has asked, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made in honor of Shirley Bazemore to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire.

Thomas C. Strickland & Sons Funeral Homes – WEST CHATHAM CHAPEL – 901 West Highway 80 – Pooler, Georgia (912) 748-2444