STILLWATER The funeral for Shirley Mae Brownlee, 92 will be at 10:00 AM Saturday December 16, 2023 at First Christian Church, Stillwater officiated by Rev. Sondra Ladd. Graveside
services will be at 2:00 PM Saturday at Hennessey Cemetery under the direction of
Cordry-Gritz Funeral Home, Hennessey. Viewing will be at the funeral home Thursday
and Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The casket will be open at the church prior to
services. The family will receive guests following the graveside services at First Christian
Church, Hennessey on Saturday from 2:30 until 3:30 PM.
Shirley was born in Oklahoma City on September 3, 1931 to Irl Russell and Vida Mae
Curnutt Doolittle and died Saturday December 9, 2023 at St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa.
She lived in Fittstown and attended McLish Public Schools, graduating in 1949. Her
basketball team won the State Championship in 1949 over Byng and Coach Bertha Frank
Teague. Shirley was invited to join the All-American Red Heads, a traveling women’s
basketball team, but declined.
She attended East Central State College in Ada and Oklahoma State University (A & M
College), graduating in 1953 with majors in Home Economics and Physical Education
and Recreation. She later obtained a Master’s degree in education from Central State
College in Edmond.
She married Cecil Edwin Brownlee on December 22, 1953 at Centenary United
Methodist Church in Tulsa.
Shirley taught school in Hennessey from 1966-1984 where she started the girls high
school basketball program. Most of these years were spent teaching 6 th grade science and
social studies and coaching girls and boys 5 th and 6 th grade basketball teams.
Following Cecil’s retirement in 1992, they moved to Stillwater. She continued her
lifelong involvement in their church, First Christian (Disciples of Christ) and volunteered
at the Stillwater Hospital. She joined the Golden Girls, a senior basketball team out of
Tulsa which qualified for the National Senior Olympics several times. In recent years,
she loved helping Brett with morning prep at Cherokee Strip BBQ.
Shirley is survived by her husband Cecil of the home; three children Russell Madison
Brownlee and wife Rovay of Wilburton, Sigrid Brownlee Krause and husband Greg of
Tonkawa, Brett Lynn Brownlee and wife Erin of Stillwater; six grandchildren Caitlin
Brownlee Parker and husband Josh, and their daughter Sadie Parker, Conor Brownlee,
Jessica Lynn Brownlee, Barrett Ryan Brownlee, Jace Evan Brownlee, and Cole Edwin
Brownlee.
