Shirley Ann Leonard
Shirley Ann Sellers Leonard, 84, peacefully passed away January 4, 2024, in Wilmington, North Carolina, after a sudden and brief illness, with her loving family by her side.
Born December 24, 1939, in Sanford, NC, to the late Ernest “Mac” Sellers and Ruth Marshall Thomas, Shirley was one of four siblings. She is survived by her devoted daughter, Michelle Manning (Wilmington); her beloved brother Mackie (Florida) and her other two siblings; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; her ex-son-in-law, Kris Petersen (Wilmington); and her adorable Lhasa Apso, Herself.
She graduated New Hanover High School in 1958, where she was an excellent student, editor of the newspaper, and a member of the chorus.
As a single mother, Shirley completed her teaching degree at Wilmington College, where she was an editor of The Seahawk, and went on to complete graduate studies at the University of North Carolina. She taught English in Sanford; Charlotte Amalie High School in St. Thomas, USVI; and Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines, NC. In addition to being a reporter for The Sanford Herald and a feature writer for The Pilot, Shirley turned her drive and ambition to building and development, becoming the first licensed female contractor in North Carolina, building and rehabbing homes in Sanford, Southern Pines, and Wilmington. Shirley briefly lived in Ireland where she bred and raised Connemara ponies. She also taught English in China on and off for more than a decade.
After surviving life-threatening breast cancer at the age of 51, Shirley took up painting as art therapy at the behest of her daughter. Too weak to paint standing, she painted with a canvas on her lap, a habit she never changed. After her first three paintings were juried into a show in Raleigh, she went on to paint prolifically and exhibited in St. Thomas, Wilmington, Chapel Hill, and China.
After “retiring,” she lived in Orlando, Florida, for almost 20 years, where she enjoyed ballroom dancing and being an active Elks and Moose club member.
She left Florida in 2016 and returned to Wilmington to live with her daughter for the last six years of her life. A lifelong member of Calvary Baptist Church since the age of 12, Shirley embraced her church family and the opportunity to ‘dress to the nines’ every Sunday complete with a matching hat. At various points, she sang in the choir and taught Sunday school, and she remained an active member of her cherished prayer group, with her last entry into her prayer and daily devotional journal dated December 30, the day before she entered the hospital.
Shirley’s loving spirit, intelligence, courage, humor, and generosity will forever be remembered and treasured, especially by her daughter, Michelle, who is thankful every day for the time spent together during their final six years, which were filled with laughter, love and adventures.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, February 2 at Calvary Baptist Church, 423 N 23rd St., Wilmington, NC 28405. The family will receive guests at 10 Conch Lane, Wrightsville Beach, following the service from 3:30-5:30.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Calvary Christian School Scholarship Fund or to a charity of your choice.