Shirley Ann Alexander died within 72 hours of being diagnosed with COVID-19 on August 23, 2020 at the age of 87. Because of broken bones in her neck from a recent fall, the ventilator caused Shirley to suffer too much and her family made the difficult decision to remove it. A niece was able to don personal protective gear and be with her in her last moments, so she didn’t die alone like so many have.

Shirley was born and raised in St. Louis, graduating from Ursuline Academy. She moved around the country but came back to St. Louis (her favorite city) in her later years. She always had time and a chair in the kitchen to listen to your troubles and try to help, and was all around a warm and caring woman. Shirley spent the last 4 years in an excellent assisted care facility being visited 3 or more times a week by her loving family. After the COVID-19 lockdown started on March 9, the staff assisted with ZOOM video calls.

Shirley Alexander is missed by her surviving son and daughters, grandchildren, her large extended family, and the friends she made with other residents and staff at the nursing home she happily lived at in her final years.

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