DRAKESBORO – Mrs. Margaret Elizabeth (Dillihay) Shirel died on Friday, July 8 in Aldie, Virginia at the age of 66. Margaret was a gentle and kind woman whose love for her family was paramount. The roles she most cherished in life were that of mother and grandmother. Margaret, the third of six children, was born in Russellville, Kentucky on October 28, 1949 to Virginia and Bert Dillihay. As a child Margaret lived in Russellville, Bowling Green, Lexington, Bardwell, Cunningham, and Hopkinsville, before settling with her family in Drakesboro, Kentucky at the age of eight. An excellent student, Margaret graduated as Valedictorian of the Drakesboro High School class of 1967 and then attended Murray State University where she completed her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education in three years, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1970. Margaret subsequently earned a Master’s degree in Elementary Education also from Murray State. Margaret began her teaching career at Hughes-Kirk Elementary in 1970. Her teaching career in Muhlenberg County spanned five decades. On August 4, 1973, Margaret married Herbert Allen Shirel, of Sturgis, Kentucky, and on October 3, 1974 they welcomed their daughter, Elizabeth Anne. Herbert was in the process of completing the home he built for their family in Drakesboro when he died in a mining accident on July 1, 1975. Until her death, Herbert’s family was an integral part of Margaret’s life and the abiding love between Margaret and the Shirel family never waivered. During her illness in her final year of life, the Shirels provided Margaret with a network of support and comfort, welcoming her into their homes while she received medical care. A loving daughter and sister, Margaret opened her home throughout the years to and cared for her mother, father and sisters, Martha and Mary Jane, during their terminal illnesses. Upon her retirement is 2014, Margaret made frequent and extended visits to spend time with her daughter’s family in Virginia. She loved supporting her grandchildren in all of their endeavors both in and out of school. Margaret was an active member of the Drakesboro Church of Christ where she taught children’s Bible class and led Vacation Bible School. Margaret enjoyed singing, fellowship and outreach with congregations in both Kentucky and Virginia. Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Shirel, her mother, Virginia West Dillihay, her father, Bert Dillihay, and her sisters, Martha Dillihay and Mary Jane Dillihay. She was also preceded in death by her father-in-law, Louis Jr. Shirel, her mother-in-law, Mildred Nadine Urton Shirel, and her nephew Adam Miller. Margaret will be greatly missed by her daughter Elizabeth Fortune, and her husband John, and grandchildren Chloe, Mark and Samuel, of Clifton, Virginia. She is survived by her brother Ralph Dillihay, and his wife Suzanne, of Bowling Green, her brother Kenneth Dillihay, of Rosewood, her sister Marilyn Dillihay, and her husband Guy Standen, of Washington, D.C., as well as her nephew, Baker Dillihay, of Bowling Green, her niece Shera Loeser, of Bowling Green, and her niece, Virginia Beth Dillihay, of Cape Coral, Florida, and great-nieces Taylor Ater and Eliza Ruth Dillihay and great-nephews Tanner Milburn and Jackson Loeser, and many loving cousins. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Robert Shirel, and his wife Margaret, of Evansville, Indiana, her sister-in-law Maude Miller, and her husband Philip, of Sturgis, and her sister-in-law Mary Nell Settle, and her husband Scott, of Calhoun, as well as her nephew Matt Shirel, of Columbia, Tennessee, her niece Susan Shirel, of Muncie, Indiana, her nephew Forrest Miller, of Oswego, Illinois, her niece Lacey Groves, of Greenville, her niece Emily Epley, of Calhoun and her niece Amy Mincy, of Rumsey, and great-nieces Elle Groves and Linley Mincy and great-nephews Will Shirel, Luke Groves and Lyric Mincy. Funeral is at noon on Thursday, July 14, at the Drakesboro Church of Christ, with burial at the Pythian Ridge Cemetery in Sturgis. Visitation is 5 to 9 pm Wednesday at Tucker Funeral Home in Central City and from 10 am to noon at the church on Thursday. Graveside service is at 2:30 pm. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Camp WAMAVA, c/o Fairfax Church of Christ, 3901 Rugby Rd, Fairfax VA 22033. Online condolences may be made at www.tuckerfuneralhomes.com.