Shirley Ann Saylor

On August 7th, 2023, Shirley Ann Saylor, 91 years old of Manassas, VA, passed away unexpectedly, ushered into heaven by tornado warnings, thunderstorms, and a beautiful rainbow. Shirley traveled far in life, literally and figuratively — from her humble beginnings in Berlin, PA in 1931, to adulthood in diplomatic receptions in Europe and Asia as the spouse of a CIA officer. She often mused how unlikely a life she lived, given her origins in a small town few left. In 1952, she married her high school sweetheart, Kenneth Eugene Saylor (1930-2003), had two children, Lu Ann Saylor (born January 29, 1953) and Keith Eugene Saylor (born January 19, 1955) and set off for twenty years of world travels as a wife, mother, social magnet, Bridge and Mahjong player, and true friend to many. She had no regrets about the path she took in life and felt proud and privileged to have lived in many countries and made such deep and lasting friendships - observing often, “We’ve had a great life, haven’t we?” After Ken’s retirement in 1980, and his death in 2003, Shirley, living in Manassas, VA, continued her longstanding friendships and became even more expert at Bridge and Mahjong. She was ever-present at Bethel Lutheran Church as a parishioner, volunteer, ambassador, and kind presence. But her most important focus was her family, enjoying nothing more than being with her daughter Lu Ann (Saylor) Slough and her husband Michael Slough; their oldest daughter, Stephanie (Slough) Duegaw, and her husband, Barclay Duegaw; and their youngest daughter Emily (Slough) Dove and her husband Kevin Dove and their two children, Evie and Chloe; Her son Keith Saylor and his spouse Melissa Andrews; their son, Austin Saylor and his wife, Erin Saylor, and their three children, Ronan, Milo, and Wren; and their daughter, Drew Saylor, and her spouse, Brandon Basso, and their son, Wynn. Two children, four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren all brought Shirley deep satisfaction and calm. Shirley, the middle of three children, was born on September 21, 1931, to Glenn O. Kimmel and Ida Catherine Felton Kimmel in Somerset, PA. Shirley is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Richard O. Kimmel, her sister, Karen K. Kimmel Militzer, and her loving husband, Kenneth Eugene Saylor. A celebration of her life will be scheduled soon.

Shirley Ann Saylor

September 21, 1931 - August 7, 2023