Shirley Ann Hardesty

Shirley Ann (Walters) Hardesty passed an away on September 26, 2026, at age 90, Shirley completed a life that was filled with love from beginning to end.

Shirley was the eighth of 10 children of Guy and Leota Walters. According to Guy, his kids were the “best kids in the neighborhood”, and they remained very close throughout the years. Shirley was preceded in death by brothers Bob (Norma), Jim (MaryAnn), Jurd (Rose), Bill (Ada), Duke (Carole, Nellie), and sisters Betty Guilliams, Ruth (Glen) Gross, Beverly (Gerald) Hoop, and brother-in-law Ron Rodgers. Shirley is survived by her sister Alice and a wonderful bunch of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great nephews.

Shirley graduated from Coshocton High School in 1953. Her senior picture in the yearbook was followed by the words, “And my whole life lies in the town across the river”. That town was Roscoe, and the boy from the town across the river was Jim Hardesty. Jim and Shirley married on September 4, 1953 and for the next 73 years lived out their promises of love, honor, and friendship. As Jim says, “We did everything together.” Shirley is survived by her husband, and by their two daughters Sheryl Hardesty and Tami Hardesty-Jaynes. Love for her family was Shirley’s joy, and she filled each day in their home with love. Shirley knew Christ, and she and Jim introduced their daughters to Him, and in this lies hope during this time of grief.

In addition to being a sister, aunt, wife, and mother, Shirley loved to serve others. Shirley and Jim began their married life in Canton, OH, where she served as an executive secretary at Harrison Paint Company and Hercules. When Jim was in the Army, Shirley worked in the Coshocton telephone office, once staying up all night to connect a Christmas call to Jim in Germany. In Canton they built a home together, but eventually wanted to come home to Coshocton to raise their family. Free days were filled with bike rides, backyard fires, hikes, card games, and trips to the lake. Shirley worked with children in many capacities over the years, teaching Sunday School, Children’s Church, VBS, being a Girl Scout leader, and band and choir mom. Later she continued caring for young families through her work with the WIC program. Her co-workers at WIC became dear friends. After retirement, Shirley and Jim enjoyed traveling around the United States, often to National Parks, camping in a tent or the back of their van. They loved nature, adventures together, and each other.

Shirley was surrounded by love, and gave love, for a lifetime.

Her life will be honored by a brief calling hour from 10:00-11:00 am on Tuesday, September 29, at the Miller Funeral Home in Coshocton, followed by a small graveside ceremony at Roscoe Cemetery for family and close friends.