Shirley L. Hall, 45, passed away in Norfolk, Virginia on April 22, 2025. A resident of Ahoskie, North Carolina, and for the past 21 years the Latin teacher at Ocean Lakes High School, Shirley has joined her parents, Oscar and Kim Hall, in Heaven. Her grandparents, Dean and Marilyn Hellwarth and Shirley and Ada Hall, also preceded her in death.

Shirley was born in Coldwater, Ohio. She graduated from Jay County High School in 1998 and Indiana State University in 2002. Shirley earned her master’s degree in education from Averett University in 2010. She was a Latin teacher at Pasquotank County High School, Elizabeth City, North Carolina, from 2002 to 2004. In 2004, Shirley accepted the position of Latin teacher at Ocean Lakes High School, where she taught multiple levels of Latin and advised many extracurricular activities such as the Dolphin Dash, Latin Club/Honor Society, Cubing Club, D&D Club, Fandom Club, and Investment club. Shirley was a member of many professional associations, such as Foreign Language Association of Virginia (FLAVA), Classical Association of Virgina (CAVA), American Classical League (ACL), Mid-Atlantic Association of Language Learning and Technology, Virginia Junior Classical League and many more.

Shirley was a passionate and devoted Latin teacher whose love for the language was only matched by her unwavering commitment to her students. A multiple-time recipient of the Distinguished Teacher Award, she inspired curiosity, built lasting relationships, and made every learner feel seen, valued, and capable. Her impact extended far beyond the classroom, shaping lives with wisdom, grace, and heart.
In her spare time, Shirley devoted herself to events at the high school and spent time with her family and friends. She was an avid fan of movies, especially rom-com movies, listening to audiobooks, and Italian cuisine. Shirley’s family and friends will remember her dedication to her family, commitment to her students, her quirky wit and sense of humor, compassion for others, and her endless faith in God.
Left to cherish her memory are her sister Brandy Barnes (husband Chris) and her nephew Hayden, South Carolina; her significant other, Johnny McClung, North Carolina; and family that is still located in Ohio and Indiana, as well as the faculty, students, and alumni of Ocean Lakes High School.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for the donations to be made to Connect with a Wish, Inc. in Shirley’s memory. You can donate to this website, Connect With a Wish, and add the message: In honor of Shirley Hall. The Dolphin Dash Committee at Ocean Lakes High School, which Shirley has sponsored for the last nine years, has selected this Virginia Beach-based non-profit organization to be the recipient of all funds raised this year through various Dolphin Dash Activities.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Shirley Hall on May 24, 2025 at 11 AM at the auditorium at Ocean Lakes High School. More information to follow.

Condolences to the family may be offered at www.hollomon-brown.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Furthermore, Lori Kissell has graciously shared her comments regarding Shirley at our recent meeting:

It is with shock and grief, and much admiration and appreciation, that I speak of Shirley L. Hall today.

From her obituary:

She left us much too soon, at only 45 on April 22, 2025. She was THE Latin teacher at Ocean Lakes High School for 21 years, after teaching at Pasquotank County High School in Elizabeth City, NC from 2002 to 2004. Shirley came to these positions with her undergraduate degree from Indiana State University earned in 1998, and her master’s degree in education from Averett University in 2010. She taught multiple levels of Latin and advised many extra-curricular activities such as the Dolphin Dash, Latin Club/Honor Society, Cubing Club, D&D CLub, Fandom Club, and Investment Club. She was also a member of many professional organizations and associations including FLAVA, CAV, ACL, VJCL, Mid-Atlantic Association of Language Learning and Technology, and many more. 

Shirley was a passionate and devoted Latin teacher whose love for the language was only matched by her unwavering commitment to her students. A multiple-time recipient of the Distinguished Teacher Award, she inspired curiosity, built lasting relationships, and made every student feel seen, valued, and capable. Her impact extended far beyond the classroom, shaping lives with wisdom, grace and heart.

In her spare time, Shirley devoted herself to events at the high school and spent time with her family and friends. She was an avid fan of movies, especially rom-coms, listening to audio books, and Italian cuisine. Her family and friends will remember her dedication to her family, commitment to her students, quirky wit and sense of humor, compassion for others, and her endless faith in God.

Personally:

I met Shirley at FLAVA many years ago and was amazed at her in-depth, astoundingly thorough presentations. She created something amazing every year, and always seemed stunned that it was so well-received by her colleagues. A few years ago there was a flamboyantly boisterous keynote speaker at FLAVA who requested audience participants to be out of our seats and bouncing around the room. Being myself too curmudgeonly to play these games, I continued sitting, scowling, and knitting. Shirley quietly walked over and asked if we could pretend to be doing this activity that made her so uncomfortable. Absolutely! Flamboyant and boisterous were not her style – but that should not be taken as calling her staid or boring. Shirley shone with strong, bright, and quiet joy and passion for her topic and for her students, those in her school and her colleagues at her presentations alike. Her smile, genuinely bestowed, could light a meeting hall. This year we were presenting back to back and as we exchanged technology connections we spoke for a moment and I told her how much I admired her presentations every year. How wonderfully and powerfully she presented her material and her love for all she did. She seemed taken aback for a moment, and then she just glowed, literally and figuratively radiant for a few moments. That’s why I volunteered to speak for her. Too often superb people such as Shirley don’t hear how much they mean to us; we take our “I’ll see you at the next meeting, the next conference” friends for granted. I expected to be able to say more about her next presentation, but I’m so glad that I said it about her fall one.

May we have a moment of silent remembrance for Shirley, please?

Ave atque vale! You have created a monument more lasting than bronze, my friend.