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Shirley Ann Elliott Chestnut, 83, of Conway, SC, passed away peacefully with her children by her side, on Thursday, October 5th, after a long and fierce battle against Alzheimer's disease. Shirley was born in Rock Hill, SC, to parents Odus Elliott, Sr., and Violet Richardson Elliott. Shirley was the 5th of 7 children in her family, all predeceased. The Elliott family moved to Charlotte, NC in 1945, where Shirley graduated from Harding High School in 1958. After graduating, she worked at Southern Bell Telephone Company. It was during this time that Shirley met the love of her life and husband of 58 years, Mr. Heyward Chestnut, Sr. (predeceased). They instantly fell madly in love and were married three months later. They moved to Myrtle Beach in 1964, where they raised three children together: Brenda, Glenda and Heyward II. Shirley was proud to have worked in the local Myrtle Beach healthcare system for many years, including the office of one of Myrtle Beach's most beloved and finest pediatricians, Doctor Arthur R. Collins, where she came to adore the patients. She was often overjoyed in her later years when a former patient would approach her in public exclaiming "Ms. Shirley!" to share fond memories of her from their childhood office visits. She loved each and every one of them. She also worked at Grand Strand Hospital in the medical records department during the 1980s, and several other local physicians' offices during her career. Her most cherished roles, however, were wife to her beloved "honey pot" and mother to her three children. She was a proud mom who seized every opportunity to talk about her children to anyone who would listen. Shirley was a woman of magnificent faith, a devoted Christian who raised her family in the church. She was an active church member for most of her life until her health failed her. She worked with youth groups, taught vacation bible school and Sunday school, helped establish a church library, and many other activities. She walked a true Christian path in life, always providing a stellar example of what a woman of God should be, do, and say. She was the kind of mom who "adopted" all her childrens' friends, just because she loved them right along with her own. She made the Kool-Aid for all the kids on the block, bandaged all the knees and kissed all the boo-boos. Our backyard was a baseball field, dodgeball court, red rover red rover, mother may I, and red light green light playground. And she loved every single minute. In her last years she cherished sitting on the front porch watching the neighborhood kids come by. She watched for one little boy in particular who rides his bike every day past the house. She waved excitedly and smiled at him every time she saw him. He always waved back, and it made her day that "her boy" saw her. Alzheimer's robbed her of many things, but it never broke her spirit. She fought a tremendous battle, yet never lost her faith. She is our hero, our strength, and eternal source of love and hope. Her loss is profound. Yet love, hope, and faith will not elude us, as we hold her spirit in our hearts. She has left enough within each of us to last many lifetimes. She is survived by her three children: Brenda Cenicola (Robert) of Spartanburg, SC, Glenda Carter of Myrtle Beach, Heyward Chestnut II (Sandi) of Fort Myers, FL, two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and loving friends. She will be desperately missed by all who knew and loved her. Funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, October 8, 2023 at Goldfinch Funeral Home, Conway Chapel, with Dr. Wayne Brown officating. Burial will follow in Lakeside Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 - 2:00 pm Sunday at the funeral home. Please sign an online guestbook at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society or other charity of choice. Goldfinch Funeral Home, Conway Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

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Shirley E. Chestnut

July 17, 1940 - October 5, 2023