WYTHEVILLE, Va. — Shirley Dawn McCormick, age 84, of Wytheville, VA died Tuesday, August 30, 2016. She was born to Alvey Hovey and Leola Clark McCormick on October 6, 1931 in Waiteville, WV.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by an uncle, several aunts and cousins.

Her formal education consisted of public school, Waiteville, WV; degrees from Concord College, Athens, WV; and Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA. Her professional life centered around teaching; 15 ½ years Pearisburg [she taught at Pearisburg Elementary School from January 1953 until June 1953 and she taught at Pearisburg and Giles High Schools from August 1953 until June 1968] and 24 years at Wytheville Community College [from September 1968 until her retirement in June 1992.] After retirement, she devoted her life to volunteer work. All involved activities of a dedication to others which included Hospice, Boyd Museum, Relay for Life and church activities and classes at St. Paul United Methodist Church.

During college and her teaching career, she was a member of many service, professional and honorary organizations. In 1957 she was initiated into the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, an international organization for women educators, and remained active for many years. After retirement from WCC she was designated the honor of Professor Emeritus by the college president and local board in 1998.

From an early age, Miss Cormick was a believing Christian and attempted to model her relationships and actions on Christian principles. Her first church membership was at New Zion Union Church, Waiteville, WV; then First Methodist Church, Pearisburg; and from 1968 until her death, St. Paul United Methodist Church, Wytheville.

Survivors include cousins, Clara Ferguson of Rock Camp, WV, Bobbie Jean Spangler of Peterstown, WV, Jane Harrell of Houston, TX and their families. Since childhood her parents provided a home for foster children and regarded each as members of the family. These include Mable M. Martin of Pearisburg, Dorothy M. Lafon of Pikeville, KY and Bobby Massie of Blacksburg. She is also survived by many special friends and thousands of former students.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church, 330 Church Street, Wytheville, VA 24382 or to the Wytheville Community College Educational Foundation, Inc., 1000 East Main Street, Wytheville, VA 24382 for the "Shirley McCormick Scholarship Endowment" that she established in 2014.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 2, 2016 at St. Paul United Methodist Church. Interment will follow at New Zion Union Church Cemetery, Waiteville, WV. The family will receive friends one hour before service time at the church.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.highlandfuneralservice.com

Barnett Funeral Home, Wytheville, VA is serving the family.