Shirley Juanita Bland

Shirley Juanita Bland was born on July 22, 1954 in Warrenton, VA to the late William Bland, Jr. and Inita Sheppard Bland. On Monday, March 3, 2022 at 10:08 a.m., Shirley departed her earthly home in Marshall, VA to cross over to the other shore, entering into eternal rest and peace.

Shirley was the oldest of seven siblings.  She was educated in the Fauquier County Public School System attending Northwestern Elementary School (a.k.a. Claude Thompson) and Taylor High School.  She was baptized in the early 1990’s at First Baptist Church under Rev. C. Peterson.  She was an active member in the church until her health began to fail and the COVID-19 pandemic prevented her from doing so. Despite the trials and tribulations of Shirley’s illness, she continued to dial into First Baptist’s Sunday Service via the telephone – she was shut-in but not shut-out.

Shirley loved to sing for and serve the Lord.  She sang in First Baptist Church Choir, The First Baptist Community Choir and with the Bland Singers.  She was always willing to sing whenever asked.   She was a member of First Baptist‘s Culinary and Women of Worship (WOW) ministries and she taught the youth Sunday School when needed.

Shirley worked several years for the Fauquier County School system as a janitorial technician and later worked for the family of Mrs. Jacqueline Ohrstrom for many years as a cook and housekeeper until her retirement.

She became the Matriarch of the Bland family in November of 2020.  Her main objective was to live a Christ-Centered Life, desiring all, especially her children to be saved and come to the knowledge of the one true and living God.  She cared deeply for her family; her children and her grandchildren who were the joy of her life. Most of all, she loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Shirley loved attending her grandsons’ football games, wrestling matches and track and field events. She found great joy when they made touchdowns and won their matches. She also loved to cook for her family and the church’s special programs. She enjoyed fishing, playing bingo, watching her favorite football team, the Dallas Cowboys play, TV game shows, and doing crossword puzzles. 

She was preceded in death by her loving daughter, Tonya Nicole Bland.  She leaves to cherish her memory a devoted and forever loving companion, James Campbell; three children: Melissa (Nelson) Bland, Warrenton, VA; James (Rebecca), and Brian Bland, Warrenton, VA; two sisters: Viola Bland, Warrenton, VA; Carolyn Bland (Tony), Chester Gap, VA; four brothers: William Bland, III, Marshall, VA, Robert Bland (Bonnie), and David (Gail) Bland, Manassas, VA, and Matthew (Betsy) Bland, Burleson, TX; 10 grandchildren: Kya, Kaleb, Kyle Bland, Deja Bland, Darryl and David Mayfield, Brian Bland, Jr, Tanisha, Danielle and Ebonie Morton and a god-grandson, Joshua Robinson.

She leaves behind two aunts: Virginia Lewis and Louise Neal; one uncle, John Sheppard; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and neighbors, including extended family members: Harry and Pam Warner, Rev. Norman Campbell, Margaret Campbell, Mary Frances Campbell, Richard Campbell, Esther Russell, Sharil “Shay” Bowens, Lucille Bland, her First Baptist Church family and Jacqueline Ohrstrom’s family.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, March 10, 2022, from 6 pm to 8 pm at Joynes Funeral Home, 29 N. Third St., Warrenton, VA, 20186. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2022, at 12 PM at First Baptist Church, 4195 Loudoun Ave., The Plains, VA 20198.

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