THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 28, 1996 TAG: 9601280115
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B6 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
Shirley Ruth Jiral, 69, of Redfern Lane, died Jan. 24, 1996, in her home.
She is survived by her husband, James Jiral, their children, grandchildren, and many friends and colleagues. Mrs. Jiral devoted most of her life to community service and to her family.
She was a strong supporter of the arts and served as the chair of the Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission and on the Executive Board of Young Audiences Inc. She also represented the city of Chesapeake on the Metropolitan Arts Congress and was a member of the board of the Tidewater area Cultural Alliance. She was extremely active with the international youth exchange programs of the American Field Service (AFS), serving both as chapter president and as a host. Many young women and men came to consider her their ``American Mom'' through her work with AFS.
For more than 30 years, she was active in Girl Scouting. She worked with the Girl Scout Council of the Colonial Coast as a council officer as well as on the Board of Directors. The American Cancer Society has benefited from her involvement for many years, most recently as vice president of the board. She was also involved with the PTA for more than 20 years, serving at the local, city and district levels. In addition, she was deeply involved with the Tidewater Federation of Gardens Clubs, Sterling Point Garden Club, as well as a number of other organizations. She was an accomplished community leader, the recipient of numerous community awards and an artist.
Besides her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Isidora Forrest and her husband, Adam; two sons, Paul Jiral and his wife, Jody, and Todd Jiral; a sister, Marilyn Schlesinger; and three grandchildren, Erika, Gregory and Kira Jiral.
A memorial gathering will be held Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1996, at 7 p.m. in the Sturtevant Funeral Home, Bennetts Creek Chapel. The family suggests that flowers be omitted and memorial donations be made to the Shirley R. Jiral Memorial Fund for the Young Audiences of Virginia, 5 Koger Executive Center, Suite 216, Norfolk, Va. 23502.
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB