(1928-2025)

When she enrolled in the University of Detroit Law School in 1981 – at the age of fifty-three – Sister Shirley Cushing was intent on making a difference in the lives of those who could not afford legal services on their own, especially the elderly poor.

Almost thirty years later, in 2009, when she completed twenty-five years of service in Macomb County, Michigan, as an elder law attorney, the county Board of Commissioners marked the occasion with a resolution summing up the ways that Sister Shirley had done exactly as she had intended.

She had chaired an Elder Law Committee, served on the county and state pro bono committees and on the State Bar of Michigan Senior Justice Committee, and overseen the Legal Assistance Program in the county Department of Senior Citizen Services, which to that point had served 39,173 individual clients and made 111 Community Legal Education presentations to 4,392 seniors.

“[I]t is fitting and proper that such outstanding and dedicated service to others should be recognized,” the resolution continued.

Even though it happened at the midpoint of her life, in becoming an attorney, Sister Shirley was following in the footsteps of her father, Frank, who had been a lawyer in Wayne County, Michigan.

Read more about Sister Shirley (PDF)

Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, MI, 49221. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Anderson-Marry Funeral Home, Adrian.

Sister's Memorial Card (PDF)

Vigil and Funeral Recordings

Note: To view recordings with closed captioning, they must be viewed on our public video library rather than through the links below.

Recording of Sister Shirley's Vigil Service - After clicking the link, download the recording by right-clicking on the video choosing "Save video as." Worship Aid (PDF)

Recording of Sister Shirley's Funeral Mass - After clicking the link, download the recording by right-clicking on the video choosing "Save video as." Worship Aid (PDF)

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