Longtime Syracuse resident Shirley Ann Humphreys Byers, 80, passed away peacefully Saturday at her temporary home in Olney, MD.

Shirley was born August 13, 1945, in Syracuse, New York, she went to the old Lyncourt School and graduated from North High School in 1963.

She married the love of her life, Michael Byers Jr., on August 17, 1968, and they had a carefree honeymoon that set the course for their lifelong romance of more than 57 years. They were true partners in all ways and found comfort in each other’s company and their shared faith, especially in the most difficult times.

Byers was a fixture at the Onondaga County Courthouse where she was an abstract clerk for more than 50 years, for Monroe Title Company and later Salt City Abstract. Shirley was also a pillar in the Reformed Church of Syracuse on Teall Avenue, serving as an Elder, Deacon and representing the consistory at state and national Synod meetings. Shirley even published a heartfelt article in The Church Herald. Those who knew her best, however, would say Shirley truly expressed herself through her gift of hospitality.

Shirley was a master cook and baker. Leafing through her extensive cookbook collection – with handwritten dates, ratings and modifications – was a favorite pastime. Whether preparing for a family dinner, a church event or a holiday gathering, she approached it with the same desire to impress. Shirley was well-known for bringing meals to those in times of hardship or strife, always served with a side of compassion and support. She was an outgoing community member, expressing genuine interest in and welcoming new families to her neighborhood with homemade breads, jams & other treats (for which, she often earned top 3 ribbons as entries in the New York State Fair). Even better praise came from Shirley’s grandchildren who loved her ‘sticky buns’ and affectionately knew her as the ‘original cookie monster’.

Shirley’s group of friends was broad and varied. It extended beyond her colleagues, her neighbors, and her fellow churchgoers to include nearly anyone with whom she had consistent contact. Saturday morning errands weren’t complete without a visit to ‘her apple guy’ at the Farmer’s Market, her ‘friend at the grocery store’, or her you-name-it-she-had-a-personal-connection-to-the-purveyor. Shirley’s friends all appreciated her creativity, kindness and humor.

Shirley was a loving wife and attentive mother who had a flair for home decor and an eye for style. She poured her creative vision into every corner of her home, inside and out. She tended to her vibrant flower beds and herb gardens with the same meticulous care she gave to her interior decor, creating beautiful spaces. Behind each piece of artisan pottery, framed photograph or her remodeled kitchen with imported European range was a story of a person or a shared memory; it was those stories that made the items invaluable to her. Shirley’s home was warm and welcoming to all.

Shirley leaves behind a legacy of love through her children: son Joshua and his wife, Barbara; daughter Abigail and her husband, Andrew Ferretti; son Elisha and his wife, Amy.

She will be deeply missed by seven grandchildren: Jeramiah Cade Byers and his wife Sapphire, Samuel Charles Ferretti, Jaekob Landon Byers, Zachary William Ferretti, Clara Elizabeth Byers, Jackston Holden Byers and Gabriel Thomas Byers as well as two great-grandchildren: Jameson Michael Byers and Elena Juliet Byers.

She is also remembered with love by her sisters-in-laws Rosalie Grigsby and Amy D. Byers and her brother-in-law Robert Livingston.

She is preceded in death by her husband Michael, her parents, Edna and Herbert Humphreys, and her sister Joan Livingston.

Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, July 25th at The Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Ave., followed by a light reception. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Central New York chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association would be appreciated.