Shirley Lassiter Huffman of Burlington, NC passed away peacefully on April 15, 2025. She was born August 19, 1932 in Four Oaks, NC to Alma and Blake Lassiter. Shirley graduated from Four Oaks High School in 1950. She then attended Flora McDonald College and transferred to East Carolina Teachers College where she earned a degree in Business Education in 1956. After college, she moved to Burlington and began teaching at Willams High School and taught within the Burlington School System from 1956 to 1991 before retiring. While teaching at Williams, she met her husband Stan Huffman who was the first football coach at Williams. They married in 1957 and resided in Burlington all their years.
Shirley was a faithful and active member at the First Presbyterian Church in Burlington where she was a Sunday School teacher, a Circle Chairwoman, and member of the Visitation Committee. She was an avid reader and talented piano player. She enjoyed cooking, entertaining, and hosting Christmas, Thanksgiving, and birthday gatherings and celebrations for her family. Her Ladies Bridge Club met monthly, where she looked forward to catching up with her close friends. She had a deep love for sports formed at an early age by her father’s love for sports. She rarely missed watching a North Carolina Tar Heel basketball or football game, rooted for the Atlanta Braves, and followed her favorite golfers on the PGA and LPGA tours. She was also thrilled to attend the US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 and the Masters in Augusta, GA.
Shirley thoroughly enjoyed her annual family summer trips to Atlantic Beach, NC and Southport, NC with her sisters and brother and their families. She also cherished family reunions with Stan’s family in Pipestem, WV and her Lassiter and Creech family reunions in Four Oaks, NC and Johnston County, NC. Shirley was blessed to grow up in a close knit family, which provided many special memories and entertaining stories of their life on the farm.
After retirement, Shirley became an avid golfer, serving as president of the Ladies Golf Association at Alamance Country Club. She and Stan also enjoyed golf trips with their friends, and playing golf with their children over the years. A highlight for Shirley was playing every year in the Ladies Member/Guest tournament with her two daughters.
She will be remembered for her immense joy in watching, supporting, and cheering on her children and grandchildren as they grew and pursued their passions, attending countless concerts, performances, sports events, and graduations over the years.
Shirley is survived by her two daughters, Susan Moore (Everette), and Lesley Hubbard (Will), both of Raleigh; and one son, Cam Huffman (Kaarin), of Durham; seven grandchildren, Alex Moore (Ashlin), Max Huffman, Ellen Troxler, Annabel Troxler, Zoë Huffman, Lucy Hubbard, and Kate Hubbard; one great-grandson Reese Moore; and her sister Ruth Stewart of Glen Allen, VA. In addition to her husband Stan, and her parents, she is preceded in death by her brother Max Lassiter, and sisters Sylvia Woody, Sue Wood, and Linda Waddell. The family gives special thanks to the caring staff at UNC Rex Heart and Vascular Hospital, Heartland Hospice in Raleigh, NC, and her home caregivers Vanessa, Josie, Jackie, Lonnie, and Sheila.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, May 17, in Burlington with further details to follow at https://www.richandthompson.com .
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Burlington Furniture Ministry or Heartland Hospice of Raleigh, NC.
