Shirley Clements

Shirley Beasley Clements, 76, of Chester, passed away Friday, October 17, 2014. She was born April 17, 1938 in Petersburg. Ms. Clements received her bachelor's degree in Music Education from Richmond Professional Institute with applied major in organ and her Master of Music in Music Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. She served alongside her husband, Fred, in Christian music ministry in the Petersburg/Richmond area until age 73. She served as organist at Grove Avenue Baptist Church, Colonial Heights Baptist Church, and Chamberlayne Baptist Church in Richmond. For six years, Shirley was alto soloist at Washington Street Methodist Church in Petersburg, where she also sang the alto solos in the yearly community performance of Handel's Messiah. She retired from church music ministry in 2010 after assisting with the music ministry at Branch's Baptist Church in Richmond. For many years, Shirley also worked with children in the Colonial Heights Public Schools. She began as a music teacher for the city's elementary schools in 1969, and also taught choral classes at the Colonial Heights High School and the Junior High School. Simultaneously with her other music activities, Shirley privately taught and mentored many young piano students, most recently teaching at Music Studies Unlimited in Chester. Having accompanied many groups and soloists, Shirley was recognized within the music community as an accomplished pianist and organist. She was instrumental in establishing the Chesterfield County Choral Society in 1996 and served as the first accompanist for the organization. Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Frederick Clements Sr.; father, Herman Marvin Beasley, and son, David Scott Clements Sr. (Debra L.). She is survived by her mother, Ruth Brown Beasley; son, Lewis Fredrick Clements Jr., (Rainer H.) of Jacksonville, Alabama; sister Betty Beasley Austin of Jessup, Maryland; brother Herbert Marvin Beasley (Janis Fay) of Overland, Park Kansas; and grandchildren David Scott Clements, Jr., of Richmond, and Rebecca Lynn Clements of Powhatan. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 in the Colonial Heights Chapel of the E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes & Crematory, 2033 Boulevard, with the Reverend Mathew Brown, the pastor at Branch's Baptist Church, officiating. Interment will follow in Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg. The family will receive friends from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday night at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Greater Richmond Chapter, 4600 Cox Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060, or a charity of the donor's choice. Condolences may be registered at www.ealvinsmall.com.