Richard Shirley Obituary, Death – Richard Shirley, the Anderson County Clerk of Court, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday night following what appears to have been a heart attack. Shirley had previously served as the mayor of the city of Anderson. Shirley spent his entire professional life to serving the people of Anderson County, beginning in 1978, at the age of 23, when he became the youngest person to ever be elected to the Anderson City Council, a position he held for the next 20 years. “He had an unmatched knowledge of Anderson and everybody in it,” said Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns, a friend and lifelong colleague of Shirley’s. “He is one of the finest public servants I have ever met,” said Rusty Burns. “He had an unrivaled understanding of Anderson.” Richard was a statesman, and he was responsible for a number of significant changes in the Clerk of Court Office. In addition to being a delight to work with and be in his company, he is also one of the most hilarious guys you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. “He will be greatly missed,” Burns stated after his passing. In memory of Shirley, Anderson County will remember her by flying all county flags at half-staff. However, counties do not have the ability to lower state or national flags in this manner.
Shirley was elected mayor in 1998, and he served two terms (following Mayor Darwin Wright, who retired from the job), until he lost the election to the current Mayor of Anderson, Terence Roberts, in 2006. Shirley’s mayoral tenure came to an end in 2006.
In a conversation that took place in 2019, Shirley stated that although losing was unpleasant, it ultimately proved to be a blessing in disguise.
Shirley recalled, “I was not exactly a happy camper the night I found out I had been defeated.” “However, the world of banking was undergoing significant transformations, and I was presented with the opportunity to leave the banking industry in exchange for a financial package. If I had been re-elected mayor, I would not have been in a position to run for the office of Anderson Clerk of Court. But as things turned out, I was free to accept this position, which I adore with all my heart.
In 2010, Shirley was given the post of clerk to cover the unexpired term of Cathy Phillips, who passed away the previous year. Shirley went on to win re-election in 2012, 2016, and 2020.
A person who has lived their entire life in Anderson Shirley spent his childhood helping out at the auto glass and trim shop that his family owned and operated on Market Street. After attending McCant’s Junior High School, he would go straight to work at Shirley’s Auto Glass and Trim Shop, and he continued doing so while attending T.L. Hanna High School.