Shirley Lane Whitley Gouge

Shirley Lane Whitley Gouge

June 28, 1940- March 8, 2026

Shirley Whitley Gouge, 85, ascended to her heavenly home on March 8, 2026. She was born in Monroe, Georgia to the late Joseph Marlin Whitley Sr of Monroe, Georgia and Marguerite Sandlin Whitley of Social Circle, Georgia.

She grew up in both Monroe and the east Metro Atlanta areas. After graduating from Southwest DeKalb High School in 1958 Shirley went to work at Continental Insurance Company in Atlanta. It wasn’t long before Shirley met Eddie Gouge at Jack’s Hamburgers Drive-In on Memorial Drive in Stone Mountain, Georgia and their 67 year Love Affair began. Married on April, 3, 1959 they first resided in Pine Lake, Georgia. Moved to Stone Mountain in 1967 and lived in their former home for 58 years.

Shirley was a longtime member of Stone Mountain’s First Baptist church was a Sunday School teacher for the three year olds with longtime DeKalb County teacher Ms. Myrtice McCurdy as well as sang in the choir. A very active parent in the PTA at Stone Mountain elementary and eventually became a member of the Cafeteria staff as she was an excellent cook making most everything from scratch especially desserts that her family enjoyed. She also later spent time working at Jolly Elementary School’s cafeteria once her children were out of school. Needless to say our Holiday meals were deliciously Special.

Shirley was an extremely loyal daughter to her Mom & Dad and stood behind and beside them throughout their lives. Her father having a farming background from Monroe after he retired from the grocery and dry goods business he began a plant nursery business in Decatur that supplied tomato and pepper plants to Green Bros Nurseries in metro Atlanta. With this Shirley found another one of her pastimes of growing and caring for vegetable and flowering plants. There was nothing she couldn’t grow with her green thumb. Needless to say she showed the same love and loyalty to her husband and sons.

Mom was an animal lover especially to her many family pets especially Chico, Arnie, Rusty and Sasha. Additionally, the little song birds and hummingbirds knew her home well with the numerous feeders she kept out for their nutritious enjoyment. She was a Jaycette and a Team Mom to numerous little league baseball teams for her late husband Eddie. Additionally, she always lended a helping hand to her older neighbors in need in her Stone Mountain neighborhood.

For numerous decades she traveled with her late husband and family on the “Third week of June” vacation trip to The Stone Mountain Invitational Golf Tournament held in Daytona Beach, FL. An annual pilgrimage made by many families of Stone Mountain, Georgia.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Grady Edward “Eddie” Gouge.

She is survived by her Brother Joseph “Joe” Marlin Whitley Jr. and Vivian Dunn Whitley of Cumming, son Glenn Edward Gouge and Jodie Lea Cramer Gouge of Woodstock, GA., son David Preston Gouge and Kimberly Ann Martin Gouge of Lilburn, GA. Grandson Preston Taylor Gouge and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.