Shirley C. Chance

Shirley Chase Chance departed this life to be with the Lord on Friday, February 15, 2013. She passed peacefully surrounded by her two daughters, son-in-law, grandchildren and nieces. Born on February 6, 1932 in West Baltimore, Shirley was the fifth child of Carrie and Frank Chase and grew up amidst a large extended family of aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins. Her siblings, Mamie, Henrietta, Bernice, Herbert and Augustus preceded her in death. Shirley received her primary education at Robert Brown Elliott School, attended Booker T. Washington Jr. High School and completed her public school education at Frederick Douglass High School where she graduated in June of 1950. She then attended Cortez Peters Business School, graduating in 1953. During the course of her young adult life, Shirley was employed at the main branch of Enoch Pratt Public Library, the Baltimore City School Board, Western District of the Baltimore City Police Department and the Department of Welfare where she met her husband, the late Edward Anderson Chance. For the bulk of her career, however, she worked at the main headquarters of the Social Security Administration in Baltimore for over twenty-five years before retiring in 1993. Shirley was the devoted mother of three. Firstborn Julia Anne arrived in September of 1962, followed by Elise Chinyere in December of 1967 and son, Edward Anderson Jr. in April of 1973. She was actively involved in the lives of her children as a PTA member, Campfire Girls mom and various fundraising activities. She was christened at her family church, Saint Peter Claver. As an adult she joined All Saints Church where she was a member for more that forty-five years. She was a founding member of the choir, served as president of the Women of All Saints and belonged to the Prayer Group. She was also an altar server and enjoyed her involvement with the church’s Seniors on the Move group. Dutiful, dependable and dedicated, Shirley believed in civic involvement. She supported husband Ed in his efforts as president of the Baltimore Chapter of the Congress for Racial Equality (C.O.R.E.) and she accompanied him on various demonstrations including the March on Washington and the landmark Baltimore demonstration for the desegregation of Gwynn Oak Amusement Park. Later she was a member of the Woodhaven Avenue Block Association and Friends of Enoch Pratt. An avid reader, Shirley enjoyed discussing books with her literary-loving sisters in the Golo Lono Neai Reading Group. She was also a volunteer at Our Daily Bread Hot Meal Program. Shirley liked traveling and visited many states including Hawaii, as well as Canada, Puerto Rico, various ports in the Caribbean and Brazil. Closer to home she took pleasure in gatherings with family and friends, supported us all in good times and bad and was always delighted by the company of little ones in her life. Shirley leaves to cherish her memory: children, Julia, Elise and Eddie; son-in-law, Bruce Mussen; grandchildren, Zidane and Zora Mussen; devoted niece, Marlene Brown; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.

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Shirley C. Chance

February 6, 1932 - February 15, 2013