Shirley (Thurston) McAvoy

Shirley (Thurston) McAvoy, 94, passed away June 16, 2026 in Orange Park, FL, peacefully with her family by her side. She was born on January 24, 1932, in Hammonton, NJ to the late Harry Jackson Thurston and Helena Margaret Butterhof.

Shirley was born in Hammonton, NJ but grew up in Sweetwater (Egg Harbor Township) NJ. She was the daughter of the original owner of the Sweetwater Casino on the Mullica River.

Shirley loved growing up on the Mullica River in South Jersey, picking flowers especially lady slippers and naming all the birds in the area. Shirley graduated with all honors from Hammonton High School, class of 1949. She married in 1951 and was married for 57 years until her husband's passing in 2009. An avid sports enthusiast, Shirley was an outstanding athlete in basketball, water skiing, bowling, tennis, golf and later in life, pickleball. She was invited and played in an LPGA tournament in Atlantic City, NJ. She was also featured as a waterskiing professional at Cypress Gardens, FL. 

Shirley was best known for being a loving and devoted wife to her late husband and an endearing mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.  She dedicated her life to serving others. After being a stay-at-home mom most of her life, she worked 10 years as an insurance underwriter for Prudential Insurance in Linwood, NJ. After she and her husband's retirement in 1983, she settled in Mint Hill, NC, building together their 4th home from start to finish.  She and her late husband enjoyed time with their family there as well as family back home in NJ. 

After her husband's passing in 2009, Shirley moved to her son's town in Fleming Island, FL with her rescue dog Ivan. She was joined later by her daughter and granddaughter, Kelli. It was there she continued her tennis (once ranked 9th nationally with her daughter Stephanie). Shirley, then got to play in the Chrysler Cup at age 80 in her favorite vacation place of St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Later that year she traveled with her son and daughter-in-law to Germany and all through Europe. She experienced Wimbledon attending the Queens Club Breakfast.  She played a spontaneous tennis tournament on grass in Peterborough, England. Then at age 91, her last travel adventure included swimming with Sting Rays, snorkeling in the Caribbean and river rafting in Jamaica. 

Shirley also enjoyed  playing tennis and pickleball with her daughter, granddaughter, and even great granddaughter. She rescued her next dog Dexter and while Shirley was awarded her own named bench at the Eagle Harbor Tennis Club, her adored dog Dexter received in her honor a named dog bowl that still stands today. 

Shirley was the "last mohican" as the final survivor of the Butterhof family in Egg Harbor City, N.J. She was known as an "animal" on the tennis and pickleball courts. Many of her pickleball friends believe she, while joining her Lord and Savior Jesus in heaven, is now giving pickleball lessons to all her new friends there. Shirley passed away doing what she loved. She was a blessing to all those who knew her. 

Family members preceding Shirley in death are her father, and Helena (Butterhof) Thurston; stepmom, Suzie Thurston; husband, Donald L.F. McAvoy; brother, Harry “Bud” Thurston, Jr.; sisters, Katherine Farrell, Helen Walker, and Virginia Roesch

She leaves to cherish her memory, son, Donald L.F. McAvoy Jr, and his children, Melissa Sousa, Donald "Frue" McAvoy III, Bradley McAvoy, and Madeline Gravish, grandchildren: Sophie Chitty and Kinzlee McAvoy, Ashton McAvoy,  Elijah and Elena Gravish, daughter, Stephanie McAvoy Carr, her children: Kelli Strickland, Kylie Deissroth, and grandchildren: Paris Patton, Summer Strickland, Charlotte and Annabel Deissroth.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, July 5, 2026 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm at Talons, 2217 Eagle Harbor Parkway, Fleming Island, FL 32003.

In lieu of flowers or memorials, donations may be made in her honor, to the Clay County Animal Services, State Road 16, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043 where she adopted her loving Dexter. 

Aaron and Burney Bivens Funeral Home, 529 Kingsley Avenue, Orange Park, Florida 32073, (904) 264-1233 is serving the family.

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