Shirley Shipman Maddux

Shirley S. Maddux of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. She was 91 and had been in hospice care following a brief illness.

She was born in Wilmington, North Carolina on August 12,1934 to Robert Fulton Shipman and Bertha Evans Shipman. She was a graduate of New Hanover High School in Wilmington. She married her high-school sweetheart, Edward Wallace Maddux, Jr., in 1952. Their daughter, Sharon Dawn Maddux was born in 1953.

Shirley and Wallace both worked for the Atlantic Coastline Railroad (now CSX), and the family moved to Jacksonville , Florida when the railroad moved its headquarters there.

Their son, Robert Earle Maddux, was born in Jacksonville in 1962.

Shirley worked for the railroad for 31 years, retiring as Manager of Labor Relations.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Fulton and Bertha Shipman of Wilmington; her sister, Elaine Salling of Wilmington; her son, Robert Earle Maddux of Ponte Vedra Beach, her grand-daughter, Ashley Carpenter Caneva of Trieste, Italy; and her daughter, Sharon Maddux Carpenter of Jacksonville.

Shirley is survived by her son-in law, James H. Carpenter,Jr.and her grand-daughter Laura Faith Carpenter, both of Jacksonville. She has two surviving grandsons, Nathan Josiah Maddux and Aaron Stirling Maddux, both of Connecticut. She also has two surviving nephews: Chrisptopher Salling of Torrance, California and David Salling of Wilmington, North Carolina; and two great-grandsons, Josiah Victor Caneva and Lucas Stirling Caneva; both of Trieste, Italy.

Shirley's passing has been commemorated in a private family service, according to her wishes.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's own choice.

Shirley Maddux was a wife a mother, a grandmother and great-grandmother. She was also a deeply spiritual Christian woman who experienced an extraordinary amount of loss. And through it all, she prayed.