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Family and city mourn loss of Ben Shirley, 48-year St. Petersburg employee

 
JOHN PENDYGRAFT   |   TIMES An escort of sanitation trucks leads funeral services for Benjamin Shirley through the intersection of 54th Avenue S and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street on  Friday. Shirley worked for the city of St. Petersburg sanitation department for 48 years, including as its director.
JOHN PENDYGRAFT | TIMES An escort of sanitation trucks leads funeral services for Benjamin Shirley through the intersection of 54th Avenue S and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street on Friday. Shirley worked for the city of St. Petersburg sanitation department for 48 years, including as its director.
Published Nov. 16, 2018

ST. PETERSBURG — For almost half a century, Ben Shirley's trucks contended with traffic and cyclists and pedestrians to keep his city clean.

Not Friday.

Ten sanitation trucks trailed Mr. Shirley's funeral procession. The roads were empty, blocked off by a city grateful for his service.

On Friday, those roads belonged to those tan and blue beasts, the city's seal emblazoned on their doors, the ones Mr. Shirley supervised until last week.

In his honor, Mr. Shirley's trucks cruised unimpeded, side by side and in line, right up 34th Street.

Benjamin F. Shirley Sr., Uncle Ben to his family, St. Petersburg's sanitation director and 48-year city employee, died Nov. 8 after suffering a medical emergency while driving, thencrashing. He was 68.

Friday's procession from the family home near Pinellas Point led to Bethel Metropolitan Church on 26th Avenue S packed full by relatives, friends, coworkers and city officials.

"This is a marriage of two families," said Pastor Clarence Williams, who officiated the program. "It looks like he was married to the city, too."

The two-hour ceremony, filled with song and laughter, carried the tenor of a celebration, piano notes filling the quiet moments between stories and the throaty wails of gospel singers.

Each orator spoke to a different side of the multifaceted man, though all agreed he was equally dedicated to his work and family.

Mr. Shirley's niece, Tracey V. Shirley, offered a glimpse into who Mr. Shirley was at home. The youngest of 10 siblings, he learned the importance of love and family and would always accept an event invitation if it meant time with loved ones. Tracey Shirley said her heart would swell when she'd see her uncle strolling in, mimicking his easy swagger.

"The only thing I'm missing is his hat," she joked.

Then she held out her hands to model his wingspan. His arms were so long because they were stretched from all the hugs, she said.

"This family is built on love and hugs," she said.

Mayor Rick Kriseman highlighted Mr. Shirley's astounding city resume. He started in 1970, 48 years ago this week, as a refuse collector, about two years after the sanitation strike.

He rose through the ranks: special equipment operator, supervisor, manager, assistant director, and finally, in 2006, sanitation director.

Kriseman spoke about Mr. Shirley's embrace of change, even later in his career. The director fought to ensure curbside collection remained a city responsibility, not outsourced, retooling his department as necessary.

The mayor also lauded Mr. Shirley for being a founding member of St. Petersburg's chapter of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. He was dedicated to service and leadership, to the idea of leaving the world a better place.

"While it may seem on Earth our world dimmed this past week," Kriseman said, "Not so for Ben."

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Sanitation employee Kelvin Jackson said he shared with Mr. Shirley a passion for gospel music. And gospel there was Friday afternoon. Jackson, subdued as he recalled trading stories with Mr. Shirley about their hometowns, took on a preacher's cadence as he talked about Mr. Shirley instilling in him the idea that every man and woman deserves to be treated with dignity. By the end, Jackson had broken out in song, leading the choir and audience through an improvised rendition of Search Me Lord. He had one of Mr. Shirley's brothers up to sing, too.

Longtime friend and former St. Petersburg police chief Goliath Davis conveyed how Mr. Shirley felt invigorated until the end. The pair talked several times a month, and in later years Davis would ask his friend when he planned to give up work and "enjoy his life," Davis told the crowd.

"I am enjoying my life," Mr. Shirley told Davis.

Another attribute Davis touted: Mr. Shirley's sense of honor, and fairness.

"Ben made sure that services on the north side were duplicated on the south side," Davis said. "We lost a good man. But let's ensure that we don't lose what he stands for."

Contact Josh Solomon at (813) 909-4613 or jsolomon@tampabay.com. Follow @ByJoshSolomon.