Shirley Haigouhee Arakelian, age 94, of Shelby, NC passed away on June 22, 2021.

Born on July 18, 1926 in Haverhill, Massachusetts, she is the daughter of the late Daniel S. Kochakian and Haigouhee Kochakian.

Shirley was educated at Wingate and Tilton Elementary Schools and graduated from Haverhill High School in June, 1944.

Shirley was married to Zaven Joseph (Arky) Arakelian on January 13, 1947.

She began studying voice at the age of 11 with Rosabel Seldon, followed by several years with Louise Walker Zink, both of Haverhill Massachusetts. In 1942 she trained professionally with Cleora Wood Adams at the Boston Conservatory of Music. She was a former member of Riverside Memorial Church where she sang as Soprano soloist and in the church choir. She was also the soprano soloist at various churches in the Merrimack Valley and New Hampshire. Shirley was most proud of her rendition of the soprano aria "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix (Softly Awakens My Heart), from the opera Samson & Delilah, which she sang at her high school graduation in 1944. Her love of music was cut short while in her late 30's following a vocal cord surgery, but her love of music continued until the day she joined her beloved Jesus, her mother and father and most beloved husband, Arky, in heaven.

She was a volunteer receptionist at the Senior Center and Marion and Jefferson Elementary Schools.

She was an active member of First Baptist Church Shelby for 40 years.

In 1997 she became a sponsor of the Jr. Tarheel Baseball team, Arky's Clippers, at the Shelby City Park in honor and memory of her late husband. She considered her life complete the day Shelby City Parks and Recreation Department named the Jr. Tarheel Baseball Field "The Arky Arakelian Field." She and her late husband were both champions of youth sports in support of the Park.

The youngest of six children, she was predeceased by her brothers and sisters.

She is survived by her three children, Angela D. Wright (Eric) of San Antonio, Texas; Holly A. Arakelian (formerly Carsno) of Shelby, North Carolina; and Bruce Z. Arakelian (Thomas Bodkin) of Charlotte, North Carolina. She is also survived by her three grandchildren, Kristie D. Willis (Ben) of Denton, Texas; Michelle A. Newsome (Ben) of Shelby, North Carolina; and Matthew A. Carsno (Megan) of Shelby, North Carolina. She is also survived by five great-grandchildren, Taylor Mutchler, Dylan Mutchler both of Denton Texas, and Maxwell-Zaven Newsome, Jacob Douglas Newsome, and Riana Allison all of Shelby, North Carolina.

Her favorite words from the Bible were "Love One Another as I Have Loved You."

Shirley would like to be remembered for her smiles and hearty laughter. She loved people as they loved her in return.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, June 28, 2021 from 1:00pm - 2:00pm at Cecil M. Burton Funeral Home & Crematory, 106 Cherryville Road, Shelby, North Carolina. Funeral will follow at 2:30pm at First Baptist Church's Webb Chapel (Washington Street entrance). Burial will take place after the service at Sunset Cemetery.

Cecil M. Burton Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the family