Tamira went to be with the Heavenly Father after 10 years battling metastatic breast cancer.  She fought the good fight, and her Christian faith was her strength, her rock – and her victory is eternal life!  Tamira grew up in a Christian home and was Saved at the age of 9. She had Christian parents and grandparents who took her to church at East Sherman Baptist and First Baptist of Sherman.  As an adult, she was active in multiple churches in Dallas and Collin County, teaching Sunday School for various ages.

Tamira was born July 20th, 1959, to Roy and Joan Griffin, in Sherman, TX.  She graduated from Sherman High School in 1977, followed by Grayson College, University of North Texas, and finishing with a master's from Amberton University with an MBA in Business Management and Human Resources.  Ultimately, she felt called to work in Human Resources.

She married her loving husband, Bill Shallenberger November 18th, 1989, at Lake Highlands Baptist Church in Dallas, TX.   They have been married for over 35 years and have a daughter, Lauren Shallenberger, and granddaughter, Ella Frankie.

Tamira worked for several private companies, a large municipality, and 2 large school districts.  She earned several state and national HR certifications.  She also served as president for the Dallas and the Texas Association of School Personnel Administrators (TASPA) and was a recipient of the HR Administrator of the year in Texas award.

She was well known locally, state-wide, and nationally as a speaker, presenter, and trainer on a variety of HR issues.  She also served as manager, director, executive director, Chief Human Resources Officer and Assistant Superintendent.

Tamira loved the Lord and her family and her famous words of advice – "love your best, do your best!".  She also loved The Dash Poem by Linda Ellis – "your life is made of two dates and a dash, make the most of the dash".  Tamira's "Dash" was very full!

Tamira is survived by her husband Bill Shallenberger of Sherman, daughter Lauren Shallenberger of Anson, TX, granddaughter, Ella Frankie of Anson, TX.  Her parents Roy & Joan Griffin of Sherman and sister Gina Griffin of Frisco, and father-in-law Dick Shallenberger of Houston.

Tamira is preceded in death by her grandparents Weldon and Frankie Nelson of Sherman and Jack and Dessie Griffin of Edmond, OK, and her mother-in-law Peggy Shallenberger of Houston.

Tamira's family invites you to attend the funeral service at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 1st at the Chapel on the Hill at Cedarlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, 5805 Texoma Pkwy, Sherman, TX 75090.  Family and friends are also welcome to join us at Tracks restaurant, 109 N Woods St, Sherman, TX 75092, proceeding the funeral at 1:00pm to share, remember, and celebrate Tamira's life.

Tamira's legacy lives on through the many lives she has touched whether family, colleagues, students, or speaker.  She made an impact and her "Dash" was overflowing.

I read of a man who stood to speak at a funeral of a friend.  He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears but said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars…the house…the cash.  What matters is how we lived and loved and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard; are there things you'd like to change?  For you never know how much time is left that still can be rearranged.

To be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile…remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read, with your life's actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?

Linda Ellis