Shirley Vera Howard Pusateri

Shirley Vera Howard Pusateri passed away peacefully in the family home on Thursday, May 7 , 2020 at the age of 88. She was born in New Orleans, LA and a resident of Belle Chasse, LA for the past 58 years. Shirley had a drive like no other and she was a strong believer in that, the Good Lord will take you when He is ready, not a minute earlier and not a minute later. She proved that to be true after winning her short battle with lung cancer seven years ago. Shirley was a pioneer for women back in the early 1970s. She was the first female bus driver in Plaquemines Parish, before power steering and automatic transmissions were in buses. But that did not deter her. She loved her eight children, as well as the children she drove to school every day. Many times, she took curlers out of little girl’s hair on school picture day, she gave money to kids who forgot their lunch money, and she made sure that the ones who were sick had family members at home when she dropped them off. Shirley was a loving mother, chauffeur, short order cook, and a teacher of her love for the Lord. Everyone who knew Shirley knew that her kids always came first in her life, and she never turned a kid away who was looking for a loving mother. Shirley had a way of spoiling every child without the others ever feeling left out. Most kids dream of having a best friend. Her kids not only had their mother, but a mother who was their best friend for life. Shirley will be missed by all who knew her, including her loving caregiver, Miriam Cook. Shirley is preceded in death by her parents Verie Joseph Howard and Alma Morgan Everheardt, her brother William J. Howard (Gloria), sister Mary Ann Gehrmann Howard (Larry), her beloved John G. Pusateri, her two sons Terrell G. Pusateri, Sr. (Dianne) and John “Pat” Pusateri, and her three grandsons Mark S. Pusateri, Jr., Anthony G. Pusateri, and Stephen P. Pusateri. Shirley leaves behind her children Pamela A. Massey, Cynthia M. Ally (Hussain), David A. Pusateri (Victoria), Mark S. Pusateri, Jerri Lynn McGehee (Billy) and Donna J. Pusateri. Kathleen Sherlock was not Shirley’s natural child but Shirley loved her as one of her own. Shirley also leaves behind 12 grandchildren and 10 great grand-children, and also a host of nieces & nephews from New Orleans & Tennessee who will miss her dearly. A celebration of Shirley’s life will be held Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at Crossroads Church located at 308 Avenue J. Belle Chasse, Louisiana 70037. Family and friends may offer condolences at mothefunerals.com