REMEMBERING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF ENTERTAINER AND PUBLIC SERVANT SHIRLEY D. LOVE; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 129
(Extensions of Remarks - July 22, 2020)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E663]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF ENTERTAINER AND PUBLIC SERVANT SHIRLEY
D. LOVE
______
HON. CAROL D. MILLER
of west virginia
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Mrs. MILLER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to posthumously recognize,
Mr. Shirley Love. Shirley was born to Earl and Winona Love on May 15,
1933. The name ``Shirley'' was suggested by the Love's family nurse,
for his resemblance to her husband, Shirley Donnelly. Shirley Donnelley
was a popular West Virginia newspaper columnist during the 1930's;
unbeknownst to Earl and Winona at the time, their naming of their child
not only passed on the uniqueness of the Shirley namesake but also a
destiny for media greatness.
Shirley Love always had a phenomenal voice. Before he was
entertaining countless West Virginians on Radio & TV, he used his voice
to serve God every Sunday in Oak Hill United Methodist Church's Choir.
The owner of WOAY in the early 1950's was Robert Thomas. He was a
member of the church's congregation and always paid close attention to
the charm of Shirley's voice. After Shirley graduated Collins High
School in 1952, Robert Thomas offered him a once-in-a-life-time-
opportunity as an announcer on his Network. Shirley accepted and
quickly became the face of WOAY TV & Radio.
Shirley served WOAY and entertained the people of West Virginia from
1952 to 1997. He was best known for becoming one of Southern West
Virginia's first TV nightly news anchors. He also hosted several
programs through WOAY, including Friday Night Barn Dance, West Virginia
Band Stand, and Saturday Night Wrestling. Of these, Saturday Night
Wrestling was the most popular. Shirley kept audiences watching for
decades through the way he handled fan interviews and intense
competitor interactions.
Shirley was appointed to represent West Virginia's Senate District 11
in 1994 by Governor Caperton. He later retired from WOAY in 1997 and
began to focus fully on public service rather than entertainment.
Between 1994 and 2008, Shirley was elected and subsequently re-elected
to Senate District 11 three times. He was later elected to the West
Virginia House of Delegates from 2016 to 2018. Between both Chambers,
Shirley selflessly served the people of Fayette County in the West
Virginia Legislature for sixteen years. I had the honor of working
along side him in the House of Delegates. I witnessed first-hand his
integrity, honesty, and straight forwardness in the Legislature. He was
truly a man of the people.
A list of Shirley's other accomplishments includes--One of West
Virginia's Representatives to the National Democratic Convention from
1972 to 2016, Fayette County Democratic Executive Committee Member,
West Virginia State Democratic Executive Committee Member, Member of
the West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame, one of Saturday Night
Live's first guests in America, a lifetime member of the Oak Hill
United Methodist Church, husband, and father to three children.
May God bless Shirley Dean Love. I wish I could thank him for all he
did for the great State of West Virginia. He will always be remembered
by his family, friends, and the countless people he impacted throughout
his life. I send my sincerest condolences to his wife, children, and
grandchildren.
____________________
