SHIRLEY LANIER
SHIRLEY MARCELLA HARRIS-LANIER was born on February 13, 1935, in Buffalo, New York, to the late Percy Harris and Mary Gilbert Patterson Harris. She was their eldest child, with two brothers, Ronald Muhajeer Abdul Hakim (Ronald) and Hassan Abdul Hakim (Paul).
Shirley was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Willie J. Lanier, in 1997; her son, Connell Stewart Lanier, affectionately known as “Butch”; and her brothers, Muhajeer Abdul Hakim (Ronald) and Hassan Abdul Hakim (Paul).
After a lengthy illness, Shirley peacefully departed this life on Friday, October 23, 2026, at Ellicott Rehabilitation Center in Buffalo, New York.
Shirley began her educational journey in the Buffalo Public School System, attending Public School No. 31 and graduating from Public School No. 74. She continued her academic pursuits at Lafayette High School, from which she graduated, before furthering her education at Bryant and Stratton’s Business School.
Throughout her career, Shirley worked for the Erie County Welfare Department, the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, and E.J. Meyer Memorial Hospital, later known as Erie County Medical Center Corporation. She began working at the hospital in 1955 and retired in 1994.
On August 11, 1959, Shirley was united in marriage to Willie J. Lanier. Their union was blessed with two sons, Connell (Butch) and Todd Adam Lanier. She was devoted to her family and later cared for her mother, aunts, and uncles.
She enjoyed traveling to England, France, Germany, Austria, Saudi Arabia, and Toronto, Canada. Family trips to Toronto every other summer created many cherished memories. Shirley was also a wonderful baker, known for her cherry squares and apple cinnamon cake. She loved hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, bringing family together through food, love, and tradition.
Shirley leaves to cherish her memory her son, Todd Adam Lanier; grandsons, Adam Lanier and Joshua Lanier; granddaughter, Elizabeth Danielle Edwards; nieces, Asia Harris of Brooklyn, New York, Hind, and Ashaima; nephews, Ahmad, Amr, Alatta, Ali, and Samee; and great-nieces and great-nephews in Saudi Arabia. She also leaves her cousins, including Frances (Frank) Gist, Frank (Laverne) Merriweather, and Bruce (Denise) Merriweather of Buffalo, Cynthia Askew of Baltimore, and Gwendolyn Shannon of South Carolina, along with many other relatives and dear friends.
Shirley will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend, a dedicated worker, and a woman who enjoyed traveling, baking, and bringing loved ones together. Her love, kindness, and family traditions will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.
The family received friends Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 11:00 a.m. at Thomas T. Edwards Funeral Home, Inc., 995 Genesee Street, Buffalo, New York 14211.