Shirley Joan (Block) Gould

Shirley Joan (Block) Gould, 77 of Clearwater, FL, died December 29, 2025 in Clearwater, FL. She was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana on April 9 1948 to Charles and Jean (Spencer) Block. Her family moved to Florida in 1955 and lived in Palm Beach Co. and then Titusville before moving to Pinellas Co in 1965. She graduated from Seminole High School (1966), from FSU in elementary education (1970) and from USF (1973) with a master’s in early childhood education. Shirley married Kenneth Gould (June 17, 1972). They were “best friends” – sharing a wonderful 53-year special connection based in a love of family, genealogy, travel, nature and animals. Shirley also enjoyed oil painting and scrapbooking. They traveled to all 50 states and extensively traveled around the world - independently visiting seven continents and 153 countries. Shirley was especially interested in seeing how other people lived and getting to know people from other cultures and other ways of life. Her greatest joy was introducing her children to the world, traveling to 48 states, Europe, Asia and the highlight – two safaris to Africa! She and Ken visited most of the US National Parks, major museums and religious places in the world. They enjoyed visiting villages and spending time with primitive people in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Thailand, Myanmar, Namibia, and Papua New Guinea. Shirley had many wonderful experiences - riding a mule into the Grand Canyon, an elephant through the jungle grass in Nepal, and a camel in both the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and Wadi Rum in Jordan. She washed a baby elephant in a river in Malaysia and played with lemurs in Madagascar. She adventured in Siberia in the winter at minus 35 degrees, walked on the Great Wall of China and glaciers in Iceland, climbed volcanoes, rafted the Grand Canyon and many other rivers in the US, went up in a sail plane in California and a hot air balloon in Kenya. She has swum with dolphins, manatees, sting rays and experienced cage diving with Great White sharks in South Africa. Each experience was exhilarating. Shirley and Ken always said that as they traveled the world, it was amazing what a smile and genuine interest in another person could do to develop a genuine rapport with people of the world. Shirley began her lifetime passion for family history when she was 14. Ken shared her interest, and their research filled many file cabinets. Shirley did not want just names and dates. She sought out relatives to hear stories about their lives and the times - always seeking to make her ancestors real people. She also collected a vast amount of old family pictures and artifacts. She leaves an enduring documented legacy for future generations. 

Shirley was a member of Faith Presbyterian Church in Seminole where she taught Sunday School. She was a beloved Kindergarten teacher in Pinellas Co. for 16 years. But the job she held as her highest calling was the job of “mother” to her three children. She devoted 20 years to guiding them and instilling in them character and values. Her greatest satisfaction in life was seeing them develop into the wonderful people they have become.

Survivors include her husband, Ken, a son, Chad Gould (Crystal) of Largo, a son, Ryan Gould (Claudia) of Rye, NY, a daughter Jennifer Lisek (Chris) of Clearwater, FL, grandchildren Spencer, Matthew and Bryan Lisek, Ruby and Charlie Gould and a brother, Roger Block of Milton, GA.

 A viewing and funeral service celebrating her life will be held at St Paul’s United Church of Christ in Ft Branch, IN on January 10 th , 2026, starting with a viewing at 10AM, followed by a service and internment in the church cemetery where 4 generations of her father’s family is buried.