Celebration planned for former Osbourn teacher

A gathering to celebrate the life of Larry Shireman, former director of the student assistance programs at Osbourn High School, will take place Sunday at the Manassas school.

There will be an informal meeting of friends at 2 p.m. for individuals to reconnect and then at 3 p.m., the group will proceed to the auditorium, where the microphone will be open to everyone willing to share stories about Shireman.

Shireman died from natural causes at his Deltaville home on Sept. 24.

Originally from Plymouth, Ind., he is survived by two brothers, Reginald and Michael; a sister-in-law, Dorothy; three nephews; and a niece.

Shireman spent 30 years at Osbourn and was responsible for the development of several programs at the school. He started the Alternative Education Program in the 1980s and later became the director of the student assistance programs. He developed the peer-monitoring program that paired Osbourn students with elementary school students throughout the city of Manassas.

He also served as the chairman of the child study committee, supervised resource periods for students and provided general counseling for the entire student body. He also oversaw many homecoming dances and parades while serving as the faculty sponsor for student government.

Shireman was one of the most influential members of the OHS staff over the past 30 years who impacted many students who passed through the hallways of not only OHS, but all of the city schools.

Shireman was a one-of-a-kind educator and OHS was blessed to have had him, a friend said.