Shirley B. (Harris) Shaw

Shirley Shaw

July 11, 2014, at 88, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Born in Elmira, NY to parents, Elizabeth "Sue" Fraser and Harry Jared Boyer. Shirley was predeceased by her parents, her brother, Kenneth Boyer; great-granddaughter, Cecelia Rose Ferraraccio; brother-in-law, Arnold Andersen; niece, Debra Christy; beloved husbands, John W. Harris, Jr. and Donald E. Shaw; and special friend, Al Piccolo.
Shirley was smart as a whip, had a quick wit, and she had a smile that lit up a room. She was elegant and gracious - kind and gentle - fun-loving, generous to a fault, and a force to be reckoned with. A devoted wife, mother and friend to many, her mind remained sharp even as her body failed her. She could sing like a lark, and was as beautiful on the inside as she was outside. She enjoyed mysteries, game shows, board games, word puzzles, and slot machines. And she loved all of her Miniature Schnauzers (she had 6 over the past 50+ years). But she was absolutely positively passionate about her family.
She is survived by her children, Gary (Alice) Harris and Karen (Homero) Gonzalez; stepdaughters, Diana Finch, Susie Cain, Jeannine Shaw and Gloria Rumble; grandchildren, Michelle Cicchetti, MSgt. Matthew J. (Brenna) Harris, USAF Ret., Laurie (Chad) Elliott, and Christine (Paul) Ferraraccio; and great-grandchildren, Ryan Laughlin (Cicchetti), Mackenzie Harris, Brennan Cicchetti, Caleb Harris, Giuliana Cicchetti, Shannon Elliott, Madison Harris, Eva Elliott, Justin Ferraraccio, Joey Ferraraccio, Adelena Ferraraccio and little Faith Ferraraccio, who received Grandma Shirley's last and brightest smile. She is also survived by her sister and best friend, Louise Andersen; cousins, Nancy Fraser and Jean Gravelle; nephews, Jim Christy and Peter Boyer; niece, Kirsten Boyer, and many, many dear friends.
Shirley loved to work. From Syracuse to Kingston to Rochester, to New Smyrna Beach and Orlando, and back to Rochester where she closed the last chapter of her working life less than one week before her passing. She repaired damaged airplanes early in WWII, worked at Singer Sewing Machine and later at mentor Herman Eaton's insurance agency. A true pioneer in her time, she became Store Manager for Spiegel's, Susan Ives, and Casual Corner, Credit Manager for National Clothing Company, and Customer Service Manager and Collection Manager for McCurdy's. When she moved to Florida she was the Collections Manager for Brown & Brown, Inc., Douglass Fertilizer, and Ocean Development Group, and finally back in Rochester, worked as Office Manager for OrthoPlus. She was also a proud member of the Society of Certified Consumer Credit Executives. In between all of that she learned TV repair, sold real estate, did fund raising, sewed doll clothes, baked, cooked, kept a beautiful home, fished, played backgammon and gin, and never stopped learning and being actively engaged in the business of living, which included working with her beloved Donald on the annual 'Christmas Under the Palms' fundraiser for Edgewater United Methodist Church in Florida where they were members for many years.
Hers was a life to be celebrated, and so we do, even in our loss, celebrate Mom and all her special gifts, and offer our sincere thanks to the countless friends, neighbors and family members who showed Mom and our family such love and support throughout the past few months, to Drs. John Robb and Michael Graney, who kept her alive for many more years than any of us had a right to expect, and to Andrea Carroll, RN and the nurses from Lifetime Care Hospice for their tender care of Mom in her last days.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Lifetime Care Hospice or a charity of your choice in Shirley's name.

Her memorial service will be held on Friday, August 8th, at 5:30 pm at Rochester Christian Reformed Church, 2750 Atlantic Ave., Penfield, NY 14526.

http://www.rochestercrc.org/