Shirley Dirk Sheeley of Highland, NY, 94 passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday September 1, 2020.
Shirley was born on July 28, 1926 in Highland. She was the daughter of Ralph and Lena (Werner) Dirk who predeceased her. On May 15, 1948 at The First Presbyterian Church in Highland, she married Eugene Sheeley. Her husband of 64 years predeceased her on June 10, 2012.
She is survived by her 4 children and their spouses, Glenn and Adrienne Sheeley of Hopewell Junction, NY, Dirk and Jeanne Sheeley of New Paltz, NY, Gary and Peggy Sheeley of Loris, SC and Leann and Daniel Lofaro of Boone, NC. Also surviving are her 11 grandchildren, Melissa Ramirez, Aaron Sheeley, Kiersten Wolfe, Stacey Sheeley, Heather Sullivan, Adam Sheeley, Dirk Sheeley, Jonathan Sheeley, Brett Sheeley, Francesca Lofaro and Dominick Lofaro. She is also survived by 12 great-grandchildren. Additional survivors include her sister and brother-in-law, Lorraine (Pat) and Jim Thomas of Highland, NY and several nieces/nephew.
After graduating from Highland High School at age 16, she applied for and was admitted into nurses training at Kingston Hospital on August 23, 1943. It was unusual to be admitted early into the program but exceptions were made due to WWII and she graduated as an RN on September 17, 1946. She worked until she married and began a family. She returned to nursing once her children were grown and worked at the Highland Regional Detention Center Youth Facility and S.U.N.Y New Paltz. She then moved to more personalized medicine and was the nurse for general practitioner, Dr. Anthony Biancardi, for several years at his Milton office. She was also a pediatric nurse for Dr. Virginia Buckley in Poughkeepsie, NY.
She joined the Highland Public Library 82 years ago and was an avid reader throughout her life.
She joined The First Presbyterian Church of Highland on Christmas Day 1938 at the age of 12.
At the time of her death, she was both the oldest living and longest tenured member of the Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The First Presbyterian Church of
Highland, P.O. Box 725, Highland ,NY 12528 or Hudson Valley Hospice Foundation, 374 Violet
Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.