Obituary for Shirley W Edmondson
Shirley Ann Wright Edmondson, 90 of Coventry, peacefully passed away at home on August 31, 2021 with her family by her side after a courageous battle with cancer.
Shirley was born in Willimantic Connecticut on August 9, 1931 and was the daughter of Myrton E. and Alice (Knight) Wright. She was a resident of Coventry for her entire life living in a small cabin on the Wright Farm with her parents and older sister Thelma for the first eight years of her life and then moved to their new home down the hill from the farm. Shirley attended the one room Brick School for grades 1-8 where she developed life-long friendships with her classmates. She graduated from Manchester High School in 1949 and attended the University of Connecticut before going to work in the Physics Lab at Pratt and Whitney. In 1952, she married the boy from the other hill, the love of her life, Ronald Edmondson and they enjoyed a beautiful life together for 69 years.
After having a family, Shirley worked for the Small Claims Court in Coventry, was a substitute teacher in the Coventry Public Schools, was the Assistant Teacher at the Beechwood Nursery School in Manchester, the Head Teacher at the North Coventry Cooperative Nursery School and after retirement was “Mrs. Pumpkin” at the Edmondson Farm.
Shirley’s life was centered on her family and she was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She attended countless games, plays and dance recitals. She was also an active member of the Second Congregational Church of Coventry where over the years taught Sunday School, was a member and Soloist for the Church Choir and Choraleers, was a member of the Gleaners and a volunteer at Noah’s Closet. She served on many of the church committees and was one of the founding members of the Holiday Fair committee and even in her last years could be found attending and selling items in the baked goods booth.
Shirley was very proud of her Wright family and Rose family heritage, multi-generational residents of Coventry.
She loved to travel and spent many summer days with her husband Ron and family and friends at their cottage on Taylor Pond in Auburn, Maine. She and Ron traveled the world on trips to Europe and in the United States visiting 49 states. She was always ready to head to Florida for a week or a month in the sun during the winter.
Shirley loved music and musicals, great fashion and shoes. She was an excellent croquet player and was always the best putter when the family played miniature golf.
We will all miss Shirley’s positive attitude, beautiful smile and handwritten notes, but are comforted to know she has joined her beloved husband Ron who passed away on July 29, 2021.
Shirley is survived by her two children Deb (Rob) and Craig (Jo-Ann), six grandchildren Ryan (Kari), Adam (Prescott), Collin (Nicole), Sarah (Ray), Rachel (Tommy), and Katie (Elliot), 10 great grandchildren, Natalie, Emma, Kennede, Fenway, Kent, Caroline, Jacob, Genevieve, Kylie and Audrey. She is also survived by several cousins and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her beloved sister and brother-in-law, Thelma (Wright D.) Gifford.
She will be greatly missed by all of her family and many wonderful friends who stood by her on her last journey.
Special thanks is extended to the Vernon Visiting Nurse Health and Hospice Services, Helping Hands Home Care of Bolton and especially Ida Jallow who provided wonderful personal care for Shirley during her last months.
A memorial service will be held for both Ronald and Shirley on September 11, 2021 at 2:00 pm at the Second Congregational Church in Coventry. (In consideration of all of the attendees, masks will be required) Memorial contributions can be made to the Second Congregational Church of Coventry, 1746 Boston Turnpike, Coventry, Connecticut 06238. For online condolences please visit: www.pietrasfuneralhome.com
Shirley was born in Willimantic Connecticut on August 9, 1931 and was the daughter of Myrton E. and Alice (Knight) Wright. She was a resident of Coventry for her entire life living in a small cabin on the Wright Farm with her parents and older sister Thelma for the first eight years of her life and then moved to their new home down the hill from the farm. Shirley attended the one room Brick School for grades 1-8 where she developed life-long friendships with her classmates. She graduated from Manchester High School in 1949 and attended the University of Connecticut before going to work in the Physics Lab at Pratt and Whitney. In 1952, she married the boy from the other hill, the love of her life, Ronald Edmondson and they enjoyed a beautiful life together for 69 years.
After having a family, Shirley worked for the Small Claims Court in Coventry, was a substitute teacher in the Coventry Public Schools, was the Assistant Teacher at the Beechwood Nursery School in Manchester, the Head Teacher at the North Coventry Cooperative Nursery School and after retirement was “Mrs. Pumpkin” at the Edmondson Farm.
Shirley’s life was centered on her family and she was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She attended countless games, plays and dance recitals. She was also an active member of the Second Congregational Church of Coventry where over the years taught Sunday School, was a member and Soloist for the Church Choir and Choraleers, was a member of the Gleaners and a volunteer at Noah’s Closet. She served on many of the church committees and was one of the founding members of the Holiday Fair committee and even in her last years could be found attending and selling items in the baked goods booth.
Shirley was very proud of her Wright family and Rose family heritage, multi-generational residents of Coventry.
She loved to travel and spent many summer days with her husband Ron and family and friends at their cottage on Taylor Pond in Auburn, Maine. She and Ron traveled the world on trips to Europe and in the United States visiting 49 states. She was always ready to head to Florida for a week or a month in the sun during the winter.
Shirley loved music and musicals, great fashion and shoes. She was an excellent croquet player and was always the best putter when the family played miniature golf.
We will all miss Shirley’s positive attitude, beautiful smile and handwritten notes, but are comforted to know she has joined her beloved husband Ron who passed away on July 29, 2021.
Shirley is survived by her two children Deb (Rob) and Craig (Jo-Ann), six grandchildren Ryan (Kari), Adam (Prescott), Collin (Nicole), Sarah (Ray), Rachel (Tommy), and Katie (Elliot), 10 great grandchildren, Natalie, Emma, Kennede, Fenway, Kent, Caroline, Jacob, Genevieve, Kylie and Audrey. She is also survived by several cousins and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her beloved sister and brother-in-law, Thelma (Wright D.) Gifford.
She will be greatly missed by all of her family and many wonderful friends who stood by her on her last journey.
Special thanks is extended to the Vernon Visiting Nurse Health and Hospice Services, Helping Hands Home Care of Bolton and especially Ida Jallow who provided wonderful personal care for Shirley during her last months.
A memorial service will be held for both Ronald and Shirley on September 11, 2021 at 2:00 pm at the Second Congregational Church in Coventry. (In consideration of all of the attendees, masks will be required) Memorial contributions can be made to the Second Congregational Church of Coventry, 1746 Boston Turnpike, Coventry, Connecticut 06238. For online condolences please visit: www.pietrasfuneralhome.com