Obituary of Shirley K. Haddad

Shirley Ida Kierkegaard Haddad Shirley K. Haddad of Bainbridge, NY passed away on December 18, 2017 at home surrounded by family. She was born in Owl's Head, Maine on October 1, 1926 to Charles Leo Kierkegaard and Frances Minerva Brooks Kierkegaard. She was an only child. From birth through her last years of high school Shirley moved often with her parents, summering with family in Nova Scotia, Canada and living with family friends while her parents were working away from home. Shirley graduated from Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, NY in 1946. Shirley was then offered a scholarship to attend medical school to become a doctor, but her father forbade it as women did not do that in the 1940s. She then attended and graduated from the Danbury Hospital School of Nursing in Danbury, CT in 1947 as a Cadet Nurse. She was a Registered Nurse and worked in various nursing capacities from 1947 until she retired from The Hospital in Sidney, NY in 1986. On July 2, 1949 in Danbury, CT she married her husband of 54 years, George J. Haddad. From 1950 until 1970 they made their home in Brookfield, CT. In 1970 they left CT for Bainbridge, NY purchasing a dairy farm believing that it would be a great place to raise their family. They were soon warmly welcomed into the local farming community. She and George farmed with the help of neighbors Elton and Martha Pratt from then until their full retirement in 1999. When others were retiring, Shirley then cared for her aging parents at home until their deaths as well as helped raise her eldest three grandchildren who lost their mother at a young age. Shirley was an active member of the NYS Nurse's Association, on the Board of Planned Parenthood, a member of The League of Women Voters, Farm Bureau, Eastern Milk Producers Cooperative, the American Dairy Association, the Bainbridge Historical Society, and a member of the Bainbridge United Methodist Church and their Women's Group. She was a volunteer at the Bainbridge Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry and delivered Meals on Wheels. She was an activist politically and served on many legislative committees and wrote many Letters to the Editor to local papers as well as to our political representatives about women's and agribusiness issues. She was a frequent visitor at the offices of our local, state and federal elected officials. Shirley enjoyed volunteering and helping people, gardening, canning and preserving, reading, politics, swimming, sewing, horseback riding, feeding and watching the birds and was an avid card player. She hosted foreign exchange students, chauffeured for 4-H Club, and hosted 4-H meetings at her home. In later years she enjoyed her yellow cat Tawny. She was dedicated to nursing: people as well as any cat, cow, dog, duck, horse, guinea pig, bird, snake, raccoon or fish that needed care. She doted on her family and enjoyed feeding and entertaining them. During retirement she and George traveled throughout the US and abroad, visiting family and friends and various national parks and landmarks. She was predeceased by her husband, George J. Haddad in 2003 and by an infant daughter Laura, daughter-in-law Kathryn Joy Ruth Haddad, and good friend and swimming partner Jane Benson. She is survived by her five children Kathleen S. Haddad, Gerald G. Haddad (Patricia Hawken Haddad), Penny S. Haddad, John C. Haddad, Timothy G. Haddad (Robin Moore Haddad) all of Bainbridge. She is also survived by her five grandchildren Leslie C. Haddad Petkash (Lucas), Sara E. Haddad, Eric M. Haddad (Marissa Furfuro), Gina D. Haddad, Valerie K. Haddad and her great-granddaughter Ava K. Petkash. She is also survived by her first cousin once removed Katherine Adams Earl (David) of Sidney Center, in-laws and nieces and nephews in Connecticut and Florida and other cousins in Canada and Sweden. Shirley also leaves behind her dear friend Johanna Kemmeren, Pam Tompkins who kept her in flowers for many years, and other close friends from nursing school, the church and the Bainbridge community. Calling hours will be held at C. H. Landers Funeral Chapel at 21 Main Street, Sidney NY on Friday December 29 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held at the Bainbridge United Methodist Church, 27 North Main St., Bainbridge NY at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 30th. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Shirley's memory to Hospice and Palliative Care of Chenango County, 21 Hayes St. Norwich, NY 13815; First United Methodist Church, 27 North Main St, Bainbridge, NY 13733; Family Planning of South Central NY, Inc. 117 Hawley St. Binghamton, NY 13903; or the Bainbridge Volunteer Fire Department, 22 West Main St. Bainbridge, NY 13733. Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.landersfh.com Arrangements are under the care of C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel from Sidney, NY.