Shirley Louise O'Connor, age 97, formerly of Bainbridge, New York, died peacefully on December 15 at Willow Point Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Daughter of the late Dorothy and Perkins Brown, Shirley was born in 1928 and grew up in Norwich, New York. She lived most of her adulthood in Bainbridge, enjoying the quiet of country life.

Shirley enjoyed working at jobs that gave her opportunities to interact with people, such as grocery cashier, dental receptionist, and home health aide. For 3 years she was the superintendent of the Greenlawn Cemetery. She loved music. She played piano and organ, and enjoyed singing into her nineties. She was a committed volunteer in the community, teaching Sunday school, serving as a Girl Scout leader, and volunteering with Community Chest. She enjoyed traveling and camping, especially with her grandchildren. She enjoyed sewing for her daughters. She was an outstanding bowler. She often spoke up for the underdog. As a mother of four daughters, she worked hard to provide them with opportunities that she was not afforded.

She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Charles A. O'Connor. She was also predeceased by her brother, Robert Brown, her niece Judy Brown Krauss, and her grandson-in-law, Daniel Tuma.

She is survived by four children and their families: Kathy and Henry Sefcovic of Michigan, Karen Pitcher and Garry Mallison of Binghamton, Susan O'Connor of Washington, Janice and Chris Blincoe of Port Crane; eight grandchildren Natasha Sefcovic, Nadia Sefcovic Chopra and Lalit Chopra and their children Jaitan and Asha; Martha and Gabriel Clune and their children Zoe and Brennan; Michael Pitcher and his son Elyot Pitcher; Tyler O'Connor Hauck, Asher O'Connor Hauck; Kelly and Matt Schrader and their children Liliana and Graham, and Samantha and Seth Kunkel and their children Savannah and Scarlett. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Mary Smith and her children, Alfred, Susan and Clayton, and her niece, Betty Brown.

Her family would like to thank the staff of Willow Point, The Homesteads, Hilltop and Hopkins House for their loving care of Shirley over the past decade.

Memorial donations can be made to Alzheimer's Association www.alz.org.

A memorial service will be held on April 18 at C.H. Landers Funeral Home in Sidney, New York.