BRUNSWICK – Shirley M. Irish, 95, of Brunswick, died Oct. 11.
She was born Dec. 1, 1919, in Walton, Nova Scotia to Maude (Lingard) and George E. Woolaver. The family moved in 1926 to Lynn, Massachusetts, where she graduated from Lynn English High School in 1937. Irish then worked as a stenographer and attended Northeastern University Evening School of Business in Boston.
In October 1943, she married Lt. Maynard M. Irish in the chapel at Fort George G. Meade in Maryland. In 1947, the couple settled in Brunswick. Irish was a homemaker and a caregiver. She volunteered with the Brownies and Girl Scouts and served as secretary of the Bath/Brunswick Mental Health Association for many years, as well as the Sugarloaf Interfaith Chapel Committee (now the Richard Bell Memorial Chapel). Irish was also a recorder for the Brunswick Chapter American Red Cross monthly blood drives. She was active with the Women’s Alliance of the First Parish Church in Brunswick.
Irsh enjoyed sailing with her husband and skiing at Sugarloaf with her extended “ski family.” She was well known for taking care of those around her, with both meticulous preparation and a healthy sense of fun: the family remembers ski lunches she wrapped carefully in waxed paper, each secured with a rubber band with detailed directions on how and when to eat it.
In her last days she was fortunate to share time with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and close friends.
She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Maynard M. Irish, as well as a brother, Francis Malcolm Woolaver.
Surviving are her brother, John N. Woolaver, of Brunswick; two sons, Allen Irish of Durham and Norman Irish of Boothbay Harbor; a daughter, Margaret Irish, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado; five grandchildren, Mason, Samuel, Julia, Amy, and Nicholas Irish; and four great-grandchildren, Cassie, Moira, Ryan, and Hazel Irish.
A committal service was held at FPC Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust, 108 Maine St, Brunswick, ME 04011.
Irish
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.