Kathryn Shirley (Heitman) West was born November 1,1924 in Shoreham, Vermont.  She is predeceased in death by her husband, George E. West,Jr, her parents Kathryn and Grandey Heitman, her brother Richard and his wife Jeannette.  Shirley is lovingly remembered by her family, Kathryn and John Ciovacco and their children, Maren, Michaela, and Maxamillian of Schenectady, NY; Janis and Paul Donlan and their children, Briana, Maura and Corey of Abington, Steven and Irene West and their children Grandey and his wife Karley with great-grandchildren, Gwendolyn and Ian; and Jared and his partner Vanessa Budd with great grandchild, Juliette, all residing in New Hampshire.  Shirley also leaves a sister, Joyce  Bolliger and her husband Charles of Middlebury, VT;  sister in laws Helene  Meehl of Abington, MA and  Lynn  Nelson of Nokomis, FL;  and many nieces and nephews. Shirley grew up in Shoreham, a small farming town south of Burlington, VT on the shore of Lake Champlain, yet she ventured to Jackson College in Medford, MA. Majoring in chemistry, she met her "Westie" while he attended Tufts College.  Years later after they joined in marriage, the colleges of Jackson and Tufts merged to become Tufts University.  Shirley and her husband traveled and settled in Abington for many years then moved to live on the Tufts campus in Medford and then to the Northfield-Mount Herman campus in Northfield, MA.  They eventually retired to Shoreham, VT to sail on the lake and took many active roles in their community.  Shirley was mainly a homemaker who loved to sew and knit and she always said she had "very clever fingers".  In her later years, reading became a favorite pastime.  Despite many physical health issues, Shirley never complained and persevered through her life with a gentle smile and her gracious nature.  She was the best Mom and we will always love and cherish her memory. The family thanks the staff of the South Shore Nursing Facility in Rockland for the loving care she received while she resided there, and also to the staff of the Brockton Hospital for the supportive assistance she received in her final days. Services are to be held on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at noon at the Quealy and Son Funeral Home in Abington, MA with a collation to follow. A graveside Memorial Internment Service is planned for the future at the Lakeside Cemetery in Shoreham, VT. In lieu of flowers, buy/rent/borrow a book, sit quietly and read in honor of Shirley's memory.