Obituary of Shirley Ferri

Shirley Spencer Blume Ferri, age 92, passed away on Saturday, January 19, 2019, at Sunrise Assisted Living in Basking Ridge, NJ.  Born in Oak Park, IL she grew up in Plainfield and resided in North Plainfield for many years before moving to Basking Ridge 8 years ago.

Shirley graduated from Plainfield High School in 1944. She received a BA from NJ College for Women (Douglass College) in 1948 and then went on to do graduate work in Elementary Education at Rutgers University.  She loved her career as a 3rd and 4th grade teacher in Westfield and South Bound Brook, prior to staying home to raise her children.

In her spare time, she enjoyed gardening, traveling and especially loved spending time with her grandchildren. Shirley was an active member of the Watchung Avenue Presbyterian Church in North Plainfield, NJ.

Shirley was predeceased by her loving husband Manuel Gregory Ferri in 2011.

Survived by her 3 daughters Marcia Clarke and her husband Russell, Dana Miller and her husband Angus and Lesley Lauer and her husband Peter; grandchildren Douglas and his wife Krista, Alexandra, Simon, Lucy and Finn. She is also survived by her sister Dolores Durkin of Beacon NY.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, January 27, 2019 from 3-7 p.m. at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd. Watchung, NJ.  A funeral service will be held on Monday, January 28, 2019 at 11 a.m. at Watchung Avenue Presbyterian Church, North Plainfield.  Interment will follow at Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains.

Memorial donations may be made to the Watchung Avenue Presbyterian Church, 170 Watchung Ave, North Plainfield, NJ 07060.