Obituary of Shirley L. Boniface

Shirley "Lu Lu" Roe Boniface March 19, 1928 - February 10, 2013 Burlingham, NY Shirley Boniface, a life-long resident of the community and beloved daughter, sister, daughter-in-law, mother, grandmother, nana, postmaster, neighbor, gardener, and friend entered into rest at her home on February 10, 2013 with her loving family by her side. She was 84 years old. Shirley was so much to so many. She lived a simple and caring life, always putting family and friends above all. Always ready to lend a hand or go on an adventure at a moment's notice. The sight of children always made her heart lift with joy and created smiles abound. The daughter of the late Joseph B. Roe Sr. and Marion Ennis Roe, she was born on March 19, 1928, and was the second oldest daughter of twelve children and learned hard work and loving family dedication at the elbow of her beloved paternal grandmother, Lulu Baron Roe-Schneider. Shirley began her work career at age 10 washing dishes and helping the cook of a local summer boarding house prepare meals. While attending Middletown High School, which she graduated from in 1945, she worked at Carson and Towner Department store in Middletown every afternoon and caught a ride home each night with an elderly neighbor. She also worked for D.F. Collins at the Bloomingburg Roller Rink and the Collins Bowling Alley/Soda Fountain. On November 17, 1946, she married Richard Boniface, who passed away on December 16, 2012. During their 66 year marriage, they had three children, Edyth "Dee" Green and her husband Leo of LaGrange, NC, Richard S. Boniface and companion Cal Livingston of Burlingham, NY, and Elizabeth Smith and her husband Richard of Pine Bush, NY. Shirley worked alongside her husband Richard as his bookkeeper for his excavating company and after all of her children were off to school, she took a part time job in Burlingham at the country store/post office. From there, she worked in the pharmacy at Lloyd's in Middletown before accepting a position to clerk in the Burlingham Post Office, where she eventually became Postmaster in 1976 until her retirement in 1991. She loved all her customers and the community she served, always looking for ways to increase revenue and maintain the need for that community's post office. Having grown up in Roosa Gap, where the post office closed, she was keenly aware of the loss of identity and sense of community an area suffers when its post office closes. Shirley was predeceased by her beloved granddaughter Tonya Lu Green Palmer of NC. She is survived by her three grandchildren Colleen Acierno and her husband Angelo of Washingtonville, Jesse Boniface and William Boniface both of Middletown, and great-grandchildren Zachary Palmer of NC, and Brandon, Ryan and Bridget Boniface of Pine Bush. She is also survived by her feline companion Abby and her beloved friend and sister Rhea Arnold, whose nightly telephone calls were her lifeline. She is also survived by her sister Elva Plocharczk and brothers Joseph B. Roe, Jr. and wife Barbara, Richard Roe and wife Joan, Robert Roe and wife Marlene, and Ralph Roe and wife Jeanne. Shirley is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, their children and their children's children on the Roe and Boniface sides. She is predeceased by her sisters; Marion Botsford and June Poharski and her brothers; John, Duane, and Elvin Roe. Shirley loved to travel and attended many conventions with her fellow local postmasters. Her stories of four women sharing a room and the frugality of those trips always made her family smile. After retiring from the postal service she initiated and attended many trips with her grandchildren and later was always up for wherever her great grandchildren were going. From May through September, Shirley was always found in her flower garden with a spade in her hand, nurturing the blooms of her plants from one shock of color to the next. She was a great share-gardener, spreading clippings that will continue to bloom in her memory to family and friends. Visitation will be held on Wednesday February 13, 2013 from 2-4 & 7-9pm at the William M. Gagan Funeral Home Inc. 1525 Burlingham Rd Pine Bush, NY. Funeral services will be conducted on Thursday February 14, 2013 at 10am at the funeral home with Pastor Robert Hewitt officiating. Cremation will take place at Cedar Hill Crematory. A luncheon to celebrate Shirley's life will be held at The Eagles Nest on Mountain Road in Bloomingburg immediately after the memorial service. Memorial contributions can be made in Shirley's name to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, Inc., 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550, Walden Humane Society, 2489 Albany Post Road, Walden, NY 12586 or a charity of ones choice. Arrangements entrusted to the William M. Gagan Funeral Home Inc. www.wmgaganfuneralhome.com