Shirley Frances (Dean) King, 88, of Nashua, widow of Ambrose King, Jr, passed away early Wednesday morning, June 28, 2023 at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, after a brief period of declining health.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 13, 1935, she was the daughter of the late William and Elvie (Swenson) Dean. Shirley grew up in Chelsea, MA and graduated from Chelsea High School Class of 1952.
Shirley and her husband Ambrose were married at Mt Bellingham Methodist Church in Chelsea, MA on April 16, 1955. They purchased their first home in Newburyport, MA where they resided for 4 years. Shirley and her family later moved to Ellington, CT and then Salisbury, MD in support of her husband’s career. She has made her home in Nashua for the past 26 years, after retiring there with her husband.
While residing in Ellington, CT, Shirley was variously a reporter for the Journal Inquirer newspaper, a statistical typist for Combustion Engineering of Windsor, CT, and secretary to the Principal at Crystal Lake Elementary School. While in Maryland, Shirley was employed for over 20 years with Salisbury University as an administrator in their human resources department. After retiring and moving to Nashua, she worked for the Beaver Brook Association of Hollis, NH assisting with fund raising and events.
Shirley was an active member of the Chelmsford, MA Senior Center and held membership in the Elks Lodge 817 Auxiliary of Salisbury, MD where her husband was a member and Past Exalted Ruler.
Fun-loving and generous by nature, Shirley made friends easily wherever she went, and made a point of staying in touch through the years and miles of separation. She loved to travel and in her retirement was able to visit Bermuda, England, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, and Switzerland, as well many places across the US and Canada.
In addition to her parents, Shirley was predeceased by her husband Ambrose, who passed away August 28, 2019; and her brother, Robert Dean of Everett, MA in 1982.
Members of her family include her daughter, Nancy E. King of Milton, MA; her son, Donald W. King and his wife Tijana of Salisbury, MD; her sisters-in-law, Blanche Burke of Revere, MA and Karen Dean of Everett, MA; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be private. Friends wishing to express their sympathy, may send a donation in her memory to www.beaverbrook.org. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.farwellfuneralserivce.com Arrangements are in the care of the Farwell Funeral Service, 18 Lock Street, Nashua, NH.
