EAST MILLINOCKET – Shirley Ann (Moscone) Nicholson, 71, devoted wife and mother, died unexpectedly May 19, 2011. Shirley was born Aug. 4, 1939, in Millinocket, to Arthur and Bertha (DeVoe) Moscone.
After growing up in Millinocket, Shirley married the love of her life, Lewis “Billy” Nicholson, Aug. 7, 1955. After a stop in Medway, they built a house in East Millinocket, which they filled with 13 beautiful children. Widowed in her 30s, Shirley selflessly devoted her life to the challenge of raising a large family on her own. As time passed she was blessed first with grandchildren and then great-grandchildren, 53 and counting. These children absolutely adored Grammy Shirley and there was rarely a dull moment at her North Street home. Many marveled at how Shirley could somehow feed a small army without advanced notice. As it is now and always will be, Shirley was the center of the Nicholson family universe. Her support, advice and love has guided this family forever for more than 55 years. She was everyone’s rock – always there no matter what. Heaven’s gain is our loss. To know who Shirley Nicholson was, one only has to see all of those she left behind.
Shirley is survived by her children, Lynn Pelkey and her husband, Patrick, of Cary, N.C., Deborah Babbitt and husband, Wayne, of Webster, Mass., Richard Nicholson and wife, Diana, of East Millinocket, Sandra Lane of Portsmouth, N.H., Karen Wolivar and husband, David, of Alexandria, N.H., David Nicholson and wife, Lisa, of East Millinocket, Joseph Nicholson and wife, Christina, of Cool, Calif., Thomas Nicholson of Palo Alto, Calif., Judith Baker and husband, Daniel, of New Rochelle, N.Y., Sara Nicholson and her partner, LeeAnne Sparling, of Clearwater, Fla., Betsy Smith of East Millinocket, Angela Johnson and husband, Bernard, of Lamoine and Jennifer Smith and fiancee, Rick Currie, of East Millinocket; her 35 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; brothers, Robert, Michael and James Moscone; and her sisters, Jacqueline Moscone, Elizabeth Robinson, Anna Gagnon and Bertha Welch. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Lewis William “Billy” Nicholson; her brothers, Arthur Jr. and Richard Moscone; and her sister, Mary Hale.
Friends may visit with the family 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Sunday, May 22, at Lamson Funeral Home, 11 Tamarack St., Millinocket. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Monday, May 23, at Calvary Temple, 4 Orchard St., East Millinocket, with the Rev. Regginal Adams officiating. Memorial donations may be sent to the Salvation Army, 65 South Park St., Bangor, ME 04401. Arrangements by Lamson Funeral Home, Millinocket. Messages of condolence may be expressed at
www.lamsonfh.com.