ST. ALBANS, Vt. – Shirley E. Morong, 103, passed away Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011. She was born Aug. 14, 1908, in Bath, daughter of Charles and Myrtie (Horton) Shepard.
She graduated from Morse High School, Bath, in 1925. She married Clifton S. Morong, June 30, 1934. He predeceased her in 2003. Shirley was an accomplished writer. She had stories published in several magazines, including the Lighthouse Digest, Keeper Log and Quoddy Tides newspapers. She also wrote a column for many years for the National Fisherman’s Paper. She was an authority on lighthouses of the New England coast. She spent much of her married life living in lighthouses as her husband was a Coast Guard lighthouse keeper. She was a member of Order of Eastern Star, American Legion Auxiliary and Lubec Ambulance Service, all of Lubec, and Friends of Sequin Lighthouse and Lighthouse Foundation. She was a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, St. Albans, Vt.
In addition to her husband, Shirley was predeceased by her son, Robert Morong; son-in-law, Raleigh Davis; and brothers, Herman, Ernest and Charles. Her survivors include her two sons, Gerald Morong and his wife, Frances, of St. Albans, Vt., and Wayne Morong and his wife, Camilla, of Hermon; her daughter, Joanne Davis of St. Albans, Vt.; daughter-in-law, Isabel Morong of West Bath; along with her grandchildren, Jerri Bushey, Ronald Morong and his friend, Gale, Carol Lumbra and her husband, Jay, Connie Reed and her friend, Pat, Donald Morong and Ann, Bruce Davis and his wife, Lynn, Steven Davis and his wife, Ilia, Cheryl Davis, Deborah Davis and her friend, Bart, Wanda Mathews and her husband, Edwin, Jamie Nawinski and her husband, Chris, Thomas Morong and his wife, Deanne, Timothy Morong and his wife, Ann, and Melissa Hagget and her husband, Sam; as well as 32 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, at Heald Funeral Home, 87 South Main St., St. Albans, Vt. A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Church Street, St. Albans, Vt., with the Rev. Dr. Marguerite Gage officiating. Interment will be at a later date at Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Augusta. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Maine Seacoast Mission, 127 West St., Bar Harbor, ME 04609 or Lighthouse Foundation, 464 Main St., Rockland, ME 04841-3376. Private messages of condolence are welcome at
www.healdfuneralhome.com.