Shirley (Sandy) McMahon

She was the daughter of Samuel B. and Grace E. McCullough Gillette born in Greece, NY, July 19, 1926. She attended Cortland State Teacher’s College from 1944-1946.

She married Richard T. McMahon on April 26, 1947 and raised ten children while actively operating the E-Z Acres family dairy farm.

She was a Eucharistic Minister, Communicant, and a member of the Altar Rosary Society of St. Margaret’s Church in Homer, NY. She was the Parish Historian for the Syracuse Diocese as well as a member of the National Right to Life Organization.

Sandy was a proud member of the Tioughnioga Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution which included her role as Chapter Chaplin.

She was an avid genealogist and historian and a member of the Cortland County Historical Society, the Windsor Historical Society, the New England Antiquity Association, the Wm. Beauchamp Chapter NYS Archeological Association and the Mayflower Society. She was also a member of the Albany Colony Society of Mayflower Descendants, the Pilgrim Hopkins Heritage Society, the Steamship Historical Society of America and the Eastham Historical Society.

Sandy is survived by her brother, Samuel F. Gillette, of Connecticut, and her children, Kathy Lewis (Sadie Ross), Michael (Edie), Brian, Carol (Duane) Milton, Kevin (Moira), Peter (Annette), Stephen (Heidi), Shawn (Nancy), Monica (Tim) Willsey; 30 grandchildren, and 29 great grandchildren.

Sandy was predeceased by her husband, Richard T. in 1994, as well as sons, Thomas J., in 1949, and Dr. Daniel P., in 2002, brother, Dr. James H. Gillette of Brockport, NY, 1991, and granddaughter, Cheri McCord, 1997.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 18, 2012 in St. Margaret’s Church, 14 Copeland Ave., Homer, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Paul J. Alciati. Interment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Cortland.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. at the Donald L. Barber Funeral Home, 5016 N. Main St., Homer.

Memorial contributions in Mrs. McMahon’s name may be directed to the St. Margaret’s Church Building Fund, 14 Copeland Ave., Homer, NY 13077 or to the Cortland YWCA, 14 Clayton Ave., Cortland, NY 13045.