Marcia F. (Starkey) Shelley 78, of Park Avenue, Keene, NH and a former longtime resident of Westmoreland, NH, died Thursday, December 8, 2011 at her home in Keene with her family at her side following a courageous battle with cancer.
She was born in Keene, NH, January 01, 1933, the daughter of Ernest D. and Ethel A. (Barrett) Perham. She grew up in Keene and was a 1950 graduate of Keene High School.
Mrs. Shelley worked for ten years in the circulation department with the Keene Sentinel. She was a longtime member of the Westmoreland United Church.
She enjoyed being at home with her family. She also enjoyed doing crafts and was an avid knitter, knitting hats for the newborns at The Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, making mittens for her granddaughter’s grade school students, and knitting helmet liners for the troops overseas. She was an avid card player, enjoying the Saturday night card games with her friends. She also enjoyed her annual trips to York Beach in Maine.
She is survived by her husband of four years, Hugh A. Shelley, Jr. of Keene, her children, James L. Starkey and his girlfriend, Christine I. Braaten of Westmoreland, John E. Starkey and his wife Deborah of Westmoreland, Sally A Payne of Rockingham, Vermont, Diane L. Castor and her husband, Michael, of Keene, Carol S. Shelley of Tacoma, WA, Christine A. Dobbins and her husband, James T., of Federal Way, WA, Kenneth W. Shelley of Graham, WA, her grandchildren, Tammy Rainville of Marlow, NH, Michelle Masterson of Swanzey, NH, Nikole Starkey of Keene, Amanda Starkey of Westmoreland, Derek Starkey of Westmoreland, Peter Starkey of Washington, DC, Benjamin Shelley of Spanaway, WA, Nicholas R. Shelley of Steilacoom, WA, Ian Shelley and Jessica Shelley, both of Graham, WA, Cory Dobbins of Puyallup, WA, Shawna Dobbins of Federal Way, and several great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two sisters, Norma Hudson of West Swanzey, NH, Marilyn H. Arnold of Morgantown, PA, and many nieces and nephews. Her first husband of 55 years, Linn J. Starkey, Jr., died January 14, 2006, and a son, Jeffrey A. Starkey, died June 14, 1999. A son-in-law, Andrew M. Payne, died August 21, 2008.
A memorial service will be held Monday, December 12, 2011 at 11:00 AM in the Westmoreland Village Church, South Village Road, Westmoreland. Rev. Donna Gage, Pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the spring in the South Village Cemetery, Westmoreland. There are no public calling hours.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Mrs. Shelley’s memory to Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services, PO Box 564, Keene, NH 03431, or to the Jeff Starkey Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Westmoreland School, Glebe Road, Westmoreland, NH 03467.
The Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene, NH is assisting the family with the arrangements.
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