Worcester - Shirley T. (Steele) Perry, 91, widow of retired Worcester Fire Department Lieutenant Russell J. Perry, passed away August 1, 2016, at UMass Memorial Hospital from complications of pneumonia.
Shirley was born in Worcester, daughter of the late Theresa M. (Quinlan) and Oscar E. Steele. In her youth she worked at Woolworths before becoming a bookkeeper at A& P Grocery Store and then worked at Economy Market. She was a member of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish.
Shirley leaves two daughters, Mary Carpenter and her husband, Roy "Butch" of Worcester and Dianne Powell of Millbury; a brother, Raymond X. Steele; 3 granddaughters, Ashley T. Carpenter and Amy & Nancy Powell ; and 3 great-grandchildren, Brianna Young, Elizabeth Jaeger, and Nicholas Rassias. She was preceded in death by the love of her life, her husband of 28 years, Russell J. Perry (d. 1986) and 3 brothers, Walter, Paul, and Jack Steele.
Calling hours at Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln Street will be held Monday, August 8, from 6-8pm. The funeral will be held from the funeral home on Tuesday, August 9, with a 10:00am Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary, 25 Fales Street. Burial will follow in St. John's Cemetery. Flowers may be sent or donations may be made to Our Lady of the Rosary.