Shirley Woodward

Shirley Long Woodward, 93, died April 24, 2022. Shirley was born in Gainesville, FL, grew up in Auburn, NY, graduated from Auburn East High School in 1947 and then attended Cornel University where she met Gordon Woodward. They married September 11, 1949 and lived in the town of Maine, NY until they retired to Sun City, AZ in 1988. They were married for 64 years. She was preceded in death by her husband Gordon Woodward and her parents, Professor Walter and Carmelita (Hebblethwaite) Long of Auburn, NY. She is survived by two brothers, Walter Long of Santa Clara, CA and Timothy and his wife Sally Long of Jasper, GA, two children, Steven Woodward of Tempe, AZ and Catherine and husband Glen Pruett of Bakersfield, CA, three grandchildren, Rebekah and husband Christopher Nelson, Mikah Pruett, and Cheyenne Lamont, six great-grandchildren, Jacob and Aubrey Nelson, Jaxon, Aria and Dalton Lamont and Kaleb Pruett, one great-great grandson, Greysin Pruett. In her early 30’s she was appointed as Town Historian, Maine, NY and served for 35 years. As town Historian she worked with the Nanticoke County Valley Historical Society. She also served as Broome County Historian for 7 years. As County Historian during the bicentennial celebration two of her projects were the making of the County Quilt, now in the county executive office and the collection of town histories to commemorate the bicentennial by all 16 towns of Broome County. Shirley belonged to several Patriotic Hereditary Societies: Tuscarora Chapter DAR of Binghamton, NY for over 50 years, Agua Fria Chapter DAR of Sun City, AZ, Daughters of American Colonists, Governor John Cranston Chapter of Binghamton, NY, Mayflower Society Vermont Chapter and Colonial Dames. She was cofounder of the Southern Tier Genealogy Society of Vestal, NY, formed in 1967, collaborated with the Tioga County Museum to set up a history and genealogy research room and belonged to the NY Municipal Historians for both Town and County. She attended American University in Washington DC to learn genealogical research and did research for others in Broome and surrounding counties. She also taught classes in Genealogy at Broome County College. Visiting hours are Friday, May 13, 2022 from 4 to 6pm at Allen Memorial Home, 511 E. Main Street, Endicott, NY. Funeral services will be held at Union Center United Methodist Church Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 11:00am with burial to follow in the Nanticoke Valley Cemetery, Union, New York. Reception to follow at Church. Expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to the Union Center United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 128 Maple Dr., Endicott, NY 13760, or to a charity of your choice.