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Obituary for Shirley L. Mack
Shirley Leonora Rose Morgan Mack, 81, passed away on Friday September 15, 2017, at Einstein Hospital.
Shirley was born in Manhattan on June 25, 1936, the daughter of Ruby Harris and Leonce Morgan. She had two sisters, Valerie and Ruby, and one brother, Ahmed Kamil (née Keith). Raised on Forest Avenue in the Morrisania region of the Bronx, Shirley attended St. Anthony’s Elementary School and St. Michael’s High School. She graduated from St. John’s Long Island City Hospital School of Nursing in 1957.
In the 1960’s, Shirley met John Butler Mack, a young police officer walking his beat in Morissania. Shirley’s straight-forward, no-nonsense style was evident in that first meeting – when John asked if he could walk with her, Shirley’s response was “It’s a free country.” They married in 1966, and were blessed with sons Steven John and Paul Butler. Shirley, John, and their boys were some of the first residents of Co-op City, the 1960’s cooperative housing development that is home to 60,000 Bronxites.
Shirley worked as a Registered Nurse for 40 years -- as a Red Cross phlebotomist, at Beth Abraham Nursing Home, and as a phlebotomist and later Nurse Manager of the New York Blood Center. Even after her retirement, Shirley remained an RN at heart. If you asked her what she did, she’d tell you that she had been an RN for 60 years.
Shirley exemplified the principles of hard work, devotion to family, friendship, and life-long dedication to learning. She graduated summa cum laude from Lehman College in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing; from Fordham University in 1987 with a Master of Science in Education degree; and from the New York Institute of Technology in 1994 with a Master of Science with Distinction in Instructional Technology. As the New York Blood Center’s finest phlebotomist, Shirley performed an on-air blood-collection from David Letterman on Late Night in 1988. Even after her retirement, Shirley continued to represent the Blood Center by demonstrating the latest in phlebotomy equipment at national conferences.
Shirley was a devoted Roman Catholic for the entirety of her life, and a founding parishioner of St. Michael the Archangel’s Parish in Co-op City.
Shirley was a leader in Co-op City’s Defoe Place townhouse community, which she served on Co-op City’s Buildings and Grounds Committee; as Secretary of the Defoe Place Townhouse Association; and as an organizer of many events and services for her neighbors. She was a devoted friend, and a fierce advocate for her neighbors when their municipal needs went unattended. The staff of Co-op City’s RiverBay Corporation knew and respected her as a no-nonsense woman who wouldn’t rest until she had been heard, acknowledged, and given satisfaction that improved the lives of her friends and neighbors.
Shirley was an eager and avid traveler. Her many journeys included pilgrimages to Catholic Spain and to Canada to see Pope John Paul II, and trips to Italy and Scandinavia with her sons, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. She loved going on cruises with John, who preceded her passing with his own in March, 2010.
Shirley is survived by her sons Steven and Paul; step-daughter Patricia; grandchildren Cydney Fisher-Mack and John Fisher-Mack; sisters Valerie Watkins and Ruby Rollé; and her daughter-in-law Mary Fisher. Her family and many devoted friends miss her dearly, and will forever hold her memory in their hearts.
Shirley was born in Manhattan on June 25, 1936, the daughter of Ruby Harris and Leonce Morgan. She had two sisters, Valerie and Ruby, and one brother, Ahmed Kamil (née Keith). Raised on Forest Avenue in the Morrisania region of the Bronx, Shirley attended St. Anthony’s Elementary School and St. Michael’s High School. She graduated from St. John’s Long Island City Hospital School of Nursing in 1957.
In the 1960’s, Shirley met John Butler Mack, a young police officer walking his beat in Morissania. Shirley’s straight-forward, no-nonsense style was evident in that first meeting – when John asked if he could walk with her, Shirley’s response was “It’s a free country.” They married in 1966, and were blessed with sons Steven John and Paul Butler. Shirley, John, and their boys were some of the first residents of Co-op City, the 1960’s cooperative housing development that is home to 60,000 Bronxites.
Shirley worked as a Registered Nurse for 40 years -- as a Red Cross phlebotomist, at Beth Abraham Nursing Home, and as a phlebotomist and later Nurse Manager of the New York Blood Center. Even after her retirement, Shirley remained an RN at heart. If you asked her what she did, she’d tell you that she had been an RN for 60 years.
Shirley exemplified the principles of hard work, devotion to family, friendship, and life-long dedication to learning. She graduated summa cum laude from Lehman College in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing; from Fordham University in 1987 with a Master of Science in Education degree; and from the New York Institute of Technology in 1994 with a Master of Science with Distinction in Instructional Technology. As the New York Blood Center’s finest phlebotomist, Shirley performed an on-air blood-collection from David Letterman on Late Night in 1988. Even after her retirement, Shirley continued to represent the Blood Center by demonstrating the latest in phlebotomy equipment at national conferences.
Shirley was a devoted Roman Catholic for the entirety of her life, and a founding parishioner of St. Michael the Archangel’s Parish in Co-op City.
Shirley was a leader in Co-op City’s Defoe Place townhouse community, which she served on Co-op City’s Buildings and Grounds Committee; as Secretary of the Defoe Place Townhouse Association; and as an organizer of many events and services for her neighbors. She was a devoted friend, and a fierce advocate for her neighbors when their municipal needs went unattended. The staff of Co-op City’s RiverBay Corporation knew and respected her as a no-nonsense woman who wouldn’t rest until she had been heard, acknowledged, and given satisfaction that improved the lives of her friends and neighbors.
Shirley was an eager and avid traveler. Her many journeys included pilgrimages to Catholic Spain and to Canada to see Pope John Paul II, and trips to Italy and Scandinavia with her sons, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. She loved going on cruises with John, who preceded her passing with his own in March, 2010.
Shirley is survived by her sons Steven and Paul; step-daughter Patricia; grandchildren Cydney Fisher-Mack and John Fisher-Mack; sisters Valerie Watkins and Ruby Rollé; and her daughter-in-law Mary Fisher. Her family and many devoted friends miss her dearly, and will forever hold her memory in their hearts.
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