Shirley Fidler's Obituary
Shirley Ethel (Hyman) Fidler
Born April 24, 1936 to Dr. Abraham and Mrs. Goldythe (Eskin) Hyman in New Haven, CT, Shirley’s husband and children were with her as she passed peacefully at her home in Boynton Beach, Florida.
After graduating from the University of Connecticut, Shirley entered the teaching profession and continued her education at New Haven Teachers College, which became Southern CT State College, now known as Southern CT State University. She earned two Masters degrees at Southern. She spent most of her 37-year career teaching kindergarten and first grade in the Hamden CT Public School system.
Shirley's life was enriched for fifteen years through her volunteer work with the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, including service on the Board of Directors for the Shubert Opera. She was also active in the Hamden Arts Commission as Commissioner and Mistress of Ceremonies with their Children’s Theater program.
She was also President for two years of her decades-long membership with the Organization for Rehabilitation through Training (Women's American ORT)
She used her creative spirit and talents to hand-crochet and donate over 100 afghans to women’s shelters, the Linus Program at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Cancer Hospital, and the dementia respite program The Day-Break Club of the Villages. Her creative skills extended to the kitchen; Shirley's cooking column "The Easy Gourmet" was enjoyed for two decades by residents of The Grove in their monthly publication.
Shirley and her husband Harold loved to travel and enjoyed a myriad of cruises and trips to several countries around the world. She would always share her adventures and any new-found understanding of different cultures as she experienced them to her friends, family, and students.
Shirley is remembered by beloved husband of 65 years Harold Fidler, daughters Roberta (Joseph) Ricciardi and Marcia Sue Fidler, sisters Joyce (Robert) Selig and Marilyn Shlank, and countless cousins, nieces and nephews, and an entire community of friends and "adopted" family, as she liked to call them.
What’s your fondest memory of Shirley?
What’s a lesson you learned from Shirley?
Share a story where Shirley's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Shirley you’ll never forget.
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