Shirley Doris (Mellor) Burlingham

Shirley Mellor Burlingham, of Bluffton, SC peacefully passed away on January 9, 2021 at Bloom at Belfair.

Shirley Doris Mellor was born on May 27, 1926, in Norwich, CT, the oldest child of Walter F. Mellor Sr. and Edith Firth Mellor.  She was a graduate of the Norwich Free Academy class of 1944, and worked in the offices of several Norwich companies, both during and after her NFA years.

On June 16, 1945 at the Taftville Congregational Church in Norwich, Shirley was united in marriage to George Thompson Burlingham who, after 66 years together, predeceased her on March 17, 2009.  She was also predeceased by her youngest daughter, Lois Burlingham Shumway, on October 18, 2017, and her brothers Walter F Mellor Jr. of Vero Beach, FL and Arthur R. Mellor of Lisbon, CT. 

Shirley is survived by her daughter, June Burlingham LeClair (Roger) of Hilton Head Island, SC, her son-in-law Peter Shumway of Port Royal, SC, her granddaughter Tracy LeClair Snyder (Brian) of Seneca, SC, two great granddaughters Paige Snyder Warner (Tom) of Suffolk, VA and Taylor Snyder of Greenville, SC, two great great grandchildren Adalyn and Benjamin Warner, and numerous nieces and nephews who were very dear to her.

The Burlingham Family moved from Norwich to Lisbon, CT in 1952 and Shirley returned to work in 1958 as the bookkeeper for the Poultry Wing & Meat Co. in Norwichtown, later called Shop-Rite Super Market.  From 1965-1970 she was the Controller at the Waterford Country School in Waterford, CT.  Throughout their Lisbon years they were very involved in the Taftville Congregational Church, the Lisbon Central School, and the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Dept.

In 1970, Shirley and George moved to West Dummerston, VT and Shirley become the Controller for the Experiment in International Living, School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT.

The couple retired in 1986 and moved to North Hutchison Island in Fort Pierce, FL where Shirley served in various civic activities including President and Treasurer of their resort Board of Directors, President of the North Beach Homeowners Assoc., and Treasurer for the St. Lucie Waterfront Council, Inc.

In additional to her professional skills, Shirley was an accomplished organist and pianist, a talented artist, a knitter, a seamstress who made both of her daughter’s wedding gowns, and a beautiful singer.

In May 2005 Shirley and George relocated to Sun City Hilton Head in Bluffton, SC to be closer to their family, and in 2011 Shirley moved to assisted living at Bloom at Belfair in Bluffton. 

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