Shirley Quillia

WEBSTER – Shirley L. (Johnson) Quillia, 94, of Webster and formerly of Oxford and Worcester, died Saturday, December 18, 2021, at St. Mary’s Health Care Center in Worcester, after an illness.  Her husband, Roland L. Quillia Jr., predeceased her in 2006.   She leaves a son, Brian R. Quillia of Brookfield, CT; a daughter-in law, Audrey M. Quillia, a sister, Eleanor E. Asadoorian of Boylston, MA; a brother, Francis E. Johnson Jr. of Southbridge, MA; many loved nieces and nephews.  She was born and raised in Worcester, daughter of the late Francis E. and Ada C. (Anderson) Johnson, Sr. She loved her Mom and Dad.

Mrs. Quillia graduated from Commerce High School in 1946 and subsequently Salter Secretarial School.  She also later attended Quinsigamond Community College for certificate programs, all in Worcester.  She was proudly a stenographer and secretarial unit head for the former Paul Revere Life Insurance Company, where she worked for 15 years.  She later was a stenographer for Marine Plastics in Clinton for several years.  In addition, she was a transcriptionist for both the Commerce Insurance Company in Webster and for the National Grange of Auburn. Shirley also was a school crossing guard in Oxford at the Clara Barton Elementary School, which allowed her time to be a homemaker, which she enjoyed.

Mrs. Quillia was a former member of the Zion Lutheran Church and sang in the choir in Worcester.  She then belonged to the former Cherry Valley Methodist Church for many years where she was a Sunday School teacher.  She also attended the Zion Lutheran Church in Oxford.  She was also a former treasurer and committee member for Boy Scout Troop 147 in Oxford.  She also had served as a Cub Scout den mother. She enjoyed RV camping in Kennebunkport and Sanford, Maine over the years, and always loved to “go down the Cape,” especially to Wellfleet and South Yarmouth.

Shirley indeed had an extraordinary “ordinary” life marked by love of family, love of this beautiful world, love of simple things, and perseverance.

She was funny, kind, gentle, soothing, clean, hard-working, faithful, brave, and cute. She was a devoted wife to Roland and a devoted mother to Brian.  Her life most definitely fulfilled “the promise of Christ” and it is certain that we will see her again.

She was especially truly loved by her only son Brian, who took care of her, as she had taken care of him. He will always miss her.

A funeral will be held on Tuesday, December 28, 2021, from Paradis-Givner Funeral Home, 357 Main St., Oxford, followed by a Mass at 9 a.m. at St. Ann’s Church, 652 Main St., North Oxford.  Burial will follow at Worcester County Memorial Park in Paxton.  Calling hours are Monday, December 27, 2021, from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 309 Waverly Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02452, or to the Dementia Society of America, PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901, or to The Skin Cancer Foundation, 205 Lexington Avenue, 11th Floor NY, NY 10016.