Shirley M. (Liebe) Andrews, 90, of Rockville, passed away on March 11, 2016, at her home. Born in Manchester, CT on August 7, 1925, she was the daughter of the late Osmond J. and Marjorie H. (Dickenson) Liebe. She was the wife of the late Russell E. Andrews. She was predeceased by her brothers, Robert and George Liebe.
Shirley leaves her three devoted sons, Barry, of Rockville, Glenn and his wife Jeanne, of Tolland, and Bruce and his wife Kathy, of Vernon. She also leaves her sister-in-law, Marion Andrews, of Rockville, her cousin David Carlson, of Granby, and several nieces and nephews. Shirley also leaves her special friends Bridgette Schlatz, Jill Ross, Donna Magnani, and her very special friend of over 70 years, Josephine Meyer, of West Simsbury.
Shirley was an educator. She knew from the time she was a little girl that she wanted to be a teacher. She graduated from Manchester High School, class of 1943, and Willimantic Teachers' College (now ECSU). She began her teaching career in a one room school house in West
Willington. She taught kindergarten in Vernon for 35 years at Maple Street, Lake Street, Northeast Polliwog School, and then ended her teaching career at Northeast School. To the end of her life Shirley remembered her students and could tell anyone their names and the special things they used to do in her class. She was a very special teacher to those she taught.
Upon retirement Shirley and her husband Russell enjoyed making ceramic pieces and taking them to local craft fairs. They owned Liebe's Wallpaper and Paint Store in downtown Rockville, which was opened in 1864 by her by grandfather, Robert Liebe, as a horse harness and shoe shop.
Relatives and friends are welcome to join the family from 4 to 7 PM on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at Burke-Fortin Funeral Home, 76 Prospect St. Rockville, CT. Funeral services will be held at 10 AM on Wednesday, March 16, 2016, at Union Congregational Church, 3 Elm St. Rockville, CT. Burial will follow at Grove Hill Cemetery in Rockville. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115 or the Tolland Fire Department "Christmas Tour," P.O. Box 827, Tolland, CT 06084.
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