Petersburgh/Grafton – Shirley Rena (Etman) Minkler, 78, a longtime resident of Grafton, NY, and recently Petersburgh, NY, died peacefully on Saturday, February 22, 2014, at her residence following a long illness with her family by her side.
Born in Grafton on January 14, 1936, Mrs. Minkler was the daughter of the late Albert and Leona (Vars) Etman and, for over 49 years, the wife of the late Curtis Jay Minkler, Sr., who predeceased her in 2002.
Shirley attended Berlin High School. She had been employed as a clerk at the United States Post Office in Grafton. In addition, she worked for several years as a clerk at the former Daigle’s General Store, waitressed at the former Partner’s Inn and was a housekeeper for former Congressman Dean Taylor at both his Troy and Taconic Lake homes.
Shirley loved to cook and, in her quiet time, plant flowers and work in her gardens. She delighted in bird watching and expressed her abundant giving and generosity by taking care of others.
Mrs. Minkler is survived by her daughter and son, Phyllis Giroux of Petersburgh and Curtis J. Minkler, Jr. and wife Linda of Hoosick Falls, NY, two sisters, Patricia and husband Clifford Gundrum of Petersburgh and Dolly Crandall of Berlin, NY, a brother, Raymond “Bunky” and wife Dianne Etman of Grafton, three grandchildren, Roy and wife Deidre Fowler III of Petersburgh, Amy Durham of Petersburgh and Heather and husband Chris Alderman of Berlin, six great-grandchildren, Mason Fowler of Petersburgh and Haley Hicks, Jonathan Hicks, Christopher Alderman, Zachary Alderman and Kimberly Alderman, all of Berlin, and very special friends whom she cherished very much, David and Helen O’Donnell of Grafton.
In addition to her parents and late husband, she is pre-deceased by a sister, Norma Gentner, four brothers, Felix Etman, Arthur Etman, Frank Etman and Artell Etman, and a son-in-law, the late C. Fred Giroux, Jr.
A graveside service will be held later this spring in the Berlin Center Cemetery at the convenience of the family. There will be no calling hours.
Memorial contributions may be made to Community Hospice, 295 Valley View Blvd., Rensselaer, NY, 12144, in memory of Shirley R. (Etman) Minkler.