Shirley (Davis) Burton

Shirley (Davis) Burton

December 17, 2021

R. Shirley (Davis) Burton, 94, of Boston. Predeceased by her father Eugene F. Davis, her mother Phyllis M. (Lumbert) Davis, and her husband John F. (Jack) Burton. Devoted mother of Leslie Burton of Boston, John Burton of Boston and his late-wife Patty Sgrecci, Daniel Burton and his wife Kathleen of Norwood. Grandmother of Daniel, Carolyn, and Susan and great-grandmother of Christopher, Avery, Dillon, Teagan, Corinne and Kathryn. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law Dolores and Paula Burton of West Roxbury, her cousins Jan and Briar Cook of Hyannis, her beloved nieces and nephews, and her many cherished friends.

Throughout her long life Shirl was strong and determined, and overcame many physical disabilities with grace and a keen sense of humor. For her the most challenging was her macular degeneration with its subsequent visual impairment. Fortunately, she was able to live independently to the end.

Admired by all for having the best memory of anyone her age and younger, she recently completed her own 2020 Income Taxes on her Dell computer! Shirl loved to shop online, and Amazon was her favorite. She loved going for walks with her trusty rollator walker, eating out at her favorite restaurants, and spending summers with her friends at the local cabana and pool. She was a great swimmer in her youth and taught her children how to swim. She loved to sing, and in the past often enjoyed meeting friends for an evening at the Lenox Hotel piano lounge.

At age 53 she decided to pursue college, and earned her A.D. degree in accounting at Quincy College while working full time as a accountant at Saltonstall & Co. Shirley was involved in her community as a volunteer at the local Court House and was an early and lifelong member of the West End Civic Association. She loved to travel and most recently convinced all of us to go on a cruise right away, while we were opting for a later date. Shirl’s attitude was “Why wait? Let’s go now!” We will miss her…….

Due to the current Covid pandemic, a memorial service to celebrate her life, will be delayed until her birthday, June 23, 2022, and only if it is then safe to assemble. The Family asks that in lieu of flowers: please make donations to New England Center and Home for Veterans at 17 Court Street, Boston MA, 02108.

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