Obituary of Shirley Keating

Shirley Irene Keating passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday June 13, 2018. She was 91 years old. Shirley was born in Winchester. She was the daughter of Adam and Catherine Hamilton. She grew up in Winchester and was a graduate of Winchester High School. Shirley and her girlfriends were enjoying a day at Revere Beach when she would first meet her future husband, Paul J. Keating. A romance blossomed and they were married in 1950. They settled in Burlington in 1964. Shirley’s first priority was her family. When her children were off at school, she worked as a technician at Sanders Associates in Burlington. She would later take a position at the Sears department store located right down the street from her home. She worked in the catalog department, then as a clerk in store, and ended her career at Sears as the Administrative Assistant to the store manager. Shirley enjoyed knitting and crocheting. She loving made blankets, mittens, hats and gloves for all her family. She later would donate her creations to the Burlington Council on Aging to be sold at their holiday fair. She was also a talented baker. She never took shortcuts when it came to cooking and baking. She made everything from scratch. Summer vacations were a big deal to Shirley. Every year they would pick a new destination locally or across the United States and try a new a adventure. Those trips enlightened the world around her children as well creating lasting memories. She also enjoyed day trips and Sunday drives. Sometimes it was a sentimental day spent at Revere Beach or a day at Logan Airport to watch the planes landing and taking off, or any other adventure or activity that she could share with her husband and family. She was also a person who loved animals and always had pets. For Shirley, a good live is when you appreciate what God has given you and your family, laugh and smile often, and realize how blessed you are. Shirley was the beloved wife of 61 years of the late Paul J. Keating. She was the loving mother of Cindy McInnis & her husband John of Francestown, NH, Paul J. Keating, Jr. of Burlington, and Alan Keating of N. Andover. She was predeceased by her sisters; Florence Lang and Evelyn Fey. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, June 23 at 10 a.m. at St. Malachy’s Church, 99 Bedford St., Burlington. The burial will follow at Pine Haven Cemetery, Burlington. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. There will be no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Shirley’s name may be made to the MSPCA, 350 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02130 or www.mspca.org. Arrangements by the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home. For directions obituary & online guestbook see www.saint-malachy.org or www.sullivanfuneralhome.net