Shirley Jean Garner, 84 4 December 1940 -19 December 2024

Beloved wife and soulmate of 50 years passed into eternal rest on Thursday 12-19-2024, 8:30 AM at Halifax Health Hospice in Edgewater Fl. with Don (Husband) & James ( Son ) by her side.

Born at 6-1/2 Spring Street in Cobleskill, NY, the daughter of David Wesley Nethaway and Ruth (Ahl) Nethaway. Shirley moved with her parents to Schenectady, NY during the WWII years when her mother worked in a "Rosie the Riveter" type position at the Army Depot. After 1945, they moved to Howes Cave, NY where Shirley spent the rest of her formative years. She graduated from Cobleskill High School in 1959. Shirley and her first husband James E. Petteys had 5 children, James W, Tammy, David, Robert, and John Petteys. During these years Shirley worked at the Dairy Queen in Cobleskill, NY, now a parking lot for Community Bank, she was also a cook in the Kitchen at the Howe Caverns Restaurant. Later Shirley went back to school then took a job with the State of New York in Stuyvesant Plaza. Shirley remarried to Donald E. Garner in 1974. She then worked in various positions at SUNY Cobleskill, the longest being in the Education Technology Department on the Quad. Shirley and Don were active in community organizations, most notably the Cobleskill Elks Lodge, where she held a rotation as President of the Ladies Auxiliary. She was also active with the Red Hats. After retirement, Shirley and Don moved to Edgewater Florida, where she & Don were members of F.S.P.O.A. club and Shirley continued her involvement with the Red Hats. Shirley was predeceased by her parents, an infant sister Marlene, and Granddaughter Cassie. She is survived by her husband Don Garner of Edgewater FL, her children James W. Petteys (Kim) of Schenectady, NY, Tammy Sielaff of Hindsville, NY, David Petteys (Bridgette) of Shiner, TX, Robert Petteys of Lexington, NC, and John Petteys (Karen) of Amsterdam, NY. Also surviving are Don's children Donald Garner Jr of Edgewater, FL, Leslie Denmark (John) of Johnstown, NY, and Richard Garner , of NY. Shirley has 21 Grandchildren, and 26 Great Grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Richard Nethaway, of Howes Cave, NY. She treasured her friends & family and was never seen without a smile. She was understanding and loving. All of us who knew her loved and treasured her. She loved holidays (Christmas was her favorite) and would never turn down a chance to dance. Services will be scheduled in Edgewater, Florida and in the Summer of 2025 in Cobleskill, New York with burial in The Bramanville, NY Cemetery, next to her mother. If you would like to honor, her Memory – Contributions can be made in the name of Shirley J Garner to your local Hospice Organization.