Shirley M. (Wentworth) Montanaro, 82, of North Andover, died suddenly on Thursday, January 6, 2011. She was the wife of 62 years of Guido L. Montanaro.

Born in Tewksbury on June 15, 1928, Shirley was the daughter of the late Charles and Mary (Pierce) Wentworth. She was raised in North Andover, attended North Andover schools, and graduated salutatorian from Johnson High School in 1946. Shirley worked for many years as a bookkeeper at H.J. Welch Plumbing and at Cashman’s Service Station.

She attended Mass daily and was very active at St. Michael’s Church in North Andover, where she was a past president of St. Michael’s Guild, and assisted in the coordination of the St. Michael’s CCD program. She was also a faithful participant of the Bread and Roses program.

Shirley’s joys included flower gardening, writing poems, and she especially enjoyed feeding, entertaining, and spending time with family members over the holidays, at cookouts, and at summer campfires.

One of her fondest memories was having spent what she labeled as a true ‘Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving’ with her daughter and family in Landaff, NH.

She leaves behind immediate family members including her son James Montanaro and wife Shelley of North Reading, daughter Cheryl Greenhalgh of Methuen, and daughter Susan Gauthier and husband Ken of Londonderry, NH. Grandchildren include Brianne Baker, Stephen Greenhalgh, Suzanne Smith, Jay Greenhalgh, Jennifer Carlstrom, Jason Montanaro, Tim Montanaro, Stacie Montanaro, Cuyler Gauthier, and Traynor Gauthier, along with six great-grandchildren, and multiple nieces and nephews.

Shirley was predeceased by sister’s Virginia Wentworth and Elizabeth Hay, and brother Roger Wentworth and his wife Margaret. She is survived by sister Mary and her husband the late Joseph Noone, and by brothers Philip Wentworth and his wife Mary Jane, Robert Wentworth and his wife Jeannette, Charles and his wife the late Arlene Wentworth.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 10, 2011 at 10 a.m. from St. Michael's Church, North Andover. Burial will follow in Ridgewood Cemetery in North Andover.

Arrangements were handled by the Conte Funeral Home, 17 3rd Street, North Andover, MA 01845.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to either the Bread and Roses Foundation, 58 Newbury St., Lawrence, MA (www.breadandroseslawrence.org) or to Lahey Clinic, Attn: Philanthropy, c/o Sophia Gordon Cancer Center, 41 Mall Rd, Burlington, MA 01805.